Grooming a Golden Retriever is nothing short of a nightmare if you don’t have the right tools. Fortunately, many companies manufacture professional equipment for dog grooming. This article will discuss the 11 best thinning shears for Golden Retrievers that are available on Amazon.
The great thing about thinning shears is that they can help you achieve a variety of styles, depending on how you use them. In general, the goal is to remove weight from fur, so it lays flat against your pet’s body.
A sheared coat provides more ventilation for the skin and is much lighter for dogs. Cropped coats are also less prone to matting and tangling. By using shears, you can also give your dog more texture without compromising its coat.
With such a wide variety of dog grooming shears on the market, you should opt for high-quality dog grooming shears that work well and feel comfortable in your hand. You will also need to find a high-quality, sharp, and sturdy set of thinning shears that will make this job easier and less time-consuming.
You can buy the best professional thinning shears for Goldens with thick hair and thin them to make it look like your Golden Retriever has been professionally groomed.
Choosing A Dog Thinning Shear
What to consider before buying dog grooming shears are countless factors that determine the quality of this dog grooming tool. Some of these factors are more important than others, but if you consider them before making a purchase, you’ll know what to expect from your dog grooming shears.
Size and Weight: When it comes to shears, size matters. The best dog grooming shear size and weight for Golden retrievers will be more significant than shears designed for smaller breeds. This is because Golden Retrievers sport thick coats and strong muscles. Their physical features make Golden retrievers more prone to injuries, so you need to use shears that are big enough and sturdy enough to tackle their fur all the while grooming carefully.
Material: The material of the blade is an essential factor to consider. High-quality shears will be made out of stainless steel or titanium, both durable materials that are resistant to rust. This does not mean that you should rule out shears with blades made out of other materials, though. While they tend to be more prone to rust, shears made of different materials will be easier to use and maintain.
Type of Tension: The tension of the shear is responsible for how well it will cut your dog’s coat without causing discomfort to him. Some shears will move smoothly through your dog’s coat, while others will get stuck and require more effort from you. If the tension is too loose, it might not cut your dog’s coat efficiently. However, if the tension is too tight, you’ll have difficulty controlling the shears and will find it challenging to make a graceful cut.
Grip The grip design is essential because shears get slippery when they get covered in dog hair and water from your dog. If the grip is poorly designed, it’ll be hard for you to handle the shears, and they’ll slip out of your hand.
Price: In general, the more expensive shears are sturdier and made out of better materials. However, this doesn’t mean you should opt for the most expensive shears if they don’t fit your budget. You can find high-quality shears that are reasonably priced, but only if you know what to look for. Quality does not always correlate with price, especially if you know where to look.
Brand: Dog grooming shears are often associated with brands, much like any other product you purchase online or offline. The brand of the grooming shears you buy can make a big difference with how well they work and how long they last.
Warranty: Shears are often expensive, so if you invest in one that malfunctions or breaks easily, it might be more cost-effective to buy a new one than to purchase replacement parts or deal with repairs. A warranty can give you peace of mind and save you money in the long run. If your shears come with a warranty, it’s essential to register them as soon as possible so you can get the most out of this feature.
Customer reviews: If you want to learn more about a product, reading customer reviews is always good. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from your grooming set, and you might even discover some tips and tricks that will make using them more accessible. In the worst-case scenario, reading customer reviews will allow you to avoid common issues with dog grooming shears.
In a rush? Here are the top picks for the best thinning shears for Golden Retrievers.
- Pros
- Comes as a dog grooming kit so you can do all your at-home grooming
- Full kit includes a straight shear, curved shear, metal comb, and a thinning scissor
- Perfect kit for at-home dog grooming that is extremely affordable
- Made of high-quality stainless steel
- Sharp thinning shears that will cut through thick hair
- 100% Satisfaction Gaurantee
- Cons
- Does not have rounded tips
The We Love Doodles dog grooming scissors kit is the top pick on our list because it is extremely affordable and comes as a set. You can get this kit for the same price as one Andis thinning scissor.
The kit includes a straight scissor, curved scissor, thinning shear, and meta comb. It is made of sharp stainless steel and comes with a nice bag. Additionally, all of the handles are ergonomic and easy to hold, so your hand won’t get tired as your think of our Golden Retrievers’ dog hair.
The company also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you aren’t happy with the product. Simply contact them and ask for a refund.
Features
- Thinning scissor has lots of sharp teeth
- Extremely affordable
- Satisfaction guarantee
- Durable stainless steel
- Ergonomic design
- Pros
- High-quality stainless steel
- Lightweight yet heavy-duty
- Recommended by groomers and vets alike
- Suitable for Goldens
- Ergonomic design
- Features an adjustable screw for tension control
- Cons
- Scissors are shorter than most other brands on this list
Gladog professional grooming shears for Golden Retrievers features over 4,000 positive reviews. The round tip of these thinning shears is made of high-quality 4CR titanium coated stainless steel. They will cut the undercoat without damaging the topcoat so your Golden will never feel itchy.
These shears have a rounded tip for optimal safety while grooming your Golden. The ergonomic handles make it a joy to use these shears, and the spring applied to them keeps you from losing your grip.
Features
- Affordable
- 90-Day money back guaranteed
- Crafted with heavy-duty stainless steel
- Soft finger ring inserts
- Rounded tips
- Over 6,600 positive reviews
- Pros
- Ergonomic offset handle
- Adjustable screw
- Ease of use
- The kit allows for complete body grooming
- Rounded tips are ideal for safe facial trimming around the eyes, nose, and ears.
- Cons
- Scissors are shorter, so it won't work well for larger-sized dogs.
Gimars 4 CR stainless steel grooming scissors for Golden Retrievers is another dog grooming product with over 5,500 positive reviews. The Golden retriever grooming products come in a kit, saving you time and money. These also feature an adjustable screw and ergonomic handle for easy Golden retriever grooming.
Features
- Affordable
- It comes in a Golden retriever grooming kit
- Scissor sound eliminator
- 4 CR titanium coated scissors
- Over 5,500 positive reviews
- Pros
- Well-balanced pre-sharpened fine tools
- Tension control system to regulate blades to a broader or thinner position for thicker or thinner hair
- For home or professional use
- Suitable for grooming dogs, cats, puppies, and other pets
- Perfect for body head paw trimming and shaping
- Developed and designed by dog experts
- Features premium grade stainless steel.
- Cons
- Not has high-quality steel as some of the other brands on the list
The Rubold professional dog grooming kit features shears together with a complete grooming kit. Pet groomers and pet parents highly recommend this kit. The scissors feature tension control for a quiet and smooth cut.
They’re suitable for cutting, trimming, thinning, blending, and finishing. The rounded end tips are crafted for extra safety when grooming sensitive areas such as the face, nose, ears, eyes, paws, or body. These scissors will stay sharp through many hours of use!
Features
- Kit features three types of grooming scissors plus a grooming comb for mats and tangles
- Scissors are good for spot-trimming, touch-ups, overall trimming, detailing, shaping, or blending
- Priced affordably
- Can extend finger holes for comfort
- Pros
- Crafted to use for shortening, texturizing, and blending
- Effective around the face and the inside corners of the eyes
- Ergonomic, offset handles designed for all-day use and superior control
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Soft-grip finger inserts
- Cons
- More expensive than some of the other shears on our list.
These are professional-grade shears featuring cryogenically tempered Japanese stainless steel that can withstand heavy use with ease. The ergonomic offset handles are exceptionally crafted for all-day use and provide optimal and comfortable control.
There are soft-grip finger inserts and oil included. This is for maintaining cutting performance and maximizing comfortability. We like these because they’re easy to use and extremely Lightweight.
Features
- Professional-grade straight shears measure 8 inches long
- Good for fine-tuning the clipping of wire coats
- Japanese stainless steel
- Suitable for left-handed groomers as well
- Pros
- Features one smooth blade and one comb-tooth blade
- Cuts the individual hairs at a range of lengths, avoiding and smoothing out the "choppy" look left by clippers
- 28 teeth on the serrated comb blade make this an excellent general-purpose shearing scissor
- Pre-sharpened to a perfect cutting edge
- Pre-sharpened to an ideal cutting edge and comfort
- Lightweight & sharp
- Cons
- Doesn't cut through thicker dog hair.
Pet Magasin are premium quality thinning shears for thinning out dog’s fur and blending shorter and longer fur areas. These shears provide a professional finishing touch to home grooming, leaving your dog’s coat looking smooth and healthy. We like these thinning shears because they are made with high-quality Japanese steel.
These shears allow for the perfect finish on all dog breeds with different types of coats. They feature one smooth blade and one comb-tooth blade. This combination cuts the individual hairs at various lengths, avoiding and smoothing out the “choppy” look left by clippers and other scissors.
Pet Magasin quality thinning shears blend longer and shorter fur areas, making your pet’s coat look natural and smooth. You can use these shears after grooming with clippers or by themselves to lightly thin the coat.
Features
- Ergonomic & comfortable handles
- Grips on these shears are molded to fit either right- or left-handed use
- Priced well
- Crafted for precise control needed for good results
- Strong ABS plastic grip
- Golden screw
- 2-year warranty
- 100% money-back guarantee
- Over 5,600 positive reviews
- Pros
- Ergonomic offset handle
- Adjustable screw
- 1-year warranty
- Japanese 440-C steel
- Suitable for a soft blended finish
- Convex edges and hollow-ground blades
- Crafted with comfortable scissor grip and optimum control
- Cons
- More expensive dog thinning shear
The Jason dog grooming thinning and blending scissors feature over 1,000 positive ratings and work well for general scissoring on most dog breeds. These scissors are specially designed for pet parents and groomers with carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or shoulder or back problems.
They have a buffering effect to avoid noise that may stress out your furbaby while grooming. We like these shearing scissors because they feature 7″ thinning shears for dogs and work well for bulk thinning. They also feature 50 teeth and are crafted with specially hardened Japanese 440C steel for extra durability. Here’s the takeaway:
Features
- Lightweight and easy to control
- Priced well for multi-pet homes
- Over 1,100 positive ratings
- Good for everyday cutting
- Easy to use for beginners
- Pros
- Recommended by groomers and vets alike
- Groomers recommend these
- Very sharp
- Shiny polish with gold accent screw
- Features high-quality stainless steel.
- Lightweight yet heavy-duty
- Cons
- Steel isn't as durable as some of the other thinning scissors on our list
The Sharf Gold Touch feature 6.5 Inch 42-Teeth Thinning Shears for dogs. These pet shears are made with 440c Japanese stainless steel and can be used for either professional or home grooming. Sharf features a shiny polished finish, gold accent screw & plate, gold, rubber, and removable comfort rings. There is also a close snap case included with each pair.
Features
- High-quality 440c Japanese Stainless Steel
- 42-tooth dog thinning shears
- Removable rubber comfort rings
- Snap close case included
- Pros
- Superior control
- Soft-grip finger inserts
- Maximized comfort
- Durable, high-gloss mirror finish
- Good for thick coats
- Cons
- Not a thinning shear, but a great overall dog scissor
This is another Andis brand that features over 3,300 positive reviews. They are specially designed for curved surfaces like a Poodle’s head. The curved blade is suitable for finishing the chest and rib cage area.
These are cryogenically tempered Japanese stainless steel precision-crafted shearing scissors for dogs and are great for heavy use. We like these because they’re designed for all-day use and are crafted to feature superior control when grooming.
Features
- Right-handed or left-handed options
- High-quality Japanese stainless steel
- Ergonomic, offset handles
- Over 3,300 positive reviews
- Suitable for every style, every groom, and every cut on all dog breeds
- Pros
- Unique soft-grip finger holes
- Built-in finger rests
- Easy to use
- Suitable for ears, paws, face, and general grooming
- 3 sizes to choose from for all dog breed sizes
- Designed for fine finishing work and perfecting the correct coat length
- Crafted with Japanese stainless steel with micro serration for exceptional durability and precision performance
- Rounded tips are ideal for safe facial trimming around eyes, nose, and ears
- Everguard coating cuts easily without catching on fur.
- Cons
- Not that great for thinning larger Golden Retrievers
Conair PRO grooming shears for dogs feature rounded tips for added safety and are priced affordably. These feature 6″ rounded tip straight shears that are designed for optimal finishing and perfecting your dog’s coat length. They work well on both dogs and cats.
Features
- Safe rounded tips for beginners and at home grooming
- Everguard blade finish
- Affordable
- High-quality Conair shears
- Ergonomic design
How to Choose a Thinning Shear For A Golden Retriever
Type
If you are not a professional groomer, it is unnecessary to purchase all types of dog shears, but you can opt for something that will work for your dog breed’s type of coat. The thickness of your dog breed’s coat, the amount of curliness, and the kind of haircut are some essential factors to think about. If you need precision and pattern cuts, opt for curved grooming scissors.
Size
It would be best to opt for shorter grooming scissors that work well for small dog breeds and larger ones for large dog breeds. For most newcomers to home clipping and shearing, 8-inch shears work well and are easy to use.
On the other hand, 9 to 10 inches are suitable for clipping a large amount of your dog’s hair. On the other hand, 6 to 7 inches are eligible to use for small dog breeds. Lastly, 4-inch shearing scissors for dogs will give you the best precision cut. They are also the safest to use on hard-to-reach and difficult areas, especially on the dog’s face.
Weight
It’s best to opt for something easy for you to use. The most popular weight for dog grooming shears is between 4 to 6 ounces. You have to allow for a weight that does not tire out your hands while grooming. Keep in mind that when using shearing scissors, it’s essential to aim for accuracy and precision.
Blade
You should opt for shearing scissors with high-quality blades, even if it’s to cut a thin coat. Stainless steel or titanium-coated blades are the best options because these are high-grade scissor shearing materials that are durable enough for grooming and won’t break apart after being used a few times.
Blade material
Both stainless steel and titanium-coated blades are good options. Japanese Hitachi stainless steel is one of the best materials if you’re opting for a high-quality dog shearing tool. Titanium is lightweight and is almost 50% lighter than steel. They also offer the best in both performance and sharpness. Titanium adds strength to the steel in scissors and allows for long-term use.
Blade tip
Bullnose (rounded tips), standard edge, and broader blades are the three most popular types of blade tips for shears. The bullnose is good to use on delicate parts of your dog’s body. However, the standard edge shearing scissors for dogs are suitable for trimming different dog breeds. Lastly, broader blades have more extended tips that are used on heavier and coarser dog breed coats.
Blade type
Dog grooming shears come in three common blade types – convex, semi-convex, and beveled edge. Curved edges create smoother and more precise cutting results. Semi-convex shears have narrower beveled edges, which make them sharper and more durable.
Beveled/serrated edge blades are the cheapest. They can still clip through thick dog coats but are unsuitable for more advanced grooming techniques and hard-to-reach areas.
Tips on how to use dog grooming shears
Before you use your shears, it’s essential to prepare them for the job. First and foremost, make sure they are sharp enough to cut your dog’s fur. You can do this by cutting through a piece of paper, which simulates the thickness of your dog’s coat. If the scissors can easily cut through the paper, you’re good to go.
Keep in mind that dog grooming shears can lose their sharpness over time, so you might need to replace yours every once in a while. If your shears are sharp enough, it’s time to prepare your dog for grooming.
Your dog should be standing on a grooming table, which will make it easier to work on the coat on his back. You can then use a comb to remove any tangles or mats and start brushing your dog’s coat in the direction it grows. The same thing applies if you’re working on your dog’s fur while she is lying down.
Tips on how to maintain dog grooming shears
Grooming shears can get dirty when you remove mats from your dog’s coat. This dirt and debris can cause the shears to rust over time, so you should clean them after every grooming session.
You can either hand-wash your shears or use a dishwasher, but you shouldn’t immerse them in water for too long. Make sure to dry your shears entirely before using them again, and lubricate your scissors with a drop of sewing machine oil from time to time.
In addition, you should sharpen your shears when they start getting dull. This will make cutting through your dog’s coat easier, but sharpening your shears is only necessary when they lose their edge. If you keep them sharp, your shears will work just fine.
Grooming shears vs. scissors for dogs
When it comes to grooming your dog, you might be tempted to use scissors for dogs. After all, they’re similar to grooming shears, and they come in smaller sizes that are better suited for smaller dogs. However, there are some fundamental differences between scissors and grooming shears that you need to know about.
Scissors vs. shears
Scissors and shears are both tools that you use to cut things, but they aren’t the same. Scissors consist of two blades connected at the top by a handle, and each edge usually comes to a sharp point. Shears have two blades, but they are generally longer and connected at the back. Shears also have more of a cutting edge than scissors do.
Grooming shears are designed to cut through thick, coarse fur. If you have a long-haired dog, grooming shears are an essential part of the grooming process.
Scissors are usually smaller, making them better suited for trimming fur on your dog’s face, paws, and tail. However, you can still use scissors for all parts of your dog’s body if you don’t want to spend money on grooming shears.
Conclusion for Best Thinning Shears For Golden Retrievers
Dog grooming isn’t just about bathing your Golden Retriever or cutting his nails. Dog grooming also includes inspecting the coat, cleaning his eyes, ears, and teeth, and cutting his fur.
Make sure you choose the best dog grooming shears for Golden Retrievers to make this process easier, and take your Golden retriever to the dog groomer if you don’t want to do it yourself.
Grooming Golden Retrievers also doesn’t take that long, so you can do it immediately after your Golden retriever comes home from the dog park. If you neglect your Golden retriever’s grooming needs, he might develop mats or tangles that can cause severe discomfort. In addition, your Golden retriever’s coat will become excessively oily and greasy if you neglect his grooming for too long. This will cause foul odors and can even result in a Golden retriever with skin problems.
Check out this video on how to groom your Golden Retriever:
Claudia Bensimoun is a writer who specializes in dog content and veterinary topics! Aside from writing for We Love Doodles, Claudia also writes for other major dog blogs like Fido Friendly, Animal Wellness Magazine, and the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA). She has a ghostwritten over 50 different dog e-books. Her passions include animal welfare, veterinary research, and wildlife conservation.
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