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Golden Retriever

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Our Rating:  The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular family breeds.  Their docile temperament and family friendly nature make them a perfect choice for families.

Our information is meant to provide "non-technical" information since breed standards are widely available on the internet.  You can find breed standard and additional information at our links provided at the bottom of this page.

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular family dogs in the United States.  Their popularity is due to their excellent temperament and intelligence.  We highly recommend this breed for all types of families, especially families with children of all ages.  Since Goldens are sociable dogs, we do not recommend they be in an environment where they do not receive attention.  Because of their large size of about 75-90 lbs. it is also not recommended that they be kept in small living conditions such as apartments.  Goldens make great couch potatoes, however, at younger ages they are active and require at least two walks per day.  A mature Golden should have regular walks to keep them happy and healthy.   

A Golden's personality and good looks are well known in the dog world...therefore, keeping your Golden well groomed and giving it lots of attention is important.  Goldens are sporting dogs...they were specifically bred for hunting.  Your Golden will love to retrieve objects that you throw or hide.   Your Golden may even enjoy retrieving in water!  Encourage this natural instinct by getting toys designed for retrieving.  Providing games that utilize their natural instincts such as a simple game of stick throwing will keep your Golden happy.  Goldens are also known to love tennis balls....be sure that you provide a extra large sized tennis ball (not a regular size) to prevent choking.   

Goldens do require a regular grooming schedule.  This is because of their long and multi-layer undercoat which sheds regularly.  You may notice that your Golden has minor shedding daily, however, large shedding cycles can be as much as three to six times per year depending on weather in your area.  To keep shedding under control, we recommend every two weeks a grooming schedule using a rubber curry comb (round or oval soft rubber hand comb) to first remove any loose undercoat and then a soft bristle wooden comb to make the coat shiny.  Adding a teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil to hard kibble once per week will also help keep the coat shiny.  

Goldens can have some health problems related to poor breeding.  Be sure that you have investigated your breeder's history carefully for the following common health problems; hip dysplasia and immune system or allergy problems.  Goldens are also susceptible to obesity and ear infections.

For more info on Goldens see the links below:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/golden.cfm

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/golden.html