When Do Golden Retrievers Get Their Full Coat?
If you’re looking into getting a golden retriever – good job! Whether you’re just looking or you’re actively raising a golden retriever, you might have found yourself wondering . . . when do golden retrievers get their full coat?
Full Coat
When discussing a golden retriever’s coat, what is being talked about is how long their fur gets and when it stops growing long. When a golden retriever is on its way to adulthood, the texture and length of its fur will shift through some different forms.
Once they’re finally adults, you might be able to describe it as flowing, long, and with some feathering, and you’ll find that it’s also – mostly – water-repellent. Your dog will also shed a lot before they get their final, adult coat, so be aware of that as well.
When it comes to golden retrievers, the image that pops into your head is likely that of an adult dog’s full coat.
But when does it happen?
Coat Stages
As mentioned, your golden retriever doesn’t pop out as a newborn puppy with its full coat already adorning its body. One of the stages of growth that you’ll have to deal with as a pet parent to your golden retriever is the different stages of growth for their coat.
Get ready to sweep up a lot of hair.
As with all living creatures, not all dogs are created the same, and as such, it might be different for your dog versus other dogs. If you’re truly worried that something might be wrong with your golden retriever’s fur, contact your local veterinarian.
Three Months
This is typically when you might be able to start seeing some growth of the puppy’s fur! This is called feathering, and your puppy’s coat will feel light and fluffy. However, this hair is very fine and thin, meaning that it’s going to get everywhere.
It’ll also be a new sensation for your puppy, so you might find that they are rubbing up against and getting fur on all of your furniture in an attempt to deal with the itchy sensation!
The Next Months
Your puppy’s hair will continue to grow during this time, and over the next few months, you may begin to notice that more hair is growing on your dog. This is likely the start of the adult coat, and it will push aside the downy fur and start growing on top of it.
This means that the baby, feathery fur will remain beneath the longer fur and act as an undercoat for the dog. This can take as long as a year and a half to happen, so make sure to stay patient and to have your vacuum at the ready.
Eighteen Months
By this point in time, your dog should have its full coat! It will be slightly darker than the lighter undercoat, and it will still be prone to shedding. However, if you’ve been grooming your dog throughout the process, you might be able to mitigate just how much fur you have to deal with all the time.
Grooming
You can help your furry baby along by grooming them periodically. Not only will it help to make sure that your dog is staying healthy, but it will also help to prevent as much fur from getting everywhere in your home.