Golden Retrievers: everything you need to know

What’s the most popular dog breed in the United States? If you guessed Golden Retriever, you wouldn’t be far wrong. Goldens and their Labrador cousins have held the top spots for years now, and we can’t say we’re surprised. Gentle, loving and playful, Golden Retrievers have been by the sides of us humans for the best part of two centuries, with their ancestors bred for waterfowl retrieval back in the 1800s. 

If you’d like to learn more about their history, training tips, Golden Retriever puppies, grooming guidelines and more, we’ve got heaps of Golden Retriever know-how right here. Whether you’re welcoming pet sitters for your Goldie or you’re thinking about house sitting soon, read on for (almost) everything you need to know about this luscious-locked breed (because in this case, blondes do have more fun).

Golden Retriever characteristics 

Origin: Scotland. Between the years of 1840 and 1890, Dudley Marjoribanks, the first Lord of Tweedmouth, developed a highly effective gun dog to work across his Guisachan estate in the Highlands, Scotland.

Size: Male Golden Retrievers grow to between 23 and 24 inches tall, weighing between 65 and 75 pounds. Females grow to between 21.5 and 22.5 inches tall and weigh between 55 and 65 pounds.

Character: Golden Retrievers are the ultimate family dog and working dog - playful, gentle and intelligent, they’re the perfect all-rounder (unless you’re not a fan of dog drool…).

Grooming: These thick, double-coated cuties are pretty high maintenance on the grooming front. Avoid tangling with daily brushing, bath around once a month, brush their teeth around twice a week and trim their nails once a month if they’re not worn down naturally (if you live in a rural area, it’s likely they’ll need to be trimmed).

Health needs: They’re generally healthy dogs, but are prone to a few complications and diseases. The Golden Retriever Club of America recommends a few different health clearances, including hip, elbow and Ophthalmologist examinations, as well as an NCL DNA test and a cardiac exam.

Energy levels: These are super active pups who need an equally active pack to stay happy and healthy. It’s no surprise if we consider their working background that they need at least 60 minutes of hard exercise per day, along with mental stimulation at home. If you’re welcoming a Golden Retriever puppy home, take the exercise slowly and gently in their first two years of life - they won’t need nearly as much as their adult counterparts.

Training: Golden Retrievers are easy to train and thrive with agility training. Like with all dogs, consistent positive reinforcement-based training and early socialization is key.

Intelligence: They’re highly intelligent pups! Golden Retrievers were bred for work, so a clever dog was vital for fulfilling their purpose.

Lifespan: 10-12 years.

Noise levels: Golden Retrievers will bark when it’s necessary, not all the time. Be prepared for their loud, booming bark when it comes though!

Golden Retriever appearance

It’s no surprise that since their beginnings in the Highlands of Scotland, the once working dog has become a household staple in the pooch loving world. Just look at that golden coat and those warm, loving eyes! 

As their name suggests, Golden Retrievers are gifted with the most luxurious warm-colored coat. Depending on the type of Golden Retriever coat though, you’ll find various colors (and names for them). These range from light golden to cream, and dark golden to mid golden, and are often referred to with different names. These include…

• Red Golden Retriever - rocks an autumnal, amber-like gold.
• White Golden Retriever - coated in chic, pale cream fur.
• English cream Golden Retriever - same as the above!

On the physique front, the Golden Retriever size is pretty consistent, with male Retrievers growing up to 24 inches tall and females 22.5, and healthy adult males weighing up to 75 pounds, and females 65. Their stature can vary from broad to lean and sporty, and all Goldies rock that iconic feathered tail - something that dumpy, fluff-covered Golden Retriever puppies are yet to grow into. Golden Retriever mix dogs are different again, with many rocking that irresistible golden coat, varying in stature, personality and height.

Golden Retriever personality

There’s a reason Golden Retrievers are so popular amongst families - they’re the ultimate family pups! Golden Retriever puppies and their adult counterparts are eager to please and love nothing more than spending time with their pack. They’re also intelligent, playful and outgoing, so they're super fun to be around for any active family. All of these traits make sense, if we think about their working background - their eagerness to please, brains and compatibility with the humans around them make these fluffballs the perfect working (and of course non-working) companions.

Golden Retriever temperament

Golden Retrievers have a joyful approach to life, all the way from puppyhood into adulthood. While some pups lose the light-hearted nature of their earlier years, Golden Retrievers hold onto that adorable upbeat disposition. While these cuties are known as great family dogs, their playfulness is well meaning, but sometimes boisterous. Their sheer size, weight and powerful tails makes small children an easy target. While it’s highly unlikely a Goldie would ever deliberately hurt a small child, it’s a bad idea to welcome a fully-grown pooch into your household if your children are particularly small and easily knocked over when playtime picks up!

What’s the ideal home for a Golden Retriever?

Golden Retrievers are large dogs with zest for life and a whole lot of energy to burn, so it’s important to have a yard sizeable enough for games of fetch and runarounds- it’s great for bonding and a fab way to keep your pooch mentally and physically stimulated throughout the day. Goldies are great with children, and don’t mind a busy home. Like with all dogs though, it’s important to always be around when children are spending time with your pooch. And if you’re thinking about welcoming Golden Retriever puppies into your home and you’ve got very small children, it could be worth waiting until your children are large enough to hold their own during play time! While Golden Retrievers are well-meaning and loving, their sheer size leaves small children vulnerable to getting accidentally knocked over or hurt.

What’s the ideal human for a Golden Retriever?

Bred to be around their humans most of the time, Golden Retrievers will be happiest in a home where their pet parents are around most of the time. So, if you mostly work from home, you’re onto a winner with these cuties. If you’re thinking about welcoming Golden Retriever puppies into your home, it can be tempting to take time off work and spend all the time with your pup that you can. While this will result in  a jumping-for-joy puppy, it’s important to give your pup the time they need, while reflecting the contact time they’ll have as adults. 

When it comes to your activity levels, it’s important that Goldie pet parents have the stamina to keep up with their pet family. As Golden Retrievers will need a minimum of an hour of exercise per day, plus stimulation at home, you’ll need to be prepared to keep up with that, too. If one daily walk gets a bit samey for you, great news, as Golden Retrievers love all kinds of activity. From long runs to bike rides and swims, they also love to get involved in canine sports like tracking, obedience and agility. In other words, the possibilities are pretty endless for Goldie pet parents!

Feeding a Golden Retriever

No matter how cute your Golden Retriever, don’t give into those puppy eyes! Like with any dog, it’s important for pet parents to know how much their pooch should be eating. Golden Retriever puppies should be given a slow increase of food to make sure they’re growing at just the right pace, with bowl amounts adjusted during adulthood. And for Goldens of all ages, investing in high quality Golden Retriever dog food will result in a happy, healthy, energetic pooch. When it comes to the amount you should be feeding your Golden, it depends on a whole host of factors, including their age, height, gender, activity levels, and any health issues they might be experiencing. And like any dog, Golden Retrievers LOVE their food, so closely monitor their weight, keep treats moderate and visit your vet if you’re worried about your pup’s weight.

How to groom a Golden Retriever

Goldens are blessed with the most luxurious double coat - the undercoat is thick, and the outer is dense and water repellent (don’t miss our section on Golden Retriever history to find out why!). Golden Retriever shedding is a fact of life, so be prepared for lots of brushing. To avoid matting and tangles, gently brush your Goldie once a day and make bathtime a monthly occurrence. And when it comes to trimming, Golden Retrievers will usually have their ears, feet, neck and tail pruned to keep them looking smart. If you’re not comfortable with doing this yourself, head to the groomers.

Tips for training a Golden Retriever

Firstly, let’s talk about the behaviors you might experience in your Goldie if they’re not given the right exercise and stimulation  - find them digging in your garden, chewing your furniture and stealing your favorite pair of trainers for a good old gnaw. Avoid these so-called ‘negative’ behaviors by giving your pooch enough exercise and mental stimulation every day. When it comes to the training itself, Golden Retrievers have an eagerness to please, so they’re pretty easy to train. Start them young with puppy training classes, or follow a training regime at home and prioritize socialization with other humans and animals (and why not get yourself along to a Golden Retriever dog meetup?). Golden Retriever puppies will need obedience training that’s positive reinforcement-based, alongside social and playtime with other humans and dogs - this will help them become a well-rounded, rarely triggered adult.

Golden Retriever health

Across the Golden Retriever life span, there are a few different health issues that you’ll need to look out for. The Golden Retriever Club of America recommends a few different health clearances, including hip, elbow and Ophthalmologist examinations, as well as an NCL DNA test and a cardiac exam. Before adopting, make sure your Golden Retriever puppy has had all the necessary vaccinations and health checks - rescuing a pup rather than buying from a breeder really does save you some serious money and vet visits! Back to Golden Retriever health, let’s take a look at some of the health issues they’re known to encounter…

• Hip dysplasia - a condition where the thigh bone doesn’t fit properly into the hip joint. Some dogs will show signs of pain, but in many cases, there will be no symptoms, so regular vet check-ups as your pooch ages are super important.
• Elbow dysplasia - laxity caused by different growth rates of the three bones that make up the dog’s elbow. It can be incredibly painful, but can be treated with surgery.
• Progressive retinal atrophy - these are a family of eye diseases that cause damage to the eye’s retina. This can cause nighttime blindness and eventually, day time.
• Cataracts - as with humans, cataracts can be detected by the cloudy spots in the dog’s eye. Often these don’t affect sight, but equally they can cause blindness.
• Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis - this is a heart condition caused by a narrow connection of the left ventricle to the aorta. This can cause fainting and sudden death if left undetected.
• Epilepsy - a brain disorder that causes seizures and convulsions.
• Osteochondrosis Dissecans - an orthopedic condition that’s caused by improper growth of cartilage in the joints (often elbows and sometimes shoulders).
• ​​Von Willebrand's Disease - a blood condition that interferes with the blood’s ability to clot. It can cause excessive bleeding, nosebleeds and bleeding gums.
• Hypothyroidism - caused by a dysfunctioning thyroid gland, and is thought to be the cause of conditions such as obesity, lethargy, hair loss, epilepsy, and other skin conditions.
• Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus - a condition otherwise known as bloat, which affects many deep-chested dogs and can be life threatening. One way to avoid this is to avoid only feeding your pooch one large meal per day, and instead splitting up their feeding intervals.
• Hemangiosarcoma - a dangerous form of cancer that originates in the spleen and lining of the blood vessels that’s common in middle-aged and older dogs..
• Osteosarcoma - a malignant bone cancer that’s most commonly found in larger dogs and giant breeds.
• Allergies - if your pooch is rubbing their face a lot or licking their paws frequently, head to the vet to find out what they might be allergic to.

Golden Retriever history

So, what were Golden Retrievers bred for and where did they originate? Well like many of the world’s favorite breeds, Golden Retriever dogs are working dogs, at least they once were. According to the American Kennel Club, Golden Retrievers were bred by Dudley Majoribanks, who was the first Lord Tweedmouth. He needed reliable, intelligent and willing dogs to work across his estate in the Scottish Highlands as retriever dogs for waterfowl. Between 1840 and 1890, Majoribanks bred various dogs to produce the ideal gun dog to work alongside him at his Guisachan estate in the Highlands. The weather in the Highlands is no walk in the park, so it was important for the breed he was producing to be able to withstand the wet weather. To do this, he crossed his Yellow Retriever (which is now extinct), with the Tweed Water Spaniel. Along with Irish Setters and Bloodhounds, he was able to breed the perfect dog for his working purposes - a retriever dog that was eager to please and completely reliable. The first Goldie to be seen at a British dog show was in 1908, and their popularity across the world has grown since.

Getting a Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever puppies are always in high demand, as one of the most popular breeds in America, the United Kingdom and further afield. While popular, many of these cuties end up in shelters, so before thinking about buying a puppy, check out a Golden Retriever rescue or enquire at your local rescue center. If you decide that adoption isn’t an option for you, be sure to get in touch with only reputable breeders who are following ethical standards.

Golden Retriever facts

1. Golden Retrievers and Labs are separate dogs. Is a Golden Retriever a Lab? is such a common question, but they’re different dogs with (sometimes) similar-colored coats, and a similar history. Check out this blog on the differences between these two equally adorable breeds.
2. The first three dogs to achieve the American Kennel Club’s obedience title, which was first available in 1977, were all Golden Retrievers! If that’s not enough for us to convince you that they’re easy to train and eager to please, we’re not sure what is!
3. One of their ancestors that was instrumental in producing the breed is now extinct. This breed was called the Yellow Retriever.
4. They’re also related to Bloodhounds and Irish Setters!
5. US President Gerald Ford had a Golden Retriever named Liberty.
6. A Golden Retriever from Dallas named Augie holds the world record for “most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog” with a whopping five tennis balls.
7. They often work as drug detection dogs for the police due to their impressive sense of smell.
8. Their luscious outer coat is water-repellant - not a mac in sight!
9. Due to their friendly, gentle nature towards humans, Golden Retrievers are often used as guide dogs.
10. Their empathy and love they have for us humans makes them perfect therapy dogs.
11. They’ll eat almost anything - we aren’t kidding. Most objects around your home are fair game, so make sure your pooch is getting the exercise and stimulation they need so that your best pair of shoes aren’t next on the menu.
12. According to the AKC, Golden Retrievers are able to pick objects up with their mouths so gently that they can pick up a raw egg without cracking the shell. And it makes sense, if we think about their history - the waterfowl Goldens were retrieving had to come back in one piece!

What’s the difference between a Golden and a Labrador Retriever?

Commonly confused yet (almost) equally popular as household pets, the Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever are often compared. Find out the similarities and differences between the two breeds in our handy blog on Golden vs. Labrador Retrievers, or, if you're welcoming home one of these little cuties someday soon, find plenty of naming inspiration with our list of over 165 Golden Retriever names.