As Spring approaches, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about getting your Golden Retriever prepared for the warmer months ahead. From grooming tips to home safety, here’s our guide to preparing your best furry friend for Springtime.
Give them a good brush!
In order to keep your Retriever’s coat looking in tip-top condition, it’ll need brushing regularly. We’d recommend you brush your dog for around 5 minutes once every couple of days to prevent the fur from matting.
Brushing is an important part of a grooming routine for any dog, but due to their longer double coasts, this is especially true for Golden Retrievers as their fur is prone to matting. Giving your pooch a good brush removes dead hair as well as dry/dead skin, and also distributes the natural oils within the coat to keep it nice and healthy.
You’ll want to focus behind your dog’s ears, the thick feathering on their back legs, and their tail – these are the areas where the hair tends to matt/tangle the most.
When it comes to brushes, undercoat rakes and slicker brushes are generally considered the two best to use on Golden Retrievers – for more advice/ideas, check out the Best Dog Brushes for Shedding Golden Retrievers.
Bath Time
Another essential part of your dog’s grooming routine is bathing. Due to their longer, double coat (and their tendency to roll around outside!) Golden Retrievers need a good bath every now and again.
Bathing your pooch will ensure their coat stays clean, prevent the build-up of debris and dirt, remove any bad odours, and also wash away any parasites that might be lurking in their fur.
Generally speaking, most breeds of dog need to be bathed around once a month, but due to the natural oils that waterproof their coats, Retrievers should only need to be bathed once every 6 or so weeks.
Frequent bathing will actually cause more harm to the coat as it will wash away the natural oils, which will result in a dryer, duller coat. So you can give your pooch a nice Spring clean, as long as you haven’t bathed them within the last few weeks!
Clean their Ears
Cleaning your dog’s ears is often overlooked, but it’s just as important as bathing and brushing. Generally speaking, you should aim to clean your Golden Retriever’s ears at least once a week to prevent any build-up of earwax and keep them in a healthy condition.
Doing so will help to remove gunky build-up, debris and bacteria hiding inside the ear, which will reduce the chance of your pooch developing an ear infection.
When you’re cleaning your dog’s ears, it might also be a good idea to check the outside of the ear too – have a scan for any fleas, ticks or any other unwanted visitors that your pup might have picked up.
Trim their Nails
Nail trimming is also a vital part of every Golden Retriever’s grooming routine. When a dog’s nails grow out, it can be very painful for them to walk, and if they split, it can lead to potential infection.
Trimming your pooch’s nails will not only ease pain and reduce the risk of infection for them, but it will also mean your dog is less likely to cause damage to your furniture or even yourself via scratching.
As a general rule, it’s recommended you examine your Retriever’s nails every couple of weeks – if they’re looking a little long, then give them a clip. Usually, if you can hear your furry friend’s nails tapping on the floor, they’re probably in need of a trim.
For tips on how to clip your Golden Retriever’s nails, check out this simple guide.
Give your home a Spring clean
It’s that time of year for a Spring clean, but don’t forget about your pooch! When you’re next doing your laundry, why not chuck in your dog’s bedding and blankets to keep everything nice and fresh? A good wash will remove all the fur, dirt, and bacteria that have accumulated in your dog’s bed.
Maybe clean the areas where your dog tends to lay too, e.g carpet, floors, and sofas to ensure the house is free of any fleas or parasites that your dog may have brought inside.
Safeguard your yard
As the warmer weather approaches, we’ll soon all be hoping to spend more time in our gardens/outdoor space. Before you do though, it’s worth making sure it’s as safe as can be for your canine companion.
Have a quick potter around the garden and make sure there are no gaps or doggie shaped holes in fences! Pour away any stagnant water that may have accumulated in flower pots, watering cans etc as this can be really harmful for dogs to drink.
Like most dogs, Golden Retrievers like to sit in the shade on a hot sunny dayt; so if possible, allow for a designated shady patch in your garden where your pooch can relax. Place a bowl of fresh water next to them to keep them nice and hydrated, too.
Check out our list of Springtime hazards for dogs to make sure you’re extra prepared when it comes to keeping your best furry friend safe in the warmer months ahead.
How about a Dog-friendly holiday?
As we begin to get back to some kind of normality in the spring months ahead, you and your canine companion can hopefully enjoy some more quality time together; and what better way to do that than a dog-friendly getaway?
Check out our top doggie staycay picks perfect for Golden Retrievers and other larger breeds…
