Golden Hour

🧴 GROOMING · 5 MIN READ

Blowing Coat: Your Twice-Yearly Fur Storm Plan

Every spring and fall, the undercoat lets go all at once. A survival routine for your house and your dog.

Twice a year, usually spring and fall, goldens ‘blow coat’ — the undercoat releases in alarming, sheep-shearing quantities for two to four weeks. It is hormonal and seasonal, not a health problem, though a first-time owner can be forgiven for panicking at the tumbleweeds.

The routine that works

During a blow: five to ten minutes with an undercoat rake daily, outside if possible, working in lines from skin outward. Once a week, a warm bath followed by a proper blow-dry (a cheap pet dryer pays for itself) releases more coat than three days of brushing. Everything you remove on your terms is fur that does not end up in your coffee.

When shedding is a symptom

Coat loss with bald patches, red skin, constant scratching, or a dull greasy feel is not a normal blow — that pattern is worth a vet visit to rule out allergies, thyroid issues, or skin infection.

💡 Golden Hour tip
Mark the blow weeks in your calendar this year. Next year you can start the daily raking a week early and cut the peak fur-storm roughly in half.

General guidance from golden retriever owners, not veterinary advice. If your dog is sick or hurt, call your vet.