Grooming & Showing
Josie with Robert Perry and Debi Tandoc
"Josie" Essex Sonoma-Gold Champagne
Over the years professional handlers have played an important part in the history of the sport of dogs. They have provided the support system for the top show dogs in the history of the Golden Retriever. Expertise in the care, conditioning and presentation of show dogs comes through years of dedication, hard work and continuing education.
We will attempt to show you basic grooming and more advanced techniques used to prepare dogs for competition. Eventually we will share some of our training techniques and other tips to use at the show. Some techniques may seem a bit unusual, however, we are presenting this as a forum. Your opinions are always welcome.
This section is going to take a while to complete, please be patient.
Nail Trimming
Guillotine type trimmer
No matter how much exercise a dog gets, nails always grow quickly and need to be cut regularly. There are many types of cutters, find someone knowledgeable to show you how to properly use it. Our preference is an electric Dremel type grinder, you can get closer to the quick (portion of the nail containing blood vessels and nerves). The grinder takes away sharp edges and nail is left with out fractures.
To trim the nail: examine the nail, identify where the quick stops. With the Guillotine type trimmer it pays to have some styptic powder (used to stop bleeding) at the ready. Try to cut the nail just short of the quick. I think this trimmer applies too much twisting to the nail, making dogs hate having their nails trimmed.
With the Dremel you just start grinding, side to side reduces the nail the fastest. Once you near the quick round top & bottom. You almost never get into the quick with the a Dremel, ours has a 36" handset extension, the kids do not even associate the noise with the handset. In extreme cases where it would normally be necessary to bleed the nail (cut into the quick) you can reduce the nail around the edge of the quick, thereby making it recede much faster, rather than cutting into it as you would if you where using the Guillotine. This is much more humane on dog and groomer.
Dremel Grinder, We have both the battery model (touch-up at the shows) an the AC model for use at home. Install the sanding drum attachment. We have found the course grit works the best (it does not heat up so fast). While the diamond mandral is nice, it's expensive and does not remove material as well as the grit drum does.
Grooming the Coat (brushing)
Pin Brush
A Golden Retriever has two coats. Bathing promotes shedding of the secondary Undercoat. A good or bad thing depending on your Goldens job. Always use a high quality shampoo, rinse thoroughly, we like a cream rinse for body and less tangles and towel dry. On hot days we stop there. On show days we might cover with a damp towel (hot weather) or most any other time we blow dry with a Metro dog hair dryer.
Slicker Brush
Coat Drying
Let's start with the wet dog on the grooming table, usually we spray the dog with Protect a Coat (bodifier). Metro hair dryer and Pin brush, blow dog dry, brushing hair only in the direction it grows. Using Pin brush/dryer, backbrush (brush opposite direction to dry & give body) feathers on chest, feathers on back of legs and perhaps fur on front legs should you need the look of more bone. Now Backbrush the same with the slicker brush. Go over dog with comb, to straighten the lay of the fur and lightly comb feathers in direction in which the grow.
Clean Up Trimming
First trim the hair between the pads of the foot. As close as you can, this promotes traction. If the hair is long , your golden tend to lick it, this leads to a fungal infection, which makes them lick it, you get the idea.
To shape the foot, backbrush using pin brush, using shears (or thinning shears are easier to work with if you are a beginner) trim standing hairs on top of foot to level with other hair. Side of foot is trimmed level to pads and around toenails. Backbrush again for that cobby show look.
Use thinning shears to reduce the hair behind or under the ear. They are also effective for reducing hair on top of the ear, making it lay flat. With the shears clean up the edge (bottom half) of the ear, you can also perform this with the thinning shears, but does not look as natural.
Bonnie's secret to easy tail trimming coming soon.
Hair Removal Under Coat
Matt Breaker
These are razors use gently, while a show/grooming tool, it can easily be used by anyone to sculpt area's of heavy undercoat growth. IE sides of neck (under the ears) and around the shoulder (presents a true picture of shoulder), topline between shoulders (gets rid of curls to produce a proper topline that lays flat), perhaps to reduce under coat at feathers on the buttocks.
Rake
Use this similar to a pin brush, during peak times of the year the dog will "blow" (loose) it's coat. Using the rake (gently), drag to remove the loose undercoat, doing this will reduce your cost in vacuum bags by 75% :).
Food/Supplements
We have used "The Missing Link" as a dailey dietary supplement for 5 years. We feel it contributes to growing an wonderful coat. Except for retired couch potatoes (Josie & Steve), who don't feel they need a coat.
Just a thought on some of the super-show supplements, we have tried some and friends have tried others. I think the majority are "too hot", for some reason (more like some ingredient) the dogs are amped up like they are on drugs. Sure they grow great coat, build muscle, and the dog would eagerly jump over the moon for you. But ask yourself, really, are these doggy steroids a benefit to your dog or your program, is winning a dumb ribbon worth this glorious dog's life or the future of your breeding program.
When the season is done and they are no longer receiving these super-show supplements they crash (read go through withdrawal) and in about a month return to what a normal dog should be. Please, before considering using one of these products consult several breeders/show people/handlers/friends. Several breeders have raised issue with these products and some feel they have affected their breedings.
If a dog is being campaigned heavily and you feel the need to get the dog "up" for the last day of a 5 day show. The safest bet is a natural Sugar (nutri-cal, an old school handler trick). This has come back and bit more than one handler though, including me, a normal composed dog should not go boing-boing-boing around the ring.
Seriously, You could also try changing your bait to something new and exciting, Rodeo's (and Steve's for that matter) personal favorite is a 5 pound prime-rib.
