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Golden Retriever Dog Breed Information and Photos

Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers are medium-sized dogs that are commonly known for being good family dogs. These lovely animals have a beautiful golden coat with plenty of fur, and they are famous for being some of the prettiest medium-sized dogs in the world. The nose of a golden retriever is black with a hint of brown. It’s got a broad muzzle and it has dark brown eyes. The ears of a golden retriever are not particularly long, but they do hang to the cheeks of this pretty animal. The coat of a golden retriever is water resistant, which is something many dog owners appreciate significantly. These animals are rich looking and lovely, and they make great animals for families with children.

Origin

Golden retrievers have been around for centuries. They date back to the 1800s to the Scottish Highlands. The breed was developed by a man called Lord Tweedmouth, who was interested in cross-breeding a flat-coated retriever with a Tweed Water Spaniel – a dog that did not survive much longer. He perfected the craft of creating a golden retriever by later crossing a bloodhound with an Irish setter and another extinct tweed water spaniel.
Today the golden retriever is one of the most popular dogs in the world. Not only is this dog popular as a companion and dog for families, it’s also popular for being obedient. Their intelligence makes them the number one choice for service dogs for elderly people and those who require dogs that can do the difficult work on their behalf. They are also commonly used as guide dogs for those without sight. Even though this animal has been around centuries, it’s one that’s only been recognized since 1925.

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Temperament

Golden retrievers are known for their wonderful temperament. They are calm, lovable and have good manners. They are intelligent and charming, which means you can teach them just about anything and they will win you over from the start. They are very easy to train, gentle with children and they are very devoted to their owners. Other qualities these beautiful dogs possess are an eagerness to please and a fun-loving, energetic attitude. This is a dog breed that will never tire of playing catch or running around the yard with the kids.

Though it is a bigger dog, the golden retriever is not an attack dog. This is not a dog that is going to guard, as it has no guarding instinct. However, it will bark loudly and aggressively when it thinks that there is danger approaching or there is someone approaching your home or yard. They are very competitive dogs, which makes them great teammates. They’re also very friendly, and that is with everyone. There is no person that a golden retriever won’t try to befriend, and that means they’re slightly intrusive dogs that will get in your face and beg for some love and attention.

These dogs need to be placed in families that have strong leadership skills. Without frequent exercise and time spent outside, they become very bored and restless, and can become prone to displaying less than desirable behavior. They’re not guard dogs, but they make great watch dogs. They also excel at hunting and tracking, performing and swimming.

Size

There is a significant difference in the sizes of male and female golden retrievers. You can expect a male to be approximately 22 to 24 inches tall while a female is a little smaller, maxing out around 20 to 22 inches tall. As far as weight is concerned, the golden retriever male will likely grow to be around 60 to 80 pounds while a female is more likely to stick around 55 to 70 pounds.

Health

Golden retrievers are cancer-prone animals. They are very likely to develop a type of cancer call mast cell tumors, and they are also prone to something called hip dysplasia. It’s not uncommon to find out that a golden retriever suffers from Von Willebrand’s disease, heart issues and even eye defects. They are commonly subjected to skin disorders, and they spend a great deal of time at the vet for various issues. These are dogs that gain a lot of weight very quickly, so it’s important that their owners not overfeed their golden retrievers.

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Living Conditions and Exercise

Golden retrievers prefer a lot of space to run around, but they will do all right in a small space if they are exercised on a regular basis. These are very active dogs that require frequent exercise to prevent them from gaining weight too rapidly. Moderately active inside, they will go crazy outside and need at least a medium-sized yard in which they can run around and enjoy.
These are dogs that require a long walk at a brisk pace at least once per day. They are good for jogging, running and biking, which might make exercising them easier to fit into your own schedule. These dogs are very lovable, but they will become depressed-like if you do not get them outside to exercise regularly. They are also prone to obesity if they are not exercised regularly, so it makes sense to get them outdoors on a regular basis. Retrievers are very fond of retrieving, hence their name. You will do well by these dogs to take them outside where they can fetch and retrieve sticks and balls and play with the family.

Life Expectancy

Golden retrievers tend to live anywhere from 10 to 12 years. Some might live longer and some might not live this long. It all depends on the health of the animal and the conditions in which it lives.

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Golden Retriever Mixes

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Raising Golden Retriever Puppies

Supplies You Will Need

Your new puppy is depending on you to take care of it. Below you will find a simple list of things you will need to properly care for and train your puppy.

Collar

There are a wide variety of dog collars available in the pet section of most stores. They can be as simple or as extravagant as you like. You will need to purchase several collars as your puppy grows. Most collars are adjustable with either a buckle or sliding snap. Be sure to check your puppy’s collar weekly for the correct size. The collar should be tight enough so that it will not come off the dog’s head without unbuckling it but loose enough so that your dog can breath properly. A collar that’s too tight can also cause skin and hair problems. A good rule of thumb is to measure your dog’s neck circumference and then add one inch. This is the size of collar your dog will need.

Identification tag

Your dog should wear an identification tag on its collar at all times. This is the quickest and easiest way for someone who finds your lost dog to find contact information. You never know when your dog will get lost, be prepared. There are many different types of tags out there, but here at Genuine Goldens, we prefer to use Collar Tags. These tags are secured directly onto the dog’s collar, not dangling from the collar hook. They are a little more expensive than traditional tags, but they can never fall off, wear out, or get stuck in objects.

County/State dog license

Most states and/or counties require all dogs of a certain age to be licensed and wear a registration tag on the dog’s collar at all times. Please follow your local dog laws.

Leash

You should have at least one leash for each dog you own. You will need this for training, walking, transporting, and securing. Nylon or leather leashes work best, usually in four to six feet lengths.

Training collar, harness, or halter (optional)

A training collar (also known as a slip collar, choke chain, or choker) can be very useful in your dog training. These collars should only be worn during training, as if used as a regular collar, they can become snagged on items and strangle your dog. Some people prefer to use a body harness when walking their dog. These are great for dogs with neck problems or those who are opposed to using training collars. Head halters are another option. These are halters that go around the dog’s neck and snout and are often mistaken as muzzles. They are used for dogs who pull at the leash, as pulling with a halter on will redirect the head in a different direction, causing the dog to stop pulling. You may use one, two, or all of these walking/training aids. Find what works best for you and your dog.

Food bowl

Your puppy will need at least two food bowls, one puppy-sized one, and another one should be purchased as your puppy grows into an adult. A puppy can eat out of an adult bowl, but your puppy will be much more comfortable eating out of a bowl it’s own size. We have tried plastic, ceramic, and stainless steel bowls, and have found steel to be our favorite. Plastic bowls are easily chewed, can get deep scratches in them where bacteria can breed, and wear out easily, yet they are inexpensive and easy to replace. Ceramic bowls are heavy enough to keep you dog from carrying, tipping, or chewing on the bowl, but are quite fragile and will break if dropped. Stainless steel bowls are more expensive, but well worth it because they are durable, easy to clean, and will out-live your dog (sadly). I have one stainless steel bowl that is over 20 years old and we still use it! It has a big dent in it from being backed over by a van, but it still serves its purpose! These are the only bowls that you can sterilize!

Water bowl

You will also need at least two water bowls (or buckets) for your puppy. It’s nice to have an inside water bowl, and another one outside for your dog. As your puppy grows up, a bucket for outside water will probably be more sufficient. Again, we recommend stainless steel.

Puppy Food

Your puppy will need to eat a high-quality puppy food for at least its first full year of life. You were provided a sample of the puppy food your puppy is currently eating. You can buy this brand of puppy food and continue to feed it, or you can buy your own brand. Please use the sample to help transition your puppy onto the new food. Sudden diet changes can hurt a puppy’s sensitive stomach and result in diarrhea. To switch foods, start by replacing a small portion of the old food with a little of the new food. Each day, increase the new food while decreasing the old food, until your puppy is completely on the new food. This transition should take place over five to seven days for best results.

Crate

A crate is essentially a cage, pen, kennel, or travel den. Crates are usually made out of metal wire or plastic but some come as collapsible cloth material. Many fold up, some do not. Many people can get away with not having a crate, but I think it is a vital piece of equipment that every puppy owner needs. They are essential to house breaking, whether you are training to go outside or paper training. They are a great place to put puppies when they can’t be supervised. Crates are also great for sick puppies and for traveling by car or plane. Your puppy’s crate should be big enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. It shouldn’t be too big, because during house breaking, the crate is used to confine the puppy to an area where they sleep so that they won’t soil their bedding. If the crate is too big, the puppy will be able to relieve itself on one side of the crate and sleep in the other side. Since your puppy will do a great deal of growing during its first year, your puppy will not be able to use the same size crate for its entire lifetime. You have one of two options to resolve this. You can purchase a large wire crate that will accustom your adult dog and purchase a divider to make the crate smaller. As your puppy grows, you slide the divider to make more room for the puppy. You only need one crate when using this method. Another option is to purchase several crates as your puppy grows, usually three or four crates total. You can save the out-grown crates for future puppies or other pets or you can usually re-sell them fairly easily. For an adult Golden, we recommend a crate with the dimensions of 48″Lx40″Wx33″H. Different crate manufacturers make different size crates, but as long as you get one close to this size, it will work. Be leery of crates that are 30″ tall or less, as they do not provide enough head room for an adult Golden when standing or sitting in the crate. If your dog is only in the crate for sleeping at night, a 30″ height won’t be a problem.

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Grooming

Golden retrievers have a smooth coat that’s medium-hair and double-coated, which makes it very easy to groom. You will see that it typically is not a problem to groom these animals provided you do it regularly. The best way to keep your golden retriever looking good is to invest in a firm bristle brush to use on the dog every day, especially by focusing on the undercoat of the dog. The dog should be cleaned with dry shampoo on a regular basis, but it should only be given a bath when absolutely necessary. They shed, but not anymore than the average animal.

Recognition

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Additional Golden Retriever Photos

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Golden-Retriever-Puppies

Further Reading about Golden Retrievers

The Most Popular Golden Retriever names of 2015

10 Things you didn’t know about the Golden Retriever

Five reasons your Golden Retriever is mad at you

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