Why Isn’t My Golden Retriever Fluffy? Causes And Solutions

Are you wondering why other Golden Retrievers have beautifully smooth and fluffy fur coats, but why isn’t my Golden Retriever fluffy? Have you noticed that over time, your Golden Retriever’s fur coat has gone from being beautifully smooth and fluffy to being short and dull?

The change in your Golden Retriever’s fur coat could result from quite a few different factors. Luckily, some of these things can be changed, and you will be able to restore your Golden Retriever’s beautifully fluffy fur coat.

I will discuss why your Golden Retriever’s fur coat is no longer fluffy and what you can do to restore your Golden Retriever’s fluffy fur coat.

Are All Golden Retriever’s Fluffy?

beautiful golden retriever

No, not all Golden Retrievers are fluffy. The texture of different Golden Retriever fur coats may differ. Some Golden Retrievers may have wavy fur coats, while others have shorter or even more coarse-looking fur coats. These texture differences make some Golden Retrievers look less fluffy than other Golden Retrievers.

Why Isn’t My Golden Retriever Fluffy?

Golden Retriever fur coats look less fluffy because of the dry weather conditions, malnourishment, health problems, inadequate grooming practices, age, and genetics. These factors are primarily responsible for the noticeable differences in the fur coat texture of different Golden Retrievers.  

The Reason Why Your Golden Retriever Is Not Fluffy?

Now let’s discuss the reasons why isn’t your Golden Retriever Fluffy? We’ll go through four primary causes, and then in the next section, we’ll discuss the solutions and how to get your Golden’s fluffy coat back. So, let’s get into the causes first!

Poor Diet

Ensuring that your Golden Retriever is well nourished is vital in any circumstance. Similar to humans, dog fur coats are also affected by the things that they eat. You can not necessarily give your dog a deep conditioning and hair mask every other day, and luckily it is not required. 

kibble dog food

Dogs gain the nutrients necessary for healthy hair growth from their food. Your Golden Retriever’s fur coat needs nutrients like protein, fats, and nourishing oils to remain healthy. If your Golden’s diet is poor, it will show in many different ways, but the most prominent indication would be your dog’s fur coat.

A poor diet will result in extreme fur shedding, dry epidermis, dandruff, and even bold patches. These are the common symptoms that will indicate that your Golden Retriever is malnourished:

  • Foul Breath
  • Foul Body Odor
  • Extreme Fur Shedding
  • Unusual Bowel Movement
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Weight loss

Heredity

Your Golden Retriever is possibly not fluffy because of their heredity/genetics. They could have wavy and shorter fur because their parents had similar fur or a recessive gene dominating the ‘fluffy fur’ gene. 

Suggested – Why Is My Golden Retriever’s Coat Curly Or Wavy?

The opposite is also possible, and your Golden Retriever could have fluffy fur when their parents did not have fluffy fur coats.

Age

Like humans, age is a considerable factor affecting your Golden Retriever’s fur coat. When they are puppies, they are not at risk of being affected by the age factor because their fur coat is not yet mature. A puppy’s fur coat can be described as being fluff and not necessarily fluffy yet. 

This timeline can help you out when trying to identify age as the reason behind your Golden Retriever’s lack of fluffiness:

Age Of 3 Months And Younger

At this age, Golden Retrievers puppies look relatively similar to Labradors. These puppies have not started growing their fur yet. This is no cause for worry because they will eventually grow their fur once they become old enough.

Between The Ages Of 3 Months And 18 Months

At this stage, your Golden Retriever will begin to grow their fur coat. This process is somewhat peculiar because the growth starts at the tail. Your Golden Retriever will have long strands of fur at their tail that closely resemble feathers. Hence, this stage is known as the ‘feathering stage.’

The fur coat will lengthen and grow from the tail and steadily move up your Golden Retriever’s body. The fur will steadily grow on your Golden Retriever’s body until it reaches your Golden Retriever’s head. You will observe a change in the color of your Golden Retriever’s fur coat at this stage. 

Your Golden Retriever’s fur coat will develop one of three shades of gold. Their fur coat will either be a perfect gold, light gold, or a darker shade of gold. This is contrary to the misconception that Golden Retrievers have five possible fur coat colors rather than three. A tip on trying to identify the fur coat color that a Golden Retriever puppy will develop would be to check the color of your Golden Retriever’s ears.

Age Of 18 Months And Older

Golden Retrievers typically have developed most of their mature fur coat at this stage. However, if your Golden Retriever has not developed most of their adult coat, do not fret over it because some Golden Retrievers fully develop their adult coat in three years. 

Health Problems

Some conditions result in your Golden Retriever losing fur or having dull fur coats. Examples of such conditions are parasites, bacterial infections, fungal infections, allergies, and more. In general, your Golden Retriever is likely to shed when they are experiencing a health issue.

If all other possible causes have been rejected, then the reason why your Golden Retriever’s fur coat is not fluffy is likely the result of a health issue.

How To Get Your Golden Retriever Fluffy? 

golden retriever

This section will go through some solutions to help your Golden Retriever get his beautiful fluffy coat back. So let’s start with the main thing, that is Food!

Good Diet

One of the most common causes of dull and dry fur coats is malnourishment.  If you do not monitor what your Golden Retriever eats or even pay significant consideration to the type of food you feed your Golden Retriever. It would be doubtful that your Golden Retriever is getting the correct nutrients that they need. 

Suggested – Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers With Skin Allergies

Some dogs cannot properly process certain food items, and some are allergic to certain food items. Please pay close attention to your Golden Retriever when you feed them a new dog food brand or make them a homemade meal that they have yet to try. Observe their reaction when they first attempt to eat it and also take note of their bowel movement. This will indicate whether your dog likes the food or not or whether your dog is having an adverse reaction to the food.

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Make it a habit to read the labels on the food you purchase for your Golden Retriever to ensure that there are enough fatty oils, proteins, and other essential nutrients for your Golden Retriever’s health. You must read the labels if your dog is allergic to certain ingredients.

Supplement Your Golden Retriever With Omega Fatty Acids

Your Golden Retriever needs a well-balanced diet to be healthy. As previously stated, your Golden Retriever gets all the nutrients that they need to be healthy for their fur coats from the food they eat.

Suggested – Best Fish Oil For Golden Retrievers

If you have reservations about adding extra oil to your Golden Retriever’s meals, you could opt for omega fatty acids supplements. These supplements are a more comfortable option, and with these supplements, you can ensure that your dog is getting the exact nutrients they need. I would recommend that you consult your veterinarian before giving your dog supplements.

Fish Oil is beneficial for your Golden’s health and also for their coats. Read more about ‘Fish Oil For Dogs’ on AKC.

Bath Your Golden Retriever

You should ensure that your Golden Retriever’s coat is clean by bathing them. Although a bath is crucial to keep them clean, you should not wash your dog too often. There is no blueprint on how frequently you need to wash your Golden Retriever. It all depends on your Golden Retriever’s fur length or how dirty they are.

It is recommended that you wash your Golden once a month, depending on how dirty they are. You should not bath your Golden Retriever too often because you would be removing the essential oils on their fur coats. 

Grooming Regularly

There are a few things that you should take note of when attempting to groom your Golden Retriever. These things will ensure that you groom your Golden Retriever properly to assure that they have healthy fur coats.

Brush Your Golden Retriever’s Fur

Brushing your Golden Retriever’s fur regularly will prevent them from developing clumps in their fur coat. You should use a slicker brush that will easily glide between strands and detangle knots and clumps that may have formed.

Suggested – 5 Best Dog Brush For Golden Retriever

You should brush in the downwards from your Golden Retriever’s head to their paws. Do this patiently and meticulously to ensure that you remove all clumps and you do not hurt your Golden Retriever in the process. If they are knots that you can not remove with the brush, you should carefully cut those knots.

Brushing your Golden Retriever’s fur is something you should do regularly, at least 3-5 times a week. This is a fantastic opportunity to give your dog some attention and bond with them. Trust me; they will love it.

Bathing Your Golden Retriever

You should bathe your dog as frequently as is necessary, but you should not do it excessively. Dogs need those essential oils that maintain the health of their fur coats. However, if you over-wash your dog, they will not rip the benefits of these essential oils.

When bathing your Golden Retriever, you should use a gentle and nourishing dog shampoo, along with warm water. The warm water will remove the clumps of dirt and give your Golden Retriever a relaxing sensation.

Suggested – Best Dog Shampoo For Golden Retrievers

Trimming

This step is more applicable to Golden Retrievers with longer fur coats. If you are going to trim your dog’s fur, keep in mind that you are merely tidying up their fur coats. You should trim their fur sparingly so that you do not completely alter the shape of their fur.

If you doubt yourself or you do not have the time to groom your Golden patiently and meticulously, then I would suggest taking your Golden Retriever to a dog parlor where they will be groomed professionally.

FAQ

Can Weather Affect My Golden Retriever’s Coat?

Weather can affect your Golden Retriever’s fur coat. Drier weather can cause the moisture in your dog’s fur coat to dry up. This will leave your Golden Retriever’s fur coat feeling brittle and dull.

Why Does My Golden Retriever’s Fur Coat Look Red?

Your dog’s fur coat is not red; it is merely an even darker shade of gold. There are only three primary colors that Golden Retriever fur coats can develop: shades of gold.

How Often Should I Trim My Golden Retriever’s Fur?

You should trim your Golden Retriever’s fur as often as is needed to remain tidy or when it just grows too long. 

Conclusion

If your Golden Retriever’s fur coat is not fluffy, there are quite a few reasons to explain this. You should start by investigating whether you have been feeding them enough of the correct nutrients or whether you have been over-bathing your Golden Retriever.

If none of them are the cause, then it is likely that your dog’s health is the issue, or it is merely their genetics/heredity. Either way, the change in your dog’s fur coat is indicative of a problem, and to avoid tampering with your Golden Retriever’s health, I suggest that you consult your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.

I hope that now you might have no query left regarding ‘Why isn’t my Golden Retriever Fluffy?’ I’ve explained it in detail with solutions; leave a comment if you have any doubt, and I would love to help you. Thank you for the read; you can even check out the similar articles below in the Recommended Read section.

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