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Golden Retriever Breed Information
Group: Sporting
Weight: male: 65-75 lbs female: 55-65 lbs
Height: male: 23-24 inches female: 21.5-22.5 inches
Color: varies in shades of cream to gold
Coat: The Golden Retriever has a double coat that is water repellent and weather resistant. The outer coat is firm, resillient, and can be wavy or straight. The tail and legs are feathered with longer hair. The under coat is dense and soft in texture. The coat is rich, lustrous, and varies in shades of cream to gold. The Golden Retriever is a heavy shedder.
Overview: The Golden Retriever was developed in Britain during the 1800's. The man responsible for this illustrious breed, Lord Tweedmouth, wanted a dog that was loyal, kind, spirited, and energetic. He also wanted a dog with a love for water and the ability to retrieve. Golden Retrievers are the embodiment of beauty and brains.
Character: The Golden Retriever is a gorgeous, large, energetic breed. They are the world's foremost family pet and companion. They are sturdy, well proportioned, and are well known for their hunting capabilities on land and in the water. The Golden Retriever is perceptive and agile.
Temperament: Golden Retrievers are loveable, polite, and highly intelligent. They exude charm and confidence. They are sweet , eager to please, and devoted family companions. They do not do well if left alone for extended periods of time or they will become mischievous and destructive. They have a tendency to be overly exuberant and distractible. They are always gentle and patient with children. In fact, they are friendly with everyone.They tend to bark as a form of greeting. The Golden Retriever is not well suited for a two career family as they require an inordinate amount of human interaction and companionship.
Care: The Golden Retriever requires daily and thorough brushing with a firm bristle brush. They should be dry shampooed regularly, and bathed only when absolutely necessary with a mild shampoo. They are prone to hip dysplasia, cataracts, and skin allergies. It is important to not over feed the Golden Retriever, as they have a tendency to gain weight.
Training: The Golden Retriever is one of the easiest breeds to train. They excel in obedience and are popular therapy dogs and service dogs. They have many talents including competitive obedience, agility, and performing tricks.
Activity: The Golden Retriever requires daily exercise. They enjoy play sessions with their family, retrieving balls and other toys. They will do okay in an apartment dwelling provided they are sufficiently exercised. Golden Retrievers are moderately active indoors and do best with a medium to large sized securely fenced yard.
It cannot be emphasized enough, that the role of the Golden Retriever owner plays a large part in their well-being and development.
A Golden Retriever Puppy is usually acquired at about 8 weeks. If the new owner neglects to provide the necessary training a puppy of this age needs, then some or all of the attributes of the Golden Retriever may be affected by that neglect.
Behaviors such as food aggression, growling, lack of house training, jumping on people, incessant barking, not coming when called or other "spoiled" behaviors if left un-addressed by consistant early basic puppy training practices can develop into huge and possibly irreversable damage to the Golden Retriever.
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