It's a Golden ....... grooming? Say what? Well, they do need some basic brushing and care, but please, please, don't take them to a groomer and let them give your dog a Poodle or Westie cut. And, absolutely NO "mohawks" ..... that just wouldn't be right! Then again, as you'll see in the following pararaph, we have been know to be "bad".
Once in a while, usually a great while, if ever, we have gotten one or two of our Golden's "shaved" for summer. This is down to around 3/8" to 1/2" long, including the feathers. If you live in a hot area, this can be okay, especially if they are outside a lot. IF this is done, we highly recommend a "lion's tail" - you will want a photo! But, it is highly recommended you just keep them cool and not do this.
Once your Golden Retriever puppy is home with you and your family, you will want to start a schedule for grooming and cleaning your puppy. This is not only important for the appearance of your new Golden Retriever puppy but also for its health and well being. It's not something that we often think about but puppies can not only produce an odor when not cleansed or groomed often but also may developed matted areas of fur and skin allergies as well.
Fur:
Properly grooming your Golden Retriever puppy will make you and your puppy feel very happy. The fur is the main area that will need to be groomed. This involves trimming of the fur, brushing and or combing of the fur. With longhaired puppies you may want to comb through on a daily basis, trimming at areas that may be matted or may have a tendency to become matted. Fur will usually only need a combing or brushing every two or three weeks.
Paws:
You will also need to do regular checking of your puppy's paws. This will include trimming of the nails as well. You will need to check for any kind of dirt or debris that can become lodged in between the toes. This is especially important if your dog spends a great deal of time outdoors. The nails will need to be trimmed every few weeks, though if the pup is on concrete or similar surface, this will keep this need down - they should still be checked regularly. This will help your puppy with movement as well as prevent any ingrown nails that can grow inward into the paw pads. This can be extremely painful for the pup and will cost quite a bit at the vets office to have removed and then closed up. To avoid this problem you must do a check every two weeks. Trimming of the nails will also save your furniture as well. If you have hardwood floors you will want to make sure your puppy's nails are trimmed to avoid any damage. If its nails are making clicking noises on your floors, then your pup may need a trimming.
Ears:
Ear care is very important for your little Golden Retriever puppy. As a rule, the ears should always be a pale pink color and should not carry a fowl odor. If you notice anything odd you should take your Golden Retriever puppy over to your vet to get checked. Cleaning your puppy's ears is a fairly easy task. You will want to wet a cotton swab or pad with a little bit of warm water and gently clean the inner areas of the ear. A slight amount of rubbing alcohol on a pad will clean and cool them. You only want to go as far as you can see and never go deep into the ear canal. Cleaning of the ears should be done about once a week, depending on your pup.
Teeth:
Dental care for your puppy is important as well. Cleaning of your dog's teeth should start at a very early age. As soon as the teeth start showing dental care should begin. Poor dental care is one of the main causes of early health problems in Golden Retriever dogs. Decay of the mouth and teeth can lead to serious kidney and liver disease. This can lead to an early death. You should brush your pup's teeth as often as possible and take your pup into your vet once a year for a thorough cleaning.
Eyes:
Checking and cleaning your Golden Retriever's eyes should be done at least every couple of days. You will want to see clean and clear eyes. Any sign of drainage or cloudiness is not preferred. To clean the eye area you will want to take a moist cotton swab and gently wipe the outer areas, not the eye itself, to remove any discharge. To remove any discoloration of the fur around the eyes, there are a few products that can remove these stains and prevent new ones. See your vet for suggestions.
Bathing:
Bathing your Golden Retriever is another way to get rid of most of the smelly odors that most dogs carry. At first sniff, if your dog has a smelly odor then you will certainly want to bathe your puppy. Most dogs will need to be bathed once every two weeks. The exception will be the curly or woolly breeds, they only require a bathing every two months or so. Always remember to use either special dog shampoo or a very mild baby shampoo; however, many vets recommend to never use human shampoo. The most important thing is to rinse, rinse, rinse, and then after the last rinse - rinse once more. The special formula for dogs is designed to remove dirt and odor but still leave behind the essential oils under the fur that your Golden Retriever needs.
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