Popular for their shiny, smooth and lustrous golden coats, Golden Retrievers are gorgeous dogs that make wonderful family pets.
The golden double coat of the Golden Retriever consists of a slightly coarse darker-colored outer coat and a lighter-colored dense undercoat. And, regular grooming and maintenance are needed to preserve the beautiful sheen of the Golden’s coat.
This brings us to the question, “how fast does a Golden Retriever’s hair grow?”
When Does a Golden Retriever Get Its Full Coat?
Typically, at birth, Golden Retriever puppies do not have full, long hair. They are tiny yellow balls with short, thin fluffy coats that protect them from the cold and the heat.
It is only later when the dog matures that the coat of the Golden Retriever grows longer, thicker and shinier.
When the Golden puppy is around 3 months old, they start growing long hair on the tail and when they are around one year old, the feathers on the stomach, chest and legs begin showing and the complete transition is completed when the dog is around 18 months.
How long it will take for the Golden Retriever to grow long hair, the color of hair and the length of hair depend on the genes of the puppy. Some Goldens may have heavier and longer coats compared to others.
Golden Retrievers do not shed their puppy fur, unlike other dog breeds. When the darker adult coat of the Golden starts to grow, it simply pushes the puppy fluff aside, which becomes the undercoat of the dog.
Over time, the undercoat thickens until the puppy is 18 months old.
Factors That Affect Hair Growth in Goldens
How quickly your Golden’s hair grows depends on a few factors including:
- Genes: Your puppy may take longer to grow hair if the parents of the puppy also took a long time to grow hair.
- Age: As a young puppy, your Golden will have a very short, thin coat. But when they become 3 months old, you can see hair growth on the tail and slowly on other parts of the body until your pet is 18 months old.
- Health: If your Golden is healthy and does not have to suffer from any medical conditions such as hormonal imbalance, etc., then they will have a long, thick and shiny coat.
- Grooming: Regular grooming and brushing of your Golden’s coat can help to distribute the natural oils on the hair and skin and also remove the loose, dead and damaged hair. Use a recommended shampoo when bathing your dog as this will not only help to remove the dirt and grime, but also help to kill any bacteria and maintain the natural oils on your pet’s skin and hair.
- Nutrition: A good and balanced diet will help your dog’s hair grow faster and be healthier. Further, giving your pet omega-3 and omega-6 supplements will help his hair grow longer, thicker and shinier.
Also Read: When Does a Golden Retriever Stop Teething?
How Long Does It Take for the Hair to Grow Back When You Shave Your Golden Retriever?
Golden Retrievers have gorgeous long-haired coats, which also means that they shed a lot.
The idea of shaving your Golden to control the shedding and during the summer months to keep them cool may have occurred to you. But this is a bad idea and it is not recommended to shave double-coated dogs.
The double coat of your pet plays a very important role in protecting them from the heat, cold and moisture and shaving your Golden’s hair will expose their skin to the direct cold, heat, moisture and parasites.
Also, shaving their coat can damage it irreparably. Chances are that if you shave your pet’s coat, the hair may not grow back uniformly and there may also be a change in the hair texture.
However, if you do want your Golden’s coat at a short, maintainable length, then you could trim the hair instead of shaving it all off.
If you trim your dog’s hair, it will grow back in 2-3 weeks; however, if you shave it off, then it may take up to 4 months to grow back and that too not properly.
Some of the other harmful effects of shaving your Golden’s coat include coat funk, alopecia, black skin disease, overheating, skin burn, sebaceous adenitis and skin cancer.
Also Read: Can Golden Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather?
How Can You Deal With Your Golden’s Shedding?
Shedding is the natural process by which dogs get rid of their old, dead, loose and damaged hair and most dog breeds shed all through the year, especially in spring.
Golden Retrievers shed profusely all year round and there are various ways of dealing with your shedding Golden including:
Regular Brushing
Brush your Golden’s hair regularly as this helps to remove all the loose and dead hair. Use a bristle brush as this will prevent any damage to your pet’s undercoat.
Brushing just after a bath when your pet’s hair is damp will help to reduce shedding. Brush your dog’s hair regularly, at least 1-2 times a week.
Regular Baths
Giving your Golden regular baths, once every 6 to 8 weeks and 2 to 3 times a year not only helps to eliminate the dirt and grime, keeping your pet clean but also helps to reduce shedding.
You must take care not to over-bathe your pet as this can strip the coat of its natural oils, making it rough and dry, causing it to shed even more.
Use Deshedding Tools
Use appropriate deshedding tools that are specially designed for double-coated dogs. Brushing your Golden’s coat 1-2 times a week with a deshedding tool will help to remove the loose hair and it will also reach the undercoat, keeping it neat and clean.
Blow Drying
Using a blow-dryer or a shop vac can help to get rid of loose hair from your Golden’s coat, keeping it tidy.
Diet
Ensure that you feed your Golden a healthy, balanced diet. A protein-rich diet will help to keep their coat shiny and smooth. Giving your pet omega-3 and omega-6 supplements will also help to reduce the shedding.
Well-Hydrated
Ensure that your Golden gets plenty of water to drink as good hydration ensures that your pet’s coat is healthy and does not shed a lot.
Flea and Parasite Control
If your Golden suffers from any flea or parasite infestation, not only will this affect your pet’s skin and coat but it will also increase the shedding.
Make sure to monitor your pet for any infestation. Regular deworming and flea treatment will also help to prevent infestations.
Also Read: When Do Golden Retrievers Go Into Heat?
Conclusion
Golden Retrievers, with their magnificent manes and friendly temperaments, make wonderful pets. But along with the gorgeous golden coats of these dogs comes the bane of shedding, which can be rather inconvenient for pet owners.
But there is no reason to worry. With a healthy diet, proper grooming and maintenance, you can ensure that your Golden Retriever’s long coat remains healthy, shiny and smooth always.
