How to Groom Your Golden Retriever like a Professional

Get ready for the Self Serve Pet Wash! The following tips will help you keep your Golden Retriever looking good all year without messing up your house. You can do this at home if you have professional equipment.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Brushes, Slicker, Pin
• Grooming Rake, Coat King or Furminator
• Conditioning spray, or conditioner diluted 1-4 in a spray bottle
• Ear Cleaner
• Cotton Balls
• Towels
• Grooming Table
• Grooming Stand Dryer

1. Pet Full Coat Preparation:
   Starts by lightly misting the entire coat with a medium to heavy conditioning spray. This prevents static during your pre brush and minimizes stretching of the follicle. After the dog has been lightly saturated lay him, on either side, on the grooming table. Then with a Pin Brush (boar bristle for the short coat) you then start at the bottom of, the rear leg, and brush in an upward motion. It is most important to understand you are gently Brushing coat not ripping through coat. After completing the first side lay the dog on the other side and repeat. Once the dog is completely brushed, you will start to remove any soft undercoat with a Coat King or grooming rake. Brush with the Coat King in the direction of coat growth. Brush the entire dog; yes this includes the short areas. Only remove as much as will easily come out. Over brushing can result in bald areas. Mist as needed to protect and keep the coat damp. On Golden Retrievers that grow that soft fuzzy coat in areas use a Furminator for the short and a fine Coat King for the long, or a Stripping knife if you are accustom to one.

2. The Bath Shampoo:
   I always start my Golden Retrievers bath by applying an ear cleaner to the ear canal. This starts moving any dirt up towards the opening and helps keep the ear dry. Then, starting at the nose, apply warm water in the direction of coat growth. Once the entire dog is saturated with water apply your first shampoo.
   Evaluate the coat and pick a shampoo accordingly. If dog has excessive undercoat you need a good conditioning first shampoo to help release excessive coat without compromise. If the dog does not have excessive coat but is quite dirty, you need a shampoo that will release dirt from the follicle, again without compromise. Use a shampoo made for oily coats for greasy ears and tail base. For dogs that need a color perk up one for copper coats is best. You can use this as your first shampoo or only apply where as needed.
   After shampoo has been applied over the entire coat take a boar bristle brush (a shoe brush is best) and gently brush the shampoo through the coat in the direction of coat growth. This will stimulate blood circulation so important for keeping the follicle healthy. Remember you are brushing coat not scraping skin. I use a pedicure brush for the face, pads and at the nail bed to start breaking up stubborn stains and dirt. Do not forget under the tail and face.
   I check and express, if necessary, the anal glands during the rinsing of the first bath. I find the dog has relaxed through the brushing/massaging process and is distracted by the rinsing. Since there will be another shampoo you will not end up with that residual aroma only detected while drying.
   After rinsing apply your second shampoo and follow the same brushing procedure. By brushing gently each step of the way you cleanse and rejuvenate the skin and coat as well as guarantee you have the product on the coat long enough to receive maximum results. You may want to use a slicker, pin brush or grooming rake during the second shampoo if there is a lot of undercoat that needs to come out. Remove the excess coat from the brush often and be careful not to rake the skin. Your second shampoo will depend on what you need to accomplish on your dogs coat. Need to enhance the color? Use a copper coat shampoo. A good deep conditioning shampoo for a dry coat. Or finally just to keep the coat in a condition the owner can maintain easily.

3. The Bath Condition:
   After rinsing it is time to condition or reconstruct the skin and coat. Again you will start by applying product entirely all over the coat and follow by brushing it through. You may use a pin brush if you prefer a Slicker Brush or grooming rake for heavy undercoat removal. Brush through the coat in a slightly upward and out angle, always in the direction of coat growth, to protect the skin. But before you brush you need to choose the proper conditioner. For a dog with a coat on the overly soft side you might want to use a light conditioner to help add crispness to the coat. Proper coat texture use a weekly conditioner. Coat that needs reconstructing due to prior damage needs a heavy conditioner.
   When rinsing, it is important to use warm water to increase circulation and excess coat release. Warm water helps open the follicle so it may accept products more favorably. Always rinse in the direction of coat growth massaging the coat through with your fingers, downward motion, or use your brush of choice. Squeeze the product through gently and make sure all product has been removed before you ever continue on to the next step.
   Once the dog is thoroughly rinsed and before you start to towel re apply ear cleaner to keep the ear dry and then apply all styling products. Use products that will accomplish what you need such as mousse for volume or a straightener to keep fluff under control. After all other products have been applied. If you need to straighten the coat lightly mist over those areas needed, again after all other products have been applied.
   Work product into the coat with your fingers in the same manner you work your fingers while rinsing. You might lose a bit of product after toweling but you can always add. In applying at this time I find the product gets all the way down the shaft to the skin. This is most important in enabling you to set the proper base during drying of the coat. You will squeeze the towel around the dog and coat especially paying attention to the legs and feet. You will spend too much time drying the feet if left too wet. This will cause you to possibly not get the maximum result in setting the base of the coat.

4. Drying the Coat:
   This is the most important part of the process. If you do not establish a proper base direction you will find you only will be fighting the base when trying to complete the final product.
   Start by using a force dryer in the tub after a light toweling of the coat. Start at the bottom of the read leg and blow off as much water as possible without twisting the coat. Work your way up towards the body ending at the head. Turn the dog around and repeat. After you have completely gone around the entire dog you might want to towel again and repeat the forced dryer over the entire dog. This will get your Golden Retriever most of the way dry.
   Once on the drying table you will mist with your antistatic, conditioner or volumizer then take the back leg elevate and brush, with a boar bristle brush, in a free moving upward motion. Follow through each swing as one would in tennis. You will reduce stress on your back, arm and rotator cup. Get a rhythm going and work around the entire foot before moving up the leg. You need not a death grip in the brush so that if you hit that hidden mat you will not end up ripping coat. Rather gently hold your brush and swing through the coat. Use either a slicker or pin brush on the long coated areas again against the grain of the coat.
   The headpiece is most important. I use a boar bristle brush in a swift motion against the grain on top of the head and muzzle to accomplish maximum lift. Use either a pin brush or slicker brush on the bib and ears of the Golden Retriever against the grain. Use your boar bristle brush on the face and ears first. Ears are important to completely dry so they have a consistent appearance that softens the face. After those are dry mist and comb the coat into place.
   Finish drying the tail towards the ground. You might need your straightening spray to help reduce kinks and straighten the tail coat and rear feathers. Go back over the feathers of the Golden Retriever to help shape them as much as needed to give the proper outline.
   Once the Golden Retriever is thoroughly dry you can reexamine areas that might need more products added. I like to end with a warm dryer to help keep just enough moisture in the coat to add volume.

5. Finish the Coat:
   In the case of heavily coated pets you will want to remove as much undercoat as possible to keep them manageable at home. After a light mist of your conditioning spray you will go through the entire Golden Retriever with a Coat King, Rake or Furminator (short areas). Brush in the direction of coat growth until the coat no longer easily comes out. Over brushing can result in bald spots. If the Golden Retriever is blowing much coat I use a cool setting on a stand dryer to help release the coat. Place your dryer to blow in the direction of coat growth and brush in the direction of the air flow. This simple procedure will cut your brushing time in half. Apply conditioning spray as needed to help coat release more easily, careful not to soak the coat rather protect it from over stretching.

6. Enjoy The Rest Of Your Day!
   This is the most important part of grooming. Every one enjoys getting out and showing off their new look so grab the leash and hit the sidewalk or dog friendly restaurant for a well deserved rest and relax.

Tips & Warnings

• Mats
• If you run into a mat get your heavy conditioning spray and soak the mat. I grab the base of the mat and start to lightly brush, from the outermost end, in a lifting motion, working your way towards the skin. Balance between brushing and combing. The most important thing here is to take your time. If you rush and stretch the coat it can takes months to restore the elasticity to the follicle. Using a thermal protecting spray and a heat dryer is most effective for stubborn mats. You would soak the mat and then angle the dryer to blow away from the skin. In a lifting motion rotate between a Slicker or a Pin Brush and your Comb. If the mat starts to dry out remoisten.
• Some Golden Retrievers do not like the force dryer on their face. If this turns into more of a battle than need be simply towel dry the best you can and finish off with your stand, or hand held, dryer. I have had good success by placing cotton in the Golden Retrievers ears and a towel over the eyes. You must remember to remove the cotton from the ears.
• The easiest way to check dryness is to turn off the heat of your dryer and when the temp is cool run your fingers through the coat in a wiggling motion. If you feel any overly cool or cold areas they are still damp.
• WARNING...
• A beautifully groomed Golden Retriever has been know to attract a lot of attention. Please take proper precautions.

[ruf1950]

on 6/21/2009 GREAT detail here. Now I can use some of this advice on my Akita! 5*****

[maryanne09]

on 6/21/2009 Great article on How to Groom Your Golden Retriever like a Professional! 5*'s and a recommend :o)