is it true that you can shave a golden retriever- not so its like hairless but short.?

Question

my groomer said that you can but i am kind of optimistic about that. she shaves everything short besides the ears and tail.

Answer 1

You can shave and breed with hair. The question is WHY would you do that??????? They have that kind of coat for a reason. Leave it alone!! They are fine in the summer just the way they are!! I have Newfs and they have WAY more coat and they are fine!! A Golden was not meant to be shaved!!!!!!!!!!
Next time get a NON-coated breed!!

Answer 2

Sure you can shave it..you can shave anything , but I would advise against it.... At least shaving it very short (like a #5 blade or shorter) Unless your dog is so matted that there is no other choice.

1..it does NOT stop shedding..the dog still sheds, just smaller hairs.
2...it does not necessarily keep them cooler. A dog does not sweat like we do. As long as the dogs coat is free of matts and packed undercoat and airflow can get to the skin...the dog can naturall keep itself cool.
3...a shaved down dog is prone to sunburn
4..some dogs coats will grow in thicker over time, and some dogs coat will never grow back in the same (i'm talking breeds that arent supposed to be shaved...Poms, Chows, Huskys, Goldens etc) It will grow back in patches. I'm not saying this happens on ALL dogs, but it does happen.

If you are dead set on shaving down your dog..I would use a comb attachment that will just get the top coat off and not disturb the undercoat.


Just an FYI Bones...there is no such thing as an AKC cert. master groomer. Kennel Clubs do not do cert testing for groomers. If she/he is a Cert. Master Groomer, it would be NDGAA, IPG, or ISCC.

Answer 3

Yes you can. I work as a groomer and a huge part of my clientele this time of year are the goldens. There are several options for this type of haircut. I've done a "lion cut" where the animal keeps a mane and a tuft on his tail, a full-body cut where I blend the head and the tail in so the hair is longer but "fades" naturally into the length of the body, and even a "mohawk" where the golden kept the dark auburn stripe down his back lol. I've also done cuts where I skim over the body with a long guide comb then use scissors to neaten things up. There are numerous options for golden haircuts, just make sure your groomer is capable of handling them!

Answer 4

I wouldn't recommend that you shave your dog, if out in the sun, it could get sunburned. They might look better, and it would prob. make you feel like you are doing them a favor, but your not. Some groomers have a tendency to nick their nipples too, so if they aren't careful about that, how reliable are they?

Answer 5

Yes I had mine shaved down twice a year.Late spring and summer,keeps them cool and he looked so cute ,My Groomer cut him to look like a Lion.

Answer 6

it can be done, but it is dangerous to shave the breeds that aren't meant to be shaved. ie poodles. Their coat acts like insulation in summer and winter. As long as they have plenty of shade and water, they are fine with the coat that god gave them.

Answer 7

I've done this to my Golden every year for the past 16 years. It's not a problem.

Answer 8

Yes, you can
It'll grow back quick
But if you were to do it, you should do it somewhere near the start of summer, not the middle or end
or else the hair might not grow back quick enough for winter

Answer 9

My friend is a AKC certified mastergroomer.She has been doing it for 20 years. I read her your question and the answer is a definite yes.

Answer 10

Be careful shaving it this late in the season b/c they might get sunburnt.