How often should I bathe my golden retriever
How Often Should I Bathe my Golden Retriever, and Why?
Updated: August 9th, 2022
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Odds are, you wash your hair several times a week at least. This is necessary to keep it clean and healthy because it is constantly exposed to the elements.
Your Golden Retriever has far more hair than you do, and not only is it always exposed, it is also frequently in contact with the ground and other surfaces.
So, how often should you bathe your Golden to keep it healthy and looking its best?
Do Golden Retrievers Need to be Bathed?
A Golden Retriever is blessed with a warm and durable double coat of fur. This is a common characteristic of water dogs.
The natural oils a Golden secretes help to keep the coat water-repellant and dirt resistant. Regular brushing will keep the oils well spread, and help prevent matting and tangling.
Nevertheless, your Golden will require bathing from time to time. How often will depend on certain lifestyle and environmental factors including:
- Frequency of swimming excursions
- Amount of time spent outdoors
- Rural vs. urban environment
- Local parasite issues
Environmental and Lifestyle Factors to Consider
Although your dog is built for the life aquaticand is capable of flinging away the majority of water accumulated after a dip with a good shake, frequent swimming may lead to a dirty coat and an unpleasant smell.
This is especially true if your Golden has a penchant for algae-filled ponds and other less-than-pristine bodies of water.
Naturally, a dog that spends a lot of time indoors is going to pick up less dirt and debris than one that is regularly outdoors. And whether or not those outdoor romps are in the country or in the city can also make a big difference to how quickly a Retriever gets dirty.
If you are aware of a parasite problem in your area (check local websites or ask your vet), it is important to be on high alert, and more frequent baths and grooming may be in order.
How Often Is Often Enough?
The answer to the question is: there is no definitivelyright or wrong answer. It is very important to not wash your dog too often. This can be just as detrimental as not washing often enough.
Too frequent bathing may strip away the natural oils I mentioned earlier. Losing this protective coating can leave your Golden with a dull coat, which is disappointingly unattractive.
More importantly, it will leave the skin unprotected and prone to dandruff and infections. Its recommended that you use a very mild shampoo, but even the mildest soaps can have a negative impact on the skin if overused.
On the other hand, not bathing often enough can cause obvious problems. Though Goldens tend not to emit strong odors like many other breeds do (yes, Goldens are superior!), they may still develop a bit of a funk if left unwashed for too long.
What Should My Bathing Schedule Be?
Plan on giving your Retriever a bath about once every six weeks. Depending on circumstances (like those listed above) you may need to hit the suds once each month.
However, some dogs, especially older, less active ones, can get by with scrub downs as infrequently as every 8 weeks, or possibly longer. By
Depending on circumstances (like those listed above) you may need to hit the suds once each month. However, some dogs, especially older, less active ones, can get by with scrub downs as infrequently as every 8 weeks, or possibly longer. By
By maintaining good grooming, especially brushing, between baths, youll become familiar with your dogs hair and skin condition and be able to tell if your schedule needs to be adjusted.
Unscheduled Baths
No matter your schedule, you should bathe as soon as possible in the event of an unexpected occurrence. For example, if your Golden takes a shine to a mud puddle, youll want to address matters before the mud has a chance to get caked on. Serious mud can sometimes require a haircut; much better to take a free bath than to pay a groomer.
Rolling around on a dead animal is one of a dog owners least favorite behaviors to witness, especially for the squeamish. A bath may be in order after this activity to ensure your dog hasnt picked up any parasites.
And speaking of parasites, if your dog has been in contact with another dog that is found to have an infestation, even a mild one, a good, thorough bath is highly recommended. Better to rinse any eggs, larvae or parasites down the drain than to let them establish a home on your Golden.
Final Thoughts
There are two schools of thought on bathing a Golden Retriever: its either a hilarious event thats lots of good, clean fun; or its a nightmare chore to be done as infrequently as possible.
Whatever side you land on, it is important to neither overdo it, nor neglect it unduly. A clean Retriever is a happy Retriever, and a happy Retriever makes a happy owner.
How to Bathe a Golden Retriever
All dogs require baths as part of their regular grooming care; however, for some breeds like the Golden Retriever, baths can be an involved process that takes time, patience, and a sense of humor. Here is how to bathe your Golden Retriever so they stay healthy and squeaky clean.
How to Bathe Your Dog
Bathing a Golden Retriever is a multi-step process, and you should prepare to be equally as wet, if not more so, than your dog by the end of the bath. Wear some old clothes that you dont mind getting soapy and wet.
If you want a suggestion for shampoo, my go to shampoo for my Golden Retriever is Pro Pet Works All Natural Organic Oatmeal Pet Shampoo Plus Conditioner. It works great and has helped reduce dog dandruff as well.
Follow these steps to get your Golden shiny and clean:
10 Steps To Wash Your Dog
1. Gather Your Supplies
Have all your bathing materials ready before you put your dog in the bathtub or start the hose outside. You will need a mild shampoo and conditioner, petroleum jelly, a scrub brush, a slicker brush, and a hand-held sprayer (a pitcher will work here, too). Do not forget to have plenty of towels within reach.
2. Brush and Blow Out
Use a dryer over your Goldens coat for a few moments to loosen and dirt, debris, and dead hair from the skin. Take the scrub brush and remove tangles from the fur. Then, use the slicker brush on the undercoat to remove additional loose hair. Bathing your Golden Retriever will be an easier process if you remove loose hair and dirt before starting the bath.
3. Protect the Dogs Eyes and Ears
Use a dab of petroleum jelly at the corner of your dogs eyes to repel any shampoo and water that may get in them. A cotton ball in the ears helps keep the water out.
4. Use Lukewarm Water
If you are washing your dog outside or inside, keep the water at a lukewarm temperature for their comfort.
5. Secure Your Dog
For outdoor baths, make sure you clip a leash to your dogs collar and either hold on to it or secure it to something sturdy. For indoor baths, encourage your dog to hop into the tub using a treat or toy as a lure. If you are lucky, your Golden will love water so much that they will jump in without any prompting.
6. Lather Up Your Dog
Get your Goldens coat thoroughly wet down to the skin, including the under coat. With the scrub brush or your hands, use a mild dog shampoo and work it into the dogs coat from front to back, or head to tail. Do not pour any water or soap on your dogs face; use a soft washcloth to clean that area.
7. Rinse The Coat
Using the hand-held sprayer or hose, rinse the shampoo out of your dogs fur. Keep in mind that the Goldens double coat means double the rinsing effort to ensure the removal of all soap from the skin and hair. Do not stop rinsing until the water runs completely clear and there are no more soap bubbles or streaks. This step is critical as leftover soap will dry and cause skin irritations and itchiness.
8. Apply the Conditioner
If you are using a liquid conditioner, apply it to your dogs fur, let it stand for a few moments, then rinse thoroughly. Spray-on conditioners can be applied at this time, leaving a few minutes for them to penetrate the coat.
9. Towel Dry Your Dog
Using clean towels, gently dry your dogs coat as much as possible. Your dog will probably shake a few times to help with this step of the process.
10. Blow Dry Your Dog
Some dogs are not fond of noisy dryers, but if your dog tolerates them, use one to speed up the drying process. Place the dryer on the cool or low setting and keep it a hands length distance from your dogs coat. If the dryer is too close, it can burn your dogs fur and skin. Use the brush to gently dry the hair in its natural direction as you dry it. Alternately, you can allow your Golden to air-dry as well although that will take more time.
With these steps, you can make bathing your Golden Retriever a common and enjoyable experience for your dog.
You can also check out our picks for the Best Dog Shampoos to see what is the best option for your dog.
How to Clean Your Dogs Ears
An essential part of bathing a Golden Retriever is cleaning her ears. This breed is highly prone to developing ear infections which are often caused by bacterial growth in the ear canal due to moisture, wax, dirt, or parasites.
Because Goldens have floppy ears, dampness and debris become trapped with no way for the ears to dry out. When you bathe your Golden, that is a perfect opportunity to clean their ears as well.
My recommendation for ear cleaner is Virbac Epi-Otic Advanced Ear Cleaner.
To clean your Golden Retrievers ears, follow these directions:
How to Clean Your Dogs Ears
1. Gather Your Supplies
You will want a gentle canine ear cleaner (available at pet stores or through your veterinarians office), cotton balls, a soft towel, and treats.
2. Clean the Ear Using a Cotton Ball
Pour a few drops from the cleaner on a cotton ball and gently swab around the dogs ear. Start with the inside of the ear and work your way to the outside to remove any debris.
3. Clean and Massage the Ear
Squeeze a few drops of the cleaning solution into the dogs ear. Gently massage the base of the ear for about 30 seconds. Allow the cleanser to get into the folds of the ear and loosen dirt. Then, let your dog shake their head to remove any excess cleaner from their ears.
4. Dry the Ears
Using a cotton ball or soft towel, wipe out the ear canal. Only use the towel or cotton ball on the visible areas of the ear.
5. Praise and Treat Your Dog
After cleaning the ears, praise your dog for a job well done and give them a treat. Let them associate this experience with a positive reward.
Regular ear cleaning is a must for Golden Retrievers. Because of the pain of infection, and potential hearing loss, cleaning your Goldens ears is a part of the grooming process you should not neglect.
How to Dry a Golden Retriever After a Bath
To prevent skin irritations, hot spots, or flaky skin, your Golden Retriever must be as dry as possible after their bath. Here are some methods to use to make sure your dog is completely dry after their trip to the tub:
Towel Drying After a Bath
Have three or four towels on hand to wipe off remaining water from your Golden. Rather than rubbing the cloth over your dog, use squeezing or patting motions to soak up the excess moisture. By this approach, you limit the number of mats and tangles that may develop in your dogs coat. Dry the top of the head and back first, then work your way to their belly, legs, and tail.
Hand-held, Deep-Down Drying After a Bath
In warmer weather, you can allow your Golden to air dry outside. However, if the weather is cool or outright chilly, a hand-held dryer is one of the fastest ways to get your dog warm and dry. Keep the dryer on a low heat setting and continuously move it over your dogs body. Be aware of how hot the dryer is on your dogs coat by placing your hand nearby so you can always check the temperature.
When Should You Give Your Golden Retriever Its First Bath?
When should a Golden Retriever have its first bath? The earliest you should give a full bath to a Golden Retriever puppy is about 8 weeks of age. Prior to 8 weeks spot cleanings can be done as needed. The ability of the puppy to regulate its own body temperature is the primary reason for waiting.
After 8 weeks old, you can bathe your puppy with lukewarm water. Remember to use a gentle or mild dog shampoo; never use human shampoo on a dog. Also, avoid using flea shampoo on any puppy younger than 12 weeks of age.
Why Should You Bathe Your Golden Retriever?
Golden Retrievers have wavy hair, straight hair, or some combination of the two types. Feathering on the chest, back of the legs, paws, and tail are also prominent coat features in this breed. While these qualities make for a beautiful canine, they also result in fur that gets tangled and matted easily. If those mats and knots are not taken care of quickly, they will become larger and make life uncomfortable for your dog. Careful bathing allows an owner to locate these problem areas and untangle or remove them.
A Golden Retriever should have a bath once every 6 weeks, but that time frame is flexible depending on the dogs lifestyle and environment. Goldens who regularly swim, play in grass or dirt, or roll in the mud will need baths every week or two as needed. Environments that are muddy, swampy, or are breeding grounds for parasites like ticks and fleas mean even more baths for your dog. However, there is a limit to how much bathing your Goldens coat can take.
Washing your Golden Retriever too much strips those natural oils from the fur, leaving your dogs coat dull and her skin unprotected. Skin infections and dandruff may result. Using mild and gentle shampoos can still cause these medical issues; therefore, its best not to bathe your dog too often.
Of course, Goldens will be Goldens, and there are occasions where unscheduled baths will be a necessity. If your dog stops, drops, and rolls in a dead animals scent or remains, they need a bath immediately. The same goes for Goldens who decide to leap into algae-filled ponds or those who revel in racing through mud pits at the local dog park. In these situations, you will need to bathe your Golden Retriever as soon as possible.
Conclusion
While bathing your Golden Retriever is an involved process, it is well worth the love, loyalty, and companionship these wonderful dogs provide to their owners.
Perhaps more importantly, bathing your Golden Retriever is necessary for their current and future health and well-being. Your Golden will be much happier if they are clean and dry, and so will you.
If you need tips on cleaning your dogs teeth, be sure to check out our article on Golden Retriever Teeth: Care and Cleaning.
