# Au Naturale or Groomed?



## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Aside from those who show their dogs, I was wondering what most people did with their goldens? Do you prefer them au naturale with full feathering and just doing regular maintenance (brushing, shampooing), do you have them professionally groomed? Or do you go so far as to keep their hair short?


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Molly is still a puppy so I don't know yet if I would trim her feathering. However I do trim her ears a little and her feet.. I don't like seeing long ear fur on her and I think round paws are just "cute". But this is coming from me.. Someone who has too much time on their hands. If her feathering is too long and unruly I would probably try to learn to manage that on my own as well


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

I have Chumlee professionally groomed at the beginning of summer to shorten his feathers. The rest of the year I do the regular maintenance stuff. Chum has a very manageable coat so it's pretty easy. 

Once in a while I believe that in a former lifetime I must have been a Master Groomer and decide to give his feathers and tail "just a little trim" with my scissors. :doh: Thank goodness it's only hair and it grows back....


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

Lola is just a part of our family... not a show dog. I want her to have a healthy- cared for coat- brushed- nails trim etc. But I am not going to have her groomed. I trim the fur on her feet when I trim her nails- and keep the snarls out of her feathers... other than that Lola is just a natural girl!

It looks like the poll results show most people are going natural as well!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I couldn't answer this poll, because nothing applied.... *weeps*

I trim toes, ears, hocks, and tail. 

Nothing else.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Aside from her belly having just been shaved for her spay, Sadie has grown into her coat, with really pretty feathering on her legs and chest. I think she looks beautiful. I do like the round feet, but don't know if I want to cut her tail and her feathers. They so far don't get matted with regular maintenance, and as far as I know, she doesn't have anal gland issues, so I'm not sure if I want to get her professionally groomed or not.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Glad you didn't mention the nails....something I keep putting off doing and I know they need it.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

We have Max groomed. But only wash, brush, nails, trim around feet and clean ears. do not like to trim nails myself.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

He gets professionally groomed once a year but for the most part he's just brushed.

He's usually got burrs in his tail, leaves and mud stuck to his belly.... 

He's a farm dog haha.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Buddy will never see a professional groomer and Lucky never did. 

The Yorkies do see the groomer 1-2x/year. Otherwise I brush and groom myself.


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

Pucci will be a groomed dog... cuz I feel like he'll need to be shaved down eventually.

He looks like a jack but he's got Shih-tzu fur. He's a Shack. Jack-tzu... whatever... mutt haha.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

My guys get brushed and swim often. They only get baths when they roll in something stinky. I do trim Oakly's grinch feet once in a while but that is about it.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I trim ears and feet pretty regularly and neaten up the line on feathers as needed (when they start to get scraggly).


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Oaklys Dad said:


> My guys get brushed and swim often. They only get baths when they roll in something stinky. I do trim Oakly's grinch feet once in a while but that is about it.


 I was laughing reading this. I always have the "Grinch" image in my head when Sadies foot fur gets too long. Ha HA


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Megora said:


> I couldn't answer this poll, because nothing applied.... *weeps*
> 
> I trim toes, ears, hocks, and tail.
> 
> Nothing else.


 I would say you are a #3 choice. Do some trimming of the feathers and such at home. I'm wondering if I want to start trying the same? I'm afraid if I get thinning shears in my hands, Sadie will turn out looking crazy though. But the temptation is certainly there.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Suni52 said:


> I would say you are a #3 choice. Do some trimming of the feathers and such at home. I'm wondering if I want to start trying the same? I'm afraid if I get thinning shears in my hands, Sadie will turn out looking crazy though. But the temptation is certainly there.


My guy's trousers and leg feathering is au naturale. I just can't stand raggedy ears or shaggy feet. The tail is trimmed up because I don't want my guy to look like a pretty pretty pony or something with a too-long tail :

Make sure you use thinning shears and try to remember that it grows back fast. The function to trimming around the ears is to prevent mats where the fluff is thickest on the ear flap and behind it. I also trim inside the ears a LOT shorter to keep dirt and moisture from getting caught inside and causing ear infections. The function as far as trimming the feet is to make it easier to trim toenails (quicker cuts without sorting through the hair) and it cuts down on the pine sap that gets caught in the fur.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I voted "au naturale" because I don't trim him - although sometimes I do some inadvertent trimming when I have to cut out really stubborn burs after a fun hiking trip. He is like a magnet for burs - he ends up looking a bit silly when I have to cut them out!!


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

I trim Chance's feet once in awhile, but I'm a fanatic about his tail. It has to be perfectly trimmed or as close as I can get. I wish I knew how to do his ears, but every time I've tried they look like I never even touched them. :uhoh: I trim him chest, too.


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## BKLD (Jul 5, 2012)

Jane has never seen a groomer, and probably never will. She has full feathering, and I just keep her brushed and washed.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Oaklys Dad said:


> My guys get brushed and swim often. They only get baths when they roll in something stinky. I do trim Oakly's grinch feet once in a while but that is about it.





Suni52 said:


> I was laughing reading this. I always have the "Grinch" image in my head when Sadies foot fur gets too long. Ha HA


Call me crazy but I loved Lucky's old man Grinch feet


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I get Max groomed because he's a matt magnet - and he hates to be brushed. He gets a bath, gets a good brush out, trimmed up all pretty, nails done, ears cleaned, tail trimmed, and it only costs me $35. 

I do brush him in between - but that butt fluff! So thick and so hard to get through - just less stressful on both of us if I let the groomer take care of it.


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## eslucky (May 10, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> but that butt fluff! So thick and so hard to get through


LOL. The butt fluff is the worst. I haven't done anything with Daisy yet besides brushing. With Lucky and Penny I used to trim their feathers when they got scraggly and I would inevitably need to cut some matts out of their butt fluff. I always did it myself but I'm really thinking about using a groomer now.


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## Nyahsmommy (Jul 23, 2011)

I take nyah to a groomer. We bathe her ourself but we like to get her all nice and trimmed up when her feathers start to get too long and wild. I suppose we could do it ourselves but we tried it once and it looked horrid. Lol so we take her a few times a year.


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## Avery's Mom (Aug 19, 2012)

I voted "Au Naturale." ALTHOUGH, he goes to the groomers to get washed and brushed bi-weekly. I let them trim his nails, brush his teeth, clean his ears, etc. (I KNOW I should brush his teeth weekly- but I don't have the energy to fight him. He will let me dry brush but not use doggie toothpaste.) When he was a puppy, I trimmed his feathering until he learned how to cleanly use the bathroom.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Show grooms for dogs being shown, and regular baths and trims - nails, feet, ears, tail for dogs not. They feel better, are healthier, and look better.


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## GeorgiaOnMyMind (May 4, 2010)

My Golden does not have a true Golden coat, she does grow beautiful feathering on the tail, trousers and legs and they look great. I had her groomed once and have apologized profusely to her afterwards. She looked ridiculous. I trim her grinch feet now and that's it.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

i agree none of those fit for me either so I couldnt answer 

feet 
ears 
hocks
tail set. 
neaten feathering 

I trim at home but my dogs are typically in show trim most of the time


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## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

Megora said:


> I couldn't answer this poll, because nothing applied.... *weeps*
> 
> I trim toes, ears, hocks, and tail.
> 
> Nothing else.


Rocket doesn't have much coat yet, but this is about what I plan to do for him as well. I did about the same for our Collie. 

I chose trim feathers and coat at home because it was the closest match.


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## AZGoldenFamily (Oct 11, 2012)

We used to have Bailey shaved down in the summer, because of the heat (even though she is indoors most of the time), but we've just now let her grow out her coat to full length and brushed it regularly, and she's beautiful. Except maybe for the Hobbitt feet, those need trimming back!


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

The picture below answers the question for our first dog Zeke. We clipped his nails, brushed him and gave him a bath when he needed it. He didn't have heavy feathering that needed trimming and we were clueless about the way most people trim Goldens ears although we did try to deal with any mats that developed. Zoe is a different story. . . much more coat. She gets a professional grooming for very special occasions. Otherwise she gets regular brushing, nail trimming, bathing and needs to have her feet, tail and feathers trimmed. Ears are cleaned frequently.


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## mooselips (Dec 4, 2011)

Bridget gets groomed....
But at camp, I kind of trimmed her tail, and paws, and hocks myself....

I FREQUENTLY bathe her....she's an absolute muck pond, lake, stream, river magnet...if there's water, especially if it's stinky, she'll find it.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Max is groomed professionally. I am adamant as to what I want...VERY LIGHTLY TRIM feathers and tail. Trim feet, trim nails, clean up ears, and follow the belly tuck up, but just the hair tips to show off the line of his tuck up. DO NOT touch his whiskers.
Do NOT cut his hair nor use a furminator. 

Billy is wash and wear.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

feet and ears frequently, tail and hocks occasionally


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

I do as Megora said and looks like many others too. I don't use a groomer and do the trimming myself, with the aide of the video's on the internet. First time was a disaster and glad pup was young, but now more confident and looks much better. I am not ruling out a groomer if coat ever gets out of control, but so far, everything we do, I do at home.


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## Champ (Jun 10, 2006)

I trim Champ's coat at home. I trim grinch feet, under the paws, feathers, ears, booty, everything. I usually end up with an entire plastic bag full of fur. If I don't trim his coat it looks like a mess as he has a very thick wool-like coat. He looks much younger and skinnier after he gets groomed.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

I voted Au Naturale, but keep feet tidy and tail feathers from dragging on the ground. Never once in 20yrs have I had mine "pro" groomed. I learned to do it myself from the start and have all the tools.

I love a long coat. A 5 or 10 minute a day brush out is easy. Wait a week and you will find little mats starting and it takes more time. 

A Goldens coat is a wonderful thing IMO. Countless times I am asked if they just got a bath, nope. A proper coat can shake off just about anything and look brand new. Burrs are another story though.

All of my dogs are free to crash through the woods and get muddy whenever they want. Go be a dog, have fun little ones.

I do sincerely appreciate a proper show cut and they look gorgeous. Prefer mine a bit on the hippie side though. might be a bit more work, but it's my pleasure to "deal" with it


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Half the year its just a trim up of the feet, ears, feathers etc. During the summer when the kids are showing I help them with a full out show trim. Most of the time though I can never quite get the ears right lol. Give me a sheltie and I am good to go for the show trim but still working on the GR show look!


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## mpewe (Jul 19, 2012)

I just brush daily and give baths when needed and really the only trim he gets is the hair between his toes that sticks out and looks funny to me. In the summer though he gets his feathers trimmed a little since he swims a ton and it never gets dry (hard to brush then). It gets very cold up here in ND so I like him to have as much hair as possible to keep him warm in the winter when we go out.


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