Does shaving a Golden Retriever help with shedding?

In this research you will know the answer to the query “Does shaving a Golden Retriever help with shedding?“.

A desperate situation calls for desperate measures do not you think? Your vacuum cleaner is chasing your tail again since no matter how many times you use it you always find more hair on your floor.

Donot get me wrong we all love our Golden Retrievers dearly but isnot there a way to stop the tsunami of hair?

The purpose of this research is to answer the question does shaving a Golden Retriever help with shedding?

An introduction to a Golden Retriever’s coat

The Golden Retriever has two coats- an upper and a lower coat. Together these coats are water-repellent. 

Goldies have these lovely feathers (long strands of hair) on the backs of their legs on the bottoms of their tails and on their chests. 

While some Goldies have a rough and curly coat others have a smoother flatter coat. 

All of them are just as beautiful regardless of their slight differences in coats.

What time of year do Golden Retrievers shed most?

In truth golden retrievers shed their hair all year round. 

Whenever you have a Goldie you will always see hair sticking to your coats and on your floors.

Getting used to this will take some time. 

Although vacuuming greatly aids in getting rid of it it will never be completely removed.

The time of year when they shed much more heavily is in the spring and fall. 

Whenever I spend ten minutes brushing one of my dogs the area looks as if some small animal has been slaughtered nearby!

I also notice a significant change in my dogs’ physical appearance during these times of the year.

The transformation is so dramatic that I do a double-take as I look at them and can not quite believe that they have become so skinny because they shed so much hair. 

Does shaving a golden retriever help with shedding? 

By taking your Golden Retriever to the groomer to be shaved or clipped you will undoubtedly reduce shedding in the short term since your dog will return from the groomer with fewer hairs.

This is actually a more important issue than whether Golden Retrievers’ coats should be shaved.

The issue is quite controversial. The dog grooming industry is booming and more and more dogs are going to grooming salons.

It includes new Golden Retriever owners who think that they are doing the right thing by having their dog shaved or clipped for the summer.

Isnot it true that shorter hair is better in hot weather?

Golden Retrievers do not have that problem. 

In the course of evolution (unsurprisingly) two coats have evolved that are perfectly suited to both hot and cold climates. 

As a result of these coats the body is kept warm.

Most of the undercoat is shed during the shedding process. Undercoats that were used to keep dogs warm during the winter are no longer needed. 

The undercoat is replaced by a lighter sparser one. Whenever you clip your Goldies topcoat it is actually the topcoat that disappears leaving only a thin undercoat. 

The coat of a dog is similar to insulation and insulation is needed in hot and cold weather. 

As a result of the two coats on Golden Retrievers they act as a form of insulation.

Additionally clipping will leave your dogs skin dangerously exposed to the sun which is not only not going to keep them any cooler (because that function is performed by the interaction between the two coats) but Golden Retrievers tend to like nothing more than to nap in the sun.  

How to keep your Golden Retriever cool in the summer

What are some ways to keep your dog cool if you should not shave them?

Fresh cool water is plentiful

Ensure that your dog has easy access to water during the day and change the water as often as possible.

In addition to refilling the bowl make sure to wash it out as well since dog bowls are notorious breeding grounds for germs.

Sleeping or laying down in cool places

In very hot weather try letting your dogs stay in parts of your house with hard floorings such as wood or tile.

They will be able to maintain a low body temperature by lying on it.

Creating a draft is step three

Consider opening a couple of windows to create a draft that flows across a room or throughout your home. You may do so as long as you are not compromising your homes security. 

Reducing exercise is fourth on the list

In hot weather your Golden Retriever will not need to exercise as much as they normally do. Despite what you may think they do not.

Keep the walks short and make sure that they have peed and pooped. If you must walk every day (I fall into this category) take them out early in the morning or late at night when the temperatures are cooler. 

There is a real danger of your dog overheating if you run or jog with him on hot days or if you throw a ball or stick for him. 

How can you stop a Golden Retriever shedding?

It isnot possible to stop Goldies from shedding (except by wrapping them in cling film/saran wrap!) but there are a few things that can be done.

I believe that the tips above will help to primarily give your Golden Retriever a beautiful coat and as a consequence your dog may shed less. 

Ensure that they are brushed regularly

Make sure they are regularly bathed (a few times a month) or if you are not comfortable with the post-bath clean-up (or hair fest) just hose them in the garden. Make sure you use a “hose gun” with a shower setting. 

It seems odd to me that this tip is supposed to help you clean up after a dog bath since vacuuming up dry hair from the carpet and floor is much more difficult than cleaning up after a dog bath.

The stress of putting my dogs through this means I do not bathe them.

An easy alternative to this is a trip to the sea or a river for a play and a swim- with the added benefit of not having to clean up afterward. 

Feed them a good diet

One of the benefits of feeding your dog top-quality food is that it will result in a very healthy coat. 

Having a diet rich in protein and oils will make their coat stronger and luscious and less likely to shed- although ironically a Goldie with a “fantastic” coat will also have a thicker coat- and isnot that the type of coat that sheds the most?!

A happy dog is a dog

There is less shedding with that. The more stressed and anxious your dog is the more shedding they do. Ensure that your dogs home is a very happy and comfortable place. 

There are no shortcuts

Its important to note that there are no quick fixes in dog care no guarantees of fantastic results. 

Donot be tempted to buy a liquid or a set of pills that claim to stop your dog from shedding “instantly.” 

In dealing with your dogs shedding there is no magic cure. It is more work but it is another chance to build and strengthen that special relationship. 

How long does it take for a Golden Retriever coat to grow back?

A Golden Retrievers coat grows back in about two months. 

Shedding usually begins around September and is completed by November depending on a variety of factors. 

The Goldie does not just grow new hair it sheds or gets rid of its old hair as part of this process.

Since the old hair is too thin it is shed and replaced by a thicker coat of thicker hairs.

The process of shedding and growing a new coat is very demanding on any dog breed not just Golden Retrievers

My Golden Retriever sheds excessively more than just twice a year. Should I be worried?

Its like this with Bumps my oldest Golden Retriever. She seems to shed hair all year round no matter what the season is.

However this isnot true.

I sometimes want to scream when I see a ball of hair floating across the kitchen floor 10 minutes after vacuuming.

The only physical problem with Bumps is that she has a very thick curly and vibrant coat which sheds at an above-average rate.

Interestingly this shedding process never leaves her with bald spots.

At that point excessive shedding becomes enough of a concern to warrant a phone call or an appointment with your veterinarian. 

Otherwise try to see the bright side of things. Since any vacuum less than stellar would have been thrown away by now you are probably using one of the best vacuums on the market.

In the Spring especially when Bumps’ coat is spread all over the garden or a local park I think of all the birds who benefit from the loose hair while they build their nests. 

Coat stages of Golden Retrievers 

With age a Golden Retrievers coat goes through a number of stages. 

Here are seven photos and videos that show the growth of a puppy from birth to 16 months of age. 

In terms of coats your dog will have something like the finished research at about 18 months. However his coat will continue to change in small ways for the rest of his life. 

However it is possible to discern the main features of a newborns coat. With the exception of the stomach it covers the whole body.

1 Month

These are what these beauties’ coats look like 4-5 weeks after they were born.

Just notice how thicker the fur is on some Goldies and how it is colored differently on others. 

2 months (8 weeks)

Even though the fur is thicker it is still very much puppy fur. 

Goldies still lack the distinctive feathers that make them so well known. 

4 months

The color is much darker than when he was 4 months old but there are still no visible feathers- which will start to grow from the tail eventually. 

6 months 

Keep an eye on these two as they are moving quickly!

Feathers are beginning to appear on the tail and at the top of the back legs. 

1 year old

This is what you need to know. Here are the feathers.  As you can see in the photo they are on the legs and on the belly.

Those feathers go all the way to her feet and if they are not trimmed regularly they can look very messy almost Hobbit-like!

16 months old

Look at the beautiful tail and the feathers everywhere. 

Compared to our other two Goldies Sylvie has a very very fine coat. 

Do Golden Retrievers shed more than Labs?

Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are very similar in many ways so this is a trick question.

Both breeds have double coats and their owners will lament the amount of dog hair buried in the carpets.

Therefore Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers probably shed the same amount of hair when you look at the percentage of hair they lose at each shedding.

The look and feel of their coats are completely different despite the fact that both breeds have a double coat.

Goldens have thicker coats so they shed a lot more than Labs. 

The breed that is going to make your vacuum cleaner work harder in the Spring and Autumn is a Golden Retriever. 

Conclusion

Do those things help Golden Retrievers shed less?

As a general rule clipping your Goldie will help with shedding but it will not help your dog since it is the wrong thing to do.

During the shedding season you can try numerous “hacks” to minimize the amount of hair left on your floors.

You should get into the habit of regularly brushing your dog. 

The reality is that living with a Golden Retriever means that hair will be everywhere in your house its just a fact of life. 

If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.

Does shaving a Golden Retriever help with shedding? (Watch Video)