Updated 5 June 2026
Golden Retrievers are known for their lustrous, golden coats — one of the breed’s most recognisable features. Keeping that coat looking and feeling its best takes regular grooming, which also plays a key role in your dog’s comfort and overall health.
Contents
- Golden Retriever Coat
- Golden Retriever Grooming & Hygiene Schedule
- Tips for Grooming Golden Retriever Puppies
- Dental Care Routine for Golden Retrievers
Looking for more Golden Retriever care advice? Read our Golden Retriever Breed Guides.
The Golden Retriever Coat
Golden Retrievers have a heavy-shedding, combination coat that gives them their familiar soft, feathery appearance. Their coat includes medium to long hair that lies flat along the body, with longer feathering on the backs of the front legs, chest, belly line, and hindquarters.
Coat colours range from pale cream through to rich gold, with some dogs displaying deeper red or mahogany tones.
How much grooming do Golden Retrievers need?
When it comes to grooming, Golden Retrievers are considered a moderate-maintenance breed. With a consistent routine, most Goldens can be comfortably maintained at home.
Outside of peak shedding periods, weekly brushing is often sufficient. During heavier shedding seasons, more frequent brushing helps manage loose hair and keeps the coat healthy and comfortable.
Do Golden Retrievers shed a lot?
Yes – Golden Retrievers shed year-round, with two heavier moulting periods typically occurring in spring and autumn. This is a normal and expected part of the coat cycle for combination-coated breeds.
How to reduce shedding
While shedding can’t be stopped entirely, it can be managed. Using a shed control shampoo, along with a bathing brush, slicker brush, and thorough drying, helps remove loose coat before it spreads throughout the home. Regular grooming is the most effective way to keep shedding under control.
Golden Retriever Grooming & Hygiene Schedule
Grooming isn’t just about appearance – it supports your Golden Retriever’s comfort and wellbeing. Routine brushing helps reduce shedding and keeps the coat clean, while regular checks during grooming sessions can help you notice early signs of skin irritation, parasites, or infection.
| Grooming Action | Frequency & Recommended Tools |
| Brush |
2-3 times per week. Daily during heavy shedding periods. Use:
|
| Bath |
Every 4-6 weeks depending on individual circumstances. Use:
|
| Nail trim | As required. Use nail clippers or a pet nail grinding tool |
| Ear cleaning | After swimming and once every few weeks. Potentially more frequently as per vet’s instructions if prone to ear infections. Use dog safe ear wipes or gentle dog ear cleaners. |
| Eye cleaning | As required. Use eye wipes. |
| Clipping | A full clip is rarely needed unless recommended by your vet. Areas to clip include paw pads and hygiene area if required. Recommended clippers: Wahl Max 60. |
| Trimming | As required to neaten hair around their feet. Use thinning scissors. |
Brushing your Golden Retriever
Regular brushing is key to managing shedding and preventing matting. Line brushing – parting the coat down to the skin and brushing outward in small sections – is particularly effective for Golden Retrievers.
Pay extra attention to areas where tangles are more likely to form, such as the feathering, behind the ears, armpits, tail, and hindquarters.
What’s the best brush for a Golden Retriever?
Using the right tools makes a noticeable difference. A slicker brush, undercoat rake, and comb can help remove loose hair from both layers of their double coat, while a detangling spray may help ease stubborn knots and make brushing more comfortable.
Washing your Golden Retriever
Most Golden Retrievers benefit from bathing every 4-6 weeks, or as needed if they become dirty. Use a dog-safe shampoo diluted according to product instructions to support healthy skin and coat condition.
Avoid overbathing, as this can strip the coat of natural oils. After bathing, it’s important to ensure your Golden is fully dried, as trapped moisture can increase the risk of skin issues such as hot spots.4
Trimming your Golden Retriever’s coat
Golden Retrievers don’t require full haircuts, but light trimming can help keep their coat neat and comfortable.
Using dog-safe grooming scissors:
- Trim feathering on the legs, tail, and chest as needed
- Neaten fur around the paws, ears, and hygiene areas
Some owners choose professional grooming every 6-8 weeks, particularly during heavy shedding periods.
Cleaning your Golden Retriever’s eyes
Goldens generally have healthy eyes. A gentle wipe with a dog-safe eye wipe during routine grooming or bathing is usually all that’s required to keep the eye area clean.
Cleaning your Golden Retriever’s ears
Because of their floppy ears, Golden Retrievers can be prone to ear infections if moisture becomes trapped. Checking and cleaning their ears every few weeks with ear wipes or a gentle ear cleaner can help prevent problems.
Be sure to dry ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing and watch for signs such as dark discharge or an unpleasant smell, which may indicate an ear infection that requires a vet check.
Trimming your Golden Retriever’s nails
Golden Retrievers often have pale nails, making it easier to see the quick. However, being a large breed, their nails can be thick. Use nail clippers or a nail grinder to remove small amounts gradually, trimming from the bottom to shorten the nail without nicking the pink quick.
Grooming a Golden Retriever Puppy
Introducing grooming early helps puppies feel comfortable with handling and can make grooming much easier as they grow. Positive early experiences reduce stress and help your puppy feel relaxed during grooming at home and in professional settings.
Tips for grooming puppies
Accustom them to touch
Gently handle various parts of your puppy’s body, starting with less sensitive areas such as the back and shoulders. Reward calm behaviour.
Introduce grooming tools gradually
Allow your puppy to sniff tools and become familiar with any associated sounds before using them.
Keep sessions short
Just a few minutes at a time is enough while your puppy builds confidence.
Be generous with rewards
High value treats help create positive associations with grooming.
Don’t push it
If your puppy shows signs of stress, take a break and try again later.
Cleaning your Golden Retriever’s teeth
A regular dental care routine plays a vital role in preventing dental disease. At-home dental care options for dogs include:
- Brushing their teeth with dog-safe toothpaste & toothbrush
- Dental treats, diets, and toys designed to help reduce plaque
- Water additives that support oral hygiene and freshen breath
Find Everything You Need to Groom Your Golden Retriever from Head to Tail
From brushes and supplements to DIY dog washes and professional grooming salons, Petbarn has everything you need to help your Golden Retriever look and feel their best.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grooming Golden Retrievers
About the Author
Cynthia IrelandGrooming Training Co-Ordinator
Cynthia has a Cert III in Companion Animal Services (Grooming) and is currently working toward her Cert IV TAE. She joined Petbarn as a Salon Manager in 2017. Her current role is to present the practical learning to external students while they are working with Heiniger on their Cert III in Companion Animal Services (Grooming) and to coordinate training schemes with Petbarn's grooming teams. She lives remotely with more cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, ducks and geese that she can count and is owned by Löwchen, Alice and Jeanie, Devon Rex, MayMay and Winston and the farm cat, Shotgun.
