The Golden Retriever's history as a gundog means the breed is popular as a guide dog, and also as a member of search and rescue teams because it's soft mouth can pick up and carry things gently. With a friendly, fun-loving temperament and willingness to please, these dogs make reliable family pets and are very easy to train. Interested in owning a Golden Retriever? Here's what you need to know.
| Size: | Large, most adult Golden Retrievers are between 51-61cm, weighing 25-34kg. |
|---|---|
| Coat: | Although thick and resilient, a Golden Retriever's coat is reasonably easy to clean. Groom at least once a week to keep it in top condition. |
| Exercise: | 2+ hours a day for adult dogs |
| Life span: | 10+ years. Healthy Golden Retrievers can reach 16 or 17 |
| Breed group: | Part of the gundogs group, bred to flush out, locate or retrieve game shot down by hunters. They are usually highly trainable, keen to please and have a balanced, pleasant temperament. |
Golden Retrievers are friendly, fun loving and even-tempered.
Naturally intelligent with a soft side, these dogs are a consistently popular family pet. They'll offer a warm greeting to whoever they meet, rarely showing aggression, although their exuberance can be a little overwhelming for young children. Originally bred as a gun dog, they are attentive and easily trained, meaning you and the kids can have hours of fun teaching them tricks and games.
What do Golden Retrievers eat? Most things, given half a chance! During their hunting days, Golden Retrievers needed lots of food to fuel their active work, and their love of eating still endures. Many will want to be part of family mealtimes, but try to avoid giving too many scraps or they may become overweight.
Vets recommend feeding a high-quality, breed-appropriate food twice a day, and keeping an eye on portion sizes by following the guidelines on the back of the pet food packaging. Also keep your pet's lifestyle and activity level in mind, adding plenty of exercise to their routine to help them stay in shape.
Always ready to play, with an instinctive love of water, Golden Retrievers make an ideal companion on a country or park walk. Swimming, running, chasing, even playing hide and seek – these dogs just love burning off energy in the great outdoors. In fact, a lack of exercise and playtime is one of few reasons that this breed might turn to destructive behaviour.
Aside from a couple of hours walking each day, Golden Retrievers relish human interaction and the chance to learn. Since life is a game for these big, affable dogs, they respond well to upbeat training methods using your voice and positive reinforcement. You could consider recall training or agility training to keep them stimulated mentally and physically, find out more on dog training and other puppy training tips.
Golden Retrievers have a double coat, comprising a thick undercoat and a water-repellent top coat. They are prone to shedding, but using a de-shedding tool to thin out the undercoat and keep on top of the hair loss can help.
Due to the breed's love of water (and mud!) you may need to bathe your Golden Retriever fairly often, using a pet-friendly shampoo to prevent any skin reactions. Golden Retrievers shed lightly throughout the year, but more so in spring and autumn. In summer, you could also take your pet for a ‘haircut' at the groomers, which will usually involve trimming the longest feathered fur. Find more of our dog grooming tips on our advice page.
Ensure your Golden Retriever gets the protection they need, including cover for hereditary and congenital conditions with Petplan dog insurance.
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