Mary Allen
The Golden Retriever, which originated in Great Britain, has been one of the most popular dog breeds for many years and is kept in numerous countries as a retriever, but also as a companion and family dog. The British Kennel Club recognized the breed as a separate breed in 1913. The breed standard of the Golden Retriever is listed under No. 111 by the FCI in Group 8: Retriever dogs, search dogs, water dogs, Section 1: Retriever dogs, with a working test.
Golden Retriever Dog Breed Information
Size: 51-61cm
Weight: 25-35kg
FCI Group: 8: Retrievers – Search dogs – Waterdogs
Section: 1: Retrievers
Country of origin: Great Britain
Colors: gold, dark gold, light gold, cream
Life expectancy: 10-13 years
Suitable as: hunting, guide, police, rescue, family, and companion dog
Sports: agility, flyball, dummy training, obedience, fetch
Temperament: Intelligent, Kind, Friendly, Confident, Reliable, Trustworthy
Leaving requirements: high
Drooling potential: rather high
The thickness of hair: high
Maintenance effort: rather high
Coat structure: smooth, wavy and dense, water-repellent undercoat
Child friendly: yes
Family dog: yes
Social: yes
Origin and Breed History
The ancestors of most retriever species are the St. John’s dogs from Canada, which were bred by the local fishermen in Newfoundland in particular as hard-working and extremely resilient working dogs. The dogs were used to pull the boat lines out of the water. In the 19th century, there was a brisk fish trade between Newfoundland and England so the breed came to England with British merchant ships in the 19th century.
There they crossed different breeds like St. John’s dogs with Irish Setters. This is how the Wavy-Coated Retriever came about. In 1864, Lord Tweedmouth bought a yellow Wavy-Coated Retriever. His dog was mated in 1868 to a Tweed Water Spaniel bitch who was very fond of water and retrieval. Various breeders from the British upper class developed dog breeds from them, which are mainly used for hunting waterfowl and small game, such as the Golden Retriever, the Labrador Retriever, or the Flat-Coated Retriever.
Nature & Temperament of the Golden Retriever
A Golden Retriever is very willing to learn and adaptable. This friendly breed is particularly people-oriented and very attached to families. “Goldies”, as they are also affectionately known, are usually extremely good-natured and child-friendly, which is why they have increasingly evolved from the original hunting companion to a pure companion and family dog over the past few decades.
Its playfulness, intelligence, and “will to please” attitude have also led to the Golden Retriever appearing in movies as a lead or supporting actor, leading to the spread of this breed contributed. This breed is also frequently encountered when used as a guide dog or therapy dog, rescue dog and companion dog for the disabled, and even as a sniffer dog for the police and customs, which means that the Goldie can be described as an all-round dog in the truest sense of the word. He is hardly suitable as a watchdog or protection dog because his friendliness does not only extend to his caregivers. He is simply friendly and trusting towards everyone. All his life he is a very playful and temperamental dog.
The golden retriever’s love of water has been preserved, so these dogs love to swim and should be given at least the opportunity to do so every now and then. The breed is generally very active and willing to exercise but tends to become overweight if there is too little exercise and activity. Even if the Goldie is kept purely as a family dog, it should be offered sufficient exercise and activity. Its barely pronounced game sharpness does not allow it to poach or stray. Once they get used to them, they can usually be kept together with other animals in the household without any problems.
The Appearance of the Golden Retriever
Along with its lovable nature, of course, its attractive appearance has also made the Golden Retriever so popular. The medium-sized dog with its sporty, muscular body looks very harmonious. Males reach a shoulder height of 56 to 61 centimeters, bitches remain somewhat smaller at 51-56 cm and weigh between 25 and 40 kilograms. The rounded head with the dark, friendly-looking eyes, the black nose, and the softly hairy floppy ears always give an amiable impression, and especially when they are puppies, a Goldie seems to smile all the time.
While the double-layered fur with the dense, water-repellent undercoat lies flat or slightly wavy on the back, it forms long feathering on the chest, belly, legs, and tail. According to the standard, the coat color should be a gold or cream tone of different shades, red or mahogany are undesirable. While the image of the breed has been dominated in Europe in recent years by very light cream-colored, almost white Goldies, the dark golden variants are more likely to be found in the USA and Canada. A few white hairs on the chest are permissible.
In some breed descriptions, a distinction is often made between the working and the show line of the Golden Retriever. The work line is described as darker, performance-oriented, sporty, and agile, while the show line is presented as light, comfortable and powerful. The generally applicable breed standard does not provide for such a distinction and makes it clear that every Goldie has the ability to perform the breed-typical work and anything else is to be considered a fault.
How Big Does a Golden Retriever Get?
Bitches reach a shoulder height of about 51-56 centimeters, males are larger with 56-61 centimeters. The weight should be between 25 and 40 kilograms depending on size.
Training & Keeping of the Golden Retriever – This is Important to Consider
Even if the Golden Retriever is described as a very easy-going and intelligent breed, these dogs, like all other four-legged friends, need loving, consistent training in order to feel safe and secure in their human pack. Patience and empathy are needed to turn the boisterous, cute puppy into a well-behaved dog. Early socialization should be practiced through a variety of human and dog contacts and a wide variety of environmental stimuli in order to allow the dog to appear calm and confident in every situation. His “Will to Please” makes a Golden Retriever a suitable dog for beginners.
Since a Goldie is extremely attached to its people and prefers to be with them all the time, training based on positive reinforcement and rewards can be wonderfully integrated into everyday life. The very intelligent and eager to learn dog is also happy about special challenges that can be set for him, for example, in different dog sports disciplines. Above all, tracking or dummy work comes very close to his original use as a hunting assistant and is therefore particularly important to him.
It is important for the keeping of this breed that the dog has family contact and does not have to stay at home alone for hours every day. A house with a garden is ideal, but with appropriate exercise and workload, Goldie also feels comfortable in an apartment. An isolated kennel is not appropriate to the species and, in the worst case, leads to severe behavioral disorders in the dog.
How Much Does a Golden Retriever Cost?
A healthy puppy from reputable breeding costs between $1000 and $2000.
Diet of the Golden Retriever
Depending on the activity level, age, and general state of health, Goldie needs high-quality food with appropriate energy content. Whether a ready-made, well-balanced dry or wet food is chosen from a specialist retailer or the daily ration is freshly prepared yourself depends primarily on how much time and effort the dog owner can invest. When it comes to fresh food, the exact mixture of ingredients is particularly important in order to avoid long-term deficiency symptoms.
In any case, the nutritional status of this breed must always be kept in mind and the size of the ration must be adjusted if necessary since Goldies in particular tend to be overweight with little exercise. A dog of this size should also have its daily ration divided into two smaller portions to prevent the risk of life-threatening stomach torsion. Fresh, clean water must always be available to the dog, regardless of feeding times.
Healthy – Life Expectancy & Common Diseases
After the Golden Retriever became extremely well known and popular, especially in the 1980s and 90s, the number of puppies offered for sale also increased by leaps and bounds. Numerous dogs were soon “produced” outside of the breed associations, as quick money could be made with the cute puppies. Unscrupulous dog breeders didn’t attach any importance to health and temperament, since the focus was only on profit. The formerly very robust and healthy breed has suffered as a result, and to this day there are still numerous hereditary diseases in the Golden Retriever. However, through the very consistent breeding selection and the regulations within the official breeding clubs, an attempt is made to minimize the risk of disease inheritance.
Breed-typical diseases are for example:
- Elbow Dysplasia (ED);
- Hip dysplasia (HD);
- Eye diseases (retinal atrophy and cataracts);
- Epilepsy;
- Allergies.
Joint problems such as ED and HD can be reduced by targeted breeding selection. It is all the more important that you always buy your Golden Retriever puppy from a selected breeder who is subject to strict breeding approval requirements. Experienced breeders want the parents to be healthy and the puppies to grow up in a good environment.
Of course, it is also important to regularly check the ears, eyes, and paws of the animal. If you notice anything unusual, see a veterinarian as soon as possible. A Golden Retriever from such a breed has a relatively long life expectancy of around 12-15 years.
How Old Do Golden Retrievers Get?
Assuming healthy breeding and species-appropriate husbandry, the Goldie has a life expectancy of 12-15 years.
Grooming the Golden Retriever
Grooming a Golden Retriever is actually not a big deal. However, you should brush your dog more often, especially in summer, to brush out the dead hair from the undercoat. Then he is not so warm. You should always dry your dog thoroughly after swimming in a lake or pond or walking in the rain. This is how you avoid illness. Even in the cold season, you should make sure that you free him of ice and snow before his fur can clump together. This breed of dog does not require frequent bathing and should only be done in an emergency.
The external auditory canals of floppy-eared dogs must be checked regularly for dirt and possible inflammation. Ear infection in dogs is characterized by frequent scratching, violent shaking of the head, and, in the worst case, an unpleasant smell from one or both ears and should be treated by the vet as soon as possible.
Annual vaccinations against the most important infectious diseases, as well as regular deworming and occasional health checks at the vet, are also part of caring dog care.
Golden Retriever Activities and Training
Originally a hunting and retriever dog, the Golden Retriever is very agile and likes to move around, and he really wants to be kept busy. Long daily walks should be scheduled as a minimum activity, whereby the paths can be varied and made interesting with fetch and search games. The Goldie is also a wonderful companion on hikes or next to the horse.
This breed feels at home in dog sports – especially track work such as mantrailing or dummy training, but obedience is also ideal. For dog owners who want more and want a particularly close bond with their retriever, we recommend working with a rescue or search dog squadron. A Golden Retriever can also be trained very well as a therapy companion dog.
How Much Time Does a Golden Retriever Need?
This breed is very active and wants to be challenged. You should spare at least 1-2 hours a day in which you can devote yourself fully to your dog.
Good to Know: Peculiarities of the Golden Retriever
Its attractive appearance and ease of training have earned the Golden Retriever numerous appearances in films and commercials. American feature films such as “Bailey – A Friend for Life” or “Air Bud – Champion on Four Paws” each have a Goldie as the main actor. Shadow the golden retriever shares public favor with Bulldog Chance and cat Sassy in Disney’s Homecoming and the sequel Animal Trio.
Cons of the Golden Retriever
The only disadvantage of this breed is that it became so incredibly popular and thus became the focus of dubious, sometimes criminal dog dealers. The wild reproduction of pedigree dogs under unspeakably cruel conditions, without regard for losses and without the slightest feeling for the ability of these highly social creatures to suffer has led, among other things, to the fact that the breed is affected by various hereditary diseases. Every responsible dog owner will not only focus on the price when looking for a puppy but will under no circumstances support this animal misery financially by buying such a dog.
Is the Golden Retriever Right for Me?
The Golden Retriever makes a wonderful family pet that is very active, playful, and kid-friendly. If you have informed yourself in advance about the basics of dog ownership, the breed is also very suitable as a beginner’s dog. And even sprightly seniors can stay active and on the move with a Goldie – maybe even an older dog that has lost its home through no fault of its own can get a second chance. Both the breeding clubs and animal welfare organizations are happy to give such dogs to new loving owners.
First of all, it doesn’t matter whether the Golden Retriever is kept in an apartment or a house. The most important thing is physical balance. Since this dog breed is a working dog breed in origin, the Golden Retriever also wants to be kept busy. The puppy grows into a medium-sized dog and is very playful throughout his life. A garden to run around in would of course be ideal. Retrieval games are fun for him, easy to implement, and keep him fit. Of course, you should always remember that the Golden is a dog that is incredibly keen to be a part of family life. That’s why you should involve him in all your activities as much as possible.
Who is a Golden Retriever Suitable For?
Although this breed is originally a hunting and retriever dog, it is also ideal as a family dog, companion for sprightly seniors, or therapy dog.