🧴Care & grooming for the Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever : Its medium-length coat with a dense undercoat sheds heavily: brush 2-3 times a week with a slicker brush and undercoat rake, daily during shedding season. Floppy ears plus a love of water make ear infections common, so dry and check them regularly.

Brushes, hygiene products, parasite control, habitat upkeep: your dog’s routine care happens at home, with the right equipment. Our guides separate the essential from the gimmick — and say when the vet, not the shop aisle, should have the answer.

Coat-appropriate brushing, dog-pH shampoo (never yours) and regular parasite treatment: three habits that prevent half of all emergency grooming visits.

The guides that apply to you

• Dog boots: protecting paw pads from road salt, snow and hot asphalt

  Sole, fit, exact sizing: how to choose dog boots and protect paw pads against de-icing salt, snow and scorching asphalt.

• Trimming your dog’s nails yourself: good or bad idea?

  Equipment, technique, risks of cutting too short, groomer prices: should you trim your dog’s nails yourself or delegate, and how to go about it without hurting them.

• Dog grooming budget: salon or at home, how much does it cost?

  Salon prices by size, cost of home equipment, frequency by coat type: a dog’s yearly grooming budget and smart ways to bring it down.

• Senior dogs: adapting everyday equipment and care

  Suitable bedding, non-slip floors, more frequent grooming, mobility aids: how to adapt a senior dog’s equipment to preserve its everyday comfort.

• Flea and tick treatments for dogs: spot-ons, collars or tablets?

  Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes: the pros, cons and prices of spot-ons, collars and tablets to protect your dog effectively against parasites.

• Which dog shampoo for which coat type?

  Short, long or wiry coat, sensitive skin: how to choose a shampoo suited to your dog, how often to bathe it and at what price.