Golden Retriever
A double coat wearing an evening gown. The wool underneath sheds like any double coat; the feathering behind the ears, along the tail and down the trousers mats like a long coat. You are, in effect, grooming two dogs.
- Undercoat rake on the body, 2 to 3 times a week; steel comb through the feathering the same days. Behind the ears is where the first mat is hiding right now.
- Bath every 4 to 6 weeks. After lakes, ponds or the beach: rinse fresh water through, and dry inside the ears properly. Damp Golden ears are an infection with a start date.
- Coat blow twice a year: daily raking, standard double-coat rules.
- Never shave. The gold does not return the way it left.
Coat care: Golden Retriever
Double coat with feathering. Two jobs in one dog.
Weekly: undercoat rake x 2 to 3 days, plus steel comb through ears, tail and trousers.
Swim days: fresh-water rinse, dry the ears inside. Every time.
Bath: every 4 to 6 weeks. Dry to the skin.
Never: shave.
Skip: daily baths after swims. A rinse is enough.
Recurring ear smell or head-shaking: vet.
- Tara (yes, the dog)
The full routine lives in the double coat guide.
Also on this shelf: German Shepherd
What we use at home
floof it Gentle Cleanser. Salon grade, made for us by our manufacturing partner, used on both of us every second Saturday. Two pumps for Alfie. Four for Tara.
Short smooth coat? You need less of everything on this page. Including this bottle. Half doses go a long way.
Honest answer: if your dog has fleas today, you need a vet, not a shampoo. Ours included. Go. Come back after.
This is grooming guidance from people who live with dogs, not veterinary advice. Itching that keeps returning, flakes, bald patches, redness, or a smell that comes back within days is a vet conversation, not a bath. Your vet and groomer outrank this page.
