Costs Involved In Owning A Golden Labrador
There seems to be quite a range in prices for the Golden Labrador starting at $500 and going up to $1800. You should let the trustworthiness if the breeder and the health of the puppy be the guiding factor more than how much it costs. You will need to also spend about $230 on medical tests, collar and leash, a crate, spaying and a micro chip. Ongoing medical costs each year will be $485 to $600 to cover pet insurance, vet check ups, vaccinations and so on. Ongoing non-medical costs each year will be $500 to $650 covering things like food, a license, training, treats and toys.
Final Words: How Big Do Golden Retrievers Get
Following are the acceptable height and weight ranges of healthy purebred Golden Retrievers:
- A male Golden Retriever should ideally weigh between 65 to 75 pounds and should be 23 to 24 inches in height
- A female Golden Golden Retriever should ideally weigh between 55 to 65 pounds and should be 21.5 to 22.5 inches in height
This can change from litter to litter but, in general, the weight and height of all Golden Retrievers is similar.
A Golden Retriever is fully physically mature by the time he reaches the age of two. Mental maturity comes at age 3 but, this dog forever has the temperament of a puppy.
Do you have questions? If so, leave them in the comments, and Ill get back to you as soon as possible.
What Is The History Of The Golden Retriever
The golden retriever has regal roots. In the late 1800s, one Dudley Marjoribanks, who would come to be known as Lord Tweedmouth, purchased a yellow puppy named Nous. Tweedmouth was a Scottish nobleman who kept a kennel of sporting dogs at his estate. Interested in breeding a quality hunting dog for the Scottish highlands, he bred Nous with a tweed water spaniel, resulting in a litter of yellow puppies.
This litter would become the first generation of golden retrievers. These original retrievers sported coats ranging from cream to reddish-gold, and many of these dogs were given to family members and friends to assist with their hunting and sporting. Others remained at the Tweedmouth estate and were bred for numerous generations, bringing increased recognition to the breed. By 1911, the first retrievers were recognized by the American Kennel Club, and nine years later, an official entry was made for the golden retriever dog.
Throughout the 1930s, the popularity of the golden extended across the world, and these pups found homes in France, Germany, and even Australia. In the U.S., goldens remain an all-time favorite breed for dog lovers. Perhaps its their aristocratic history or their hardworking spirit, but theres an undeniable spark of kindness and connection in this breed. Take one look at a golden retriever puppy and youll know exactly what were talking about.
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Consult With Your Veterinarian
If you are at a loss as to what is causing your Golden Retriever to appear smaller than what is normal, you may need to consult with your veterinarian to get a professional assessment.
There could be an underlying illness that can be preventing your Golden Retriever from eating the proper amount of food or having the desire to exercise. A veterinarian would be able to diagnose such an issue.
A veterinarian could also have some ideas as to why your Golden Retriever appears smaller than normal, especially if your dog is still in the growing process.
If your Golden Retriever is actually a miniature Golden Retriever, your vet can perform tests or consult manuals to look for signs that your dog is not a purebred Golden Retriever.
You would be surprised at how many people think a miniature is a real Golden Retriever. Knowing that there is a difference between the two can help you figure out if your Golden Retriever is naturally small or not.
If Youre A Couch Potato Then This Dog Is Not For You
Golden Retrievers have high energy levels and they need to burn this energy off. Give your dog one or two hours of exercise every day otherwise shell mess up your home. Theres plenty of activities you can do, as Goldens are great companions for walking, running, playing in the park, swimming, and even hiking.
Besides running, Golden Retrievers need mental stimulation to thrive. You can teach her obedience training by yourself, as these dogs are known to be among the most obedient breeds. Other stimulating activities where Golden Retrievers register great results are canine freestyle and agility training.
Golden Retrievers were bred to work, so they need to be active to stay happy. Furthermore, the lack of exercise will generate a series of medical problems, including obesity and other related issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or problems with ligaments and tendons.
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Golden Retriever Weight Chart Growth Guide For 2022
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Lets get the numbers out of
the way first!
A healthy male golden retriever weighs 65-80 lbs, but this mature weight is only achieved when at two years of age.
The same goes for the female goldens, which will weigh anywhere between 55 and 90 lbs.
Monitoring your golden retriever puppys health in the formative years and ensuring that they hit all of their growth milestones is one of the best ways to ensure their long-term health.
Thats exactly what a golden retriever growth chart is for!
Malnutrition and stunted growth or overfeeding and growing too quickly can both have significant long-term impacts on the health of your dog. But how do you know whether your puppy is on track?
While each golden retriever pup is unique and individual, they go through similar growth phases and should be hitting similar weight targets.
Below, you will find a comprehensive weight chart for both male and female golden retrievers, telling you exactly what kind of weight range they should be in at each stage.
Meanwhile, we will start by going through the five main stages of puppy growth and listing the key developmental milestones they should be hitting in each period.
Later on, we will discuss a little bit more about why it is important to ensure your golden retriever is neither too small nor too big for their age, then finish off with tips for healthy growth.
How Long Does It Take For A Golden Retriever To Reach Its Full Size
Everyone knows that Golden Retrievers maintain the personality as well as energy levels of a puppy throughout their lives so, in terms of temperament, this dog is a forever puppy.
However, when we take a look at things from the physical perspective, it takes a Golden Retriever around a year or two to physically mature fully.
So, what do we mean when we say fully physically mature?
This simply means that when your dog reaches this stage, his bones will be fully developed and hell have the physical exercise needs of an adult dog. For a Godly to be mentally mature, it takes about three years from them to be fully developed.
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How Does Food Affect The Size Of My Golden Retriever
Food has a huge impact on the size of your dog. Some golden retrievers will eat until the food is gone. This can be a huge problem if you are overfeeding. Golden retrievers need exercise, and not given enough, you must lower the amount of food intake. Over feeding a dog is very unhealthy.
The size of your golden retriever is similar to the size of humans. Exercise is also valuable for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is to keep their weight in check.
Try not to give your golden retriever table food. Two reasons that you want to avoid this is to avoid weight gain and also to avoid begging. Golden retrievers, like many dogs, will beg for food. As an owner it is imperative to not fall into the trap of feeling bad. Dogs do not feel slighted or ignored if you do not give food to them when they beg. In fact, dogs need boundaries, so establishing this at an early age is extremely beneficial.
If My Golden Retriever Is Over Seventy
Not necessarily. Not all golden retrievers that are over seventy-five pounds are thought of as obese.
Each dog is unique and individual, from the type of food they eat, their favorite toy and treat, to how much exercise they need. While guides can and always should be given to see the broader picture, they are just that, a guide.
A golden retriever that is over seventy-five pounds might have more muscle. As muscle weighs more, that will mean that they are healthier and stronger. Therefore they would not be considered obese despite the higher number.
Health and wellness are determined by many factors that a weight guide can never fully express by numbers. The best way to decide on your golden retrievers health and wellness is to consult with her veterinarian.
If she is in good health and not overeating daily while getting enough exercise, the veterinarian will tell you so. Another way to determine health and wellness is to look at the coat of hair on your dog. Her coat of hair will be shiny versus dull. Her hair and other body parts, like her eyes, will tell the true story of health.
Weight charts and guidelines are only a chart or guide to follow. Nothing about them is etched in stone. Therefore a few pounds over the maximum weight for your golden retriever could never mean that she is too big or overweight.
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How To Identify An Overweight Golden Retriever
Use your eyes and hands to assess if your Golden is overweight or not. If you can see his ribs, hes too skinny. But if you cant feel them, hes too fat!
A survey in 2012 showed that 62.7% of Golden Retrievers in America are either obese or overweight.
While it might look cute or funny, overweight dogs actually have shorter lifespans. Being excessively chubby shaves off two years and causes health issues.
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Advantages Of Using A Dog Crate
Eases the Transportation of Your Dog
A fully trained golden retriever knows how to behave well. This means you dont have any hard time getting your dog in the car. The well-spent time in dog crate training can also be applied in this situation wherein you will need to transport your dog using a crate through a long ride journey.
Its less hassle for you when you are going for scheduled checkups for your dog or even excursion trips to faraway places. Your dog is happy while remaining calm on the road. Also, dont forget to bring their favorite dog toys and blankets to ensure that there will be no problem along the road.
A Crate is For Calming
A crate is not only used for dog crate training, its also for calming pets who are beyond control. Because some dogs, especially puppies who are full energy will play with another dog or children endlessly. Of course, if the puppys playmate is already tired and the puppy itself is still aroused and full of energy, it will be hard for them to calm down.
Instead, the best way to calm them down is to put them in a dog crate for just a few minutes. If they are relaxed and have calmed down, release them immediately and give them some positive reinforcement like his favorite dog treats.
This is to remove the idea of punishing him through solitary confinement and feel not bad about what happened. Not to be confused with cruel punishment by confining him because you are in big trouble if you do that.
A Dog Crate Keeps Dogs Apart
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Considerations For Pet Parents
Golden Retrievers make great family dogs due to their jovial and friendly disposition. They have moderately high energy, so a daily exercise routine is needed. Their heightened energy level and size means that you should keep a close eye on them around young children or fragile individuals, to prevent your dog from knocking them over. Its also important to train them early about what are and are not appropriate things to eatthis may mean preventing access to things like garbage cans, laundry, and house supplies.
However, Golden Retrievers do have a lot of predispositions for illnesses. This means that regular vet visits and additional vet costs will be common while caring for a Golden Retriever. They also have a thick, long coat that is prone to matting, so consistent grooming and brushing are necessary to keep the coat healthy and manage their shedding.
When Do Golden Retrievers Heads Stop Growing
Most puppies take up to 12 to 18 months to fully develop. Your Golden Retrievers head will typically stop growing once they are fully developed. When they lose their puppy-like appearance, you will notice the most change in the size of their heads. Even though their heads still grow after that, the difference is not too drastic.
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English Cream Golden Retrievers Shed A Lot
Many people claim that English Creams shed less than other goldens, but all goldens shed a good bit.
If shedding is a big issue for you, a golden retriever may not be your best bet.
That being said, there are two things you can do to help with this:
How To Help Your Golden Retriever Lose Weight If He Is Overweight
Before helping your Golden Retriever lose weight, ensure that the weight gain is not caused by a medical condition. Once your vet has ruled out any conditions, you can help your puppy lose weight at home through the following steps:
- Food reduce the amount of your you are feeding your puppy by about 10% and if the weight is not coming off, reduce the amount by another 10%. Ensure that the food you are feeding your puppy is high in quality and rich in nutrients.
- Exercise start exercising your puppy with a slow 20-minute walk and then slowly increase the intensity once they are comfortable with it. Swimming is one of the best ways of exercising your puppy.
- Reduce treats treats can add unnecessary weight to your puppy. Therefore, ensure that the treats are less than 10% of their food daily. You can also swap the treats for vegetables and fruits such as bananas, celery, and carrots.
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The Intelligent Loyal Poodle
Poodles were the second choice in creating the Mini Golden Retriever. Some breeders opted not to go with the Cocker Spaniel because of the Spaniels tendency to nip or bite.
Poodles have long been a favorite in Europe, where they enjoyed popularity even in the court of King Louis XVI of France.
These dogs are known for their intelligence and alertness in fact, Poodles have been ranked as the 2nd smartest dog breed, just behind the Border Collie.
Poodles are also known for their low-shedding coats, which is why these so-called hypoallergenic dogs are commonly used for crossbreeding
A full grown Standard Poodle weighs around 40 to 70 pounds and measures about 15 inches in height.
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Grooming And Nail Care
Get used to your Golden Retriever shedding a lot. They are big shedders, definitely more than Labs and other shorter coat breeds, says Barnes. They shed year round, typically blowing their coats about twice per year.
Goldens also need to be brushed about every one to two weeks, although some may need more, especially if theyre blowing their coats, says Barnes. I like to use a rake comb first to help get the thick undercoat, followed by a more standard brush.
Bathing is based on how dirty your Golden gets, says Barnes. In general, bathing is needed every one to two months with a dog specific or baby shampoo.
Nail trimming somewhat depends on their exercise level, says Barnes. Dogs that do a lot of walks will wear their nails down naturally and need fewer nail trims. A good average is once every one to two months for nail trims.
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Living With A Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers can live happily in a small home, as long as they can access a decent backyard Additionally, Golden Retrievers are best not left home alone for long periods. As such, a pet sitter is a good backup if your dog needs some company.
Golden Retrievers were traditionally used in waterfowl hunting. Therefore, they love to swim or play fetch with a ball. Furthermore, be sure to keep your swimming pool gates locked so your dog doesnt have an unsupervised swim!
All retriever breeds explore the world using their mouths and teeth. As such, be sure to give your Golden Retriever plenty of chew toys. If you dont, your shoes, kids toys or pot plants may be destroyed.
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How Big Is A 6
6-month-old Golden Retrievers are finally starting to look more like their adult counterparts and less like puppies. Usually, by this point, Golden Retrievers will weigh around 44 pounds. The smallest one may only weigh 22 pounds, however. Puppies can range quite a bit at this age. The bigger dogs are finally starting to be obviously bigger than the smaller ones.
After six months, the Golden Retrievers growth will slow down considerably. They wont be growing like puppies anymore. Instead, theyll enter their tween months. However, these dogs will continue growing for another year. They should continue their puppy food until that time, even though they arent really looking very much like the little puppy you probably remember.
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