Golden Retrievers love to run around and play. When you mix the high energy level with a wavy and long coat on their skin, you are dealing with a dirty pooch on a more frequent basis. Your furry little friend will carry around quite a bit of dirt in their long coat. Moreover, if their beautiful long hair is left tangled up and you brush them, it will turn into painful mats of hair that’ll be extremely difficult to get out.
Obviously, you could bring your pooch to a professional groomer as these experts have everything required for giving your pooch a thorough cleaning and a deep scrub. They can even trim your Golden Retriever’s hair and treat it with shampoo and conditioner. Your dog will come out looking its best and feeling great.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to shell out a few dollars for their dog’s grooming. If you are one of them and want to brush your Golden Retriever yourself, you might be interested in knowing how you can properly brush your pooch. In this post, we are going to guide you on brushing a Golden Retriever. We’ll also list some of the best dog brushes that you can use for this purpose.
Why Should You Brush Your Golden Retriever?
Regular brushing reduces the amount of dog fur floating in your home. Moreover, it helps keep your pooch’s skin and coat healthy. Brushing removes dirt and debris and stimulates natural oils in the skin. It also helps minimize doggy odors.
Golden Retrievers are very energetic and they need plenty of exercises. When you take them out for a walk or jog regularly, their fur will get muddy and tangled after a few days. Regular brushing will keep them comfy and clean.
Brushing your Golden Retriever regularly will also remove any tangles and knots which could develop into mats if left unchecked. It also allows you to check the skin, paws, and ears of your pooch for any potential problems. Moreover, getting into the routine of grooming can make your life easier when taking your pooch to the vet or a professional groomer. Your dogs will likely get used to staying in one place. You should start brushing your Golden Retriever as a puppy as it will take time to be comfortable with it.
How to Brush a Golden Retriever
To brush your Golden Retriever’s coat, start from head to toe. It is important that you pay attention to each area of your pooch’s body, especially the undercarriage and side. Spend extra time brushing the coat if the fur is matted and thick.
If the fur is matted, brush it out very gently. To do so, gently hold the matted area of the fur above the coat, so that you don’t pull on the fur while brushing. Start from the top of the mat, then work your way slowly towards the skin.
Sometimes the fur becomes too matted, making it extremely difficult for you to brush through. If that is the case, remove the matted fur with scissors. Make sure the pair of scissors you are using are efficient and sharp.
Some Points to Remember:
- If your Golden Retriever has particularly tough tangles, then first give it a bath with a detangling shampoo. Then, try brushing those tangles while they are a bit damp.
- Pay special attention to areas that are prone to tangles like the mane, neck, and butt.
- Once you have dealt with all the surface shedding and mats, try blowing your Golden Retriever’s coat with a dryer.
Buying a Brush for Your Golden Retriever
Things to Consider
The brush you buy for your Golden Retriever will impact the quality and duration of the grooming sessions. The best brush for a Golden Retriever will depend on several factors. Some of them include:
· Coat Length
The coat length of most Golden Retrievers is medium or medium-long, but some will have longer or shorter fur, especially in the hind leg and tail areas. You will want to ensure that you get an appropriately sized brush.
· Coat Condition
At times of heavy shedding like when the season is changing, you may need different grooming tools. The fur that has mats or is prone to matting will require a different approach. Give your Golden Retriever a look to assess their fur to decide on the brush that would be best for them.
· Skin Condition
Your pooch can have dry skin, skin allergies, skin bumps or rashes. If you know that your dog has a skin problem, talk to your vet for advice on how to brush it and which brush should be used.
Golden Retrievers Have 2 Different Coats
One important thing you should remember when searching for a brush for your pooch is that you aren’t dealing with a single coat. Golden Retrievers have two coats – guard coat and undercoat – so the brush you get should be capable of brushing them both. The guard coat serves as the first layer of protection. It protects your Golden Retriever from UV rays and helps to keep dirt off of their skin. The undercoat is a much shorter, softer, and lighter than the guard coat. It insulates your Golden Retriever during winter and helps them stay cool during the summer season.
Best brushes for Golden Retrievers can penetrate through the protective guard coat into the undercoat. Since the majority of shedding takes place in the undercoat, a brush that can’t reach it would do you no good. The short, delicate, and soft hairs will routinely tangle up into painful mats and you would want to brush them properly before they turn into a major problem.
Different Types of Dog Brushes
There are several different types of dog brushes to choose from for your pooch. You should know about these types before you start searching for a brush for your Golden Retriever.
· Slicker Brushes
These brushes comprise of thin wire bristles designed to move through the top coat easily. Slicker brushes come in different sizes and are suitable for use on dog coats of varying thicknesses. If your Golden Retriever has particularly coarse or fine top coat fur, pay close attention to the product description. These brushes are useful for preventing and removing mats in the long furs and distributing natural oils through your pooch’s top coat.
· Undercoat Rake
These brushes look like a rake with a long row of metal teeth. These are for cleaning and detangling the undercoat. Make sure that rake can reach all way through into the undercoat of your Golden Retriever. The teeth on the undercoat rake vary in length to accommodate coats of different thicknesses.
· Bristle Brushes
These brushes have flexible bristles made of boar hair or nylon. Bristles brushes are available in different thicknesses and lengths. Long bristles have more space between them making them suitable for longer fur while shorter, stiffer bristle is good for shorter fur.
· Wire Pin Brushes
Wire pin brushes have wide-spaced, long wire pins. They are useful for brushing through the topcoats of a dog and removing tangles. However, they aren’t good at removing stubborn mats. They are a suitable option for longer-coated dogs like your Golden Retriever. Pins are rubber-tipped for added comfort.
What Types of Brush Are Right for Your Golden Retriever?
If you want to buy a brush for your Golden Retriever, then we recommend you choose from undercoat rake, wire pin, slicker or bristle brush. The bristle brush and wire pin brush are suitable for regular brushing of your Golden Retriever’s coat when it’s already in good shape and not tangled too much. You don’t have to get both a bristle brush and wire pin brush as they pretty much do the same job. So, it is really down to your personal preference.
On the other hand, you must have a slicker brush as it’ll help you remove tangles and mats, especially in your pooch’s topcoat. It is also good for getting rid of loose fur. However, the slicker brush may not penetrate fully into your Golden Retriever’s thick undercoat.
Finally, you will need an undercoat rake to remove the undercoat during the shedding season. This is essential because the undercoat that doesn’t fully come out can become severely matted causing your pooch discomfort.
The Best Brushes for a Golden Retriever
1. FURminator Long Hair deShedding Edge
The stainless-steel edge of the FURminator Long Hair de Shedding Edge reaches the undercoat to easily and safely remove loose hair. It is great for untangling the hair in the undercoat without damaging or cutting the skin. The ergonomic handle of the brush provides you comfort while the curved, smooth edge conforms to your Golden Retriever’s natural build for comfort. What’s great about this brush is that it reduces loose hair from shedding.
Pros of the FURminator Long Hair deShedding Edge
- The rake’s head and teeth are slightly edged to follow the shape of a dog’s body and provide efficient brushing with fewer passes.
- This brush can be used for gently working out mats in your Golden Retriever’s long fur.
- The rubber handle of the brush has ridge patterns which allow for a secure grip.
- Blunt tips on this brush’s teeth prevent irritation to the skin of your Golden Retriever.
- The teeth of the brush rotate to minimize pulling of the fur and make brushing more comfortable.
- The rake targets the Golden Retriever’s undercoat without damaging the guard coat.
- Since there is only one row of teeth, this brush is very easy to clean
Cons of the FURminator Long Hair deShedding Edge
- This is a good brush for general maintenance of the undercoat but isn’t well-suited for seasonal sheds.
- Not suitable for puppies which haven’t yet developed their undercoat.
2. Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush
The Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush makes grooming your Golden Retriever easier. It gently removes tangled hair and mats providing comfort to your pooch. This brush works on all hair types and sizes. The bristles of the Herzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush go deep into your pooch’s coat without scratching the sensitive skin. One thing we love about this brush is the cleaning function – it has a self-cleaning function so all you have to do for cleaning the brush is push a button.
Pros of the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush
- The tiny pins of the slicker brush can make manual cleaning very tricky and may result in bent pins and pokes. This brush has a self-cleaning feature, providing the benefit of painless fur removal. Other self-cleaning brushes also offer this option, but the mechanism of the Hertzko allows it to operate smoothly without jamming.
- The cleaning mechanism covers the slicker pins when the brush isn’t in use. This keeps the pins of the brush straight and prevents any accidental poking.
- The ergonomics of the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush make it easier to use for extended grooming sessions. The indented area of the handle allows a place for your thumb and better brush control. The soft rubber grip of the handle allows for concise and comfortable handling.
- The Hertzko brush is a good option for puppy Golden Retrievers too. The slicker pins provide a comfortable grooming experience to young as well as adult dogs.
Cons of the Herzko Self-Cleaning Dog Slicker Brush
- The pins of this brush are a little shorter because of its self-cleaning mechanism. If your GoldenRetriever has a particularly long or thick coat, the Hertzko brush may not be right for you.
- This brush is very expensive.
Our Final Thoughts
We have shown you how you should brush your Golden Retriever and discussed some of the best Brushes that you can get for your pooch’s grooming. Hopefully, you will now find brushing your pooch easier with a high-quality brush that will make the job easier.
