A Blog About Golden Retrievers and Dogs in General
Here Jenny and I will write and share our favorite Golden stories and articles. Hopefully we'll give some informative tips on the Golden Retriever breed that may also help those with other breeds. Feel free to comment or add to our blog. In addition, if you would like to write a story, feel free to contact us. Our goal is to keep this light hearted, heart warming, or fun. Thanks for reading!
Tools of the Trade (Grooming)
Ok, so this isn’t a grooming business. However, grooming is serious business if you own a dog. Grooming is a chore that requires dedication. This holds even truer for Golden Retrievers. We love that long hair and it makes them so cuddly. However, it can be a nightmare if not taken care of properly. Everyone uses their own techniques and products. I’m just giving people an overview of what has worked well for Jenny and me. That said, I'm guessing a few of these products are also used by other dog owners.
Dogs that spend most of their time inside tend to shed all year round. However, there are certain times of the year when it’s even more important to stay on top of grooming. The summer is probably, for your dogs sake, one of the best times to keep your dog well groomed. Excess hair equals excess heat. From a grooming standpoint, you’ll find that as weather heats up and cools down (change of season) that you’re grooming will become more involved.
I use several products for grooming. For note, none of the products I mention are sponsors of this site. They’ve gained prominence in my household simply because of their quality and the fact that they work well. I provided links to their websites when possible so you can do more of your own research. There are three stages of products I use. It boils down to extreme, heavy, and every day brushing.
For the early change of season, when your dogs coat is very thick, I recommend using a product called the FURminator. The tight metal comb like layout of this rake is excellent for getting rid of very heavy extreme shedding. It takes the under layer of fur out with relative ease. This is a product that I’d say you’ll use every few months and only during the heaviest of shedding.
The second product I recommend is a regular rake. This product (brands vary) has wider and thicker bristles than the FURminator. They taper down a bit at the ends to help get to the under coat. It’s a bit less extreme than a FURminator, but still pretty powerful at removing excess fur. This is a product that you would use every few weeks to once a month. It really depends on how well you keep up with my next two suggestions.
The last two products I use are for daily brushing. They are softer and less likely to irritate your dog’s skin, which is important in the summer and in general. Also, once you have used a FURminator and a regular rake, there is no need to use anything heavy duty for daily use. Most of the hair should be gone at this point and you’re basically just keeping things in check. A few years ago at a local event for dogs I was given a product called Groomeez. Their website isn't the greatest, but if you do a search you can find places that sell them online. It’s an –excellent— daily use brush. What I like is that the bristles are rubbery plastic, which is softer for your dogs. Both my dogs love this brush. The best part of Groomeez is that it has a button you can push up to help take the fur out of the bristles. However, Groomeez will only work if your dog is well groomed. This is not a product designed to take out mats or for heavy grooming. Make sure to follow the previous steps before using a product like Groomeez.
Another product I use quite a bit is a comb, which works great around the ears. The particular comb I prefer has moveable bristles. It’s not electric, but the bristles are loose, which allows movement of about 1/8 of an inch up and down and they can also rotate which helps them move seamlessly through the hair. I’ve had several of these and they are great for daily grooming for both cats and dogs. The product is called the UNTangler. It sounds dramatic, but it is very soft on the dogs while grooming. The pins are rounded at the ends, which is gentler on the skin. This comb will take out some light tangles or mats. Both the Groomeez and the UNtangler are excellent daily use grooming tools. If you can’t find these products, then I recommend a soft bristled slicker brush or soft bristle wire brush.
Brushing or combing daily can help avoid the frequent use of heavier rakes. In addition, it can keep your dogs cool in the summer and your home freer of excess fur. If you keep up with your grooming it should take about five to ten minutes a day and will save you a lot of hassle later on. Who doesn't have five minutes to spare for their animals? That is not to say you won’t skip a day here and there, but the idea is to keep it regular. On top of all the other advantages to grooming regularly, you’ll have fewer problems with fleas and ticks. I typically groom outside when it’s nice especially when using the rakes.
Hopefully these suggestions will give you some ideas on how to keep up with grooming and avoid products that may not work as well. All these products have worked great for Jenny and I and have held up very well over the years. It’s important that if you have or are getting a puppy, that you start early with grooming. At the puppy stages, the two daily use products I recommended above will work fine. There are also puppy brushes available. The more frequent you groom while they are young the less problems your dog will have with it later. In some cases, the dogs will actually enjoy it; especially on the back. Remember, if your puppy is staying still; be sure to use positive reinforcement. A few treats afterwards will also help relate grooming to a positive thing.