# Golden Grooming 101



## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Here are some great sites to look through:

http://www.pvgrc.org/grooming/grooming.htm

http://morningsagegoldens.freeservers.com/Grooming.html]

http://www.isselhoeve.nl/grooming/

My 2 yr old, Biscuit, has the strangest fur. His ear fur is super long and shaggy, his chest fur is w-a-y too long and very soft and scraggly looking and it swings back and forth like a pendulum when he is trotting. His tail feathers are long and need a good trim and brushing just so he doesn't bring in so much dead leaves from the yard into the house. I try to groom him in bits and pieces when I get a minute here and there but I need to get a good pair of thinning shears.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

I trim Ike myself, too. His ears get matted so I keep the under ear hair clipped away. He doesn't need the flap trimmed yet. As for the tail, I brush it out and make sure there are no tangles, hold the tail straight and cut an even line to the end, then I pull the long hairs past the end of the tail and cut the ends straight. I've always done it this way with very good results. I'm sure the links posted will help.


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## GoldenSmile (Apr 10, 2008)

Oh wow! Those are really informative websites! I'm glad I took a looksee. We only have one dog groomer in the area that takes large dogs, and the last time I brought Steel to her, she did such a terrible job and even sliced my poor baby up along the armpits. He was so traumatized  Since then, i haven't brought him back. I trim his paws, shave his pads and comb him on a regular basis but I wanted his feather to be a tad bit more tame. His butt, chest, tail and foreleg feather all feel like cotton and it's a pain in the butt to comb out.


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Her ears don't look to choppy to me but pictures are only so accurate. Can you take a close up picture of your thinning shears? Also how much did you pay for them. There is a huge differance in qualityof thinning shears and different types designed to do different things. The other factor is just practice.(just like everything  ). One factor in a cruly butt is in how you blow dry it after a bath. Trimming and sculpting also can make difference. I wish I could describe how to do a tail but that is more of a show and tell.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

Sorry I can't help much with grooming tips, but love the 'mugshots'!!


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Can anyone help me? I just don't know what to do exactly?


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

CreekviewGoldens said:


> Can anyone help me? I just don't know what to do exactly?


Have you checked out the sites that I listed in the post above? They have great pictures to go along with the instructions.


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Oh my gosh...I TOTALLY forgot about those! Thanks I'll have a look see at them...and if I like them, I'll have my mom print them off at work! Thank You so much!


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Caryn grooming is an art that really has to be shown and like training you need a mentor to watch and correct HOW you are doing things. Its really hard to teach you technique with word. The other thing to remember that your final product is influenced by mutiple factors not just how to trim.

How she looks is not only a factor of how you trimmed her but when was she last bathed (I don't do trimming unless its just after a bath- never ever on a dirty dog). How was she dried after the bath. A dog dried with a high velocity drier will look compleatly different than one air dried or one dried by a fan. To get a show look you must use a HV dryer. Also after a week or so they will look rumbled again. Ask some of the members who activly show what the bathing schecule is for thier show dogs. They probably get a bath each day they show. Believe it or not the bath and blow dry are as if not more important than trimming to a good finish. Trimming is only the polish to the prep work.

Next is the qulity of the shears you use. Poor quality ones will not leave a nice finish. Thinning shears also come in differnt types. Some are for bulk thinning and will leave the top coat choppy and other will allow you to do top work without leaving a mark.

So even with good technique you must have good equpitment and and clean fluffed dog.

My best advice is to find a breeder to mentor you or go to a show and descretly watch or find a groomer willing to help you out. Once I am back in MN and if we were at a show together I would be more than willing to show you. The websites are great and give the best non personal help there is. Other than that just keep practing. The more you try the better you get and its only hair so if you opps it will grow back.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Another place to contact if you're looking to learn how to groom is your local golden retriever club. My club does a special program every so often (I think it's annual) where they have someone come in and teach how to groom paws and ears (not sure about tails or feathering, as I haven't been to it yet). It's a good way of learning some basics. 

The quality of the shears you use, as bizzy mentioned, also has a major effect. My dad bought me a pair of grooming shears last year, I don't think they were very expensive but they do a fantastic job for what I use them for. They even work in my left hand, even though they're not made for it, which was a lucky break for me. They're made by Miller's Forge. Thinning shears, more than the regular ones, REALLY depend on quality. A cheap pair just isn't going to do the job and will leave the coat looking choppy. Luckily I can mooch off my dad for now... but I'll have to make that investment in the near future. 

Julie and Jersey


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

What is the best way to get multiple burrs out without damaging pantaloons/ tail. Tally just sits down and tries to rip them out if I don't remove them right away on a hike.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Ljilly28 said:


> What is the best way to get multiple burrs out without damaging pantaloons/ tail. Tally just sits down and tries to rip them out if I don't remove them right away on a hike.


 
Use a good detangling spray (I like the one made by Aussie products) and a good metal comb. Start working from underneath the burr, splitting it into pieces with the comb - they literally "explode" - and then you can mist the area with the detangler and comb or brush out the loosened bits.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Thank you, thank you PG. I'm going to ad a comb and some Aussie to my epipen for hikes. Finn just ignores the burrs, but Tally gets instantly miffed and pulls his beautiful hair out along with it. Someone told me Pam cooking spray, but i was too greasy and collected dirt.


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

I also find that the dematting tool works wonders on burrs or matting - it also doesn't hurt your girl/guy.:no:


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