Best brush for a goldendoodle
A goldendoodle's coat — usually somewhere between the Golden Retriever's softer fur and the Poodle's tight curl — mats easily if it's only brushed on the surface, so the brush that actually works best is a slicker brush or undercoat rake used regularly, followed by a metal comb to check you've reached right down to the skin rather than just tidied the top layer.
Why goldendoodle coats mat so easily
The wavy-to-curly coat most goldendoodles inherit from the Poodle side traps loose undercoat instead of shedding it out naturally, which means dead hair builds up close to the skin where it can felt into mats if it isn't removed regularly. A goldendoodle left ungroomed for even a couple of weeks, particularly around the ears, armpits and behind the legs, can mat surprisingly fast.
This is why a brush designed only for surface tangles — a basic pin brush used alone, for example — often isn't enough on its own. It can leave a coat looking tidy on top while mats are quietly forming underneath, which is exactly the kind of thing that only gets found, and has to be clipped out, at a groomer's appointment.
The tools that actually reach the undercoat
A slicker brush, with its fine, slightly bent wire pins, is the standard tool for working through a goldendoodle's coat layer by layer, and it's worth using in sections rather than a few quick strokes over the whole dog. An undercoat rake is a useful second tool for a thicker-coated goldendoodle, designed specifically to pull loose undercoat out from underneath the topcoat.
A wide-toothed metal comb is the way to check your work rather than a nice-to-have extra — running it through after brushing shows up any small mats the slicker has missed, particularly in the trouble spots behind the ears and legs. If the comb catches or won't pass through smoothly, there's still a mat there.
How often to brush
Most goldendoodles need brushing at least two to three times a week to stay mat-free, and daily during a heavier shedding period or if the coat is being grown out longer. A shorter, clipped goldendoodle coat is more forgiving and can often get by on a couple of sessions a week.
Starting grooming sessions young and keeping them short and positive makes a real difference to how a goldendoodle tolerates being brushed as an adult — a dog that finds brushing stressful is far more likely to end up matted simply because the sessions get avoided or cut short.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Ancol Ergo Wooden Handle Slicker Brush
A stainless steel slicker brush on a wooden handle, for short, long, wiry and curly coats
From£6.99
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Ancol Ergo Grooming Glove
A rubber grooming glove for dogs, for removing loose hair on wet or dry coats
£9.79
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Ancol Ergo Universal Slicker
A universal slicker brush for dogs, for coats from smooth to curly
From£6.79
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Self-Cleaning Deshedding Slicker Brush
A deshedding grooming tool for dogs and cats that lifts loose undercoat and eases out tangles, with a self-cleaning button that releases the trapped fur in one press.
£25.99
Common questions
- What's the difference between a slicker brush and an undercoat rake?
- A slicker brush has fine, closely-packed pins and is used to work through the coat layer by layer, removing loose hair and small tangles across the whole dog. An undercoat rake has fewer, longer teeth designed to reach further down and pull out dense, matted undercoat that a slicker alone won't shift.
- How do I remove a mat from a goldendoodle's coat?
- Work a small mat apart gently with your fingers or a mat splitter before brushing through it, rather than pulling a slicker brush straight through, which can hurt the dog and tear the coat. A mat that's tight against the skin or won't come apart easily is best left to a professional groomer rather than forced out at home.
- Should I clip a goldendoodle's coat short to make grooming easier?
- It's a genuinely reasonable option, and a shorter clip needs far less daily brushing than a longer coat kept in full length. It's a personal choice about coat length and look rather than a health necessity, provided whatever length you choose is brushed enough to prevent matting.
- Can I use a human hairbrush on a goldendoodle?
- It's better not to — dog-specific slicker brushes and combs are designed for the density and texture of a dog's coat and reach the undercoat far more effectively than a brush made for human hair, which tends to just skim the surface.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.