The Labrador's short coat fools many owners into skipping grooming altogether, which is a mistake: it is a dense, water-repellent double coat that sheds steadily all year and heavily twice a year. The routine is simpler than a long-coated breed's, but it is not optional — weekly brushing, bathing every four to six weeks, and particular attention to ears and weight-bearing nails.
Weekly brushing, and shedding season
Once a week, brush with a rubber curry brush or a firm bristle brush, working against then with the growth to loosen the dead undercoat, and finish by wiping a damp hand over the coat to pick up what the brush lifted. Ten minutes is plenty for most Labs, and the payoff is hair on the brush instead of drifts on the floor. During the spring and autumn sheds, increase to two or three sessions a week for a few weeks; the undercoat comes out in soft clouds, and removing it helps the new coat sit properly and lets air reach the skin.
Never shave a Labrador down for summer or for shedding. The double coat insulates against heat, sheds water, and protects the skin from sun and scrapes — the shedding is the system working, not a flaw to remove.
Bathing a water dog without wrecking the coat
Four to six weeks between baths suits most Labradors. Their outer coat carries natural oils that give it that slight weatherproof feel, and over-bathing or harsh shampoo leaves the coat dull, soft, and more prone to picking up dirt. Real life overrides the calendar, of course: Labs roll in fox scent and dive into the muddiest available water, and either event earns an immediate bath. Rinse with plain clean water after sea swimming, to clear salt, and after chlorinated pools, then save the full shampoo bath for the scheduled one. A characteristic strong doggy odor that returns within days of bathing, or greasy, flaky skin, is worth a vet conversation rather than ever more frequent washing.
Ears, nails, and the swimmer's checks
Lab ears fold down and the breed swims at every opportunity, which makes the warm, damp ear canal this breed's grooming weak spot. Dry the outer ear after every swim and check inside weekly for redness, dark wax, or a yeasty smell; persistent scratching, head-shaking, or discharge means a veterinary examination, because ear infections in Labs are common and home cleaning cannot reach the problem. Trim nails every two to four weeks — Labs are heavy, active dogs, and overlong nails change how that weight loads the toes.
A final hands-on pass during brushing covers the rest: lumps under the skin, ticks in the armpits and groin, and cracked pads after winter pavements. Listing the weekly brush, the post-swim ear dry, and the nail trim in KinsLe's Care Teams, with duties assigned and timestamped, turns a Lab's low-key routine into one the whole household actually keeps.