Undoubtedly, the lustrous, long, and golden hair of Golden Retriever contributes a lot to its popularity. Besides this, their smooth body with perfect size makes these breeds a great cuddling companion. But do you know that the long hair of a Golden Retriever grows only after a certain age?
So, when does a Golden Retriever get long hair? Although, Golden Retrievers aren’t bald soon after birth. Yet, they only have short and denser golden hair. And the hair of these dogs starts growing along with them. Finally, when Golden Retriever gets 18 months old, it gets its long, dense, and soft golden hair.
I will disclose more about your Golden Retriever’s hair and the ways to promote its growth further in this article. However, first, let us discuss your pet’s standard coat and the history behind it.
What Is The Standard Coat Characteristics For A Golden Retriever?
According to American Kennel Club (AKC), there is a specific standard for the coat of Golden Retriever. So, the official accepted Golden Retriever must have a double-layered, water-resistant, and dirt repellant coat.
Besides this, the outer skin coat must consist of long feather hairs in different shades of gold. But the undercoat must be notable and distinct. Along with this, the hair should be longer in the tail and under the body of these breeds.
Furthermore, the skin coat of the neck and back must be denser than other parts. And the hairs around the face, paws, and legs of these dogs must be short. Moreover, the AKC doesn’t accept the dogs that fail to fall in these criteria as a pure breed.
What do you think is your pal a pure breed?
What Is The History Of Golden Retriever’s Long Hair?
Although, Golden Retrievers are friendly dog breeds now. But the sole purpose of breeding these dogs in the 19th century was to help the Scottish estate owners hunting. So, these breeds required dense and longer hair to cope with the extreme cold temperature while hunting.
More to this, the double-coat helped these dogs to survive through extreme hot and cold temperatures. As the undercoat insulated heat, it keeps Golden Retrievers cool during hot weather. And the outercoat warms these dogs and prevents the possible bacteria, fungi, and parasites that may cause ear infections, eye diseases, allergies, etc.
But since Golden Retrievers are family dogs now, there is a lesser requirement of thick and long hair coats. Although, these breeds are less likely to go hunting like their ancestors and more domesticated. Yet, these dogs must have lustrous, shiny, smooth, and long hair for a beautiful appearance.
Besides this, the demand for Retrievers with thicker skin coats is increasing rapidly. And owners are willing to pay higher for Golden Retrievers with longer hair that makes these breeds more expensive.
So, what do you prefer- Long haired Retrievers or Short-haired?
When Does Golden Retriever Get Long Hair?
Most people assume that Golden Retrievers have a thicker and longer skin coat since their birth. But it is just a myth. Although these breeds aren’t born bald, they get their long hair only after a certain age.
However, there are three stages of hair growth in a Golden Retriever. And they are:
First Stage: Fluffy To Fur
Usually, Golden Retrievers are shorter and denser golden hair soon after their birth. And the growth of the hair starts after they are three months old.
So, a newly born Golden Retriever puppy looks like a dense yellow ball. But it doesn’t last long. After reaching three months, the hair of Golden Retriever starts to grow and becomes long and shiny.
Second Stage: Coat Transition
As mentioned above, the coat of Golden Retrievers starts to grow longer after three months. But do you know when their skin coat fully grows?
Moreover, you will notice a drastic transition in the hair coat of your Golden Retriever after their hair starts to grow long. And the small denser yellow-ball-like puppy changes into a fully grown adult dog with long hair covering its entire body. However, there are few steps that your pal may undergo during its coat transition.
- Until three months- unnoticeable hair growth because your pet’s hair remains comparatively small.
- Three to eight months- shows distinct hair growth in the areas (like tails, legs, chest, and neck).
- Eight months to one year- a drastic change in the hair coat of your pal. Your Golden Retriever gets a double-layered skin coat with long hair that covers its entire body.
Third Stage: Graying Stage
When your Golden Retriever gets older than one year, it starts losing the long hair. Besides this, all the functions of their body start declining. So, your pet fails to produce enough melanin pigment to give color to its skin coat.
Besides this, your pet starts to lose the essential oils needed for the growth of the hair. As a result, the long hair of your Golden Retriever becomes thinner and shorter.
So, if you have a dog older than one year, be cautious about its care and grooming to minimize hair loss.
How old is your pet? Does it have long hair? Or is the hair still growing?
Will Shaving Give Long Hair To Your Golden Retriever?
Most owners are in a false assumption that shaving the hair of their pets promotes longer hair growth. You should be aware that the double-coat in your Golden Retriever has its specific importance.
Usually, the outer coat protects your pal from germs, insects, excessive heat, and cold. And the undercoat is responsible for maintaining homeostasis.
Thus, shaving the hair of your pal is the worst idea. And it leads to various health issues like injuries, sunstroke, infection, parasitic attacks, etc.
Apart from this, hair thinning of your pal may also be a problem and invites skin disorders like:
- Clipping alopecia
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Black skin disease
Thus, shaving its skin coat is the dumbest idea for a healthier and longer lifespan of your Golden Retriever. However, you can take your pal for professional grooming to trim the excess hair of the eyes, ears, tails, paws, etc. that halts their daily activities.
Are you thinking of shaving your pal’s hair? Please drop the idea now.
Why Is Golden Retriever’s Hair Short?
The long and lustrous hair of Golden Retriever is the point of attraction for everyone. But sometimes, these breeds have shorter or thinner hair in contrast to their usual appearance. So, why do you think they might get short hair?
If you aren’t aware of the probable reasons, I will disclose some of them. And they are:
Illness Or Disease
Owing to the denser skin coat, Golden Retrievers provides the perfect growing environment for the bacteria, parasites, and fungi in its fur. So, skin diseases like the bald spot in hair, folliculitis, and seborrhea are more common in these breeds that cause inflammation, itching, and dandruff.
Further, your ignorance of these health problems makes them worse. As a result, the long hair of your Golden Retriever starts to shed excessively and becomes short.
Side Effects Of Medication
Golden Retrievers are susceptible to various health hazards like cancer, eye disease, heart disease, hip dysplasia, joint problems, thyroid problems, etc. Thus, they need different medications to manage these issues and live healthy life.
However, some of the prescribed medications have side effects like constipation, hair loss, allergies, etc. Thus, the long hair of your Golden Retriever fails to grow and becomes shorter and thinner.
Genetic Variation
As we know, the offspring inherits the genes of the parents. Although, there are some exceptions. Yet, you cannot assume the parents with short hair give puppies with long hair. Can you?
So, if both the parents have short hair, a puppy Golden Retriever for sure will get a shorter hair coat instead of long hair.
Lack Of Grooming And Care
Grooming and care play a vital role in the hair growth of your pal. And if you fail to give time and attention to your pet, its health condition along with coat quality starts declining. Hence, always be careful.
Usually, brushing, bathing, and grooming relax the hair follicles of your pet. Thus, they promote the long hair growth of your Golden Retriever. But lack of care degrades the quality of your pal’s hair and makes it shorter.
Unhealthy Food
Golden Retrievers loves to eat. And the food is essential to promote the health of your pet. Thus, unhealthy foods like chocolate, coffee, sodas, mushroom, nuts, grapes, onions, etc., are harmful to your pal. Furthermore, all these foods cause constipation, bloating, obesity, diabetes, diarrhea, etc.
In addition, all these foods reduce the production of essential oil. So, your Golden Retriever will no longer have long hair.
Environmental Stress
Golden Retriever prefers a moderate environment. And extreme temperature like excessive cold or heat damages the hair follicles of your pal. So, your pal fails to produce melanin that contributes to hair growth and coat coloring.
And due to the lack of melanin and other essential nutrients, your Golden Retriever loses its long hair.
Mix Breeds
Since the demand for Golden Retrievers is increasing, the dog breeds are now cross-breeding them with similar dogs. And undoubtedly, sometimes, the breeders succeed in producing the replica of Golden Retriever. But sometimes, the offspring fail to inherit the long hair of these breeds.
Thus, some mix-breeds naturally have shorter hair.
However, to know more about the short-haired Golden Retriever, read this- What Are The Reasons For Short Hair Of Your Golden Retriever?
How Can You Grow Your Golden Retriever’s Hair?
Apart from the contagious smile of Golden Retriever, its long hair coat is the irresistible one. Due to their long and golden hair, these breeds don’t remain unnoticed wherever they go. Since the long hair of a Golden Retriever plays an immense role in its beauty, you should know how to grow long hair.
And if you are new to this parenting thing, I will help you with some ideas that will promote the hair growth of your pal. Thus, they are:
Trim The Long Hair Of Your Golden Retriever In Unwanted Areas
Although shaving the hair of your Golden Retriever is a bad idea, sometimes hair growth in certain areas may halt the daily activities of your pal. Therefore, trimming the long hair in those areas will be a great relief for your pal. And the areas that need hair trimming are:
- Neck or chest
- Paws and toes
- Tails
- Around eyes
- Back of legs
- Around the ears
Moreover, trimming the long hair of your pet also needs some experience. So, if you are new to it, take help from professionals until you excel.
Emphasis In Nutritious Diet And Food Supplements
The food requirement of your Golden Retriever varies according to the age and intensity of physical activities. So, sometimes owners fail to provide their pet all the essential nutrition.
Moreover, your pet needs a lot of food supplements to prevent health issues and for hair growth. Therefore, consult with the Vet. And give your pet all the essential food supplements with a nutritious diet.
Include Omega Rich Food In Their Diet
Omega-rich food contributes a lot to the proper functioning of hair follicles. Besides this, these foods provide essential nutrients to the hair follicles of your Golden Retriever for the growth of long, shiny, smooth, and lustrous hair.
So, including the flowing omega-rich foods in the diet can be helpful in the hair growth of your pal.:
- Seafood
- Walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds
- Salmon, tuna, and sardines
- Eggs
In addition, some human foods may be harmful to your pal. So, substitute the treats of your pet with healthy natural snacks for a healthier and active life.
Regularly Wash The Long Hair Of Your Golden Retriever
Although the skin coat of Golden Retriever is dirt repellant, it needs regular washing to avoid matting. Thus, you should at least wash the hair of your pal once a month. Besides maintaining your pal’s, hygiene, hair wash also relaxes the hair follicles of your pal.
And thus, it helps in the hair growth of your pet. Moreover, for proper hair cleaning, you can take help from the article- Step By Step Guide To Clean Your Golden Retriever’s hair.
Brush The Long Hair Of Your Golden Retriever Daily
Golden Retrievers are the playing companion of the kids. So, they bring home different foreign particles in their dense skin coat after playing. And, eventually, it may lead to parasitic infections, skin disorders, hair falls, and alopecia in your pet.
Besides this, all the essential oil properly distributes throughout the skin coat of your pal when you brush them. Therefore, regular brushing the long hair of your Golden Retriever prevents matting, excessive shedding, and infections. And thus, it promotes the hair growth of your pal.
Groom The Long Hair Of Your Golden Retriever Properly
Professional grooming is the best way to relax your pet. And the groomers take care of your pal’s overall hygiene. So, they clean the ears, eyes, teeth, and paws along with grooming.
Hence, it keeps the pet hygienic and clean so that it doesn’t suffer from health problems. So, I suggest taking your Golden Retriever for professional grooming every two months to promote long hair growth.
How often do you take your pet to professional groomers?
Do you know some grooming tips that can be helpful while you groom your pal?
Apart from this, to know more ideas for your pet’s hair growth, read:
- How To Enhance The Coat Color Of Golden Retriever?
- Why Isn’t My Golden Retriever Fluffy? What To Do?
What Are The Grooming Tips For A Golden Retriever?
Golden Retriever is a high-maintenance dog breed. And despite the care and good health, your pal sheds throughout the hair and mostly in spring and winters. Hence you can see strands of golden hair everywhere in the house.
Therefore, to reduce hair fall and keep the house clean, I have some ideas for you. And they are:
Clean The House Frequently
Since shedding is unavoidable in Golden Retriever, you can never stop your pal’s hair fall. But seeing the hair strands of your pet everywhere is something you can control.
Therefore, daily cleaning the house is the best idea because it keeps the house clean. Besides this, it also prevents allergies, skin diseases, and ear infections in your pal.
However, you may find it difficult to clean the house daily. So, why don’t you make a schedule and clean the house thrice a week?
Professional Grooming
Although you excel in grooming, professionals are the experts with adequate training in this work. So, sometimes your pet needs professional grooming to enhance the growth of long hair.
Besides this, while grooming, the professional also cleans the teeth, eyes, ears, and paws of your pal. Hence, groomers take care of the overall health of your pal. So, professional grooming your pet once every two months can remarkably reduce their hair fall.
Lint Roller Can Be A Great Help
If you have a pet, clinging hairs in the clothes, shoes, curtains, cushions, etc., is your usual problem. Isn’t it?
And even though you love your pal, walking around with their hairs clinging in the clothes is very unhygienic and disturbing. Thus a lint roller can remove the hair from the clothes of the owners struggling with this problem. Furthermore, some lint rollers available in the market are:
Blowdrying The Long Hair Of A Golden Retriever
The wet hair of your pal is more likely to capture various infectious agents, dirt, dust, mud, etc. And since your Golden Retriever has a dense skin coat, complete drying of hair is a constant problem that most owners face. So, you can use an environmental-friendly dog-based blow dryer for this purpose.
However, some of the most common blow dryers are:
For better use of blow dryer, read Step By Step Guide To Get Your Golden Retrievers Hair Straight.
Don’t Use De-Shedding Brushes.
I know managing the long hair of your Golden Retriever is troublesome. But using de-shedding brushes is the worst choice. Although the de-shedding brush claims to detangle the matting hair, it pulls out and tears the hair instead.
Along with this, it also causes inflammation, lesions, redness, and irritation in your pal’s skin coat. Thus, these brushes are harmful to the skin of your pet. Hence, I suggest you use wide bristle hair brushes like Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush, Hartz Groomer’s Best Combo, and Ruff ‘N Ruffus Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush instead.
For more information, you can read the article- When Do Golden Retrievers Get Their Full Coat?
Like most owners, you may also want a healthier and longer life with your pet. Don’t you?
So, you must be cautious while parenting your pet. Being a needy dog, Golden Retriever relies on you. And being a responsible owner, you should try to give your pal a healthy lifestyle.
Moreover, owning a pet is a huge responsibility. And you may make mistakes sometimes. But don’t give up. Instead, take help from professionals to give a better life for your pet.
I hope all the above ideas helped you in enhancing the long hair of your pet.
Do you have any suggestions or queries about Golden Retriever’s hair growth?
Please share your thoughts through the comment box.
