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| Grooming your Golden Retriever You may choose to groom your Golden yourself or take him or her to a groomer. If you choose to go to a groomer, please be sure to read through this information. Many groomers are unfamiliar with how to properly groom a Golden Retriever. We hope that this information is a resource for you and your groomer. |
Ears and Neck
1. To begin the ear, fold back the flap
2. Hold the hair that is “under the flap” away with your fingers and clip away all the hair up to your fingers.
3. Hold underneath the ear flap in your hand and find the end of the skin with your fingers. From the “bottom” of the ear where you
just trimmed away the thick hair, trip along the ear flap until you reach the natural place where the ear folds.
4. Now hold the ear flap from the top side and find the end of the skin with your fingers. Clip away the stray hairs. Most dogs do
not need much trimming – you can follow the natural shape of the ear. For very thick ear hair, you will need to find the end of the
ear with your fingers and clip up to that point.
5. Using a thinning blade, comb through the hair under the ear and behind the ear to remove excess thickness and any fine or dead
hair. Also use this tool to remove dead hair from the front of the neck.
6. The last two photos show how to clean the ear. Moisten cotton ball well with solution of half vinegar and half rubbing alcohol.
Squeeze cotton ball to distribute the solution and to warm up the cotton ball. Place well into ear canal (you cannot lose it – don’t
worry) and rub the ear to distribute the solution into the ear. Remove the cotton ball and use it to wipe the ear flap clean. Use Q-tip
to remove any soil in ear folds. Q-tip can be placed well into ear and will not hurt the dog as the ear canal has a 90 degree angle at
the “bottom".
1. To begin the ear, fold back the flap
2. Hold the hair that is “under the flap” away with your fingers and clip away all the hair up to your fingers.
3. Hold underneath the ear flap in your hand and find the end of the skin with your fingers. From the “bottom” of the ear where you
just trimmed away the thick hair, trip along the ear flap until you reach the natural place where the ear folds.
4. Now hold the ear flap from the top side and find the end of the skin with your fingers. Clip away the stray hairs. Most dogs do
not need much trimming – you can follow the natural shape of the ear. For very thick ear hair, you will need to find the end of the
ear with your fingers and clip up to that point.
5. Using a thinning blade, comb through the hair under the ear and behind the ear to remove excess thickness and any fine or dead
hair. Also use this tool to remove dead hair from the front of the neck.
6. The last two photos show how to clean the ear. Moisten cotton ball well with solution of half vinegar and half rubbing alcohol.
Squeeze cotton ball to distribute the solution and to warm up the cotton ball. Place well into ear canal (you cannot lose it – don’t
worry) and rub the ear to distribute the solution into the ear. Remove the cotton ball and use it to wipe the ear flap clean. Use Q-tip
to remove any soil in ear folds. Q-tip can be placed well into ear and will not hurt the dog as the ear canal has a 90 degree angle at
the “bottom".
Grooming Tools Clockwise from left:
1. Solution of ½ vinegar and ½ alcohol, cotton balls and Q-tips
2. Bristle brush to remove any mud or snow from the coat
3. Pin brush for grooming all areas of the dog
4. Thinning blade
5. Stripping knife (not used here but can be used to remove dead
hairs on top of ear or face)
6. Small scissors for doing feet and ears
7. Large scissors for doing hocks and tail
8. Nail clippers
1. Solution of ½ vinegar and ½ alcohol, cotton balls and Q-tips
2. Bristle brush to remove any mud or snow from the coat
3. Pin brush for grooming all areas of the dog
4. Thinning blade
5. Stripping knife (not used here but can be used to remove dead
hairs on top of ear or face)
6. Small scissors for doing feet and ears
7. Large scissors for doing hocks and tail
8. Nail clippers
Toenails
It is best to clip the nails first so that you have a point to which you will trim the hair on the feet. If your dog has light colored nails
rather than black it is easier to see the quick – the blood supply to the nail. However, the nail “thins” in both directions at the quick
and you should be able to feel this. Clip near the quick. If you are uncertain just take a little off until you are more comfortable. The
dog will know if you are nervous about cutting nails, which we often are, so it is better to just take off a little. Puppies must get
used to having their feet handled so you should do a lot of playing with their toes first if they are unsettled about it. You should at
first give them a bone or something really interesting to chew on or play with so that they are not as interested in what you are doing
to their feet.
It is best to clip the nails first so that you have a point to which you will trim the hair on the feet. If your dog has light colored nails
rather than black it is easier to see the quick – the blood supply to the nail. However, the nail “thins” in both directions at the quick
and you should be able to feel this. Clip near the quick. If you are uncertain just take a little off until you are more comfortable. The
dog will know if you are nervous about cutting nails, which we often are, so it is better to just take off a little. Puppies must get
used to having their feet handled so you should do a lot of playing with their toes first if they are unsettled about it. You should at
first give them a bone or something really interesting to chew on or play with so that they are not as interested in what you are doing
to their feet.
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| Sound Golden Retrievers" |