Don’t Panic! Here’s All the Info on a Shaved Golden Retriever

A Golden Retriever Shaved

It is not a good idea to have a shaved Golden Retriever.  Golden Retrievers have two coats of hair, the undercoat, and the overcoat.

Shaving the fur too close to the skin will cause permanent fur damage to your dog’s coat which can be harmful to their skin and hair.  

Types of Golden Retriever Haircuts

While shaving a Golden Retriever is not a good idea, this doesn’t mean your dog cannot get a nice trim. 

Giving your Golden Retriever a trim will help the shedding and make your dog look cute.

Here are the five haircuts you can consider for your Golden Retriever. Choose one that best suits your dog’s personality. 

1. Puppy Cut

The puppy cut is the most popular haircut on Golden Retrievers as it is low-maintenance,  simple, and cute. The hair is cut to half an inch evenly. You can choose any length you would like as long as it is the same. 

2. The Summer Cut

The summer cut helps keep your dog comfortable by cutting the hair to about an inch. The goal is to keep the shape of the hair formation.

This is a Golden Retriever’s short haircut that focuses on the chest, ears, feet, and sanitary areas.  

3. The Teddy Cut 

The Golden Retriever teddy cut will keep your dog’s fur fluffy and cuddly. The haircut involves trimming the hair to the shortest length possible, and the legs and tail are trimmed and curved into shape. The hair around the legs retains its natural form.

4. Show Cut

As per its name, this is a cut usually for competition and show dogs as it brings out the natural beauty of your Golden Retriever’s lustrous, bouncy natural beauty.

The haircut is mainly trimming the fur around the paws, ears, and backside. 

A reputable groomer should do this haircut as it requires a lot of attention to detail. Do not attempt to do this cut until you gain experience trimming Golden Retrievers.

5. Simple Trim

The simple cut will keep your Golden Retriever fur tidy. It does not involve much cutting; the trimming follows the shape of the dog’s coat. 

The simple cut will protect the double coat of your Golden Retriever as the hair is not too close to the skin. 

What a Hairless Golden Retriever Looks Like

A hairless Golden Retriever is the one whose fur has been cut too to the skin. Dog owners will do this thinking it will prevent shedding, prevent infections, will cool the dog in hot temperatures, or give a cute look.

Shaving a Golden Retriever is not good for your dog as the coat gets damaged, and the fur never grows back to its natural state. 

Shaving your dog removes the protection of your Golden Retriever and the ability to manage its body temperature.

A Golden Retriever shaved will lead to discomfort for the dog and can even result in infections and other medical conditions.

The before and after shaved Golden Retriever fur is not the same. Therefore, never completely shave off the hair of your Golden Retriever, as it causes more harm than good. 

Is a Shaved Golden Retriever a Good Thing?

So you ask if I shaved my Golden Retriever, was it a good thing? No, a shaved Golden Retriever is not a good thing. There are two types of dogs based on their fur, namely the single-coat dogs with one layer of hair, such as chihuahuas and poodles—secondly, the double-coated dogs like the Golden Retriever, Pomeranians, and Labradors. 

You can shave the single-coat fur dogs to the skin, and the fur will grow back with its natural texture without any problems. 

The double-coat dog’s fur has an outer layer that protects it from dirt and water, and the inner coat has built-in thermal insulation to help your dog control and manage its body temperature.

Some think shaving their Golden Retriever will keep the dog cooler and protect it from allergies. 

Shaving a double-coated dog like a Golden Retriever will damage its fur as it usually never grows back to its natural state and sometimes even in patches. 

For example, a Golden Retriever shaved like a lion is unable to control its temperature, also other issues like skin cancer and other infections.

Tips on Grooming a Golden Retriever

Your Golden Retriever needs to get regular grooming to maintain its coat health and overall good overall health. 

It is easy to groom your Golden Retriever at home, and you must start when they are puppies. Try and maintain a routine, and the task can be an enjoyable activity for you and your dog.

Make sure your dog is comfortable before you start grooming. It helps to stroke and talk soothingly to your dog. 

To groom a Golden Retriever, you will need several supplies such as brushes, towels, a blow dryer, nail clippers, ear cleaning solution, cotton balls, and shampoos. Do not use products for human hair as they are harsh to your dog’s skin and fur and can cause damage.

Brushing 

Brush the fur at least once a week to detangle and trim hair to prevent any hair from matting and reduce shedding.

Before you start brushing, examine the dog thoroughly for any breaks in the skin and other issues.

Brush the hair in the same direction as it grows. 

Bathing

Bath your Golden Retriever regularly every three to four weeks before grooming or when the dog is dirty. 

Use lukewarm water and dog shampoo to lather and wash your Golden Retriever. Dry with a towel and use a low heat blow dryer to dry your dog further. Brush to straighten the fur and remove any excess hair.

Bathing your Golden Retriever will remove odor and dirt and maintain the fluffy look of the coat.

Trimming the Coat

The Golden Retriever’s hair must be as long as possible to protect the skin from natural elements and for the dog to control its temperature.

Should you decide to trim, leave at least half an inch of fur brushing as you go along. Schedule a trimming at least twice a year, and we recommend using a professional groomer if you are unsure. 

Clippings the Nails

Before you clip the nails, trim the hair around the and between paws so you can easily see what you are doing. 

With your dog comfortable, gently clip the nails and avoid nipping or cutting. Once done, apply paw cream or Vaseline to moisturize the paw areas and prevent cracking.

If you nip the paw and there is bleeding, use cornstarch or styptic powder to stop the bleeding. 

Cleaning the Ears 

To keep the outer ear clean, trim the fur around the ear opening the front and back of the ears, essentially keeping your dog’s ears solid.

Once the trimming is complete, get your dog lying in a comfortable position and hold the ear up and use a poor ear cleaning agent. Keep holding for 30 minutes while massaging gently to allow the agent to loosen dirt, wax, and other particles.

Your dog will shake its head, so have a towel ready to catch all the dirt.

Then using a cotton ball or towel, gently wipe out the inner ear. Do not shove fingers or cotton balls into the ear, as this might damage the inner ear.

Cleaning the Eyes

Gently wipe around the eyes with a wet towel to remove gunk. Excrement around the eye indicates eye infection; talk to your vet about remedies and treatment. 

Cleaning the Teeth

Weekly, clean your Golden Retriever’s teeth using a finger brush to reduce breath odor and prevent tooth decay and other mouth and gum infections. 

Vaccinations and Deworming 

Do not forget to get your dog vaccinated and dewormed, as this is part of grooming. A Golden Retriever should be vaccinated as early as six weeks from its birth. 

Golden Retrievers are born with works that can be fatal; therefore, deworming forms an important part of grooming. Deworming should start at two weeks of age.

Visit your local vet to get information on vaccination and deworming schedule.

The Bottom Line

Grooming your Golden Retriever is an important part of taking care of your loyal companion. 

Golden Retrievers are born with a natural double coat of fur that protects them from weather elements and helps regulate body temperature. 

It is, therefore, not good to shave a Golden Retriever. Grooming and lightly trimming the fur is good for their overall health. 

The simple cut is the best haircut for your Golden Retriever as it maintains the natural shape and most of the length of the coat for maximum protection while keeping everything else clean.