Dog Training, Breeds, Care, And Health! - Canine HQ
Home / Dog Breed / Golden Retriever
Fine By Breed Name

Explore By Characteristic or Group

View all Breeds

RESOURCES FOR NEW & PROSPECTIVE DOG OWNERS

Find Your Match

Answer a few simple questions and find the right dog for you

Compare Breeds

Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side

Find a Puppy

Nunc bibendum, purus eget tristique fermentum.

Choose your Breed

View the collection of dog breeds we have information on.

Why Get a Dog?

Nunc bibendum, purus eget tristique fermentum.

Breeders

Aenean feugiat metus ac nisi dictum tincidunt Interdum et.
Exclusive Deals, 50%+ Off Good & Toys, Health Information & More!
Register your Dog Today!

Golden Retriever

intelligent / friendly / devoted
Sporting Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

23-24 inches (male)

21.5-22.5 inches (female)

Weight

65-75 pounds (male)

55-65 pounds (female)

Life Expectancy

10-12 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    100% 100%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    20% 20%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    81% 81%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    100% 100%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    80% 80%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    40% 40%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    80% 80%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    100% 100%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    20% 20%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    81% 81%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The Golden Retriever, a vivacious Scottish gundog with exceptional beauty, is one of the most popular dog breeds in America. When they are not working, they exhibit a charming love of life while being dedicated hunters and field workers, serving as guides for the blind and in search and rescue operations. The medium-sized, well-built Golden Retriever is known for its glossy, glistening golden coat, which gives the breed its name. A distinguishing feature of the breed is the large head with its kind and perceptive eyes, short ears, and straight muzzle. When moving, Goldens have a powerful, smooth gait, and their feathery tails are carried with what breed enthusiasts refer to as a “merry action.”

The gamekeepers at Lord Tweedmouth’s estate in Inverness-Shire, Scotland, kept meticulous notes about the evolution of the Golden Retriever from 1835 until roughly 1890. These records may be found in the record books. When Lord Tweedmouth’s great-nephew, the sixth Earl of Ilchester, a historian and sportsman, published information that had been left by his ancestor, it became known to the public through Country Life in 1952. They supported the legends that had been passed down through the generations with genuine evidence. Goldens make friendly, dependable, eager-to-please family dogs who are also rather simple to train. They approach life with excitement and playfulness, and they carry this puppy-like attitude into adulthood. These robust, active gundogs enjoy playing outside. For a breed built to retrieve waterfowl for hours on end, swimming and fetching are natural pastimes.

 

What To Expect When Caring For a Golden Retriever

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Goldens are typically healthy dogs, and ethical breeders will check their breeding stock for diseases like subvalvular aortic stenosis, juvenile cataracts, pigmentary uveitis, and progressive retinal atrophy, as well as conditions affecting the eyes, such as elbow and hip dysplasia. Weekly examinations of Golden's ears for infection symptoms and frequent brushings of the teeth are recommended.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Hip Evaluation
  • NCL DNA Test
  • Elbow Evaluation
  • Cardiac Exam
  • Ophthalmologist Evaluation
     

Grooming

Once or twice a year, goldens heavily lose their thick, water-repellent double coat. They also shed more subtly on a daily basis. A thorough slicker brushing once or twice a week will typically remove most of the dead hair before it has a chance to fall into the furniture. When there is a lot of shedding, these brushing sessions become everyday activities. Although baths assist in removing the dead hair, the dog must be thoroughly dry before brushing. Goldens just occasionally need to be bathed to maintain them clean otherwise. Like all breeds, the Golden's nails require routine trimming.        

Exercise

Goldens need a lot of daily exercises, just like the majority of Sporting breeds. If a Golden doesn't exercise enough, they are more prone to act out. Goldens are excellent running and biking partners, though it is advised to see a veterinarian before beginning any vigorous or high-impact activities that could put stress on the dog's bones and joints. Many Goldens like participating in dog sports like agility, obedience, and tracking as well as going on hunting expeditions or field competitions to gain exercise.    

Training

Puppy training sessions and early socialization are advised for all breeds. The Golden will mature into a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult by being gently introduced to a wide variety of people, places, and situations between the ages of seven weeks and four months. Puppy training lessons aid in socialization and teach owners how to spot and correct any undesirable tendencies that might be forming in their puppies. A Golden retriever's need to please his person is all-consuming, therefore obedience training helps to enhance the link between dog and owner. Golden retrievers are kind, devoted, and eager to please their owners, which makes them simple to train.  

Nutrition

A high-quality dog food appropriate for the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior) will have all the nutrients the breed needs. Some Goldens can become overweight, so watch your dog's calorie consumption and weight level. If you choose to give your dog treats, do so in moderation. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet.

History

The first Lord Tweedmouth, Dudley Marjoribanks, who created the breed in the Scottish Highlands during the reign of Victoria, is the most significant figure in the early history of the Golden Retriever. Tweedmouth meticulously documented the breedings he carried out to produce the ideal gundog for his Guisachan estate in the Highlands of Inverness-shire, Scotland, over the 50 years between 1840 and 1890. Tweedmouth mixed his “Yellow Retriever” with the now-extinct Tweed Water Spaniel in an effort to create a dog that would thrive in the region’s wet weather and rough terrain. The combination also included Bloodhound and Irish Setter.

With a little more refinement after Tweedmouth’s time, the Golden Retriever emerged as an enduring gift to dogkind from a hunt-happy aristocrat. “Through several generations of clever breeding,” an admiring historian wrote, “Tweedmouth created a consistent line of exceptional working retrievers.”

The Golden was first observed at a British dog exhibition in 1908, and at the same time, good examples of the breed started traveling from Canada to the United States. Sport hunters valued the breed’s practicality, show enthusiasts adored its beauty and grace, and everyone was taken aback by the Golden’s gentle, logical disposition.