How To Trim A Golden Retriever [DIY At Home!]

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Do you want to learn how to trim a Golden Retriever? If you’ve answered yes, you’ve come to the right place!

Trimming your Golden Retriever at home not only keeps your pup looking beautiful, but it’s also a great way to save some hard-earned cash!

The thought of trimming your Golden Retriever at home might seem scary, but, rest assured with the right tools and help from this step-by-step guide, you’ll be an expert in no time!

Let’s get started.

How To Trim A Golden Retriever: A Step-By-Step Guide

Whether you’re trimming your Golden’s coat in between grooming visits, or you’re doing it for the very first time, the following step-by-step guide will help you through the process.

If your Golden Retriever is anything like mine, you may have to do things on their time.

By that I mean you might have to trim the legs one day, and the tail the next, and so on. My Golden just doesn’t sit or stand still for any length of time.

It’s all about going slow and making sure your pup is comfortable during the process.

Step 1: Gather Your Tools

Before you begin trimming your Golden’s coat, it’s important to have all of the necessary tools, which include the following:

• Grooming Scissors: It is best to use a high-quality pair of stainless steel scissors specially designed for dog grooming. Scissors are great for detailed work.

• Thinning Shears: Thinning shears are a DIY’er’s best friend. Use them to trim and thin along the neck, belly, tail and legs. They are very forgiving, especially if you’re worried about making a mistake.

• Brush and Comb: A steel-tipped pin brush or a slicker brush is essential for brushing out any tangles before trimming. A stainless steel comb works well too.

• Clippers (Optional): It’s completely optional if you wish to use dog grooming clippers to trim parts of your dog. Many people use them to quickly trim the fur between the paws, as well as larger areas like the bum.

• Treats: Treats always make a new and stressful experience better for your Golden. Make sure to have plenty of your pup’s favourite treats on hand to reward him with good behaviour!

I highly recommend getting yourself a professional grooming kit. It will give you all the tools you need, and will save you from buying everything separately, saving you money!

I like this professional set from Gimars:

This professional set features 4CR titanium-coated stainless steel blade scissors that are sturdy and comfortable to hold with ergonomic handles.

These scissors are solid and sharp, and the blades easily cut through thick hair without pulling.

The ends are rounded for safety, which is great, especially when trimming around the ears and face.

This set includes:

• 6.69″ thinning shears.
• 7″ curved scissors.
• 6.1″ straight scissors.
• 5.1″ straight scissors.
• Stainless steel comb.
• Cleaning cloth and storage case.

Step 2: Prepare The Coat For Trimming

Always start with a clean and dry dog.

If needed, give your dog a bath, and dry his coat before you begin.

Next, you will want to brush your dog’s coat to remove any tangles and mats.

For both brushing and trimming, choose a location that’s comfortable for both you and your dog.

My Golden Retriever Ellie gets brushed outside all the time, so I choose to trim her outside as well. This eliminates the amount of hair in my home.

Step 3: Trimming The Ears

Behind The Ears

• Use thinning shears to trim the hair behind the ears.

• Gently pull your Golden’s ears forward and upwards, and thin the hair with thinning shears.

• Make a few snips, brush it out and see how it looks.

• You may have to repeat the process until you are satisfied with the results. You don’t want to remove all the hair behind the ears, just thin it out so the ear will lay nicely along the neck.

Inside The Ears

• Use thinning shears to trim the hair on the inside of the ear. Be careful not to remove too much hair as it could give a harsh look. You want your Golden to still have a soft look.

• Also, be careful that hair does not fall into the ear canal.

Ear Flap

• Use scissors to trim the hair along the outline of the ear flap to give the ear a neat and tidy look.

• Be careful not to cut the ear!

This short video demonstrates how easily it can be done:

Step 4: Trimming The Feet

Have you ever heard of “Grinch Feet”? Some owners like the grinchy feet look, while others do not.

This term is used to refer to the long hair that grows past your Golden Retriever’s feet.

Trimming the feet is pretty simple, and doing so not only gives a neat and tidy appearance but actually benefits your Golden as well.

Trimmed feet allow your Golden better traction in the house, which is ideal if you have a senior with mobility issues.

Plus, keeping the hair short between the paw pads helps reduce snowballs from sticking in the winter.

• Using a brush or comb, brush the hair on top of the foot back (against hair growth), so that the hair stands up.

• Trim the long hair using regular grooming scissors.

• Trim the hair short enough so that it lays nicely on top of the foot.

• Next, you’ll want to trim the long hair between the paw pads.

• I was able to do this easily while my dog was laying on her side. Hold the paw in your hands and gently and carefully trim using regular grooming scissors.

Step 5: Trimming The Hock

The hock is the joint that is located on your dog’s back legs, just below the knee. It creates that sharp angle just at the back of the legs, it is similar to a human ankle.

Trimming the hock is relatively simple (providing your dog co-operates).

• Have your Golden stand or lay down, either way, works.

• Using a brush or comb, brush against the hair growth.

• Trim along the baseline using regular grooming scissors.

• The hair gets thick here too. You may have to trim then brush, and trim again to get it looking neat and tidy.

Step 6: Trimming The Back Of The Legs

The hair on the back of your Golden’s front legs can get quite long and thick.

You still want it to look feathery, but you can use thinning shears to thin it out.

• Brush or comb the hair out and away from the legs.

• Make a few cuts using thinning shears.

• Repeat the process until you have the desired look.

Thinning shears are great for beginners because they give a forgiving and blended look.

For a more sculpted look, use regular grooming scissors to trim the longer feathering.

You still want to keep some feathering on the legs, but you can make it shorter and more sculpted.

Step 7: Trimming The Neck & Shoulders

Thinning shears are best to use in this area.

Most owners prefer to leave this area longer, so using thinning shears to thin the hair out will give a natural and blended look.

• Make a few snips with the thinning shears.

• Brush and see how it looks.

• Repeat the process until you get the desired look.

• Don’t remove too much hair in this area, or you risk an unnatural look.

Step 8: Trimming The Bum Area

The hair along the bum area just below the tail is referred to as the “pants”. This is always the thickest and fluffiest part of a Golden Retriever.

Using thinning shears you can remove some of the bulk and shorten the length while still leaving the feathering look.

• Make sure your Golden is standing up.

• Start by brushing, then make a few cuts using thinning shears.

• Repeat the process a couple of times to get the look you want.

Step 9: Trimming The Belly Area

You want your Golden to have a bit of feathering along the belly area.

Usually, the hair along the belly is not very thick and doesn’t require any trimming.

If you notice any unruly hair, you can lightly trim this area to remove any scraggly hair.

Step 10: Trimming The Tail

The tail can get quite “bushy” looking if you don’t trim it. You want the tail to have a nice feathery but sculpted look.

• The best position for your dog to be in is standing up or laying on his side.

• Brush the tail out to remove tangles and mats.

• If your dog is standing, you can hold the tail up and make a few cuts with thinning shears to thin it out.

• Brush and repeat.

• For a tidier sculpted look, use regular grooming scissors to make an outline starting at the tip of the tail. The idea is to give it a “half-moon” shape.

• If your dog is laying on his side you can fan the tail out on the ground. Use thinning shears to thin it out, and regular grooming scissors to give it a sculpted look.

Don’t Forget About Trimming The Nails!

Trimming the nails is an important part of your Golden Retriever’s grooming routine. Keeping the nails trimmed will prevent discomfort, pain and possible injury.

Tools You Will Need:

• Nail Clippers: Either Scissor Style or Guillotine Style.

Scissor-style clippers are often preferred over the other. No matter what type you use, make sure they are kept sharp by sharpening them regularly or replacing them.

Below are scissor-style dog nail clippers from BOSHEL, that I highly recommend because they feature razor-sharp stainless steel blades to quickly and easily cut the nails.

They also feature a safety stop blade to reduce the risk of cutting the nails too short (cutting into the quick).

Plus, the ergonomically designed handle makes them comfortable and easy to hold, ensuring a non-slip grip.

• Dremel/Nail Grinder (Optional)

You may prefer to use a Dremel, also known as a nail grinder. This way you can slowly grind down the nail, being careful to avoid grinding into the quick.

• Styptic Powder or Cornstarch

Styptic powder or cornstarch can be used to stop the bleeding if you accidentally cut into the quick.

Simple Step-By-Step Guide To Trimming Your Golden Retriever’s Nails

It may be intimidating at first to trim your pup’s nails, but, the following steps will help guide you through the process:

• Prepare Your Tools: Choose dog nail clippers that you feel most comfortable using, have styptic powder or cornstarch ready, as well as treats to reward your pup.

• Get Your Dog Comfortable: Make sure your Golden Retriever is comfortable with having his paws touched. Touch the paws regularly, reward your pup with treats, and make the experience positive.

• Identify The Quick: The quick is the pink part of the nail that contains blood vessels and nerve endings. Avoid cutting into it, as it will be very painful for your dog and cause bleeding.

• Trim The Nails: Hold your dog’s paw and gently squeeze it to extend the nail. Cut off a small amount of the nail at a time. Always make sure to stay just above the quick. If you accidentally cut into the quick, use styptic powder or cornstarch to stop the bleeding.

• Reward Your Pup: After you finished one nail, reward your pup with praise or a treat. This way your pup associates nail trimming as a positive experience.

• Repeat The Process: Go slow and trim each nail one by one. If your dog starts to feel uncomfortable, take a break and continue later.

• Observe Your Dog’s Nails: Check your Golden’s nails regularly and trim them when necessary.

If you prefer a video tutorial, the following short video demonstrates how to cut your dog’s nails:

If you are unsure about trimming your Golden Retriever’s nails, you can ask your vet or groomer for guidance.

FAQ About Trimming A Golden Retriever

The following are some of the frequently asked questions that owners have about trimming their Golden Retriever.

If you have any additional questions, please leave them in the comments section below.

1. Is It OK To Trim A Golden Retriever?

Yes, it is OK to give your Golden Retriever a light trimming. However, giving your Golden an all-over haircut is not recommended, as you risk permanently damaging the coat.

Golden Retrievers have a double coat, each acting as a layer of protection from the elements.

The water-repellent outer coat which consists of guard hairs protects your pup from dirt, debris and harmful UV rays.

The dense, soft and fluffy undercoat acts as a layer of insulation, keeping your pup warm in the winter.

The undercoat is what sheds heavily twice a year, and in the summer your Golden will be left with a much lighter, less dense undercoat, that will help keep him cool.

2. What Part Of A Golden Retriever’s Coat Needs Trimming?

A Golden Retriever does not need to have an all-over haircut, instead, you only need to trim the feathering to keep the coat looking tidy.

Trimming the hair in and around the ears can help reduce ear infections, as it improves airflow and reduces moisture.

Trimming the hair on the feet and paw pads keeps them neat and tidy, plus, helps with traction control, and prevents snow and ice buildup between the paws.

Trimming the feathering on the back of the legs, tail and bum area, keeps your pup clean and tidy, plus may reduce any tangles or mats.

If you want to trim the fur along your Golden’s neckline and belly you can do so as well. Many people choose to leave the neck hair long but thin it out with thinning shears.

3. Can You Use Clippers On A Golden Retriever?

Yes, you can use clippers on a Golden Retriever. However, it is important to take extra caution and only use high-quality clippers designed for dog grooming.

Human clippers should never be used, as they can overheat easily and burn your dog’s skin.

Clippers can be helpful when trimming larger areas, as well as trimming the feet, to give a neat and tidy appearance.

Make sure that the clippers you use are designed to handle the thick coat of a Golden Retriever. Also, you will want to ensure you have the proper blade size to avoid cutting into the undercoat.

It is also a good idea to desensitize your dog to the sound and feel of clippers before using them on his coat. This will help reduce any anxiety and discomfort your dog may have.

4. What Is The Best Haircut For A Golden Retriever?

As mentioned above, giving your Golden Retriever a haircut is not necessary, and can actually damage your dog’s coat.

Trimming parts of your Golden Retriever such as the feathering is really all that is needed to help keep the coat looking tidy, and brushing regularly of course!!

However, there are many owners that prefer to give their Goldens an all-over haircut.

You may have heard of a summer cut, a puppy cut, or a teddy cut. Essentially, these all mean the same thing, a full-body trim.

If that is something you want for your Golden, that is your choice. However, you want to make sure that you or your groomer do not cut the coat any shorter than 1 inch, this way you leave the undercoat intact.

Keep in mind that using clippers to give your Golden a haircut, may result in the coat not growing back properly.

Essentially, the best haircut for a Golden Retriever is simply just a tidy-up! This means only trimming the feet, ears, tail and bum area.

5. Do Whiskers Need Trimming?

Whiskers are found on your dog’s cheeks, chin, muzzle and above the eyes. Whiskers are pretty essential to your dog as they help him navigate the world around him.

Whiskers are an important part of your dog’s senses, helping your dog navigate in the dark, and they play an important role in hunting, retrieving, and any other activity.

Personally, I would not trim my Golden Retriever’s whiskers. There really is no need to trim them.

However, the choice is yours, and if you accidentally trim them, the good news is that they grow back.

To read more about dog whiskers, check out this article from PetMD.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to trim your Golden Retriever can be a very rewarding experience. You’ll be able to save yourself some money and your Golden Retriever’s coat will be kept neat and tidy.

Trimming a Golden Retriever is relatively simple, as all you really need are a good pair of grooming scissors, thinning shears and a positive attitude!

By following the steps listed above, you’ll be able to take matters into your own hands, and if your Golden is anything like mine, they’ll enjoy all of the extra attention and pampering!

Just remember to go slow, keep your pup comfortable, and have plenty of treats on hand for rewards!

Do you trim your Golden Retriever at home? Are you confident enough to trim your dog’s nails?

Share your stories below, along with any questions you may have. I would love to hear from you!