Dealing with hair... and other stuff

[ElfstonesEvenstar]

:054
Since you all have already made the decision to have a golden, I thought I would ask.
How do you deal with the shedding and hair and things like that. I have read the pros and cons of the breed and Im not sure how I would deal with it. Im getting used to hair being everywhere as it is since our 4 bunnies shed like you wouldnt believe. I dont think Im so crazy about the warning that the hair gets in your food. But Im thinking that my hair is going to be in more places than the dog. You'd think I'd be bald by the amount of hair I find.
But about things like dressing nicely, do you just have a lint roller handy before you leave? How much of an inconvience is it with the hair? I dont even know if that comes out right, but my childhood dogs were outside dogs most of the time, and they were cockers, so I dont think they shed so much, but I cant rememeber. My roommate and I are planning on moving to a new apartment. It would be about the same amount of rent, but about 200 sq ft more room. So what sort of things should I be aware of before I get a doggie?

[emmysourgolden]

Well, Emmy is still only between 3 and 4 months but she is already shedding a lot. Of course she is our first pet, since you have bunnies you may not notice it so much. I vacuum everyday and sweep so I don't notice it much around the house but my sweatshirts by the end of hte day are covered. I don't mind though, I knew it would be like this before we got her. For awhile the shedding issue made me think we should get a different breed but then realized it was the ONLY issue that I wasn't thrilled with about golden's and decided I'd rather have quite a bit of dog hair around from a dog I absolutely love and want than a little from a dog that I didn't like as much as a golden.

[Addies Mom]

<span style="font-family:comic sans ms; color:purple;font-size:medium;">The hair is something to deal with. I have two dogs and two cats and I do have to vacuum often . . . my house and my car! I also always have a lint-roller handy . . .one in my desk drawer at work, too! Seems like I'm a magnet for hair on my way out the door and in the car. I definitely think dealing with the hair is worth it and, so far, the golden's hair is much more manageable than my border collie mix or than the lab-shepherd mix I had previously.</span>

[tamispray]

If you get a golden you should definately be ready to deal with the hair. Too many goldens end up in shelters and rescues because their previous owners did not like the hair in their house. To me, it is just part of my life because I would rather vaccuum every day than be without my Otis and Molly.

Just to know what to expect:
Invest in a big Swiffer Sweeper, a bunch of lint brushes, a good vaccuum, and cover food that sits out. The hair seems to end up everywhere, even where the dogs are not, like the kitchen counter! One thing that I had to get over was when we had company over. It used to embarrass me that they would get up to leave and look at their clothes in disgust from the dog hair. Now I warn people, if they don't want hair all over them, don't sit on the furniture!

It helps a lot to give regular brushings with an undercoat rake and shedding blade. Also, periodic trips to the professional groomer are well worth the money. The sprayers and blowers they have get out way more hair than you or I can and cut way back on the hair in the house for a couple of weeks!

I certainly would never want to discourage anyone from getting a golden because I know I will always have at least one in my life, but it is good to know what to expect!

[Goldenheart]

<span style="font-family:georgia; color:green;">Bunnies don't shed nothing compared to a golden, or a cat for that matter inside. EE, you haven't a clue yet as too how much these guys shed and if you don't like dog hair now and are worried about it I would suggest not getting a golden. They are not the dog for you.

You can brush them all you want, but that will not ever stop it all. If you don't want dog hair on your plate at some point in time, a golden is not for you because it does happen. <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/laugh.gif" /> I have always had animals and am so used to it that it doesn't phase me anymore. I can handle the dog hair a lot more then I could ever handle not having the golden.

If someone comes and they don't like dog hair, thats just too bad because my dog means way too much to me to let anyone try to take it from me because they don't like it. Their's always the phone<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" />
As far as dressing up and heading out on the town, I do own a lint brush if needed...but I worry more about leaving her home then I ever would the dog hair on me.<img border=0 src="http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/smiles/032.gif" /></span>

[Robyn and Ciara]

You have no idea how much fur a golden can shed. I brush mine at least every other day they go to the groomers. I have not found a way to get the fur off of certen kinds of meterial like anything made out of fleece. My favorite color used to be black. That changed since I got two goldens.Now I always try to wear light colors that way the dog fur won't show up as much. I buy the roller lint brushes in bulk.(Ciara likes to eat them)I also have long hair So between my dogs,the cats and myself it never ends.But I wouldn't give up my dogs for anything.:485

[Pahu]

Pahou is over 3months old now, but I have yet to have a problem with shedding. (Yet!!) We live in a very hot place, and Pahou is in the pool constantly, so its full of dog hair, not in the house! Almost all animals shed, its a fact of life, we humans 'shed' ALOT too. If you can deal with it, or just don't want to, then don't get a golden, no big deal :)

[Jo Ellen]

I too had no idea goldens shed as much as they do. If you really aren't completely devoted to your golden, the shedding can be quite irritating. My ex couldn't take it--I let him go and kept my dog, obviously !! :rollin

Dog hair is, indeed, a fact of life with a golden. Like you Robyn, I don't wear black much at all anymore.

Goldens have long, soft hair though--it's fairly easy to remove from most things. Labs, on the other hand, have very short, course hair that seems to imbed itself so that it's really hard to remove.

[Herbette]

All dogs shed...........some very little, others more.

The question about how you will deal with hair from a golden is not only important for you to consider for yourself, but how will your roommate put up with it. Have you talked this over with your roommate? Being that you will not be the only human in the household, it is better to not assume that your roommate will be willing to put up with this or any other dog characteristics.

Goldens will shed, and yes for some people that can be a disadvantage. That is something I graciously accepted to having a golden. Yes, it takes a little time to groom and vacuum and use a lint roller, but anytime you get a dog there are certain things you do that you may not do if you didn't have a dog.

[timberwolfe13ca]

I know this message was originally for Elfstonesevenstar who is no longer getting a dog, but it is a fun topic.

Lets face it.

You get a dog, you will have hairs on you. No matter what you try to do, some hairs will find you. And it's not just hair! If I put on my good clothes, as opposed to the jeans I usually wear to work, you just know Clancy is going to come say good bye just after taking a big drink and his mouth will be full of drool. And that stuff doesn't just wipe off. It dries into some kind of gluey substance that could probably be marketed as a new super glue. Everytime I roll down the car window it creates a tornado of dog hair swirling around the car, in your mouth, eyes, covering the clothes you just cleaned of doghair.

So if you can't handle the hair, get one of those hairless dogs. Personally, I think Clancy is worth every hair, muddy paw print, drool stain, slobber pools on the floor, messy toys, chewed socks, destroyed plants, patio doors full of nose/paw print, and everything else that goes along with owning a Golden.:lol

[tamispray]

Amen to that timberwolf! I was leaving for work this morning and Otis decided to jump up and give me a big kiss along with some muddy paws on my shirt as I was going for the door!

Gotta Love Em!

[KCGoldens]

So what sort of things should I be aware of before I get a doggie?
Hair is not a big issue. A good daily brushing, vaccum daily and a good room air purifier(Highly recommended: I vaccum off the carbon filter every other day, it is alway covered with 1/8 in tiny hairs) will take care of most of the problems. I have two goldens, one is a shedding puppy and hair is not much of a problem.

Other issues: A large dog is hard on carpeting. Even with a large dogs nails clipped and it behaving in the house it will wear down carpet. I just put down top of the line carpet 5 years ago and it is about worn out from the dog traffic. Dogs are tough on paint. We just finished painting again. No matter how clean your dog is, it will brush its coat up against the walls. It doesn't matter how careful you are there will be some excessive wear and tear on your living space.

This is why I posted to you on your other thread. I have very experienced with rental property managment. A dog in an apartment with out a deposit is a TOP concern of most landlords. The deposit insures they have secured the money to recarpet and paint if necessary when you move. You show great responsibility in getting a larger apartment. I hope that your new landlord allows dogs the size of a golden and that you have worked out any dog related issues prior to moving in. Best of luck to you!

[scherner]

:lol

this thread cracked me up!! :) When you are looking into getting a golden a LOT of things that i read said that if you are a fastidious house keeper than a golden is probably not for you. I thought NO PROBLEM. I have been accused of being a lot of things but an obsessive house keeper is NOT one of them! :rollin .

what a crock!! I firmly believe that the only people who SHOULD get a golden is someone who cleans compulsively --or one with a maid! My husband and I are slobs! But suddenly you can't leave anything on the floor (or Idaho will have it in his mouth when company comes) --glasses or coke cans can't be left on the coffee table (or heaven forbid the floor) becuase you will be cleaning it off--nothing lighter than a phone book on the coffee table becuase it will be swept off by the table--no food left out....pretty much anywhere becuase he WILL find a way to get to it! :lol --THEN I have to sweep and mop and vaccum all the time!! i swear I have done that more since I got Idaho then I had in my entire life before that! I haven't gotten to my car yet--so it looks like a golden exploded in the back seat! :rollin .....


Oh wait --I lied--my dry cleaning bills are higher--my electric bills are out the roof because of all the laundry I do (wearing jeans twice so rarely an option!) *laughs* I love that little guy.

[timberwolfe13ca]

I remember the days before I became engaged and I was a bachelor. My car was spotless. Now it basically belongs to Clancy. That blanket that is trying to stay put covering the seat is now a crumples mass in the corner of the seat. I throw old Tim Horton's coffee cups on the back floor and before I can pick them up they have been shredded to sawdust, no piece bigger than a dime anywhere to be seen. What used to be a nice tan velour seat is now a Golden Shag.

We don't have kids yet and I'm seriously thinking of getting that mini van or SUV.:rollin