Golden Retriever

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Size: Large
Other Names: Golden, Retriever
Country of Origin: Great Britain
Accreditation:
American Kennel Club (AKC): Sporting
Canadian Kennel Club (CKC): Sporting
United Kennel Club (UKC): Gun Dog
Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC): Gun Dogs
The Kennel Club (KC): Gun Dogs
Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA): Gun Dogs
National Kennel Club (NKC): Recognized
New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC): Gun Dogs

The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized, well-balanced dog who comes in a variety of shades of lustrous gold, with a moderate amount of feathering. His skull is broad and slightly arched, with a muzzle which is slight shorter than his skull, a black nose, brown, somewhat triangular-shaped, medium-sized eyes, and small, drop ears. His gait is free, smooth, powerful, and well-coordinated. Some variation exists between the British-type Golden Retrievers prevalent throughout Europe and Australia, and those of American lines. The British type is bigger-boned, shorter, with a more square head and muzzle, and are slightly heavier. The American-type Golden is less stocky and lankier than the British-type. The eyes of American-line dogs tend to be set further apart than those of British lines, and can appear to be slanted and triangular in shape by comparison.

A family retrieving dog for an active house; a shedding coat that needs brushing, a generally friendly voice, and daily swim or fetch time rather than idle hours.

The Golden Retriever originates from a mix of the Tween Water Spaniel, which is now extinct, the Red Setter, and the Wavy-Coated Retriever. Goldens were developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl and upland game during hunting, and as such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged, and to have an instinctive love of water. Their intelligence and versatility sees them employed in a variety of roles including illegal drug detection, Search and Rescue, as hunting dogs, and as guide dogs.

Height: Male: 22-24 inches; Female: 20-22½ inches
Weight: Male: 60-80 pounds; Female: 55-70 pounds
Color: A variety of colors, including any shade of gold or cream
Coat: Dense, water repellent, with moderate feathering
Lifespan: 10–12 years
Litter size: 6–8 puppies

Temperament

The Golden Retriever’s friendly, eager-to-please, and patient demeanor has made him one of the most popular family dogs, by registration, in the world today. The typical Golden Retriever is calm, naturally intelligent, with an exceptional eagerness to please. He is renowned for his patience with children, and he is good with other dogs, cats, and most livestock. He is active and fun-loving animal, who also enjoys sitting quietly for hours. Some dogs may be too active to be easily exercised by elderly owners. Golden Retrievers become very attached to their owners, and leaving them alone for extended periods can cause the dog to become very sad and distressed. Goldens have a trusting, gentle disposition with both strangers and their family, which makes them poor guard dogs. As the name suggests, the Golden Retriever loves to retrieve. Whether the object is a thrown stick, tennis ball, or flying disc, retrieving can keep the Golden occupied and entertained for hours, particularly if water is involved. They often like to have something in their mouth, and will carry things around. The Golden Retriever loves to work, and has a keen ability to focus on a given task. Goldens have also been known to become excellent surrogate mothers to different species. Kittens, and even tiger cubs from zoos, have been well-cared for by Golden Retrievers. In some cases, a Golden may even produce milk for its adopted orphan, even though it may not have been pregnant or nursing recently.

Training

Due to their intelligence, athleticism, and desire to please their handlers, Golden Retrievers are exceptionally trainable. Golden Retrievers respond well to positive and upbeat training styles, and harsh training methods are unnecessary. Goldens can learn up to roughly 240 commands, words and phrases.

Care and grooming

Most Goldens need plenty of exercise, such as daily walks and dog agility. They are a breed that is prone to obesity, and care must be taken to balance diet and exercise. When given a task to do, a Golden Retriever will seemingly work until collapse, so care should be taken to avoid overworking them. Goldens should be groomed at least once a week, and every day during heavy shedding. They also need to have their ears cleaned regularly to avoid an ear infection.

Shedding

Moderate to heavy; the water-repellent coat sheds more in spring and fall.

Health

Golden Retrievers have a high rate of cancer and may also develop hip and elbow dysplasia, heart disease, and eye problems. Choose breeders who screen hips, elbows, heart, and eyes.

Crosses that include the Golden Retriever

These hybrid pages list this breed as a parent. Open a name to see the other contributing breed.

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