Golden Retriever Cost Breakdown:
Now that you know the price range to buy a golden retriever, we need to examine the additional golden retriever costs that you can expect when you bring your new puppy home like veterinary care, food, toys, and more. Its important to remember that when you buy a puppy from a reputable breeder, you are more likely to encounter lower golden retriever costs over the lifetime of your pet.
Its important to give your golden retriever vaccines and health checks they need in order to grow strong and healthy. According to the American Kennel Club, there are some essential steps and vet bills youll need to take care of before your golden retrievers first birthday:
- Full physical exam: $50 $100
- Recommended vaccines : $100 $200
- Rabies vaccine: $10 $20
- Heartworm preventatives: $70 $200
- Total price of veterinary expenses: $335 $665
To ensure you get a healthy dog, its generally better to buy a golden retriever that has already had its first round of health checks, vaccines, and paperwork. This will ultimately save you time and money on your golden retriever price because breeders often pay lower veterinary rates than individuals do.
Distemper, for example, is a highly contagious disease that attacks the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and nervous systems of dogs. Unfortunately, there is no cure just a lot of expenses and stress which really adds to your overall golden retriever cost.
Excessively Dry Or Hot Weather
You may not be surprised to learn that the weather can have a pretty big impact on how healthy your goldens coat is.
If you are living in an area thats excessively dry or hot, for instance, then that dry air can result in the skin drying, which can then mean that your dogs hair may also get dry and then fall out of the skin.
Hair falling out can lead to a perception that the hair is shorter, though in reality they just have less hair in a certain area. This can make it look shorter than it should be, which isnt the case.
If you do happen to live in a particularly dry and warm area then its certainly worth your time to look into some strategies to help your Golden Retriever to deal with the hot weather. This will help to keep their coat in better condition and will be good for their wellbeing.
The Golden Retriever Coat At A Glance
Generally speaking, Golden retriever puppies are big balls of fluff. Their coats feature soft, fluffy hair.
However, as they reach three months of age, you will notice the coat taking on the appearance of long hair. This begins at the tail where a few strands of long hair will grow over the soft fluffy hair of the puppyhood stage.
The stage is called feathering. The feathers start at the tail then grow on the legs and stomach area.
Gradually, the rest of the areas will grow flat, long locks with the new hair being longer and darker than light puppy fur.
Instead of the puppy shedding his fur, the adult hair often grows on top of the fluff.
Even as the adulthood hair catches on, some Goldens will still have fur variations on their skin.
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Cost Of Adopting A Golden Retriever
Buying a golden retriever versus adopting one is a common debate for aspiring dog owners. Adopting a dog usually means finding your future pet at a rescue or shelter. Conversely, when you choose to buy a golden retriever you typically purchase the dog directly from their owner or breeder.
Adoption is typically cheaper than buying a golden retriever since starting adoption fees tend to be around $250 to $500. Please note that depending on the shelter, you may have to pay additional golden retriever costs for certain shots and procedures.
Unfortunately, at shelters and rescues, you may not have a wide selection of dogs to choose from especially if youre looking for a specific gender, breed, age, or health level.
Its also important to remember that, sometimes, adopted golden retrievers have behavior or health issues, which could make things harder for you in the future. You simply dont know as much about your new dogs history as you would if you purchased directly from a trusted breeder.
On the other hand, when you buy from a reputable breeder, youll have a higher chance of bringing home a happy and healthy golden retriever that will cost you less in the long run.
How Often Should You Bathe A Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers need to be bathed and groomed on a regular basis thanks to their long fur. You can bathe them as often as every week, but you shouldnt go more than 6 weeks without bathing them.
Bathing them regularly will help them to have the best coat and skin.
Dont do it too often, though.
If you have doubts, speak to your veterinarian for advice.
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When Do Golden Retrievers Grow Their Full Coat
Another thing to consider when looking at a golden retrievers coat is how old they are.
Goldens grow very fast and reach their full height at about a year.
However, their coats dont fully fill out until theyre about a year and a half.
So if you see someone walking down the street with a beautiful golden sporting a short coat, know that unless the golden was over a year and a half old, chances are their coat might grow a little longer.
Curly Coated Golden Retrievers
Curly coated Retrievers, again, dont look anything like purebred Golden Retrievers. However, they are among the oldest known Golden Retriever mixes. These dogs are famously known for their peerless swimming skill and for their versatility as gundogs.
When trained, these Retrievers can be wickedly smart, poised and very proud. As believed by most pet parents who ever owned one of these short haired Retrievers, they will never give up before you do!
Curly coated Golden Retrievers got their name from the thorn-resistant and tight curls around their body, which are perfect for most weather circumstances, such as icy lakes or thick brambles. Of course, they also duplicated how the Golden Retrievers thick coat repels water to protect their thin undercoat.
Be warned, however, that these magnificent creatures can be quite a handful if they are underutilized and they need a lot of outdoor exercise. This is why it shouldnt come as a surprise that they have a life expectancy of up to 14 years.
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Golden Retrievers And Allergies
Many people of this age are allergic to hair and dust. Golden retrievers are heavy shedding dogs. Similarly, if you are looking for a Short Haired Golden Retriever to avoid allergies, you are on the wrong path.
It is not the only fur of dogs that creates allergies. There are many other factors behind this myth. It may be a food allergy or some genetic defect that is revealed with the growing age. According to the WebMD report, people get allergic to dander, saliva, and urine.
Henceforth, getting a golden retriever with shorter fur will not help you. These dogs are full of love and energy and they start licking to their master in affection. Therefore, still, the dander is there.
Other Types Of Retrievers
Its not uncommon to confuse other types of retrievers for a golden short-haired dog. Common retriever breeds to watch out for include.
- Curly-Coated Retriever: A curly-coated retriever stands out thanks to its mane of tight, flowing curls. Curly-retrievers are also taller than other retrievers and can have coats ranging from black to silver.
- Flat-Coated Retriever: This breed can be easily identified by its signature long, flat hair. Whats more, retrievers of this breed usually have a black coat as well.
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever: This breed also has a short and wavy coat. Crossing with this breed produces offspring with longer, wavy coats.
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Why Do Some Golden Puppies Lack The Fluff
While a large majority of Golden retriever puppies have fluffy coats in their younger years, some just dont.
If you have visited a rescue or a breeding center, you have probably noticed this.
Ending up with a non-fluffy goldie can be really frustrating, especially if you know that Golden retriever puppies should have fluffy coats when they are young.
So what can cause a Golden retriever puppy to lack the fluff?
Here are a few suggestions.
What Time Do Golden Retrievers Get Their Full Coat
Another thing to be considered when evaluating the coat of golden retrievers is their age.
Goldens are very tall and grow to their maximum height during the course of the year.
But their coats wont fully take over until after 1 year and half.
If you see people walking down the street with a stunning golden dress and untidy outfit Be aware that even if the golden is less than an year and one-half old, the coat may be slightly longer.
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Do All Golden Retrievers Have Long Hair
The short answer is yes, they do. When compared to other dog breeds, golden retrievers have longer hair. However, its worth noting that show goldens have longer hair compared to field retrievers. Remember, the coat length is a determining factor on whether a dog is a golden or not.
While some short-haired golden retrievers do have shorter hairs, it should never be as short as a Labradors fur, for example.
Is There A Short Hair Golden Retriever
According to the Golden Retriever breed standard, there are no accepted varieties in coat length. They are, instead, described as having a medium length coat. However, there will naturally be some variety in the breed. Your dogs fur length is controlled by a gene called the fibroblast growth factor 5 gene . So, depending on this gene, some Goldens may have hair thats several inches long, whilst others have minimal feathering and shorter fur all over.
Another way that Golden Retriever puppies can have short fur is when they are actually a mixed breed. Crossing a purebred Golden Retriever with a short-haired dog breed, like the Labrador, can result in puppies with shorter fur. But, since these puppies wont be purebred, they wont qualify as show dogs. And, their temperament can be slightly different to a purebred Golden.
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They Could Be Another Breed
Golden Retriever has many brothers who all belong to the Retriever, and they all look pretty much the same. So you can be cheated, or you can get the wrong dog breed. Lets consider two breeds of dogs below.
a. Labrador Retriever
First and foremost, despite being part of the same Retriever, the Labrador has very short hair. They have three official colors: yellow, chocolate, and black. There are also fox red and polar white colors, but they are not recognized as pure.
The Labrador is heavier than the Golden . The Labrador has a life expectancy of about 10 to 12 years, almost the same as the Golden 10 to 13 years.
One more thing you can see is that despite having short hair, the Labrador has shed a lot of hair all year round, while the Golden has just shed a small amount of hair in a season.
b. Flat-coated retrievers
This breed is similar to the Golden in that it has a dense, thick coat, but its fur is always flat, not waved like the Golden. Besides, their coat is not water-repellent. This breed has three main colors of coat: black, liver, and blonde. The blonde color makes them look more like the Golden One.
Flat-Coated Retriever is a little less active than the Golden Retriever. Rarely do they make such a noise. However, like the Golden Retriever, they need to exercise every day at least an hour a day. The life expectancy of this breed is quite short, only about 8 to 10 years.
Never Shave Your Golden Retriever
Some people think that shaving a golden retriever will help to reduce hair fall. It is totally wrong. By shaving a golden retriever you cannot turn it into a short-haired golden. Dogs with double body coats get protection from extreme weather conditions. When we shave a dog, they expose more in front of sunlight that may be dangerous.
On the other hand, some people consider shaving Golden retrievers during the summer season is a favor to their dogs. Their undercoat controls the body temperature. Moreover, when you cut their long coat, it will never grow back.
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Quick Retriever Breed Facts And History
Labrador retrievers have been Americas favorite dog breed for 25 years running. But Golden retrievers still hold their own, always landing within the top five.
Both retrievers share a common ancestor in the St. Johns Water Dog . This extinct breed originated in Canada and was exported from Newfoundland to England in the 19th century.
St. Johns Water Dogs were bred to help fishermen drag their nets across the ice. These retrieving traits have been passed down to the breeds modern day ancestors, making goldens and labs powerful swimmers.
They Might Not Be A Purebred Dog
When youve paid for a pure breed, it doesnt mean you can get the one youve asked for. A lot of bad guys out there are willing to cheat on you for money. The dogs you get can be a mixture of a Golden Retriever and a different breed. Golden Retriever is commonly crossed with Labrador because they look up to 90% similar. Features that allow us to distinguish them are just the length and color of the coat.
If youre wondering if your dog is a hybrid, the most easy-to-find guy who can help you make it clear is a vet. You may be asked to take a test kit to identify the breed of your dogs. Until then, everything will be clear. In general, there are four main breeds of dogs used to cross the Golden Retriever.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever: The mixture of this breed and Golden Retriever may have half-curly and half-straight or wavy hair with abnormal colors.
Curly Coated Retriever: The mixture of this breed and Golden Retriever may have half-curly and half-straight or wavy hair of a black or liver color.
Labrador Retriever: The mixture of this breed and Golden Retriever may have short black, chocolate, or yellow hair. You might want to check out Catahoula Lab Mix or Doberman Lab Mix for other Lab hybrids.
Flat-coated Retriever: the mixture of this breed and Golden Retriever may have long black or liver hair.
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Can You Keep Golden Retriever Hair Short
The short answer is yes, Golden Retrievers fur can be short through trimming. But it is important to avoid trimming their coat anywhere other than specific areas, like their toes, paws, and ears.
We recommend taking your dog to a professional groomer so he can take care of all the difficult areas.
Keep in mind, Goldens naturally shed to keep the equilibrium in their coat. So, it is best never to shave a Goldens fur, as it will not stop shedding. In fact, the Goldens coat will be permanently damaged and will never grow back the same.
Some dog owners who are looking to get a Golden Retriever may be discouraged from their excessive fur shedding. Since shedding is unavoidable, they may shed throughout the year. It may even be heavier with the changing of seasons. However, there are many things pet owners can do to help keep it under control.
What About Golden Retrievers And Allergies
Now, if youre looking for a golden retriever with a short coat for allergy purposes, you might be barking up the wrong tree.
For one, its not exactly the fur that causes allergic reactions.
Most people are allergic to dander , and possibly the saliva and urine .
So getting a golden with shorter fur wont necessarily help you if youre allergic to goldens.
There will still be dander everywhere, and theyll probably have a hard time not licking your face because theyre so full of love
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The Truth About Short Haired Golden Retrievers
Although theres no such thing as a short-haired golden retriever, some golden retrievers do have shorter hair than others.
Some types of goldens, like field golden retrievers, typically have shorter hair than other types, such as those bred for shows.
And although you might be tempted to turn your regular golden retriever into a short-haired golden by giving them a haircut, that could actually put their health in jeopardy, as well as ruin their beautiful coats.
So lets talk about the different types of goldens, first
How Much Does It Cost To Buy Food For A Golden Retriever
Golden retrievers are large breed dogs that require plenty of food and exercise.
Generally, basic dry golden retriever food can cost about $100 $250 per year for a 30-pound bag every 1 2 months. High quality dry food might go between $200 $400 per year for the same quantity and frequency.
Wet dog food will cost a bit more and range between $400 $1,000 per year for 1 3 cases of 13-ounce cans per month. The cost for food will depend on the size, age, and activity level of your companion.
When you buy the best food for golden retriever puppies, always check the labels and make sure they meet the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials while they dont regulate, test, or certify pet foods in any way, they do establish the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods. Fortunately, the cheaper brands of dog food can be just as good as the more premium brands as long as they meet the standards of AAFCO and are made with minimal processing. When making your decision, make sure to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives where you can, since they could cause health problems for your dog.
Here is a list of prices for some popular golden retriever food brands:
If you want to give your new dog the best, happiest, and most-loving home possible, its important to have a few key essentials ready for your new family member! Heres a quick list of things to get and their average expenses:
- Dental Products: $10 $30
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