If your Golden Retriever spends most of his time indoors, he probably won’t need baths very often. Unlike some breeds, Goldens don’t have scent glands that give them that musky dog smell. A healthy, well-brushed coat actually sheds dirt efficiently, so after a romp in a dirty pond, your Golden can drip dry, shake a few times, and the dirt will fall off.

However, a monthly bath will keep your Golden Retriever clean and smelling nice, and can keep parasites and bacteria at bay on dogs that spend a lot of time outside. You might also need to bathe your Golden if he gets into dirty water, rolls in a dead animal, or plays in the mud.

Bathing a Golden Retriever is relatively easy because Goldens like water. However, they might not like standing in the bathtub, so get your Golden puppy accustomed to regular baths at a young age, when your Golden is physically easier to control. Also, make sure you wear something that can get wet. It is almost impossible to bathe a dog as large as a Golden and not get a little bit wet. Even if you get through most of the bath relatively unscathed, your Golden will probably shake to get the water out of his coat at the end, so be prepared.

In the warm weather, you might want to bathe your Golden Retriever outside, using the hose. A child’s small plastic swimming pool works great for this purpose, and your Golden will probably think the whole affair is a big game. Washing your dog in your bathing suit outside on a warm summer day can be fun for you, too. Or, this could be a good project for older kids.

If bathing your Golden outdoors, reward him afterwards with a fun game of “catch the hose water” or Frisbee. Avoid “roll in the mud puddle,” however, or you’ll have to start all over again. After an indoor bath, offer a treat or a game of fetch for a job well done. If you don’t want your Golden to get dirty again, keep him inside until he is dry.

Here are the steps to follow, to make bath time as easy as possible for everyone:

• Assemble everything you need before your Golden Retriever is in the tub, wet, and ready to jump out and run around the house when you realize you forgot to grab the shampoo. Here is what you need: shampoo, conditioner, scrub brush, petroleum jelly, and a large cup or pitcher for rinsing, if you don’t have a hand-held sprayer.
• Brush your Golden Retriever thoroughly before getting the coat wet. Wet tangles tend to get tighter, so be sure the coat is tangle free.
• If you think you might get soap in your Golden’s eyes, put a dab of petroleum jelly at the corner of each eye, to repel soap and water.
• Run the bathwater or turn on the hose. Check the temperature. It should be lukewarm to cool. Of you are bathing your Golden Retriever outside, be sure you run the hose long enough to run out all the water that has been sitting there. That water can get scalding hot!
• Get your Golden in the tub. This can be tricky if your Golden doesn’t like the idea. Use a treat and lure the dog in the tub or swimming pool. Have a toy handy for distraction and chewing. If your Golden doesn’t want to stay put, use his collar and clip on a leash. Hold on to this or clip it to something sturdy, at least until your Golden has had enough baths that he learns to stand nicely and stay for his bath.
• Get your Golden’s coat wet, all the way down to the skin, so the undercoat gets wet, too.
• Using your hands or a soft scrub brush, work shampoo into your Golden’s coat, all the way down to the skin. Massage the skin to work the shampoo into a later. Don’t forget the belly, legs, and under the tail.
• Using a handheld sprayer, the hose, or a large cup or pitcher, rinse the coat thoroughly. This might take longer than you think because of your Golden’s double coat. Go over the coat several times, working out soap with your hands or the brush, until the water runs clear and you see no more evidence of soap. If you leave soap in the coat, it will encourage tangles and irritate the skin.
• If you are using coat conditioner, apply this to the coat and rinse. Or, if the coat conditioner is for spraying on after the bath, do as directed.
• Towel dry your Golden’s coat as well as you can. Your Golden Retriever will likely help you out with a few good shakes.
• Your golden’s coat can certainly air-dry, but you can speed the process with a blow-dryer set to the low or cool setting. When blow-drying your Golden Retriever, keep the dryer at least 6 inches away from the coat to prevent burning. Brush while blow-drying. Some Golden Retrievers really enjoy the warm dryer and the extra pampering, once they get used to the strange sound of that noisy machine.