5 Best Grooming Tools for Golden Retrievers

Every Golden Retriever owner knows that there’s a price to pay for the cuteness of this pooch: intense grooming. Behind the fluffy and huggable coat of a Golden Retriever is a dog owner that brushed, raked, dematted, and combed it with zeal. While this breed is high-maintenance, the best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers will make the process easier.

Golden Retrievers have a medium to long flowing coat. The likes of English Golden Retrievers have longer coats around the chest and legs. And since this pooch sheds a lot, this extra length will be a pain. To help you out, I listed these five important grooming tools that you should get:

GROOMING TOOLSBRANDEXPERT RATINGCHECK PRICE
best grooming tools for Golden RetrieversFurminator Deshedding Tool
for Large Dogs
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best grooming tools for Golden RetrieversChris Christensen
Big G Slicker Brush
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best grooming tools for Golden RetrieversGoPets
Dematting Comb
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PettingPal
Grooming Clipper
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Chris Christensen
27 mm Oval Pin Brush
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Why you need the right grooming tools

No one wants an unkempt-looking puppy, especially if you have a Golden Retriever. This breed is known for its soft and fluffy coat. If yours is scraggly-looking, you will surely get judging looks from other pet owners.

To ensure that your Goldie is well-groomed, you have to invest in the right tools. Sure, you can improvise with an old brush, but this isn’t enough.

Unlike other dogs, Golden Retrievers have two layers of coat. The undercoat needs a special rake or dematting tool that can reach it without causing irritation to the dog’s skin.

Over time, the right grooming tools will save you more money from buying replacements and taking your dog to a professional groomer.

Do I still need grooming tools even if I’m bringing my dog to a groomer? Yes, groomers are not around every single day. Also, you’re the one responsible for ensuring that your dog’s coat is in good condition. This includes daily brushing and other simple hygiene steps that don’t require the intervention of a professional groomer.

5 Best Grooming Tools for Golden Retrievers

To make it simple, you should have these five grooming tools in your dog’s toolkit:

Deshedding Tool: Furminator Deshedding Tool for Large Dogs

best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers

Deshedding tools are every dog owner’s bosom buddy. It helps manage the shedding of a dog, especially if you own a fluffy Golden Retriever.

When it comes to deshedding tools, no other brand is more popular than the famed FURminator. This tool is made with stainless steel teeth that will reach beneath your Goldie’s undercoat. It will lift loose hair so you can remove it even before it falls on the floor and stick to your furniture.

One thing I really like about FURminator is its trademarked FUR ejector. You simply press the button and it will automatically remove the hair from the teeth. This is widely used by professional groomers and veterinarians so it’s guaranteed safe for your Goldie’s shedding.

Instead of vacuuming around endlessly, you can add a FURminator in your dog’s grooming kit. It will do wonders on the pooch’s shedding. And for this price range, I really don’t have any major complaints.

Overall, this is an excellent hair removal tool that will not hurt your doggo. It will be indispensable during the peak shedding season of your Golden Retriever.

Pros
  • Stainless steel comb teeth
  • Trademarked FUR ejector to clean fur off the tool
  • Trusted by veterinarians and professional groomers
Cons
  • So far, so good!

Slicker Brush: Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush

best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers

Slicker brushes allow you to remove chunks of loose hair, matted fur, and knots on your Golden Retriever’s coat. It usually has a rectangular shape with wire bristles. To make it easy for you to remove the hair, the tips of the wire bristles are bent slightly.

If you’re looking for the best slicker brush for your Golden Retriever, I highly recommend the Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush. It’s a large tool and has 40% more pins than the Big K version. It suits long, fluffy, curly, and cottony coats of dogs.

Each pass using this slicker brush will let you work on the undesirable undercoat. It’s also safe to use on the legs of your pooch.

I also like the contoured handle that makes it very easy to use. I just wish that they will make it slightly thicker for bigger hands to prevent it from breaking.

Overall, this is an amazing grooming tool and my Goldie doesn’t get brush burn even if we use it regularly. It’s a bit pricier than other slicker brushes but I don’t regret splurging on this one. It handles mats very well and it can hold lots of loose fur.

Pros
  • More pins than the Big K
  • Reaches the undercoat very well
  • Suitable for very thick coats
Cons
  • The handle can be a little thicker

Undercoat Rake: GoPets Dematting Comb

Another tool that you need for your Goldie is an undercoat rake. This tool has rake-like teeth that help pull loose undercoat. It’s also useful in breaking stubborn mats and fixing tangles on the lush coat of a Golden Retriever.

For this, I recommend the GoPets Dematting Comb. This is an undercoat rake with two useful sides. Each side has different numbers of teeth to suit the density of your dog’s coat. Also, it has sharpened inside blades that cut through mats.

Nevertheless, the tips of the rake are rounded and will not injure your Golden Retriever. I also like the non-slip and soft silicone handle that makes it easy to hold.

Lastly, each purchase of the GoPets dematting comb supports animal charities. For me, that’s a great way to help less fortunate pets while keeping yours healthy and well-groomed.

The only thing that my Goldie doesn’t like is the sound the tool makes whenever it cuts matted fur. Other than that, it’s a handy tool that will save you from the hassle of grooming. It provides a huge difference as compared to using a brush alone.

Pros
  • Sharpened inside the blade to cut mats
  • Rounded rake tips to prevent injuries
  • Soft and ergonomic handle
Cons
  • The handle gets sticky after a few years

Clipper: PettingPal Grooming Clipper

best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers

After several months, you’d need to trim your Golden Retriever’s fur. This is to prevent matting and to manage their intense shedding. For this, you need a reliable dog clipper that will cut through fur smoothly and without injuries.

I recommend that you get the PettingPal Grooming Clipper. This is a 2-in-1 clipper that comes with a wide blade and a narrow blade so you can work on your dog’s face, rump, and ears. Aside from that, this has a movable ceramic blade and a fixed titanium blade.

Since clippers scare dogs, PettingPal has a low noise operation despite its strong motor. You will also enjoy a cordless performance using its Li-ion battery pack. In case you run out of power, you can plug this clipper and use it as a corded device.

Moreover, you can adjust the cutting speed from 5,000 to 6,500 RPM. Lower speeds keep the blade cooler so you can groom sensitive areas like the ears, face, and tail of your Goldie.

Aside from the clipper, you will also receive four comb guides, a grooming comb, a pair of shears, oil, a cleaning brush, and a charger.

Pros
  • Adjustable speed
  • Cordless operation
  • Low-noise motor
Cons
  • The blade is hard to replace

Pin Brush: Chris Christensen 27 mm Oval Pin Brush

To complete your starter grooming kit, you should get a pin brush. This will be the daily grooming brush of your Golden Retriever that can deal with minor knots. It will also ensure that your Goldie’s coat is shiny and flowy.

Since Golden Retrievers are large dogs, you’d want a pin brush that can put up with wear and tear. With this, I recommend the Chris Christensen Oval Pin Brush. This has a beechwood frame with polished bristles to keep it gentle on your dog’s skin.

Moreover, this pin brush is 8.5” long, which is ideal for most Golden Retrievers. There’s also an air hole in the brush pad to make it flexible as you glide the bristles through your dog’s coat. The pins are also longer than usual dog brushes so it can penetrate deeper into your Goldie’s coat.

Based on my experience, this brush snags and pulls less than other brushes I’ve tried in the past. It works well as a finishing touch after I use a slicker brush to remove the loose fur on my pooch. Also, this brush lasts long, so it’s well worth the price.

Pros
  • Beechwood frame and handle
  • Soft brush pad for flexibility
  • Doesn’t snag or pulls too much
Cons
  • Makes a loud sound whenever I glide it through my dog’s coat but it’s not a big deal

Tips in grooming a Golden Retriever

Grooming a Golden Retriever’s coat is a big task so you should always be prepared. A few tips and tricks will help save you from the hassle:

🐶Set up a grooming station

Before you start raking all the loose fur off your Golden Retriever, you should assign a grooming station in your home. For my dog, I picked a spot in the garage so the fur will not spread in my house. You can also use the bathtub so it will be easier to collect the hair.

Never groom your Golden Retriever in the living room. This will result in a large mess that you’ll be tasked to clean later on. It’s a nightmare, believe me.

🐶Use a detangling spray

Golden Retrievers’ coats are prone to tangles and knots. Instead of pulling into these twists, you should use a detangling spray. This will serve as lubrication on the tangled fur so you can smooth it out using your hands. Remember, you should never smooth out a tangle by pulling it with a brush. That will hurt your pooch and it will make grooming time a horrible experience for the Fido.

🐶Give the dog a bath

Golden Retrievers get pretty smelly fast since they love romping outdoors. You should give the doggo a bath at least once every two months to prevent mats. It will keep your Goldie’s coat in good condition. Just remember to give it a nice brush before bath time. This way, it would be easier for you to hand-comb the coat when applying shampoo.

🐶Give it a trim

One way to minimize the shedding of your Golden Retriever is by giving it a nice trim. You should trim the fur on the leg, ear, neck, face, and tail so it wouldn’t harbor a lot of dirt. Trimming the body of the pooch is helpful, but you shouldn’t proceed if you don’t have the experience.

Take note that you should only trim and not shave your Goldie. Shaving will ruin a Golden Retriever’s coat and its fur may not grow back normally. That would be uncomfortable for your pooch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often do you need to bathe a Golden Retriever?

A: Golden Retrievers need a bath every two months to keep its thick fur healthy and clean. However, your Goldie may dip in the mud or get pretty soiled outdoors. In this case, you may need to give an emergency bath even if the pooch just got groomed earlier.

Q: What months do Golden Retrievers shed?

A: Golden Retrievers often shed during the winter and summer months. This is to transition their coat from thin to thick (winter) and thick to thin (summer). It’s your doggo’s way of acclimating its body to the changing seasons.

Q: Why does my Golden Retriever stink?

A: Golden Retrievers stink due to the accumulation of dirt and bacteria in their coat. However, skin problems can also trigger an awful smell on your pooch’s coat. If the odor isn’t going away after grooming, you should bring the doggo to a professional groomer.

Final words

The best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers will make it easier for you to keep your pet’s coat clean. Just make sure that you get those with the right size, material, and features. This way, you will make the most out of your purchase. It will also guarantee that the tool will last for years.

What do you think of the grooming tools I reviewed above? Share your thoughts below!