Many people are initially attracted to the Goldendoodle because of their non-shedding coats. However, most owners quickly realize that this designer dog breed has a lot of grooming needs.
Goldendoodles have particular grooming needs because both of their parents—the Golden Retriever and Poodle—have high-maintenance coats. The Golden Retriever is a heavy shedder that requires regular brushing to help control shedding, while the Poodle has a curly double coat that tangles and mats easily.
Goldendoodle coats vary depending on what type of coat the dogs inherit, so different kinds of brushes suit different dogs. That’s why we’ve created a list of reviews of brushes that work best on the variety of Goldendoodle coats.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites – 2023 Update
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Frisco Pet Pin Bristle Brush
Dual-sided
Easily detangle hair
Distributes natural oils
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Best Value
Hartz Groomer’s Best
Relatively affordable
Dual-sided
Ergonomic handle
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Premium Choice
Furminator Hair Deshedding
Curved design to prevent injury
Works well with heavy shedders
Ergonomic handle
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Best for Puppies
Mr. Peanuts Hand Gloves
Gentle on puppies
Effective for deshedding
Easy cleanup
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Bissell FURGET It All-In-One
Dual-purpose brush
Suitable for all hair types
Curved edges for more comfort
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The 10 Best Brushes for Goldendoodles
Most Goldendoodles will benefit greatly from a dual-sided pin and bristle brush. The Frisco Cat & Dog Pin Bristle Brush is a versatile brush that meets the basic grooming needs of this designer dog breed.
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The pins of this brush are long enough to brush through a thick coat to prevent matting nearer to the skin. They’re also spaced out well enough so that they easily detangle hair and remove dirt and loose hair.
The bristles work great against medium-length hair, and they effectively help distribute natural oils to soften the Goldendoodle’s coat. The bristles tend to be on the softer side, so they won’t perform as well against curlier, dense hair that resembles a Poodle’s coat. However, if the Goldendoodle has wavy hair, the bristles get the job done.
Along with providing a comfortable grooming experience for the dog, this brush is also easy for dog owners to handle. It has an ergonomic handle that helps you keep a firm grip on the brush without having to hold onto it tightly.
The fact that this brush caters to both the dog’s needs and human’s comfort makes it the best overall brush for Goldendoodles.
Pros
Dual-sided
Easily detangle hair
Distributes natural oils
Ergonomic handle
Cons
Not for curly, dense coats
The Hartz Groomer’s Best Combo Brush is another dual brush with pins on one side and bristles on the other side. The bristles do a great job removing debris from the surface of the coat, and the pins can effectively untangle and collect loose hair.
Dual-sided
Easily detangle hair
Distributes natural oils
Ergonomic handle
- Dual-sided
- Easily detangle hair
- Distributes natural oils
- Ergonomic handle
Not for curly, dense coats
- Not for curly, dense coats
The handle of this brush is ergonomic, so it’s painless for you to use. The pin brush also has breather holes that help make brushing easier and less painful for the Golden Retriever.
This option is the best brush for Goldendoodles for the money you pay because of how much it’s able to accomplish. The only drawback that we see from this brush is that it’s not as durable as its competitors’ brushes. It often deteriorates in a year with the pins falling out of the brush first.
Therefore, this brush is a great introductory brush for new dog owners who are getting the hang of grooming their Goldendoodle. Once they establish a consistent habit, they can move on to investing in other grooming supplies, if needed.
Pros
Relatively affordable
Dual-sided
Ergonomic handle
Cons
Not durable
If you have a heavy shedder, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard about the FURminator–and with good reason. The FURminator Long Hair Dog Deshedding Tool has a genius design that helps you rake through a top coat to get to a dog’s dense undercoat.
Relatively affordable
Dual-sided
Ergonomic handle
- Relatively affordable
- Dual-sided
- Ergonomic handle
Not durable
- Not durable
Although this brush tends to be significantly more expensive than other deshedding tools, it’s incredibly effective in helping you keep a dog’s shedding in control. Because of its curved design, the stainless-steel edge fits well with a dog’s body shape, so you significantly reduce the risk of scratching or hurting your dog. It also has an ergonomic handle so that you’re having an equally easy time as your dog.
Because you’re tackling both the top coat and bottom coat at the same time, brushing can go by more quickly, and you don’t have to deal with an impatient or antsy Goldendoodle. Just keep in mind that the Furminator doesn’t tend to work well with Poodle coats. It’s the most effective with wavier coats.
Pros
Curved design to prevent injury
Works well with heavy shedders
Ergonomic handle
Cons
Not for extremely curly coat
Relatively expensive
Puppies can take some time to get used to brushing, so grooming gloves are a great way to introduce grooming in a way that’s more comfortable for puppies. The rubber points on the gloves do a great job of gathering loose fur, and they also help detangle small, tangled areas on the coat. However, if a dog has a larger tangled area on its coat, these gloves are too soft to work through the tangle.
Curved design to prevent injury
Works well with heavy shedders
Ergonomic handle
- Curved design to prevent injury
- Works well with heavy shedders
- Ergonomic handle
Not for extremely curly coat
Relatively expensive
- Not for extremely curly coat
- Relatively expensive
You can do a lot of deshedding for your puppy with these gloves, while your puppy will simply feel like it’s getting extra pets and a lot of attention.
The clean-up for this glove is also straightforward. Once you’ve gathered loose hairs from your dog’s coat, you just run the gloves underwater, and all the hairs and debris will wash right off. You just have to be careful when you move around with the gloves on because the dog’s fur can sometimes float right off with the movement.
The gloves are meant to be one-size-fits-all, but they can be particularly challenging for people with smaller hands because they tend to fit loosely. The loose fit makes it more challenging to maneuver around complete grooming for your puppy.
Pros
Gentle on puppies
Effective for deshedding
Easy cleanup
Cons
Difficult to maneuver for smaller hands
Can’t untangle bigger tangles
The Bissell Furget It All-In-One Grooming brush works well with all kinds of dog coats. Therefore, it’s a great grooming tool to have if you have multiple pets in your house because it can take on straight coats, wire-haired coats, and curly coats.
Gentle on puppies
Effective for deshedding
Easy cleanup
- Gentle on puppies
- Effective for deshedding
- Easy cleanup
Difficult to maneuver for smaller hands
Can’t untangle bigger tangles
- Difficult to maneuver for smaller hands
- Can’t untangle bigger tangles
The brush has two sides. You use one side to help de-shed the undercoat, and the other side works to remove more stubborn mats and tangles. The edge of the brush is curved. This design ensures that your Goldendoodle doesn’t have to worry about getting poked or feeling discomfort when coming in contact with the brush.
One particular challenge you might face if your Goldendoodle has an extra dense undercoat is that removing mats can be a little more challenging. The brush tends to pull on the dog’s skin whenever you try to untangle its fur. This can be extremely painful for dogs, so you might end up using another brush to loosen up the coat first before running this brush through it.
Pros
Dual-purpose brush
Suitable for all hair types
Curved edges for more comfort
Cons
May be painful for dogs with a very dense undercoat
- Safari Single Row Undercoat Rake Dog Grooming Tool Check Latest Price
Coat Type Wavy, long
Material Plastic
This comb works best for dogs with a medium undercoat, and it’s also a great option for Goldendoodles with curly or wavy hair. The ergonomic design of the brush makes combing through your dog’s coat an easy experience. When you use this comb regularly, it effectively protects the coat from developing tangles and mats.
Dual-purpose brush
Suitable for all hair types
Curved edges for more comfort
- Dual-purpose brush
- Suitable for all hair types
- Curved edges for more comfort
May be painful for dogs with a very dense undercoat
- May be painful for dogs with a very dense undercoat
The comb also has tapered pins that help it reach down to the undercoat. It does a thorough job of brushing the entire coat, leaving your Goldendoodle’s fur feeling soft and smooth.
One thing to keep in mind is that if your Goldendoodle has particularly thin hair, this comb may not be the best option because the pins are spaced out a little further from each other than traditional combs. These spaces might not catch all the tangles on your Goldendoodle’s coat, and you might end up with mats if you’re not actively feeling out your dog’s coat for tangles.
Pros
Ergonomic handle and brushing design
Tapered pins effectively reach the undercoat
Helps prevent significant tangles and mats
Cons
Pins may be too spaced out
A slicker brush is an effective grooming tool for Poodles. Therefore, if your Goldendoodle’s coat closely resembles a Poodle’s curly coat, you’ll want a slicker brush in your toolkit. The fine pins help you comb through fine hair and pick up any loose fur and debris. They can also untangle minor tangles and prevent them from becoming serious mats.
Ergonomic handle and brushing design
Tapered pins effectively reach the undercoat
Helps prevent significant tangles and mats
- Ergonomic handle and brushing design
- Tapered pins effectively reach the undercoat
- Helps prevent significant tangles and mats
Pins may be too spaced out
- Pins may be too spaced out
This particular brush also has a self-cleaning function. The pins are retractable, so once a lot of fur gets trapped between them, you can just push a button. The pins will hide, leaving a clump of fur that you can easily pick up and toss in the trash.
You’ll just have to be extra careful if you have a dog with sensitive skin. The bristles are thin, and if you apply too much pressure, you can end up scratching your dog or irritating its skin.
Pros
Great for very curly hair
Self-cleaning
Prevents serious matting
Cons
Not for dogs with sensitive skin
This comb is a nearly pain-free alternative for untangling and dematting a Goldendoodle’s coat. It has a set of rotating pins that move with the brush to help de-matting be less painful.
Great for very curly hair
Self-cleaning
Prevents serious matting
- Great for very curly hair
- Self-cleaning
- Prevents serious matting
Not for dogs with sensitive skin
- Not for dogs with sensitive skin
Not only is this brush helpful for dogs, it also has a helpful design for people as well. The ergonomic handle makes brushing easy and you don’t have to exert as much effort into working out tangles and mats.
Just one common complaint that customers have about this brush is that the pins can be a little too far apart from each other. Therefore, it’s easy to miss smaller knots and tangles because they can easily pass in between the pins.
Pros
Rotating pins
Ergonomic design
Can untangle tangles and mats
Cons
Pins are too spaced out
A brush isn’t just about removing tangles and mats from your dog’s coat. You also need a brush to stimulate a dog’s natural oils to maintain healthy skin and coat. This brush does just that.
Rotating pins
Ergonomic design
Can untangle tangles and mats
- Rotating pins
- Ergonomic design
- Can untangle tangles and mats
Pins are too spaced out
- Pins are too spaced out
The stainless-steel edge effectively reaches a dog’s undercoat while being gentle on its skin. It evenly combs through a dog’s coat to distribute naturally occurring oil to help reduce pet odor. This brush also helps brush off loose hairs, debris, and dandruff to leave your dog’s coat looking soft and clean.
Grooming is extra effortless with this brush because of its comfortable handle and the angle of where the edge lies.
This brush is the most effective with less dense coats. Some coats are too dense, so the brush will repeatedly get stuck in the fur.
Pros
Gentle on skin
Helps distribute natural oils
Ergonomic design
Cons
Not for dogs with very dense coats
- Safari Bamboo Pin & Bristle Combo Dog Brush Check Latest Price
Coat Type Wavy, long
Material Wood, stainless steel
Safari’s Bamboo Pin & Bristle Brush has a simple yet effective design. The bristles remove debris, and you can also use it and brush against the grain to fluff up your Goldendoodle’s fur. The pin side of the brush effectively lifts up and traps loose hair for easy cleanup.
Gentle on skin
Helps distribute natural oils
Ergonomic design
- Gentle on skin
- Helps distribute natural oils
- Ergonomic design
Not for dogs with very dense coats
- Not for dogs with very dense coats
We also appreciate that this brush is made of eco-friendly materials, such as a bamboo handle. However, the design of this brush isn’t very comfortable, so your hand can tire easily while you’re brushing a standard-sized Goldendoodle.
Also, the bristle side of the brush runs on the softer side, so it’s not as effective when brushing curly hair or long hair.
Pros
Eco-friendly materials
Dual-purpose
Easy cleanup
Cons
Uncomfortable design
Bristles are too soft
Eco-friendly materials
Dual-purpose
Easy cleanup
- Eco-friendly materials
- Dual-purpose
- Easy cleanup
Uncomfortable design
Bristles are too soft
- Uncomfortable design
- Bristles are too soft
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best Brush for Goldendoodles
If you have a Goldendoodle, chances are you’ll have several brushes to maintain its coat. Here are the different types of brushes that work well with the various types of Goldendoodle coats.
Pin Brush
A slicker brush has pins spread apart from each other that help untangle hair and remove small mats. The pins are usually stainless steel, but you can also find brushes with plastic pins as well. Stainless steel pins are more durable, while plastic pins are gentler on the dog’s skin.
This brush works best with dogs with medium to long length hair. Goldendoodles with wavy coats will benefit the most from slicker brushes. When you brush a dog with this kind of brush, make sure to use small strokes. This will prevent painful tugging on the dog’s skin.
Bristle Brush
Bristle brushes are more commonly used for short-haired dogs. However, you can sometimes use them for dogs with undercoats, such as a Goldendoodle. Bristle brushes are meant to pick up debris and loose hairs and help distribute natural oils around a dog’s body.
If you want to use a bristle brush for your Goldendoodle, make sure to find a brush with a firmer set of bristles. This will help the brush withstand thicker coats. Softer bristles don’t really do much against a Goldendoodle’s coat because they’ll just bend and not penetrate through an undercoat.
A bristle brush alone won’t meet a Goldendoodle grooming needs. Therefore, it works best when you use it with a pin brush or comb.
Slicker Brush
A slicker brush has small pins that work well with picking up loose hairs. It’s a great grooming tool for dogs with curly hair and fur that tends to tangle easily. People often use slicker brushes to work through tangles and small mats.
Deshedding Tool
In some cases, a Goldendoodle may take on more traits of a Golden Retriever, so a deshedding tool can become a valuable grooming tool. These tools are meant to work through an undercoat to pick up loose hairs and prevent heavy shedding within the home.
Deshedding tools work great with dogs with an undercoat that isn’t too dense. Routine brushing with a deshedding tool can help lessen the amount of shedding around the house.
Comb/Rake
A come and rake have pins situated closer together so that they can catch more tangles and mats. Therefore, they’re one of the best grooming tools for untangling hair.
You can use a comb on Goldendoodles with all types of coats. It works best when you first use a pin brush to quickly brush through the coat and then use the comb or rake to thoroughly brush for tangles.
- Related read: 10 Best Dog Brushes: Reviews & Top Picks
Conclusion: Best Brush For Goldendoodles
Based on our reviews, the Frisco Cat & Dog Pin Bristle Brush is the overall best brush for Goldendoodles because it has the ability to prevent matting and help evenly distribute naturally occurring oils. The FURminator Long Hair Dog Deshedding Tool is also a great option because it does a thorough job of removing tangles and mats as painlessly as possible.
Overall, Goldendoodles have high-maintenance coats that vary from dog to dog. Therefore, it’s important to have the right kinds of brushes that will keep their coats clean and tangle-free.
Featured Image Credit: Rena Schild, Shutterstock
