# My Poor Groomer!



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

His wavy coat is beautiful and correct!


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

ArkansasGold said:


> His wavy coat is beautiful and correct!


Yeesh! That is very kind of you- but all of the “show dogs” I see don’t have waves like this . Oh well- we love him to bits no matter what!


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## Hildae (Aug 15, 2012)

sevans said:


> Yeesh! That is very kind of you- but all of the “show dogs” I see don’t have waves like this . Oh well- we love him to bits no matter what!


I'm not sure why people think show dogs represent what a golden generally looks like. Many (many doesn't mean all, so no one needs to get up in arms over this) of them are over groomed, over trimmed and have their fur "fixed" with products, or their coat blown "open" etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a golden having waves, that's very normal.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

From the breed standard: 
*Coat* — Dense and water repellent with good undercoat. Outer coat firm and resilient, neither coarse nor silky, lying close to body; *may be straight or wavy.* Untrimmed natural ruff; moderate feathering on back of forelegs and on under-body; heavier feathering on front of neck, back of thighs and underside of tail.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I know several show dogs with wavy coats. It’s not a fault at all! Eevee’s top coat is naturally a little wavy, it just looks straight because she gets a bath and blow out every week. If I let her air dry or she misses a couple baths, the waves come back. I don’t blow them out on purpose. It just kinda comes with the territory of frequent blow outs.


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

Hildae said:


> I'm not sure why people think show dogs represent what a golden generally looks like. Many (many doesn't mean all, so no one needs to get up in arms over this) of them are over groomed, over trimmed and have their fur "fixed" with products, or their coat blown "open" etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a golden having waves, that's very normal.


Oh, I agree- but sadly, if you want to show successfully - clearly, there is a “look” (perhaps unjustly) that is preferred. It’s the same i showing horses. The American Quarter Horse Association rule book clearly stated that a horse must not travel with the tips of its ears below the wither- but the horses that are winning at Congress (the largest AQHA show in the world) are still going along with their noses at their knees. Sigh. Fortunately, conformation will not be his “thing” anyway- far too competative and I just don’t think he’d ever make the cut. That’s okay with us. We are doing nose work and obedience and we love him no matter what. He’s a good boy and we love him. Thank you for your response.


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## JulieCAinMA (Jun 19, 2020)

Golden Waves of Floof!! 😂😂😂 
If he were human, he’d need to use a flat iron for straight hair! 🤣🤣🤣


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

sevans said:


> Oh, I agree- but sadly, if you want to show successfully - clearly, there is a “look” (perhaps unjustly) that is preferred. It’s the same i showing horses. The American Quater HOrse Association rule book clearly stated that a horse mo=ust not travel with the tips of its ears below the wither- but the horses that are winning at Congress (the largest AQHA show int he world) are still going along with their noses at their knees. Sigh. Fortuanely, conformation will not be his “thing” anyway- far too competative and I just don’t think he’s make the cut. That’s okay with us. We are doing nose work and obedience and we love him no matter what. He’s a good boy and we love him. Thank you for your response.


Not to derail your post, but happy to know someone else hates seeing horses with their noses down. I wish the trend would change, but it’s been going on a long time.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Logan has waves. I blow him dry about once a week also — mostly because of the field training and frequent swimming, which straightens them out. If I don’t blow him dry, his hair looks like mine and my hair has a mind of its own.


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## JanGold (10 mo ago)

Your dog's wavy coat is absolutely correct and my favorite type of coat on a Golden. I am not a fan of the fads in the show ring. Golden coats should be wash and air dry.


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

JulieCAinMA said:


> View attachment 893442
> 
> Golden Waves of Floof!! 😂😂😂
> If he were human, he’d need to use a flat iron for straight hair! 🤣🤣🤣


Glad Stig’s not the only one!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Looking at the first pic (close up of topline). That ripple along his topline may go away in the next 2 years (by age 2.5 they get their serious big boy coat). Or it may not. It looks fine either way. Have seen plenty of young dogs win with similar ripples. I'd want to add a little leave in conditioner to help add moisture back to the coat. As well, you might want to add a protein rinse type thing for baths between grooms, or ask the groomer to do that to help repair coat and help it grow.

If you are planning to show, I would suggest absolutely doing the protein rinse + not cutting feet so short.

Pardon me for the weird comment - but I was looking at the pictures and puzzling over the 2nd pic (the one where he's looking out the window) and the 3rd pic (standing on the table). They look like different dogs?


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

Megora said:


> Looking at the first pic (close up of topline). That ripple along his topline may go away in the next 2 years (by age 2.5 they get their serious big boy coat). Or it may not. It looks fine either way. Have seen plenty of young dogs win with similar ripples. I'd want to add a little leave in conditioner to help add moisture back to the coat. As well, you might want to add a protein rinse type thing for baths between grooms, or ask the groomer to do that to help repair coat and help it grow.
> 
> If you are planning to show, I would suggest absolutely doing the protein rinse + not cutting feet so short.
> 
> Pardon me for the weird comment - but I was looking at the pictures and puzzling over the 2nd pic (the one where he's looking out the window) and the 3rd pic (standing on the table). They look like different dogs?


Nope definitely the same dog - I was just trying to show how his back looks. He has a giant head right now (pict attached pre- grooming) my vet and trainer both say he is definitely still growing- and he certainly has a great deal of filling out to do. he is our first intact male- so my understanding is that everything happens a little more slowly? As noted- my poor groomer- oh, she definitely DID use a leave-in conditioner- she’s pretty savvy and her lovely boys have the titles to prove it. I’m afraid Stig just definitely isn’t a conformation dog and that’s okay. Thank you very much for your suggestions!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

It may have been the lighting perhaps tricking my eyes....

in the picture below -

What I was looking at (arrows) - I see as dry or damaged coat. This is why I'd suggest working with the groomer (if you trust her) to heal up that coat and really make it shine in about 2-5 months. 

For showing your dog, ripples or waves are not a huge issue. But you want a healthy coat.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

sevans said:


> Nope definitely the same dog - I was just trying to show how his back looks. He has a giant head right now (pict attached pre- grooming) my vet and trainer both say he is definitely still growing- and he certainly has a great deal of filling out to do. he is our first intact male- so my understanding is that everything happens a little more slowly? As noted- my poor groomer- oh, she definitely DID use a leave-in conditioner- she’s pretty savvy and her lovely boys have the titles to prove it. I’m afraid Stig just definitely isn’t a conformation dog and that’s okay. Thank you very much for your suggestions!
> View attachment 893466


 If you want him to look like a show dog, then he needs weekly to biweekly baths with a high quality shampoo and conditioner and he needs to be on a good diet (high in fish oils). If you had him groomed weekly by a show groomer for 6 weeks, he would look like a different dog. It’s not fair to judge him against dogs that are groomed and conditioned (exercised) strictly for months on end when he’s just a baby.


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

Megora said:


> It may have been the lighting perhaps tricking my eyes....
> 
> in the picture below -
> 
> ...


I think it may be the lighting- his coat is super well conditioned- salmon oil every day and I use a product made for my horse by Stubben- contains no silicone and highly moisturizing- let me see if I can find a better picture. trying to photograpg this pup is like trying to catch the wind! Nonelthess- I know zero about conformation but enough to know that I don’t think he has anything like that “look.” He has other redeeming qualities  Thanks very much again for your suggestions.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

You call those curls?!!!

Hawthorn:


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

Hawthorn's dad, Pinyon, has a straight coat. Funny thing: Before I chose a puppy, I sent swabs to PawPrint, primarily to test for ICH carriers, but also asked for the test for straight/wavy/curly hair. All five pups, according to Paw Print, had straight hair. I've been meaning to send them a pic of Hawthorn's fur and suggest their hair test needs some, ahem, refinement!

This is dad Pinyon's coat, which is very straight:


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

PalouseDogs said:


> You call those curls?!!!
> 
> Hawthorn:
> View attachment 893488


Oh my goodness!


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## sevans (Jul 18, 2021)

PalouseDogs said:


> Hawthorn's dad, Pinyon, has a straight coat. Funny thing: Before I chose a puppy, I sent swabs to PawPrint, primarily to test for ICH carriers, but also asked for the test for straight/wavy/curly hair. All five pups, according to Paw Print, had straight hair. I've been meaning to send them a pic of Hawthorn's fur and suggest their hair test needs some, ahem, refinement!
> 
> This is dad Pinyon's coat, which is very straight:
> View attachment 893489


Our 12 year old has a lovely coat like this- even though he is altered- he has always had an amazing coat. Stig is about 7 months in this picture- James had just had his yearly bloodwork (thyroid) that’s why is forearm is clipped.


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

PalouseDogs said:


> You call those curls?!!!
> 
> Hawthorn:
> View attachment 893488


Moe has curls just like this. It doesn't matter how much I blow dry him or condition him they seem to appear like magic the first time he moves. His DNA tests also said straight hair.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Gotta share with a smile here - if you check Westminster out, they are out showing in the rain right now. Anyone who thinks the dogs would melt if you get them wet, should take a look.


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