Best Grooming Tools for Goldendoodles
Goldendoodles are one of the most popular specialty dog breeds out there. They have friendly personalities and their coats are beautiful. At the same time, their coats require a lot of maintenance and most general tools simply won’t do the trick thanks to the unique nature of their coats.
If you’re going to have a Goldendoodle, it’s important to know just which tools you should have on hand for grooming. Obviously, you can use a professional groomer, but you also need tools to be able to complete some general upkeep in between grooming appointments. This helps to prevent mats and tangles from forming on your Goldendoodles coat.
In addition, grooming tools save you lots of money if you do all the grooming and maintenance at home as well. After a couple of grooming sessions, you’ve likely recouped all the money that you spend on the grooming tools for your Goldendoodle. It’s not as difficult as you may think, but it will take a couple hours of your time.
In this guide, we will share with you the best grooming tools for Goldendoodles. We have several categories to cover and some product recommendations for each category as well. We hope you’re ready to get your Goldendoodle perfectly groomed with a few simple tools!
What Are The Best Grooming Tools For Goldendoodles?
Dog Clippers
Dog clippers are perhaps the most important tool you can purchase for grooming your Goldendoodle. At the same time, be aware that you need to choose dog clippers that will actually work for your dog’s coat. Many of the cheaper dog clippers won’t cut through the thick coat of a Goldendoodle. The best value for the price is definitely the Andis ProClip dog clipper.
Clippers allow you to get a close and controlled clip on the dog’s coat. You can cut the hair gently and smoothly and you don’t have to be a professional to perform this maintenance on occasion.
At the same time, professionals have to be properly equipped and need to be sure they have professional clippers that are compatible with your dog’s coat
Slicker Brush
The slicker brush is a very valuable tool to have on hand for Goldendoodle grooming purposes. These brushes are designed specifically for curly or long coats that tend to get matted or knotted easily.
Before you get started with grooming, you can use a slicker brush to gently work through any mattes or tangles for your dog. You can use this brush anywhere on the dog’s coat. Just work gently and work in short strokes and sections.
The slicker brush shouldn’t hurt your dog when you use it properly. Here are some steps for properly using a slicker brush on your Goldendoodle:
- Start by brushing in short strokes. Move slowly through your dog’s coat. Start at the neck area and work your way towards the tail. Always brush in the same direction of hair growth.
- As you come across tangles and matted hair, slow down and work on this area gently and individually. Use small strokes over the area until it detangles. Remember to be gentle and don’t pull or use excessive force.
- Once you’ve brushed from neck to tail on your dog’s back, repeat the same procedures for their sides and stomach area. Finish with the legs.
- If you run into matted areas that won’t brush out easily, you might want to consider cutting them out if possible. You can also use a comb.
- Finish the process with your dog’s face. We don’t recommend brushing the face much with the slicker brush unless you have to, but you can use it on their beard or on the top of the head if the hair is thick. Try not to press the brush too hard against your dog’s skin in the process.
- Always finish with a treat and high praise for your dog’s good behavior. This will reinforce good behavior while you brush your Goldendoodle.
The slicker brush is not a typical brush. It is designed for brushing through tangles and matted areas and removing debris or shedding fur as well. The bristles are fine wire and are tightly placed.
When you use a slicker brush, remember to be gentle and move slowly. Avoid placing extra pressure on the skin when using one.
Nail Grinder
As you progress with grooming a Goldendoodle, you need to consider their nails as part of the grooming process. You can use clippers or grinders or possibly even both.
We like the nail grinder because it grinds down the point of the nail, making it less sharp when it comes into contact with skin or a surface. Grinding your dog’s nails can keep the nails healthy as well.
Many Goldendoodles have black nails, so it’s difficult to see the blood vein in their nail. You’re going to want to use a grinder instead of a clipper so you don’t cut their nails too deep
Grooming Scissors
Next up are grooming scissors. For your Goldendoodle, grooming scissors will be used to clean up the coat and rid the hair of any excessively long hair. They are great for trimming. You can also use grooming scissors for mattes and knots that you struggle to brush out.
Pet Shampoo
Your Goldendoodle’s hair requires tender loving care and cleaning. You will need to bathe them and wash their hair with the right shampoo to do it. It’s best if you can find something that smells good, but that will also be gentle on your dog’s skin and coat.
Remember that they often have long and curly hair so look for something that will manage a Goldendoodle’s hair needs without making them itchy and uncomfortable. It’s great if you can also use a conditioner or find an option that will smooth and soften the hair as well.
Goldendoodle Slicker Brushes
The next essential item for your Doodle dog grooming kit is a slicker brush. Slicker brushes are not like a regular brush that has straight bristles. Slickers are made of a soft pad fitted with densely packed fine wire bristles, usually with hooked end, and they are used to brush through the fur, removing tangles and preventing mats.
These brushes are also ideal for getting rid of any debris and loose hair. When using your slicker brush, remember not to press down too hard, moving slowly and gently so that you don’t scratch your pet’s skin or pull on his delicate hair. Of course, you must always brush in the direction of hair growth.
Nail Clippers
Another very important part of dog grooming is nail clipping. Goldendoodles can be somewhat large with fast-growing nails, so clipping can be a chore. You also need to know how to safely clip your dog’s nails without hurting them.
Having a good pair of clippers makes a significant difference.
Grooming Shears/Scissors
A set of high-quality, premium dog grooming scissors or shears are an essential addition to any personal dog grooming kit. Scissors are generally used to tidy up any straggly hairs or get rid of any especially stubborn knots or mats.
Pet Grooming Gloves
Pet grooming gloves are another valuable option to have on hand especially when you are bathing your Goldendoodle. Your Goldendoodle will be prone to shedding and will attract tons of debris in their coat. Their coat is a mixture of long and curly hair and sometimes they just need a good petting to get the dead hair out.
Using grooming gloves allows you to pull away shedding hair by simply petting them with your hand. The dog is calm and you are working on grooming at the same time. Get something that will be gentle and effective.
Dryer
Goldendoodles can become chilled very quickly after bathing, so you should never leave your dog to air-dry. Ideally, you want to use warm, fluffy towels to dry your dog, finishing him off with a dog hairdryer.
Take care not to hold the dryer too close to the dog’s skin in case you burn him or create hotspots
Detangling Sprays
Detangling products are applied to your dog’s fur after bathing or before dry grooming. These sprays are designed to gently and effectively smooth out tangled hair to make brushing painless and provide a comfortable grooming experience for your dog.
How Often To Groom A Goldendoodle?
Most Goldendoodle owners take their pets to a professional groomer every four to six weeks. Over the course of a year, that amounts to quite a lot of expenditure.
But can you groom your dog at home, saving you a fortune on groomer’s fees?
The good news for you is that you can groom your Goldendoodle yourself, provided that you have the time to devote to the task and the correct tools for the job.
The terms “grooming” and “brushing” are often interchanged. However, grooming and brushing are really two different things.
