# Considering a golden...give me the skinny on shedding



## Angelina (Aug 11, 2011)

I have two. The blonde is a big shedder...she gets brushed daily, swims and gets baths and still sheds. We have wood floors which help and the dyson animal vacumn. Her personality makes up for it all, she is smart, loving, well behaved and not hyper at all.

Answering your questions: 1. Lays down on my carpet in the bed...leaves fur behind. 2. 10 minutes or more because we both enjoy it. 3. wood floors, vacumn once a week in bedrooms, keep dogs outside during the day. 4. She is not allowed on furniture.

My red 'field' type golden does not shed in the sense of leaving fur around. I'm told "all dogs shed" but she doesn't even leave fur in the brush. I do not think she has the 2nd coat the other has. Her personality is just plain fun but VERY energetic, she HAS to have lots of exercise and mental stimulation daily (and of course she is only 28 months) or she reverts to bad behavior.

Answering your questions: 1. I do not notice any shedding 2. brush if burrs or foxtails or for fun. 3..see above, and yes this one goes on furniture but leaves nothing behind..she gets bathed a lot too because of swimming. 4..winter brings in mud and wet and a different set of issues!

Both dogs are great family dogs; extremely loving and need lots of attention.

I hope this helps!


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I can say this... if you are not dedicated to vacuuming A LOT (especially during shedding seasons) and you do not like brushing dogs, a golden may not be for you. I remember having to brush my golden at least a few times a week. My pup now doesn't have much of a coat to be brushed, but in time he will and I will be back to brushing multiple times a week.


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

Lola looks reddish.... but her shedding only shows up as blondish.... she has a blond undercoat. I can brush her everyday and get handfulls of fur. She has a very thick coat- and a very nice coat. If you do not mind fur and vacuuming daily...... they are worth all the sweetness and love they give besides fur!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Disclaimer: My guy is not a heavy shedder.

1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?

*It means that your dog is going to shed year round and there may be times (depending on the weather) when your dog will have a big coat blow. Good example is it was really hot this summer so my guy blew his coat. Last year wasn't a problem because it was a cool/short summer. *

*It also means that you must not wear black or dark colors around your golden. *

*It also means that you will either make the choice to run a roller over yourself after leaving the house and before going out in public. Or you just give in to being that person that everyone knows has a golden retriever based on the random hairs on your shirt and pants.*

2. Do you brush your dog daily? How long does a brushing session last?

*No. We brush once or twice a week. This is mainly for my guy's coat health. Brushing does not stop your dog from shedding. It just minimizes the amount of loose hair getting caught under his top coat. *

3. What do you do to manage the amount of hair in the house? (ie how often do you sweep/vacuum? dogs not allowed on furniture? furniture covers?)

*My dogs are family - so they live in the house, sleep in my bedroom, snooze on the furniture... and it gives me a lot of pleasure spoiling them this way. *

*I vacuum my bedroom once a week. But I'm lazy. Ideally should be every day. *

*Vacuum or sweep in corners and under beds. If you can. The one bed in my room is low and it's a PAIN to sweep under there so when I actually get up the energy to do so (like every month) I get a puppy sized ball of hair out. *

*Ideally for the bed if you let your dog sleep there during the day like I do - you need a bedspread to keep the hair off your sheets and blanket. *

*You need a slip cover for the couch - not because of the hair, but the muddy paws. *


4. How much shedding occurs in the winter months? Are the grooming requirements the same in the winter as other seasons, or less?

*They shed year round. You would groom the same as you would during summer. *

If we got a golden retriever we would never abandon it because of shedding. I guess we would just learn how to knit...LOL! 

*Why not? :*

*I was watching a program with this woman using a furminator on her Samoyed to make yarn from the hair. *

*I was grossed out thinking about wearing something made out of dog hair. *

*And more grossed out when I saw a bikini made solely from Samoyed dog hair. Gross.*

*Then I remembered my reaction from a fleecing/carding/spinning class I took when I was a little girl. The fleece fresh off the sheep smelled like urine and poop.... Not exactly something I'd want to wear ever. You wouldn't have that with dog hair. Hopefully not.*


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## Angelina (Aug 11, 2011)

Oh yes, I forgot about the roller! One in the car too! And my Angelina has to go thru my legs 3 or 4 times every morning for butt rubs....usually after I get dressed!
But she is worth it!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Our first golden had shortish red hair that required only a weekly brushing at most. Vacuuming was once a week. She was allowed on the furniture, and sure, she left fur behind, but it wasn't too much.

My current golden has a thick, long blonde coat. I have learned that I need to brush her 1x a day to maintain it and keep it free from snarls. Tumbleweeds of fur will show up in my apartment the day after I vacuum. No matter how often I brush her, fur is there. I find it in my food, on my laptop, in my dryer's lint catcher... everywhere. But it's sooo worth the pleasure I get out of owning a golden.

I've heard that even though goldens may shed more than a dog like a labrador retriever, that the lab's fur is much more annoying because it is short and bristly, as opposed to the softness of a golden's fur.

If you do get a golden, may I suggest investing in a vacuum cleaner designed for dog fur? I use a Dyson Animal and all I can say is WOW. It does an amazing job at picking up fur.

Good luck w/your decision!


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

I have 4, the blondes I have shed a lot more than the reds (2 of each). My blonde dogs leave much more fur in the brush than the reds. I can comb my blondes for hours, and there will always be MORE HAIR. Goldens fur seems more like tumleweeds than other dogs, making it easy to scoop up. Having 4, I can constantly find some, but vacuum twice weekly. Mine aren't allowed on furniture, but do cuddle with us in bed........there is nothing like a Golden. My son's labs shed much worse!


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

I brush Chance daily, bathe him once a week. There is _always_ hair on my carpet and I vacuum at least 3 times a week, more like 4-5 times. With Savanah, she only needed to be brushed about 3-4 times a week. She didn't shed as much as Chance does, but it was still a lot. 

If I had my choice I would have hardwood floors, (unfortunately not my house so the choice is not mine), because his shedding would be a lot easier to manage. 

But...they are the best dogs I have ever had the pleasure to share my life with and I will forever have a Golden in my life. They are truly the most loving, gentle and devoted dogs you will ever meet. So, I put up with the shedding because, in the big picture, it hardly matters at all.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?
When shopping for clothes I always ask if the item comes in beige, tan or camel.  My mom always complained that I used to wear too much black...problem solved!
Some goldens shed more than others and there are plenty of other breds who shed just as much, if not more.

2. Do you brush your dog daily? How long does a brushing session last?
Nope. He doesn't like it much. Just a quick once over about once every two weeks or so.

3. What do you do to manage the amount of hair in the house? (ie how often do you sweep/vacuum? dogs not allowed on furniture? furniture covers?)
I vacuum every inch of the house about once a week and sweep about once a week. My boy is not a huge shedder. This increases in the spring when he is blowing his coat and then again just after christmas. He's allowed on the sofa/bed so I am used to his hair migrating onto me. I've always wondered what my eyelashes would look like blond - now I know. 

4. How much shedding occurs in the winter months? Are the grooming requirements the same in the winter as other seasons, or less?
Not much more shedding over here until after christmas and this means a little extra vacuuming/sweeping. 

When I first got my boy I was a little dismayed at the amount of hair being shed but I got used to it very quickly. I can now walk past a tumbleweed of golden hair with no problems at all. It may take a little more time but the rewards of owning a wonderful golden (or any other bred) makes it all worth it. If I know company is coming over I will do a big cleaning job and perhaps put a cover on the sofa. If guests still complain about a stray hair or two I tell them that my boy's a giver like that.


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## Looni2ns (Mar 26, 2010)

I'll put it this way - Gracie shed less than the two short hair dogs that live in my house. I vacuum once a week, sweep more or spot vac if it gets bad, brush them when I can, put a separate sheet on the bed if we're having a slumber party, ditto for the couch, learned that it's easier to get mud off of a golden w/a damp towel than with a dry one, and brag on my kids when people remark that I have dog hair on my clothes. 

If you want a dog that doesn't shed much, get a poodle. If you want a loyal companion, friend to the end, foot warmer, bed hog, and travel buddy, get a golden.


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

It depends largely on the dog. 

Ben is one of the reddish field type goldens who doesn't shed a lot, except in the spring, when he went through about 3 weeks of blowing his coat. He isn't allowed on our furniture, but has 2 beds of his own (one in living room, one in bedroom). I brush him a couple of times a week, not so much because of shedding as to detangle the long hair around his legs and tail and ears. He loves the attention. I sweep and vaccuum once a week. Hair accumulates in odd corners, but usually isn't too bad. Of course, we have a tan carpet, so it may simply be that it doesn't show all that much.


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## LauraBella (Feb 9, 2010)

One word for the shedding: INTENSE!!!!! And she's worth every single hair.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

I think you can manage the hair pretty well with vacuuming. The frequency just depends on how much it bothers you. 

No matter what, you will find stray hairs on your couch, on your shirt, in your car, and in your morning coffee.


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

A dog that sheds a small dog per day for a month straight. 

Funny thing is, we were moving things into my soon to be grandparents apartment and going onto the green outdoor carpet of the porch, my friend says, "Max was here!" I look at the green and see a nice golden circle, where, yes, he did lay. I had to laugh. I guess you can always tell where they lay/what they do with their time when you are not watching them! 

Does he shed a lot over a long period of time? Absolutely! I am thankfully finally at the end of this current shedding monsoon but it will come again, I know! 

I've never had a dog as loving and as baby like (needy, cuddly, licking, snuffling, insisting on laying on my lap, so sweet and docile, etc) and I'm sold on goldens even though golden tumble weeds are a way of life here!


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

My goldens have shed a variety of different ways. It depends a lot on the coat. If you get one with the thick beautiful coat, they shed more and demand more up keep. If you get a field type coated dog, then you have much less undercoat, and hardly notice the shedding but they do shed. 

One thing about Golden hair, it is light and fluffy, it can "blow" behind doors, under furniture you don't really notice it "as much". I am not dolly domestic and I do not vacuum as much as I should. However I see my lab hair much more than I do my goldens, I have 2 of each. 

If shedding is a concern, then a golden may not be the dog for you. However, not sure you will find anyone with a golden that cares. Once you have a golden in your life, you overlook the little things like shedding.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Seeker said:


> The only thing that gives us pause is the shedding. I read on the internet that it is a lot. That doesn't rule out a golden retriever for us, but before we make any decision, I want to know exactly what to expect. I would sincerely appreciate if someone could answer the following questions (and provide other info that I haven't thought to ask!):
> 
> 1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?
> *A lot! Goldens blow their coat about 2 times per year. During these times especially, there is a lot of hair coming off. *
> ...


My responses are in bold.


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## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

I didn't realize the reds/field goldens shed less....thanks! the two in my life have been red/"field style" & I always say golden shedding isn't bad --
(my guys weren't really RED, but on the darker end of gold)


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Another perspective:

1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?
That you'll see them lose visible amounts of hair routinely. My Mom's Golden and her Chow mix leave huge tumble weeds of hair around. My lighter golden barely sheds at all and when she does its long, fluffy hairs. The other sheds appreciable amounts of hair whenever you rub his coat. But, we don't see outlines where they lay - LOL! 

2. Do you brush your dog daily? How long does a brushing session last?
Sometimes daily, but really, neither seems to need it that often to keep mat free. It takes longer to brush the lighter one since she's got a fuller and thicker coat. The younger one is a snap. It takes the longest to brush out their tails - not their favorite part of it.

3. What do you do to manage the amount of hair in the house? (ie how often do you sweep/vacuum? dogs not allowed on furniture? furniture covers?) We sweep every day or so and I vacuum where they spend most of their time, including the furniture at least once a week and often 2 or 3 times. The youngest doesn't like the vacuum so its an ordeal to vacuum if my husband isn't there to take them on a walk. I wash the comforter/quilt on the bed at least once a week because one of them sleeps with me every night.

4. How much shedding occurs in the winter months? Are the grooming requirements the same in the winter as other seasons, or less?
Not too much difference for us in GA. I’d guess if you lived where it got really cold and they grew a thicker coat, it might take more grooming for upkeep.

Honestly, if you are thinking of getting a puppy, the coat and possible shedding is the least of the things that will impact your life. Potty & crate training, sleeping thru the night, leash training, exercising, etc all take more time and effort then their coats. Goldens are typically happy puppies that are eager to please so it makes a lot of these things fairly easy to accomplish, but it is still a HUGE amount of work!

Good luck!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

spruce said:


> I didn't realize the reds/field goldens shed less....thanks! the two in my life have been red/"field style" & I always say golden shedding isn't bad --


My bridge boy was Red and my new boy is a copper/penny color and he sheds far less than my blonde girl does. Their coats are/were totally different than my blonde girls too.

I can't really add anything else that other members haven't already said regarding shedding, except Goldens are the best breed I've ever had. They're incredibly smart, gentle, fun loving. I've never enjoyed a breed as much as I have my three goldens.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I have 4 dogs. 2 golden (though only 1 golden retriever) and 2 black. I do not brush my dogs on a regular basis. I vacuum daily. I have leather furniture, which helps IMMENSELY. The dogs are allowed on all the furniture as well as the bed. Honestly, I don't have a huge problem with it. I work every day, and the majority of my work wardrobe is black, at least my pants. I don't even own a lint roller. Seriously. The key is to vacuum. Dark stained furniture will show dog hair, keep a duster handy. My downstairs furniture is blonde wood, but my bedroom furniture is dark cherry, and I have to dust several times a week. I keep a dust rag and a bottle of pledge in my nightstand especially for the bedroom. If you get a routine with your cleaning, you don't really notice it. I swear!


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Unless you're looking at the shed-free breeds, most dogs shed. My SIL/BIL's Cockapoo didn't really shed but when it was grooming time she left little tuffs of hair around.

My daughter had a poodle mix, he didn't shed either BUT, that curly type of hair was very hard (impossible?) to maintain...every leaf and blade of dry grass stuck in it. Brushing was almost impossible. On the other hand, Goldens are easy to brush, and the leaves and dry grass easily falls off. Same with dirt. They generally like baths, so bathing is easy.

Also, with many short hair breeds the hair stick into (rather than onto) your clothing or furniture. A Golden's hair seems to float around and easy to vacuum or brush off.

Give me a Golden any day!


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## KaMu (May 17, 2010)

I feel the same as all the other posters. We have tons of shedding from Roxy (light gold) and our Ragdoll cat. And Ill have even MORE when Roo grows up  BUT.......its a fair trade for what you get in return.
I usually vacuum daily, not a real through job but the traffic areas. And the floor is covered (dark colored carpet) as soon as the first roll and tumble occurs.
Id rather they didn't shed but don't care that they do...


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Penny is a moderate shedder. A once or twice a week brushing keeps it under control. We keep a throw on the couch for her. She knows when is there, it's okay to get up. When it isn't there, she 'asks' permission.

By the time I get around to vacuuming I usually have an equal amount of sand, dog hair, bits of grass, hay and shavings (from the barn) on the floor. We sure don't have just one mess to clean up.

I use a Hoover Windtunnel on the carpet and rugs and a regular canister-type vacuum for the hard floors. 

She blows her coat once a year; during this time it comes off in chunks. We brush more and find a bath really helps to reduce (or hurry up) the shedding. What other people call dust bunnies, we call dust puppies and often marvel that she isn't bald yet!

I hope you choose a Golden. Their happy, cheerful ways FAR out weigh the down side of shedding. You won't be sorry.


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 31, 2009)

I would do anything to have my GR that are at the bridge back, fur all over the place.
Their Love and devotion out-ways fur/shedding. I love my Dogs.................


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## Summer's Mom (Oct 20, 2010)

Summer does not have a super thick or lush nice coat, but here's how it works for us..

I brush her daily.. on alternate days its a "longer" brushing (maybe 10 mins?) and in between days its just a quick 5 min run over.. She sheds enough to form little dust bunnies.. I have a Dustbuster hand vac and run it around maybe every other day? for a few minutes, on top of the usual sweeping and mopping several times a week..

One thing that really helps with the shedding is regular baths.. for us once a week. A great trick to really reduce the shedding is to "double wash" - shampoo lather and rinse TWICE per bath. The second wash really gets out lots of dead, loose undercoat and makes the dog feel sparkly clean


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

I would agree with what others said about blonde dogs shedding more than redder ones. I wish someone would have told me that before we got Mulligan (haha- just kidding). I thought that Samantha (redder) shed a lot but I didn't know the meaning of shedding until we brought Mulligan home!

Samantha has a lot of seasonal shedding, but with regular (every other day or so) brushing it's not much of a problem. Once she blows her coat she hardly sheds at all. Mulligan on the other hand has endless hair and I stop brushing when my arm gets tired, because the fur never seems to end! 

You get used to it. I vacuum almost every day (and regret the days that I do skip) as we have a small house. The couches need to be vacuumed weekly and I'm constantly changing my sheets. It's Okay though because I wouldn't have it any other way... they're worth it. You simply get in the habit of waiting to get dressed until you're about to walk out the door in the morning if black is a part of your outfit.


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## Bogart (Nov 14, 2009)

I was dog sitting my friend's 2 dogs (a Great Pyreniese Mountain Dog and a Border Collie mix) since I had to brush the GP every couple of days I have decided that Goldens are EASY! It took me almost an hour to brush the GP and there was still clumps of Undercoat coming out. That is one Breed I will never get, sorry. Goldens are nacket in comparison. 
I will have the dogs for the next 3 weeks during the work week it's going to be interesting.
All the best,
Elke with Bogart and "Mini"Cooper


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## GoldenJoy (Jul 30, 2009)

I love Joy's fur!!!  I don't have a little girl, so I get to "fuss" with Joy's coat instead of doing hair. (My little boys don't like being "fussed over anymore - they're big boys now!!!) Anyway, we brush every single day, but we could probably get by with every 2 or 3 days. We have all hardwood floors, and we vacuum and dust mop every day, sometimes twice a day. Joy is not allowed on furniture, so we don't have that "hair all over your clothes" look, but even with all of the housekeeping, our socks are covered in Joy hair in the winter! I also bathe and dry her ever 2 or 3 weeks, mostly because I love a fluffy dog, but also because she does a lot of hiking in the woods with me. She's worth it, though!!!!! I do like grooming, though - I trim her paw hair every other week, trim her nails twice a week, and brush her teeth every day! It's part of our time together, and she seems to enjoy it - even the nail trimming!


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Personally, I suggest giving up black for khaki. We brush Tucker a couple of times a week. We do get tumbleweeds, but if you keep up with vacuuming it is not so bad. Tucker has a very thick coat, so we end up taking him to the groomer very 8 weeks or so. That helps control the shedding a lot.


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## dexter0125 (Mar 20, 2011)

1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?
- When I considered getting one, my mom asked one of her friends how much they shed. She replied, "twice a year. the first 6 months and the last 6 months." That's a fact. LOL.

2. Do you brush your dog daily? How long does a brushing session last?
- No, I do not. I brush him once a week, though. It lasts as long as he will let me do it. Honestly.

3. What do you do to manage the amount of hair in the house? (ie how often do you sweep/vacuum? dogs not allowed on furniture? furniture covers?)
- Vacuum once a week. Not allowed on any furniture but my bed. I do have a seat cover in my car, even though I have leather interior. It's more or less for if he gets sick.

4. How much shedding occurs in the winter months? Are the grooming requirements the same in the winter as other seasons, or less?
- I haven't been through the winter yet with mine..but honestly..he is already shedding less than he was in say May - July. It could've been him losing a lot of his puppy hair, too.

If he brushes against me, there will be hair on my clothes..so I have to get dressed in the mornings after I put him in his crate. Haha. Truthfully though..my parents NEVER wanted him to stay inside. They wanted him to stay in the garage because of the shedding and because they never wanted a dog in the house. Their dachshund even lives in the garage. They've even commented that he's not shedding as much as he did before. Occasionally you'll find little haystacks of hair rolling around the floor. I got used to it quickly. I even found a sign that says "no outfit is complete without dog hair."

If it scares you, try to find someone with a golden and visit their home to see for yourself. They probably understand your worries


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## Chelsea10 (Aug 6, 2010)

Just make sure that your house is generally neutral...then you won't notice it. I have beige carpeting and blond hardwoods. I notice the hair most on the hardwoods because it collects into billowing balls. We swiffer the hardwoods every day or two...you would be amazed at the amount of fur that you don't see. We vacuum once a week but honestly because our carpets are beige we do not notice the hair (we just know that it must be there based on the hardwoods). Our golden has the run of the house but is not allowed on furniture unless invited on a rare occasion. She looooves to lay over vents on the kitchen floor and we know now where the hair tends to migrate to and just make a point to pick it up frequently. In fact, she is very predictable as to where she likes to lay so she tends to confine her shedding herself . But as the other posters put it, the hair/fur is easy to pick up...and they are soooo lovable so it makes up for any of the inconvenience. We bathe ours every 2 weeks and brush her outside once a week (not sure that the brushing makes a big difference in the amount of shedding for ours ).


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## DBrothers (Jul 6, 2009)

Runner does not shed near as much as some of the Goldens I've had before. That said, when a Golden sheds its easier to manage than most other breeds as it forms up into neat little "dust bunny" like balls and is easy to get with the vacuum or the swifter. We baby sat for a lab a while back and his hair floated in the air and would not come up with the swifter, it was like little needles. Goldens are worth the trouble.


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

I have 3 and they all have different coats and different shedding. One has a thin wavy coat with slight feathering and really doesn't shed much at all, foot hair stays short and neat, very little care. Parker has a beautiful carefree coat, fairly thick with nice feathering, he sheds average. Then there is Ty.....he has so much hair, very thick, lots of feathering, it's beautiful but is the most work, he blew his coat around June and it literally came out in clumps like a shedding shetland pony does. It came right back though so I can't wait for the fall shed. So it definitely depends on the dog.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

My neutered dogs shed continuously year round. The unspayed girls shed majorly twice yearly.. it is hormonal. The good news is it sheds in tumble weeds, unlike lab or beagle type hair which just digs into fabric and carpets.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I remember my childhood golden had such a thick, fluffy coat that he'd lose clumps of hair when he was blowing his coat. You could pull the loose little clumps out and he didn't care at all. We actually taught him to like being vacuumed, so when he blew his coat we could brush and have the vacuum right next to him! He loved it! But it was A LOT of hair.

It's a lot less hair with Ranger. He only has an undercoat in the winter and even then, it's not very thick. His doesn't blow his coat but will shed all the time. It accumulates into corners, making little ranger dust bunnies. 

I vacuum 2-3 times a week. I swiffer in between. Personally, I'd probably do less but since I moved back home with him and dog hair bugs my mom, I try to be considerate. 

Bathing once a week is a HUGE help. I try to brush him every day since he looooves it. After about 10 minutes, I don't get any hair out but keep brushing him just because. I use a rake to get the dead hair and it works great! Then I switch to a pin brush to fluff up the pants, tail, and feathers and do the gentle work by the ears.

Rollers help, but honestly - I don't need them with Ranger. I rarely have dog hair on my clothes.

He does get to sleep on my bed and own the couch. The bed he has to "ask" so whenever he's up on the bed, it's just on the top comforter (though he sometimes snuggles his nose up to the pillow). There's a special blanket on the couch that he's only allowed on and if it's not on, he doesn't jump up. The blanket gets washed about once a week.

Also, after having family members who had labs, cheseapeake bay retrievers, and bichons...I have to throw in my vote for goldens. The short hair gets imbedded into blankets, couches, etc and won't ever come out. The non-shedding bichons...they just seemed dirty to me. It might just have been the dogs but they felt dirty all the time, even though they had regular professional grooming done. I much prefer the soft, long hair of a golden that floats into the corners.

A golden's joie de vivre and loving personality far outweighs the shedding. JMO, anyway.


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## MGMF (May 13, 2009)

If you plan for the worst it might not seem so bad when you have them. Mine have shed all year, just seasons, hormonally. I do not let them on my furniture, brush atleast once a week and my vacuum cleaner is never put away. Also make a note if you shave your golden they do not shed less. They just shed smaller hairs. Shaving a golden does not have any benefit to them. All you are doing is shaving off the coat that protects them as it is suppose to do. It also does not keep them cooler as many will try to convince you. So if you are not looking for a long hair, shedding breed the golden is not for you. Good Luck


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

My Rindy sheds more than my first three dogs put together! I realized I hadn't been brushing her enough when I ended up with a large pile of dog hair one evening. My mom and dad were coming over the next day so to amuse them I left the pile of hair to show them how much I'd gotten off of Rindy. I decided to be a little creative with the dog hair.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

That is so freaking hilarious!!! Very clever!


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## MGMF (May 13, 2009)

Goldens R Great said:


> My Rindy sheds more than my first three dogs put together! I realized I hadn't been brushing her enough when I ended up with a large pile of dog hair one evening. My mom and dad were coming over the next day so to amuse them I left the pile of hair to show them how much I'd gotten off of Rindy. I decided to be a little creative with the dog hair.


 
That is a riot....thanks for the laugh!


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## daisysmam (Sep 5, 2010)

Wow, that's creative! If you can do that with dog hair just think what you could do with clay.


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## Golden Lady (Aug 30, 2011)

My golden is blonde also and sheads all the time. I brush her at least 2-3 times a week to keep out the matting and tangles. I have a Rainbow vac and it works great. Yes, I also find tumbleweeds especially under my dining room table. My golden is a family member and is allowed on our furniture and in our bed. We wouldn't have it any other way. It is worth it.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

Seeker said:


> 1. When I read "alot" of shedding...what exactly does that mean?
> I pick up "tumble weeds" an hour after I brush and vacuum.
> 
> 2. Do you brush your dog daily? How long does a brushing session last?
> ...


To be fair, my Darby has a very heavy coat which is not typical. He requires more grooming and takes longer then Kirby, she has a good coat too but no where near his.


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