# Summer Grooming Advice



## ChancesMom (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a 9 month old golden, Chance, who is obsessed with water. 

He will be swimming every single day between being at the lake or a pool this summer. While he has a relatively smooth coat for a golden, he still takes over an hour to air dry (but he cant stay away from water for that long, so I end up towel drying him). I don't allow him to be outside without keeping an eye on him from inside/being out there, and I really don't want to have to restrict him from swimming all the time this summer. 

I can't imagine what it is going to be like if he was already swimming so much all winter. I know shaving is a big 'no no' for goldens so I am wondering if there are any other grooming styles that can help cut the drying time for the summer months?

Thanks for any grooming tips and advice you can provide! He is my first golden so I am still constantly learning about the breed


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Do you have a dryer? That will cut the drying time down. And probably would be better to make sure his skin and undercoat dries.

I would honestly (common sense speaking) restrict the swimming to a certain extent. 

The one person I know ages ago whose husky (short coated dog) spent majority of her time wallowing in their lake at home - she smelled like a big giant skin infection.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

learn how to use thinning shears...thin in the classic hotspot locations and where mats tend to appear.
Face in front of the ears
Behind the ears
along the throat
under the 'arm pits'
groin
Pants...

Thinning shears will make the cuts look less choppy (well when you get better and better at using them they will!)

If he wears a collar...get a waterproof one (gosh Ive smelled some nasty collars in my day) and take it off each night to let the coat under the collar dry.

Investing in a high velocity dryer will be money well spent.


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