If you saw a short-haired golden retriever, you might be confused about whether it was purebred because these dogs are famous for their long coat.
A purebred golden retriever cannot have short hair, but its fur can be slightly shorter than average.
A short-hair dog looking like a golden retriever is either another retriever type or a mix of golden and another breed. Alternatively, short hair may result from grooming.
Some golden retriever types have shorter hair than others, but they always have a dense undercoat and moderate feathering on the back of the legs, tail, ears, and neck.
Although you might have an impression that short hair golden retrievers need less grooming or don’t shed as much, they aren’t low-maintenance dogs.
Can Purebred Golden Retrievers Have Short Hair?
When someone says, “golden retriever,” people imagine a dog with a lustrous wavy coat, and rightfully so. Most golden retrievers have medium to long coats.
However, the golden retriever standard published on American Kennel Club’s website has no mention of the coat length. All it says is that the coat should be dense, firm, resilient, straight or wavy, and neither coarse nor silky.
Of course, purebred golden retrievers cannot have an extremely short coat like Jack Russel Terriers or Dachshunds because they have a double coat.
Still, some golden retrievers have significantly shorter hair than their counterparts.
Golden retriever coat length depends on the dog’s type, genetics, and grooming. English golden retrievers have the longest fur, whereas American and Canadian golden retrievers tend to have shorter coats.
Show golden retrievers typically have long, dense coats because fur quality gives many points at dog shows. On the other hand, field golden retrievers have shorter hair that’s more practical for a hunting dog.
If you’ve come across a short hair golden retriever, it either has Canadian heritage, is from field stock, or has its fur trimmed short.
Golden retrievers should never be shaved, but feather trimming can create an illusion of a shorter overall coat.
There is also some variation between golden retriever lines. When choosing a puppy, look at the coat length of its parents to determine how long its fur will be in adulthood.
However, there’s always a chance that a short-haired golden retriever you met on the street was a cross of golden and Labrador retriever, Newfoundland, or another similar-looking dog.
Such hybrids can be nearly indistinguishable from purebred golden retrievers but have shorter coats.
You can distinguish between a purebred golden retriever and a cross by size, head shape, color, and other subtle points in appearance.
A golden retriever’s hair length also depends on the shedding season. The golden retriever coat appears shorter and thinner during intense seasonal shedding periods.
Some golden retrievers might have less hair because of hypothyroidism, alopecia, and other medical conditions causing hair loss. Insufficient nutrition can also be at fault.
Lastly, the short-haired golden retriever you saw might not yet be fully mature. Golden retrievers grow their overcoat by about a year and a half, but they reach their full height by about a year.
As a result, one-year-old golden retrievers already look like adults but have shorter fur than you would expect from a purebred golden.
How to Determine a Puppy’s Future Hair Length
Short-haired golden retrievers have two crucial advantages – their hair is less noticeable on surfaces and requires less grooming.
Unfortunately, determining how long a puppy’s fur will be is tricky because golden retriever coat changes as they age.
As the dog matures, it begins growing longer overcoat, and its fuzzy puppy coat becomes the undercoat. One way to determine a puppy’s future coat length is to look at its parents.
If the sire and dam have long coats, the puppy will inherit this trait and vice versa. If you intentionally look for a golden retriever with shorter than average hair, consider field or Canadian goldens.
Note that field golden retrievers have other important distinctions from show golden retrievers, such as higher energy levels and prey drive.
Because of some differences in appearance, they have lower odds of winning at dog shows.
However, don’t expect a purebred golden retriever to have very short fur laying close to the body. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance dog, consider a Labrador retriever or golden retriever cross.
Shedding
Many people get the impression that short-haired golden retrievers shed less than long-haired ones. This belief is incorrect – all golden retrievers are heavy shedders, but short hair is less noticeable on carpets, furniture, and clothes.
Short-haired golden retrievers aren’t hypoallergenic or low-maintenance. They need regular grooming just like their long hair counterparts.
Short-haired golden retrievers shed year-round as their hair goes through its natural life cycle, similar to how humans lose hair daily.
Twice a year, golden retrievers enter the seasonal shedding phase when they blow out their undercoat, adapting to changing climate.
The seasonal shedding phase lasts for several weeks and usually occurs in spring and fall, but the timeline may shift depending on the climate in your area.
Regardless of a golden retriever’s hair length, owners should be ready to vacuum the house several times a week and never leave the house without using a lint roller beforehand.
Home Grooming
One would think that a short-haired golden retriever doesn’t need much grooming, and they would be wrong. Although short hair golden retriever grooming is easier than that of long hair goldens, it must be regular.
All golden retrievers need daily brushing to prevent tangling and evenly distribute skin oils. Plus, brushing is your chance to spot parasites that might be hiding in the coat.
The best brush for golden retrievers is a slicker brush because it simultaneously works with the undercoat and overcoat. A pin brush may suffice for short hair golden retrievers with a thin coat.
During seasonal shedding phases, golden retrievers need brushing with a de-shedding tool to remove loose fur stuck in the undercoat and prevent matting.
How often to bathe a golden retriever depends on its lifestyle rather than on its coat length. Active dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors, swim frequently, or love to roll in mud need more frequent baths than calm dogs.
Professional groomers recommend bathing golden retrievers once a month on average. Note that too frequent baths can damage a dog’s coat, making it dry and tangly.
Choose a shampoo that addresses your dog’s needs. The best shampoos for golden retrievers are free of harsh chemicals and don’t have a fragrance, minimizing the risk of allergy.
Golden retrievers don’t need haircuts, but you can learn to trim your dog’s feathers at home with a bit of practice and patience.
However, short hair golden retrievers don’t have as prominent feathering as their long hair counterparts, so you can save some time on trimming.
Never shave your golden retriever because it can permanently damage the undercoat and intervene in the body’s natural thermoregulation. Luckily, short hair rarely causes problems, so owners are less likely to shave their dogs.
Additionally, you need to trim your dog’s claws, clean its ears, and brush teeth, regardless of the coat length.
Professional Grooming
Because golden retrievers don’t need haircuts, many owners learn to groom their dogs at home to save time and money on professional services.
Professional grooming is necessary for long-haired golden retrievers before shows or in complex cases when a dog’s hair is matted.
Short-haired golden retrievers can suffice without professional grooming. Their hair is less likely to mat severely, and they don’t typically need feather trimming.
However, a professional knows how to treat skin conditions, deal with parasites, and handle dogs that can’t stand grooming. Professional grooming is also helpful for owners who don’t have time for home upkeep.
You might want to bring your short hair golden retriever to a professional groomer if you have no experience or your dog is anxious about the procedure. But if you know how to groom your dog at home, this isn’t necessary.
Nutrition
Nutrition is integral for your dog’s coat health, regardless of length. Unfortunately, many dog owners focus on grooming and neglect the diet, which causes increased shedding.
Ensure that your dog gets enough microelements for its coat to be lustrous and smooth. Proteins are crucial for any golden retriever because hair consists of 95% proteins.
Proteins should account for at least 30% of your dog’s daily calorie intake to promote hair strength and keep shedding at bay. Fatty acids are also vital for your dog’s coat health.
Vitamin A supports keratin formation, promoting follicle health and catalyzing cell growth. Vitamin E maintains hair elasticity and moisture, and vitamin C is vital for collagen synthesis and oxygen metabolism.
Copper makes a dog’s coat shiny, promoting hair cuticle health. It can be found in organ meat, fish, legumes, and whole grains. In ideal circumstances, your dog should be getting all the necessary elements from food.
However, if you suspect your golden retriever lacks some nutrients or microelements, consult a vet about supplements for dog coat health. Don’t administer supplements without consulting an expert first.