# New GR owner



## BSIrishman (May 27, 2016)

Hello Everyone!

I am hoping to be getting a new GR puppy this fall and was wondering what kind of grooming equipment I should by starting out as I would like to save money in that area without going to PetSmart or PetCo for that. Starting out I will probably go just so I can watch and see what is done but when I feel comfortable enough to do it on my own I'd like to be able to do on my own and still have my GR looking great. A list of items would be great to start with.

Thanks!!


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## GoldenRetrieversAlberta (Dec 15, 2014)

For us, we will be taking our new puppy, once a little bigger, to the groomer (our breeder) about every 3 months. 
In between, we will be using a good metal comb, nail clippers, dremel rotary tool (also for trimming nails), high quality pin brush, and some coat spray (to avoid breakage when brushing). This is all stuff we will do on a weekly basis (try to comb daily, getting right down to the skin). 
Hope this was helpful!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

You'll need good nail clippers- I don't like the guillotine type-prefer the claw type. If you have a dremel, you may want to use that instead. 
A small slicker for ears and top of feet, thinning shears, small straight scissors. Sally has the shears (both) but don't be tempted to go the 10.99 route unless you want to buy new ones every other grooming. I like curved scissors too for around the ears and feet but you can use your thinners around the ears and straights around the feet. 
A greyhound comb- my best tool- and ear cleaner, cotton balls (get the huge ones). Shampoo and conditioner of course... 
there are tons of other tools, but if you have a dryer, table, and the above you can save yourself the cost of these things in about a year.
I don't think there's a cheaper dryer than DoubleK Challengair that does as good a job as it does- around $250. There are lots better ones, of course, but the ones that cost less (like Metro Air Force) won't do you a good enough job to warrant the discount off the DK one. IMO. Others may feel differently! 
You should be able to get a table for not so much- like $100 or so. And maybe find one on CL or 'dogshowstuffforsale' on yahoo.


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

Basics tools are a slicker brush, undercoat rake, greyhound comb, nail clippers, and ear cleaner. If you want to try to learn to fully groom on your own there are also a couple different scissors you should get to trim up the hair on the feet and around the ears, otherwise, a GOOD groomer should be able to take care of the scissoring stuff for you. Look for a groomer who cares about QUALITY instead of QUANTITY. They are rare, but can be found! Petsmart and Petco groomers are pushed to do a certain number of dogs in a certain amount of time so quality is not good. I'm a professional groomer and worked with a former petsmat groomer and she says its awful to learn to be a groomer there cause they really don't teach you individual haircuts-its a one size fits all kinda thing. She hated the push to work so fast too. She was actually a good groomer, but most of that was because she had the motivation to learn on her own and do her own research, studies, and attend grooming seminars, etc. Most petsmart groomers aren't going to go that extra mile to really learn how to groom (but then that's why she left petsmart too!). Anyway, sorry for that rabbit trail!

I get most of my stuff from Pet Edge. This is a list of the stuff I use. 

This first list is necessary items.

-Slicker brush (size regular): https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Undercoat rake: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Greyhound Comb (I like the fine/coarse comb): https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Nail clipper: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Ear cleaner: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

And this is a list of stuff that's not totally necessary, but nice to have. 

-Dremel (use after cutting nails with clippers to smooth them): https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Curved shears for trimming hair in feet (or you could get strait shears too, I just prefer the curved.): https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain...c-locale=en_US

-Thinners for hair around ears-these vary greatly in price and number of teeth. Generally, the more teeth the finer/more natural looking the cut, and the fewer teeth the more choppy the cut. I would recommend something over 42 teeth, but just do the best you can afford.

-A high volume dryer. These are very pricey, but will blast out the undercoat while you dry the dog. Not all driers are created equal and some are more powerful than others (and generally have a bigger price tag too.) Saving up and investing in one of these will make you wonder how you ever survived without one! I use the K9 II, but am also considering investing in a Chris Christensen Cool Dry because they are quieter (downside is they are less powerful than a K9). K9s are extremely loud, but are also the most powerful dryer on the market. Either one of these driers will set you back about $400. There are cheaper ones that may meet your needs, but I've only ever used the K9's. I've used the Double K Challengair mentioned above, but didn't like it cause I felt it had like zero force to it. It was an older model though, so maybe the new ones are better.

As far as the basic equipment though, I would try to do nails and ears once a week. For brushing I recommend you start with the slicker, follow with the undercoat rake, and finish with the comb. When brushing, areas to pay particular attention to (as many people miss them and mats form easily) are behind the ears, under the armpits and in the sanitary area, and the feathering on the hind legs. I would try to do brushing at least once a week, more is better. The more often you brush, the less your dog will shed all over your house.

One other thing that I try to do daily with my dogs is tooth brushing. My 1st golden lived to be 15 1/2 and never had to have a professional dental cleaning-vets were always impressed with her teeth! I attribute this partly to diligent dental care, partly to genetics, and partly to feeding a high quality food. My 5 yr old has also never had any tooth issues. I do also have a tooth scraper that I use, oh maybe twice a year to remove any tarter. Not all dogs are tolerant of tooth scraping though, but if you brush their teeth regularly and they are used to you messing with their mouth, I've found they do fine.

Hope this is helpful!


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