# How badly does a spay affect the coat of a Golden Retriever?



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

Just been chatting to a breeder who bred my family Golden, 15 years ago, about possibly getting a puppy from her in the next 2 years or so. She was, let's just say, adamant that desexing is unnecessary in nearly all cases.Which has thrown me a bit actually. 

She also recommended that I get a dog rather than a bitch because I will 'ruin' the coat of a bitch if I spay her. She also recommended a dog over a bitch because my lawn will also be 'ruined' apparently if I get a bitch 

So... how badly does the spay affect the coat? Should it be anything at all to be concerned about?


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

It can ruin it yes, diet can affect it also obv.

For me the risk of Pyo is too great for me not to spay.
My breeder recommended I spay Willow when fully mature at 2.5 years old.


Dogs have much nicer coats than bitchs in my opinion. Doesn't change in any way the way I adore my baby girl, but its just a fact


----------



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

babycham2002 said:


> It can ruin it yes, diet can affect it also obv.
> 
> For me the risk of Pyo is too great for me not to spay.
> My breeder recommended I spay Willow when fully mature at 2.5 years old.
> ...


That's what I think, I wouldn't really mind if the coat wasn't as beautiful but this breeder seemed to think it would be pointless to get a bitch if I was going to spay her.


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

This is the best golden retriever book I own and discusses the above ubjest in it :
Golden Retriever (World of Dogs): Amazon.co.uk: Sue Pounds-Longhurst: Books


----------



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

babycham2002 said:


> This is the best golden retriever book I own and discusses the above ubjest in it :
> Golden Retriever (World of Dogs): Amazon.co.uk: Sue Pounds-Longhurst: Books


Great link thank you

*goes off to find OH's credit card*


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

bearcub said:


> Great link thank you
> 
> *goes off to find OH's credit card*


tee he he i like it :smile5:
Its the only book ive found as well that truthfully taklks about bitchs humping each other , seriously its a great book, covering everything

Is Harry 15 then?


----------



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

babycham2002 said:


> tee he he i like it :smile5:
> Its the only book ive found as well that truthfully taklks about bitchs humping each other , seriously its a great book, covering everything
> 
> Is Harry 15 then?


No, Harry is 4  Freddie was the dog bred by this breeder and we lost him when he was 14, so in actual fact it was more like 19 years ago  ! My mum has said that Harry will be her last dog  so it is my duty to continue to family tradition of having a big golden bear around 

Just cannot decide whether to get a dog or a bitch though


----------



## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Go for what your heart tells you at the time. I've always been drawn to bitches but said this time I wasn't going to choose regardless. Ended up with another bitch lol. I was told not to have her clipped/stripped until she was spayed because it would alter her coat.

For me her health and happiness is paramount, looks a poor second best and just as well really because she was the ugliest pup most have seen but now my little swan captures everybody's praise in the beauty department even if she's been spayed and not doing her coat justice


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

bearcub said:


> No, Harry is 4  Freddie was the dog bred by this breeder and we lost him when he was 14, so in actual fact it was more like 19 years ago  ! My mum has said that Harry will be her last dog  so it is my duty to continue to family tradition of having a big golden bear around
> 
> Just cannot decide whether to get a dog or a bitch though


Hopefully mollymo will see this later and can help us  She has had goldens for many years and if I remember rightly most not spayed.

Re - Dog or Bitch, I know GS said when she met Willow she couldnt believe how loving she is, GS had been told that girls are less loving less dependent. But Willow is a massive mummies girl 
Definitely every house needs a golden bear!  I though Harry looked good for his age 

When I have another I dont know what I would get, I know a few and they are all the same lovable rogues 
I do like the dogs hair though, I mean look at these differences between Rupert and Willow, his tail is 10 inchs long in places!! Willows is half that!!










and Willow and Benji, look at that chest hair!!


----------



## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

If you are getting a bitch as a family pet does the coat matter?

I've got spayed bitches and they haven't riuned my lawn (well not from weeing - digging holes is a different matter).....LOL


----------



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

Actually thinking about it, a bitch would be best for us - less muck to clean off their coats after a walk! :lol: 

Only kidding, but thanks for the pics of the two together, tis true, Harry although neutered, has an amazing coat, and really really long feathers. I've never seen a bitch with quite such a lustrous coat as Harry but I don't like Golden's solely for their coat, it's the fact that in general, they are the perfect breed that does it for me


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

bearcub said:


> Actually thinking about it, a bitch would be best for us - less muck to clean off their coats after a walk! :lol:
> 
> Only kidding, but thanks for the pics of the two together, tis true, Harry although neutered, has an amazing coat, and really really long feathers. I've never seen a bitch with quite such a lustrous coat as Harry but I don't like Golden's solely for their coat, it's the fact that in general, they are the perfect breed that does it for me


I know you dont like them solely for thier coat  (thats me :lol: well that and swimming ha ha)
I think they are perfect too 
I love my bear sooooo much


----------



## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

Hi, No I dont spay as a rule unless for medical reasons but did spay one bitch and her coat went very fluffy and stragley but thats not a reason for me not to spay again....I just prefur not too...my choice.


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Quite honestly I would say consider whether you want a dog who is likely to be biddable from an early age or one who will get there eventually but run a fair few rings around you in the process. And the latter for me, is a dog..!

Rupert was a brat puppy. I want to get a golden to work and there is no way I would get a dog for my first hopefully working dog. I love dogs to pieces but for me to have a golden dog who was softer and without the naughty/cheeky streak wouldn't be like having a golden at all. That's just what dog goldens are to me. Whereas the bitches appear more level headed from an earlier age I tend to find (though all have at least one naughty teenage phase ).

I genuinely see it like that at least at this moment in time, that you wont have as hard a ride with a bitch at least if you're as tough on them as I am with our dogs. Saying that I use a golden retriever forum and 99% people on there have said to me dogs are more loving and loyal. Babycham's girlie is lush and a massive cuddle monster, but they are all different.

Never heard the spaying and coat rumour to be honest. I can tell you now our lawn is ruined from two male, neutered retrievers (one a lab) so that will happen whatever I imagine! I expect I would spay any bitch golden I would ever have for the sheer fact that it can restrict an awful lot of what you do anticipating seasons and the like. I'd go along with Babycham's intentions I think on that one myself.

I am 99% sure I will get a bitch next time, but there is no way I would expect to be as bonded to that bitch as I am to Rupert. He is a special lad and I think him being a dog is a large part of that. Willow is one of the few bitches I've ever met that I've actually loved so much, including goldens and non goldens! They're a special breed that's for sure, every other breed pales in comparison for me


----------



## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

GoldenShadow said:


> Quite honestly I would say consider whether you want a dog who is likely to be biddable from an early age or one who will get there eventually but run a fair few rings around you in the process. And the latter for me, is a dog..!
> 
> Rupert was a brat puppy. I want to get a golden to work and there is no way I would get a dog for my first hopefully working dog. I love dogs to pieces but for me to have a golden dog who was softer and without the naughty/cheeky streak wouldn't be like having a golden at all. That's just what dog goldens are to me. Whereas the bitches appear more level headed from an earlier age I tend to find (though all have at least one naughty teenage phase ).
> 
> ...


Thanks for that hun , it's a difficult one but whilst Florence is very biddable, she's not particularly affectionate unless you have gravy smeared on your face  Harry is fairly affectionate but in a weird way, if you sit on the floor, he'll just come and sit on you 

I will try and come along to a meet down south with Florence and meet Willow and Rupert, all in the name of research of course


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

bearcub said:


> Thanks for that hun , it's a difficult one but whilst Florence is very biddable, she's not particularly affectionate unless you have gravy smeared on your face  Harry is fairly affectionate but in a weird way, if you sit on the floor, he'll just come and sit on you
> 
> I will try and come along to a meet down south with Florence and meet Willow and Rupert, all in the name of research of course


Haha naturally, sounds like a plan 

Florence sounds like what I am lead to believe is a typical sort of bitch! Rupert is not particularly soft in general but he knows who his Mummy is 

I don't think people often believe me when I say how much of a terror he was when he was younger. Babycham says things to me all the time like oh look how quick he recalled there that dog'll turn on a pin for you etc. The trouble with Rupert is (and I think its largely being a dog golden retriever!) he is so incredibly chilled out that he just seems to know things will be OK in the end. Hence he will bugger off and chase something if it takes his fancy, he wouldn't worry about losing me because he knows he can find me of his own accord.

He is the epitome of dogs for me and I think that's largely his breed. Our labrador is not a patch on Rupert as nice as he is. I don't think I will ever have a labrador..!


----------



## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Oh and in regard to dirt and golden retriever fur 

I have never, ever towel dried or brushed Rupert down after a walk. Not once. I stick a coat on him in winter as I don't like leaving him wet because he just rolls and rolls and gets a bit too enthusiastic with it sometimes. But I've never had a problem with getting him clean or anything before. He normally dries all pristine and white on his white bits and if not give them a brush and its all gone easy as pie. I am too lazy to bother with having to clean him daily anyway, but its really never been a problem for us.


----------



## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

I believe you he was a terror  but he's lovely well behaved snugglebutt now.

Yeah I said the same about the coat, I know Willow has less of it. And I do give a bit of a towel rub down if shes come in straight from swimming etc and hasnt had chance to dry in sun. But shes had some seriously bad mud and bog incidents but it just comes straight off 

exhibit A


----------

