Hi -

There's an MSN community / forum that some of us belong to where you can learn ALOT first hand from many golden owners

http://groups.msn.com/GoldenRetriever

you might want to check it out.

I have had 4 Goldens through about the last 20 yrs - and I've known many others - I would say that the amount of grooming 'neccessary' varies depending on YOUR golden's coat.

a Golden under 2 yrs old may not have their 'final' coat yet, either!

There is alot of varying differences in goldens coats! Some are thin, some thick, some double (an insulating undercoat and a harder finish top coat) some have 'feathers' on legs, butt and tail that can be as long as 12" - 14" untrimmed! others can be shorter, or very little 'feathering'. they can be curly, wavy or straight, and in every golden shade from creamy white to honey, copper and dark russett red.

My first goldens; Toby and Tara, were littermates from a 'back yard' breeder - but they were very healthy and lived to be 13 and 15 yrs old. I brought them home as 10 week old puppies, went thru obedience training with them, though they were mostly family pets. They were WONDERFUL dogs - gentle, loving, easy to train, smart, funny and very good with kids. I was rather surprised that the TWO of them shed about as much as I expected ONE to shed - that is, they didn't shed a whole lot - but then, I'm not a fanatical housekeeper anyway, and a little dog hair never bothered me. I did brush them, especially when they were younger - because we ALL enjoyed it. However, after my son was born and I didn't have so much time, they didn't get brushed very often. They never 'blew' their coats - they shed about the same year round.

After Tara died at 15 yrs old, we adopted Tristan from rescue. Tristan was a 2 yr old golden/ chesapeke bay mix, and had golden coloring and personality, but didn't have the long 'feathers' (legs, tail, hindquarters) and undercoat that most goldens have. Tristan had a beautiful curly/ deep wavey copper coat . He did shed, but not very much. Since his coat was shorter, I didn't NEED to brush him much - maybe his tail and ears once in awhile. He LOVED to be brushed; he even loved to be VACCUUMED with the canister's brush attachment!! Tristan had a personality that charmed everyone he met - and he met lots of people, because he was so easy-going with all kinds of situations and other animals, that we took him everywhere we went. Tristan was a one-in-a-million character!
Sadly, we lost Tristan to Lymphoma after only 3 short years together, He died in January this year.

We recently adopted Fizzy - a 2 yr old purebred golden with champion lines. Fizzy has the first 'double coat' I've had to deal with. She is VERY 'fluffy' and soft, and has a (mostly) smooth outer coat and a very fine, fluffy undercoat. She did 'Blow' an undercoat in the last few weeks, and we are almost at the end of the massive shedding ( I hope!) again, I'm not a fanatical housekeeper - we have mostly hardwood floors, though - and the hair blows around and makes rolling 'hairballs' that catch in corners and under furniture. I tend to vaccuum WITHOUT a 'head' on my cannister vaccuum - just going around sucking the wads of fluff out from under the hutch, TV cabinet, corners and behind the 'fridge with the long handle/tube! LOL! I joke that, "I know it's time to vaccuum when the hairballs get big enough that I start to think Fizzy had puppies!" I do think if I collected all of it, I could probably stuff a nice warm sleeping bag or have it spun into enough yarn to crochet a 'Fizzy Golden Fur afghan"!

It did really help to cut down on the fur in the house to get one of those special "undercoat rakes" and brush her with it a few times - I don't know WHY it works, but it does - VERY well! Since her fur is much longer and thicker than any of my previous goldens - and also GROWS faster (judging by her fuzzy feet, which were neatly trimmed three months ago!) I will have to brush her more often than any of my previous goldens. But I enjoy it, and usually, they do, too.

As for the 'trimming' part of grooming their fur- that's a matter of personal choice. Many people simply keep their goldens clean and brushed and don't 'trim'. Toby and Tara had long feathers, but not the thick undercoat - I never trimmed them. I liked them 'natural'. I would trim the 'toe feathers' in the winter on Toby's feet, as they grew long and collected little snow "ice balls" between his toes if I didn't. Tristan I never trimmed; Fizzy probably will get some trimming, because her coat is extrememly long and full, and there's alot of fur behind her ears that tends to 'matt' quickly and easily. Matting fur can hurt, so you don't want to let them happen, and especially, don't want them to get big. She will also have 'ice balls' if I don't trim her footsies in the winter, I'm sure.

Golden personalities are why we tell people that "once you have a golden, you will never again be without one!" A home, once shared with a Golden Retreiver, seems terribly quiet and bereft without that golden 'joy in life' that surrounds them.

Goldens are friendly,funny, lovable, sweet, affectionate, playful, smart, easy to train, and wonderful companions. Goldens are NOT 'guard dogs' or protectors, though they will probably 'announce' any visitors with a bark and a wagging tail! Generally, they get along with most people and other pets - unless poorly bred and/or have some kind of 'history' that changed their naturally friendly nature. Because of their size and enthusiasm, they can hurt people unintentionally, so they MUST be trained. However, Goldens are usually extrememly gentle and tolerant of small children, and can make wonderful 'therapy' dogs either formally or informally. They are extremely tuned in to 'their' people, and live to please their masters - which means that they should be an indoor dog and love to participate in family activities. A golden who is left outside quickly becomes lonely, jumpy, mouthy, destructive and frantic. Goldens live to give and recieve love. Some need alot of excercise; including multiple walks and /or runs each day; others are totally content to be couch accessories! However, most are somewhere in the middle, and will adore the activity of a family of kids to play with, a walk a day, throwing a ball in the backyard and maybe a few car rides.

If you are getting an adult golden from a rescue or shelter - usually the foster family has a pretty good 'handle' on a particular golden's personality traits. Goldens are generally pretty mush an 'open book' and what you see, is what you get. Unless a rescue golden has a history of neglect and / or abuse, they pretty much wear their 'hearts on their sleeves', and will return your love in bucketfulls!

You'll never regret loving a golden!

laura
and her much loved, Fuzzy Fizzy!