Do Golden Retrievers Really Shed a Lot of Hair? How Do I Control it?

Golden retrievers shed a lot of hair, almost all year round. But the good news is that it can be controlled. 

If you own a Goldie or are planning to get one, you’re certain to see tufts of hair littered everywhere in your home. From your couch to your bedroom to your wardrobe, your fluffy friend will have your house decorated with fluff.

And if they have access to your kitchen, you might be unlucky to have a few strands of hair in your food.

Goldies are lovely, and playful, and can pass as the best family dog breed out there. However, their constant shedding poses a great concern to those who hate to see plenty of hair around them, especially those with dog allergies.

If you’re one of those people, you’re in the right place. This article discusses why golden retrievers shed a lot and what you can do to control it.

Why do golden retrievers shed a lot?

Uncomfortable temperatures, irritation, parasitic attacks, poor nutrition, and stress are valid reasons why golden retrievers shed a lot.

Goldies are double-coated dogs, which means they have two layers of fur that serve different, yet important purposes. When the temperature is at a really unbearable rate, golden retrievers shed their fur to adapt accordingly. Irritation due to uncomfortable environments is another reason your golden retriever sheds a lot of hair.

Furthermore, when Goldies are attacked by fleas or parasites, they get really uncomfortable and shed their hair in response. You should also know that the type and quality of food you give your Goldie plays a part in how they shed their hair. Stress and anxiety are also not good friends for your Goldie’s beautiful furs.

Amidst all the reasons, you should know that shedding is a natural occurrence in golden retrievers. And they do it more during certain periods.

What period do golden retrievers shed most?

Though golden retrievers shed all year round, they have their heaviest shedding during the spring and fall seasons.

In the spring, your golden retriever will shed its hair profusely to prepare for the warm summer weather. The warm seasons cause your Goldie a lot of discomforts.

You’ll see it panting, drooling, and even vomiting. If left unchecked, excessive heat can result in your doggie experiencing a heatstroke. According to reports by experienced vets, most dogs do not survive 24 hours of heatstroke.

In the same vein, during the fall, golden retrievers shed their fur to prepare for the cold winter season. Cold weather isn’t friendly to your Goldie, either. Excessive cold can subject your dog to long-suffering from hypothermia or frostbite. Therefore, they always shed their lighter undercoats in the fall, to make room for the thick winter coats. 

In essence, what Goldies do during these periods is shed their thick winter coats in preparation for the summer and their light summer coats in preparation for the winter.

Is there a golden retriever that doesn’t shed?

All purebred golden retrievers shed. It’s in their nature to shed based on what their body demands at any point in time.

However, there are some mixed goldies that shed less. A typical example is the Goldendoodle, which was bred from a golden retriever and a poodle. Goldendoodles are as attractive, playful, and smart as golden retrievers.

Though most Goldendoodles have double coats, they’ve got a considerably lower shedding rate than golden retrievers.

What can I give my golden retriever to minimize shedding?

Omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acids, and zinc have been proven to improve healthy hair growth in dogs, thereby minimizing shedding.

What you feed your golden retriever plays a huge role in how it sheds its fur. Poor nutrition is one of the key reasons most golden retrievers shed a lot. With the right food plan, your goldie will grow healthy, firm coats that will only shed during its natural need to regulate body temperature.

Because golden retrievers shed naturally to regulate their body temperature, most Goldie owners think it wise to help by shaving their Goldie. But, is that really a wise decision?

Can I shave my golden retriever to stop shedding?

Shaving your golden retriever won’t stop it from shedding; it can only reduce the rate for a moment.

However, shaving your golden retriever isn’t a good idea as it causes more harm to it than good you intended.

Apart from your golden looking patchy and unattractive due to uneven hair growth, shaving your Goldie can result in severe skin diseases like cancer, and frostbites or heat-related diseases like heatstroke. Either way, your golden retriever loses.

Therefore, instead of looking to stop it from shedding, look for ways to control the rate at which it does. Let’s look at some proven ways you can do that.  

How do I control shedding in my golden retriever?

You can control shedding in your golden retriever by bathing, brushing, and feeding it the proper nutrition it requires.

Bath your golden retriever

When your golden retriever’s skin is dehydrated, it is prone to more hair shedding. Bathing it three or four times a year reduces this.

In addition to keeping your Goldie clean, bathing it refreshes its skin and gets rid of dead, loose hairs on its body. Another way to keep it hydrated is to take it swimming. Golden retrievers love to swim.

They were bred to catch a game in forests, and many times they have to swim past rivers to do so. Allowing them to swim regularly helps control shedding.

Brush your golden retriever regularly

Apart from bathing, another way to reduce shedding on your golden retriever is to brush it regularly. To avoid having hair on every part of your house, it’s best to take your dog outside and use a de-shedding tool to brush its fur.

Brushing it helps take out loose and dead hairs that bathing couldn’t remove from its furs. Doing this daily or a couple of times a week is ideal. However, it’s also good to take your Goldie for professional grooming once in a while.

Take your golden retriever to a professional groomer

A professional groomer helps you bathe your Goldie, brush it, and even trim the claws properly. Trimming the claws of a dog is very delicate because it contains the quick, which contains blood vessels and nerves.

It’s advisable that you do not clip your Goldie’s nails beyond the natural curve to avoid causing it bleeding and pain.

In fact, apart from taking the stress and time of proper grooming off your schedule, safe claw clipping is another reason your Goldie should always visit a professional groomer. This can be done once a month, or even twice if you have the time.

Control fleas, ticks, and parasites on your golden retriever

Controlling fleas, ticks, and parasites on your golden retriever is another way to prevent it from shedding regularly. These unwanted pests on your dog cause it severe discomfort which makes it shed profusely in order to get rid of them.

If you notice any form of discomfort, followed by hair loss or excessive shedding of hair in your dog, quickly take it to a vet for proper examination and treatment.

In addition, educate yourself about medical conditions that could cause your golden retriever to shed more. Skin allergies, thyroid disease, ringworm, and fungal and bacterial infections are medical conditions that could make your Goldie shed often.

Educating yourself about these problems will help you diagnose them on time and take your dog to a vet for treatment.

Apart from reducing shedding in your dog, treating it for these diseases helps make it more comfortable and prolongs its lifespan.

Make sure your golden is in a comfortable environment

Just like in humans, golden retrievers react when placed in uncomfortable, irritating environments. However, since they can’t complain or voice their discomfort like humans, they resort to shedding lots of hair.

Your Goldie is an integral part of your family. It should be treated as the lovely, beautiful pet that it is. If you can’t let it sleep by your side, prepare a nice, fluffy, and comfortable bed for it to lie on when it needs rest or sleep. A comfortable environment reduces anxiety in dogs, which, ultimately, reduces shedding.  

Give your golden retriever food that meets his nutritional needs

Your golden retriever’s diet should contain the right nutritional needs of your dog and in the right quantity. As mentioned earlier, nutrition plays a huge role in the overall health of your dog.

However, there are certain food items that contribute significantly to the healthy growth of hair in your dog. A healthy dog’s coat is less prone to shedding.

A high protein diet and the right amount of fatty acids and linoleic acids should be given to your dog regularly. For nutritional requirements that are not available in the needed proportion, supplements can be very useful. Omega-3 oil is the most effective supplement in this regard.

Controlling Shedding in your Golden retrievers – a conclusion

If dealing with seeing lots of hair in almost every corner of your home is the reason you haven’t gotten a golden retriever, I hope this article has shown you how you can manage that. 

Golden retrievers are lovely, playful, smart, and intuitive, and they rank among the best family dogs out there. A golden retriever will steal your heart and easily pass as your best friend from the first day you get it.

For such friendship and companionship, dealing with excessive hair is a very minor price to pay.