# Golden Retriever Fur Length Problems



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Bumping up


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

What do you feed her?
That might be your issue, if both parents carry sufficient coats. 
I almost can't believe her hocks haven't been cut close.. Some of what appears to be a luxurious coat is luxurious furnishings, so by cutting the legs down you accentuate the lack of body coat.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

You do realize the furminator cuts the hair, right? It takes that long and flowing hair right off. Might switch to a good old fashion rake that removes the undercoat without damaging the top coat. You can get at Chew.com for about $6.
Grooming a golden does not include cutting the feathers off the legs.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

My opinion: The dog does not have a problem. I have had field dogs and two of them had coats similar to Chloe. This is assuming that your dog does not have health problems.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

gdgli said:


> My opinion: The dog does not have a problem. I have had field dogs and two of them had coats similar to Chloe. This is assuming that your dog does not have health problems.


I agree with this. She has more of a "field" type coat, but I was also going to ask are you sure there wasn't a Labrador daddy? Her coat is short even in comparison to field type Golden Retrievers. Or there was field type Golden in her lineage. She may have a little more coat grow in up to about 3 years old, but I wouldn't expect it to ever be thick and long. 

Do you have pictures of her parents you could post?


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

I'm a professional groomer and I agree that the furminator should never touch a golden's coat. So that could be part of the problem. Also, is she spayed or intact? Intact girls blow their coats with their cycle and can get pretty naked. Otherwise, I agree a change in diet could be needed.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I am also wondering if she is not 100% Golden. She is very cute, as long as the vet says she's healthy, I would be glad you don't have too much coat and not give her fur another thought.


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## Patrick Travica (Sep 4, 2019)

150 percent sure she is a golden. I’ve seen the “goldador” brews and she doesn’t look anything like it in my opinion. Her dad didn’t have long flowing hair but it also wasn’t as short as hers. At the time I didn’t know what the furminator was as I thought it was a shampoo (what the groomers told me). She is still intact as I want to breed her eventually. Not sure if that would have anything to do with it.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Actually intact does influence, so you have a better shot at more coat in your future.

the Lab comment was probably directed @ your girl's headpiece (if I was guessing) she lacks stop, and at her legginess (which could play into a more open choice in stud dogs since many are just opposite and have too little leg where she has what looks like too much) so take no offense! 

You didn't answer -what is she fed?
Do you have pics of her sire/dam?


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Chloe is a pretty girl. I love her sweet face.

I bought a Furminator once early on when everyone was raving about it. I took one swipe with it, thought "No way!", and that was that for my Furminator experience. It looked like it was going to maul my Golden's beautiful coat. I use an undercoat rake and follow that up with a slicker brush. 

Do you get her groomed somewhere? Are you sure they aren't trimming her coat up any? I picked up my Cavalier from the groomer a week ago and was shocked they had used a shaver on her in places and blunt cut her ear hair length. She was not matted going in. I made it out of there without saying anything, but she will not be going back. I recently lost my Golden and simply didn't have it in me to ask the groomer why in the world they had suddenly opted to do that. She's been going to them all along. Her head looks like Sergeant Carter from Gomer Pyle and they cut most of her feathers off. Ugh. 

Anyway, it took about three years for my Golden's full coat to come in, but he had plenty of hair at two years old. I didn't know the information about being intact and the effect on coats.


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## Patrick Travica (Sep 4, 2019)

Prism Goldens said:


> Actually intact does influence, so you have a better shot at more coat in your future.
> 
> the Lab comment was probably directed @ your girl's headpiece (if I was guessing) she lacks stop, and at her legginess (which could play into a more open choice in stud dogs since many are just opposite and have too little leg where she has what looks like too much) so take no offense!
> 
> ...


No offense taken! I appreciate all of the feedback. She was on a diet of cheap dog food that I totally regret buying. I think it was the pedigree 55 pound bag. I read the reviews and I had no idea of how bad it was for her. Now she is on the Kirkland Organic food and she seems to like it. Unfortunately I do not have pictures of him. I wish I did!

I also grabbed some more pictures of her at the park and I am really leaning towards the “field / working” golden vs the standard.


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## Otter (Feb 23, 2011)

I have nothing to add to what the very knowledgeable people here have offered. 

But I just wanted to say that our Sandy doesn't have a ton of coat either. Her mother (our Pebbles), her siblings, and the sire have nice/had coats. 
That said, Sandy is about 3-1/2 years old now (still intact waiting for her to come into season - she has a boyfriend; Mr. B ) and her coat is starting to look better and better. 
Some of that might have to do with her diet and her horrible groomer - me. 
Anyway, sometimes it take a bit of time before their coats come in, if they do. I kind of remember Pebbles being a little slow to get a lot of coat. She has way too much fur now.


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