Golden Retriever: Everything you need to know about the breed
Quick facts about the Golden Retriever breed:
Weight: Males 29-32 kg and females 25-29 kg
Height at the withers: : Males 58-62 cm, females 53-55 cm
Energy level: Medium
Life expectancy: 10-13 years
Tendency to drool: Low
Tendency to snore: Slight
Tendency to bark: Medium
Digging tendency:: Low
Social Needs:: High
Bred for: : Retrieving; nowadays also as a family dog
Colours: Various shades of gold
Health Concerns: Generally a healthy and sound breed, but at risk for hip and elbow problems, among others.
Golden Retrievers are versatile and immensely popular dogs. They love to be occupied and to work – remember, they were originally bred to be retrieving bird dogs! Golden Retrievers are known for being intelligent, playful, affectionate, and loving to carry things! They often work well with children and other dogs.
Grooming
The coat comes in various shades of gold, with some individuals being almost white while others are dark gold. The long coat is water-repellent and requires regular brushing. A Golden needs to be bathed as needed; they love water – both clean and dirty – so it’s a good idea to always have a dog shampoo ready at home for when a bath is needed.
Claw
Your dog's claws need regular care, of course! Claws should be clipped when needed, but it's recommended not to wait too long. Clipping them once a month might be just right. It’s better to trim a little and often than a lot and rarely. You need to get your dog used to having its claws clipped from an early age. In our Your dog's claws need to be taken care of, of course! Claws should be clipped when needed, but a recommendation is not to wait too long, once a month may be just about right. It's better to clip a little and often than a lot and rarely. You need to get your dog used to having its claws clipped from an early age, in the claw clipping course we give you our best tips on how to clip your dog's claws!
Lameness
Because a Golden Retriever is a large dog, lameness problems are slightly more common. You can learn more about the different types of lameness and what to do if your dog is lame in the general lameness general lameness course.
Weight control
Golden Retrievers are often food-lovers and don't usually turn down treats. Because of this, there's a risk they might eat a little more than they actually need. As a Golden owner, you need to help your dog maintain the correct weight. You can do this partly by learning about Weight Control, but also by learning how to determine if your dog's coat condition is good, which you can learn about in this video.
Stomach problems
Food-loving Goldens sometimes eat things that aren't very good for dogs, which can lead to vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Vomiting and diarrhoea are common reasons why owners take their dogs to the vet, but in many cases, you can treat your dog for vomiting and/or diarrhoea at home. Learn more about when you can and can't treat your dog at home yourself here.
Socialisation
Remember to socialise your dog. We recommend starting environmental training at an early age. You need to let your dog experience both sounds and places that it will encounter when it's an adult. Learn more about socialisation and environmental training here.
