# Thoughts on shaving a Golden?



## Zookeepermama (Nov 12, 2007)

With summertime just around the corner here in Arizona, the 118 degree I want to jump off a bridge into the Arctic Ocean days are also just ahead. Today was just barely 80s and Daisy already thinks shes gonna die of heat stroke. We went outside to water the trees, and Daisy runs over and plops down in the water lapping and flopping around panting like its 110 outside (which it might be with all the flippin fur she has now!!). I thought maybe I should take her to the groomers and get her shaved down for the coming heat wave, but it just seems a sin to cut all that hair. What do you all think? Id sure hate to see her suffer this summer, but I dont think I can recall seeing any naked goldens in the summer either..


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I'm against it, but our heat doesn't get anything like that up here.... Though, I've read that their coats actually insulate them from the heat...


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## Nicole&Zack (Feb 27, 2007)

The fur actually protects their skin...so i am against shaving a golden unless its for medical reasons.
Just keep your dog indoors during the hot days. Make sure when you take him for a walk you bring water. Walk late at night or in the early morning.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I live in Fl. and do not shave my dogs!.I just hose my dogs before we go for a walk!.I also walk early in the morning and late at night!.
The golden's coat protect them from heat as well as cold!.


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## jcasks (Oct 14, 2007)

I wouldn't shave a golden, as they said above their coat protects them and also sometimes the coat doesn't grow in the same!! You might lose that beautiful golden coat if you shave it once. LOTS OF BRUSHING in the summer...and I recommend getting the Furminator as it gets a lot of hair out vs. a regular brush.
Early mornings, late night for playing outside....and make sure lots of water if the pup wants to go out in the afternoon!!


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

My niece has given her GR a "summer" cut. I don't shave mine, but her GR has a better coat than my two. He also eats Iams... This is not a joke. :uhoh: I swear.

His photo is on the forum in the missing dog thread.


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

I was also advised against shaving Asia as her coat insulates. If we walk in the hotter part of the day, I hose her down before walks, always have lots of water but we generally walk early early mornings as I'm in bed before it cools off at night!


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

I would agree with the others. With the strong sun we've got in the west (and it definitely seems stronger when it's triple digits outside), I would worry about shaving the coat as it would let more sunlight get to their pink skin. I'd hate for her to get skin cancer.

I think it's like people - she'll adjust a bit (though I don't think anyone ever fully adjusts to 118!). My parents live in Murrieta, CA (Not as hot as AZ, but can easily get up to 112 in the worst of the summer) They keep their golden - the furriest golden ever - indoors in the air conditioning, walk him before 7AM and have lots of water for him. They've also got a pool so when he is outside, he's swimming. 

Just as a funny note, their air conditioning vents are in the floor and the dog just lays on top of them all summer! He's not dumb!


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Please don't shave your Golden! Rick is correct - the double coat insulates and protects the skin. Melanoma is actually more common in dogs than people know, and without the coat there is no protection from the sun. Remember, too, that dogs dissipate heat through their pads, and by panting. I've seen shaved Goldens who are actually HOTTER because the surface area exposed to the sun is greater.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

I have no positive thoughts on shaving a Golden. Or myself tfor that matter the reason I look like Grizzly Adams


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## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

last week I guy was telling me about his much loved RIP golden/lab x. Would shave in sumner & people thought he had a lab & would ask what happened to his Golden


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

My sister shaves her golden in the summer. I can't say it helps keep her cooler. She is not shaved to the skin, but to her undercoat. She looks like a puppy again As for melanoma, my first golden had it. The Vet said it was not sun exposure that brings it on in dogs, as most cases are in the mouth or on the pads.


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## elliejon11 (Feb 3, 2008)

jcasks said:


> I wouldn't shave a golden, as they said above their coat protects them and also sometimes the coat doesn't grow in the same!!
> 
> As Jen says its true, their coat doesn't usually grow back the same...I know this because my ex shaves Hunter every summer and his fur isn't what it use to be.:uhoh:


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Here's a GR who gets a Summer Cut. This is Bailey. I love this dog!!!


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## grcharlie (Nov 10, 2007)

We also get up the tripple digits.....we have had the 116-118 temps...but it's not as hot as Phoenix. It does get misarable! I stay inside with my girls, with the a/c on. I also have a little tyke pool that I fill up for them. But, I would not shave my girls. The fur keeps them cooler and keeps them from getting sunburnt. Think of it this way.....when you go outside in the heat of the day and the sunrays hit the top of your head.....feel the top of your head ......your hair......and how hot it feels........then think if you were bald...your head would get sun burnt and your scalp would be very hot.......that hair keeps your head cooler. Desiree


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I was raised in Phoenix with rough COLLIES.. We never shaved them.... they were inside during the day and got their exercise in the pool. Pretty much like us kids. LOL Dallas gets pretty warm ( tho not like the desert ) and I would never shave the golden girls. They have the run of the house and we have baby pools under the carport and lots of shade in the yard for when they want out. Walks are pretty much early am since even in the evening the sidewalks and walking paths stay hot to their pads.


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## MyHoneybunny (Apr 30, 2007)

No No No No - please don't - maybe a trim like Bailey but definately not a shave!


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

don't do it!!!! as everyone has said, not only does their coat help insulate them in hot AND cold weather, but it protects their fragile skin from sun burn...


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## Hudson (May 18, 2005)

We live in Australia where temps some times reach 43 degrees celcius , hot and dry and I have never shaved Asha and Hudson, we just do walking early in the morning, early morning swims and walk in the cool of the evening.We have a toddler pool which I fill for them and our inground pool( which Asha loves to swim in) and they are kept indoors under the aircon if it is too hot to be outside.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

A while back, my wife was thinking we needed to shave Cosmo. I started a poll on the forum, and because of the NO votes, my wife was mad at me for a week....lol


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

elliejon11 said:


> jcasks said:
> 
> 
> > I wouldn't shave a golden, as they said above their coat protects them and also sometimes the coat doesn't grow in the same!!
> ...


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Bailey's coat is amazingly soft. I wouldn't say cottony, but soft enough to want to hug him ALL day long!


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## Gold Elyse (Jan 6, 2008)

I would not shave your Golden. Maybe a trim.


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## THE HONEY WOLVES (Jun 9, 2007)

its called converting your golden into a lab


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## Zookeepermama (Nov 12, 2007)

Thank you all for the help, after reading your posts, I dont think I will shave her. I had intended to buy her a toddler pool already as her and my two year old dont get along so well yet so she spends part of the day outside when the todd is home. Its been a serious challenge merging the big licking charging behemouth known as Daisy with my small sensitive girl. We also just built them a new dog run on the shadiest side of the new house, we plan to add misters, now I just gotta get my butt out of bed earlier for her walks.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

Zookeepermama said:


> Thank you all for the help, after reading your posts, I dont think I will shave her. I had intended to buy her a toddler pool already as her and my two year old dont get along so well yet so she spends part of the day outside when the todd is home. Its been a serious challenge merging the big licking charging behemouth known as Daisy with my small sensitive girl. We also just built them a new dog run on the shadiest side of the new house, we plan to add misters, now I just gotta get my butt out of bed earlier for her walks.


Maybe you could also consider whether there is a room in the house where she could spend part of the day that is air conditioned. Even if you put up a baby gate and she is on the other side from your husband and daughter but can see you?


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## Zookeepermama (Nov 12, 2007)

We just moved into this new house which is rented. At the old house she chewed/clawed the door, door molding, and clawed up the carpet. She peed in the middle of the living room already (thankfully its tile), back to square one with the potty training and she barks incessantly if she cant come join you. I have had the thought on more than one occasion of finding another home for her, but feel like thats just the easy way out. I am just taking it one day at a time, hoping she grows out of it soon.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Dallas has very hot, and sometimes very humid summers. So we are always looking for ways to keep ours comfortable during their walks. On goldens with thick long coats there are professional grooming tools that can be used to trim (not shave) the coat that might help. It basically just cuts the length of the coat in half, but keeps the coat intact. We did that for one of our goldens and he was much more comfortable during that hot humid summer. Our vet's groomer had this tool and they assured us it would not harm the golden health wise. On goldens with the shorter coats this trimming tool would not work well. I did find a product at Petsmart that is a bandana that you wet down and put in the freezer or refrigerator and it supposedly helps keep the dogs a little cooler on their walks. I'm not sure if it really helps them or not, but I've been known to take them off the dogs mid-walk and soak them in lawn sprinklers we pass by on our early (really early) morning walks and evening walks. Then I'll put them back on the dogs. One of our goldens used to just sit in the path of the sprinklers and cool off! Truth be told, I've wetted myself down that way as well! Not looking forward to the heat.......and a/c bills! 
The other problem here is if you walk in the evenings and early mornings you run the risk of being bitten by mosquitos that carry West Nile disease.


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## maggie1951 (Apr 20, 2007)

Both Sadie and Meg had very thick coats what my vet said was ok to shave there belly so this cannot be seen but it made them both more comfortable in the summer and he also used to say put a cold damp towel over them.
Daisy now has a very thick coat but i won't do the same to her as it does not bother her but what i do is i use a coat king which takes all the undercoat out its hard work but worth it and i also trim her tail and trouser's feathers.

Maggie


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