Any Golden Retriever experts?

[TheCrenchinglyMcQuaffenBrothers]

We’ve just adopted a gorgeous Golden Retriever, came home on Sunday.

We’ve had a lot of dogs but never a Golden. So any experts on GRs here who can tell me the best way to care for his coat? He’s been in rescue a while and brushed often but maybe not as often as needed, so want to start off correctly to keep him healthy and looking his best. I’ve googled best brushes and there’s lots of ‘stripping’ anti shedding brushes recommended, but is that too harsh? He’s definitely leaving more hair around the house than my three Labradors put together!

He’s only four but he’s a massive porker bless him, bad diet and lack of exercise but we’ve dealt with that before so I’m confident we can get him in shape fairly easily. Good diet will help improve the smell a bit I expect (he does pong bless him). But I imagine good grooming will also help. Don’t worry I’m not expecting him to ever be smell free! So any good recommendations?

(obligatory photo!)

Oh he is a sweetheart!!

He is! Massive nose….always on the sniff!

he's gorgeous.

We had a similar rescue - he'd spent 3 years in a kennels. And had never lived in a house. Because he was a big dog he was always over looked. But he was our first choice. He was the best dog ever. He had a massive heart that had loads of love to give (and received back!).

He was never any bother . Although we put him in the local kennels once which was a big mistake. I think he thought he'd been abandoned again. He was so sad when we picked him up. We had house sitters after that!

He shed loads as well. We'd think we'd got on top of the hair, when in reality we never did!

What a lovely lovely boy. I’d assume he didn’t like the door closed because it reminded him of being shut away in kennels. My old spaniel used to kick off if we closed a door he didn’t want closed, he’d body slam it until we opened it, right up until the day before his death. Cheeky sausage.

He sounds like he’s settling in so well! He must feel so secure. Makes me a bit emotional thinking about it. So glad he found you op!

Awww, yes, thank you. We think he’s like Dug, we watched UP the day he came home and everything about Dug is sooo Ziggy. My DDs keep saying
‘I have only just met you, and I love you!’

Oh he's beautiful. I love him. Thank you for giving him a home.

I use an undercoat rake on mine and then a normal pin brush. The boys have always been way fluffier than girls I find! I'm on my third, and have had them for the last 16 years I couldn't be without one.

Ziggy reminds me of my current boy, Len. The same big puppy dog eyes. Len sits close like that when I go to the loo too!

Oh poor boy, that's heartbreaking 😢

I am so glad he has a loving home with you now