Is there a difference in how you groom a field golden and conformation golden?

I hope to show Maddie (in all her field goldenish glory) in May, but I'm just turning my head toward the issue of grooming.

I expect that I will take a shower and tidy up as best I can for the show, but I just realized that she, also, would need prissying up.

How early before 'the event' do you have them groomed? And are there recommendations that are different for the field goldens?

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Gwen
belongs to Amber (LiquidAmber II) June 1995-August 2010
Maddie (Essex Mountain Madrone) CGC Born April 17th, 2012

I start about an hour before I need to get ringside. Wet her down and use something like Coat Dressing or Crown Royal Bodifier. Blown dry with forced air dryer. I bath 1-2 days before the show and trim.


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I would start 'training' the hair on her rear pasterns now...daily wetting and drying while brushing them in the direction you want the hair to lay...

Stay on top of the length of toenails and work them back if need be, so you can keep a nice "cat like" paw...

Having had a fieldy golden...the ears were difficult to get just right...the undercoat was so much lighter that one wrong move and a light patch would appear....were it me I would start getting a hold on her ears now... that way if there is a boo-boo you have time to let it grow in a bit.

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Mary and the Goldens from Maine

"Trace" - Can. CH Bramley's Light Up The Night, CD, RA - (CGC, CCA, TDI-Therapy Dog and Novice DockDock)
"Rumor" - Jackson's Leap of Faith

Waiting at the Bridge
"Lexi" - Wise Teacher and Best-est Puppy Raiser
"Liberty" - Bramley's Golden Moments Libby CD, RE - ASCA-CD, Can. CD - (CGC and TDI-Therapy Dog)

Very interesting. Never thought of showing a fieldy golden in conformation. (Looking forward to my next one having a better conformation than my current byb one.) Always thought they would be too "reddish."

It isn't the color that is the problem, unless the dog is Irish Setter red, but other things, like amount of bone and head shape.

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Carolyn (A.K.A. Aunt Care) and

Creekwood Tanglefoot Selchie CD, RN, AX, AXJ, CGC, CCA, (A.K.A. Selli-Belle) Golden

Valentine Byrd McDuff (A.K.A. Duffy) Golden/Sheltie

Tanglefoot Autumn Dexter CGC (My Heart Dog at the Bridge) Golden