What Do Golden Retrievers Look Like
Golden Retrievers are medium-large-sized dogs with a strong, muscular built and a shiny golden double coat that is water repellant. Their board forehead, shiny eyes, short ears, and muzzles are the hallmarks of this dog breed. The Golden Retriever is a well-built muscular dog with long and golden hair which gives the breed its name. Golden Retrievers shed their hair seasonally and their health must be taken care of by owners. With a sweet and calm temperament, this breed looks like a bug cuddly toy! Goldens are outgoing, trustworthy, and eager-to-please family dogs. Though they generally have a good temperament, like all dogs, a Golden Retriever puppy must be well-raised and well-trained to make the most of its natural abilities. Since they are intelligent, it is easy to train them as well, and this can be seen in the breed’s agile and adorable appearance.
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult
Rating:
This Large Breed Adult formula is one of 13 dry recipes covered in our review of the Diamond Naturals product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, ground white rice
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult goldens
Diamond Naturals Large Breed gets the better part of its meat protein from fresh chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 14% fat and 52% estimated carbs… creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.
We like the fact that this particular formula contains zinc proteinate and 3 other chelated minerals, costly items not typically found in such a budget-friendly, high quality option. A top pick for adult goldens. Easy to recommend.
Sample buyer review…“We have seen great changes in our dogs on this food. My beagle is getting older and slowing down. With the Diamond food, he is running all over and back to jumping on the couch and bed again. My male Great Pyrenees had digestive issues that cleared right up. My female Great Pyrenees was always getting skin issues with a rough coat. She isn’t scratching and her coat is gorgeous. Thank you Diamond for giving my dogs their lives back.”
Ideal Environment For A Golden Retriever
A Golden Retriever dog needs plenty of exercise and prefers open spaces for retrieving. This is why a golden retriever is best suited for a house with a big yard or an owner who will take them to the off-leash park all the time. If you have small children, a Golden Retriever is a safe choice for a family pet, especially if properly trained.
Personality Traits Of The Golden Retriever Dog:
Hailed as being the perfect dog, the Golden Retriever is a gentle and loving dog with a relaxed, mellow nature. Known as being wonderful with children, Golden Retriever’s are very patient with little ones, and can spend hours upon hours playing and cuddling children, which means that they make wonderful family dogs!
They’re cherry, forgiving, and extremely trustworthy with all, including young children and other animals. As an active breed, the Golden Retriever requires plenty of exercises each day to burn off energy, and thrives best in environments where socialization is possible – so you’ll need to make sure that you are regularly visiting the local dog park.
Though the Golden Retriever is prone to barking, the Golden Retriever is rarely ever aggressive, and instead usually chooses to gain attention from passers-by or to show excitement by barking, and is friendly towards all – including children, strangers, other dogs, and even cats!
Plus, thanks to their everlasting childlike spirit, the Golden Retriever has a playful personality that will last throughout the entirety of their lives and loves to play games with their owners, including fetch, chase, tug of war, and many more.
Types Of Golden Retriever Colors
Goldens come in all shades of gold, from light cream to almost red. The AKC states that Goldens shouldn’t have very pale or dark coats. They only recognize Light Golden, Golden, and Dark Golden in the show ring.
Meanwhile, the Canadian and British Kennel Clubs accept more shades, including Creams.
Meet Triton, the Red Golden Retriever –Image source
No Kennel Club accepts Red as a color. Red Golden Retrievers do exist but will not be able to compete in the show ring. They should not be confused with Dark Goldens. Those are darker than the Standard Golden with no red undertones.
Golden Retrievers also come in Light Golden and Cream. Light feathers or white markings on the face due to old age is acceptable.
Don’t miss:Is the English Cream Golden Retriever the better Goldie?
A purebred Golden Retriever cannot be black due to genetics. However, sometimes mutations occur, and you might get a Golden with a black “birthmark.” Solid black Golden Retrievers are usually mixed with Labradors or Flat-Coated Retrievers.
Puppies don’t vary much from their parent’s colors. To be sure, check the fur behind their ears, it’s a good indication of their adult color.
Would They Make A Good Pet
Of course, a Golden Retriever can make a very good pet. This wavy-coated dog is a very sweet and calm-natured breed, and moreover, as family pets, they are very loyal, courageous, and affectionate towards their owners. Goldens are also easy to train. For this reason, these pets are also one of the most popular therapy and service dogs. So, if you want to have a dog as a pet then you can consider having a Golden Retriever. It is important to remember that regular exercise and grooming are very important for these dogs.
Correct Ownership For Golden Retrievers
With all the worry about the correct feeding and care for your retriever, you cannot forget the most important thing: love and attention. This breed is very close to people and needs to be part of the family. Being in a kennel is unthinkable for the sensitive nature of this animal. Let your golden be part of your life and above all have enough time to stimulate it physically and mentally.
Golden retrievers love to exercise. Having one of these furry energetics is intense. A daily walk is not enough, as intelligent retrievers need physical and mental challenges. You can incorporate gathering or searching exercises into your daily walks and different types of sport or dog training are also suitable to keep your faithful friend busy.
The ideal for this breed is obedience, dummy training, tracking work, or being part of a group of rescue dogs. There are many other sports and games in which they can use their good sense of smell and their desire to collect. Another thing this water-loving breed loves is to take a bath in the river, the lake, or the sea. If you don’t have any of these options on hand, you will always find a puddle or if you cannot use the garden hose.
In The United Kingdom
Golden Retrievers were first accepted for registration by The Kennel Club in 1903, as Flat Coats – Golden. They were first exhibited in 1908, and in 1911 were recognized as a breed referred to as Retriever .
In Scotland
In July 2006, the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland organized a gathering of Golden Retriever enthusiasts at the ancestral home, Guisachan House. A photograph taken by photographer Lynn Kipps to commemorate the occasion captured 188 Golden Retrievers, and so holds the record for the most Golden Retrievers in one image.
Caring For Your Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are usually real big softies and can make a great addition to a home. They are a popular pet for families, but be aware that they are prone to certain health conditions and you will need to make sure your pet’s been screened where possible to avoid them. It’s also really important to keep your Retriever in shape, as they can easily become overweight.
Golden Retriever Exercise Needs
Dogs of this breed are energetic, athletic, and full of stamina, so Golden Retriever exercise needs are pretty considerable. Breed members can begin exercising for short periods as early as three months of age, and by one year they’ll need an hour or more per day. Specifically how much exercise does a Golden Retriever puppy need daily? Follow the 5-Minute Rule: from age three months to one year, give your Golden five minutes of exercise for each month it’s been alive. From one year on, give the dog at least an hour.
Be aware, though, that with its stamina and “people-pleasing” traits, a Golden may not know when to quit! It’ll be up to you, the owner, to be sure not to over-exercise the dog . But try and find a balance, as an under-exercised Golden Retriever can be a hyperactive, misbehaving nightmare. This breed is also highly prone to obesity, so a Golden will quickly become overweight without enough physical activity.
EXERCISES FOR GOLDEN RETRIEVERS:
- Walking/Jogging: Good for both the dog and you
- Swimming: Goldens love the water
- Treadmill: Good for bad-weather days; may take a bit of training, but a Golden is intelligent enough to learn how
- Fetch/Frisbee: A Golden will chase a ball, stick, or Frisbee for hours
- Tug-of-War: Can be done indoors or out
- Hiking: Good for bonding and exploring with your Golden
Children And Other Pets
The amiable Golden Retriever isn’t bothered by the noise and commotion of kids — in fact, he thrives on it. He’s a large, strong dog, though, and he can easily knock over a small child by mistake.
As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. Teach your child never to approach any dog while he’s eating or sleeping or to try to take the dog’s food away. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child.
The Golden’s attitude toward other pets is the more the merrier. He enjoys the companionship of other dogs, and with proper introductions and training, can be trusted with cats, rabbits, and other animals.
Golden Retriever Health And Diseases
However, this boom brought with it several negative associated symptoms. Several greedy “multipliers”, who were only looking for easy money with these adorable puppies, crossed the dogs without planning and without taking into account their essence and their health. This resulted in typical ailments of the breed, which they still suffer today. Through selective breeding and strict admission requirements, attempts are being made to reduce their risk. The most common golden retriever diseases are:
Feed allergy
Is your Golden Retriever showing skin problems such as itching, shaking, chronic ear infections, and hair loss? Or does he suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, vomiting or gas? In both cases, a feed allergy should be considered.
An allergy, in particular the feed allergy, basically describes an over-sensitivity of the immune system to certain substances that are contained in the feed. These so-called allergens are mostly proteins that pass through the intestinal wall and then lead to an immunological reaction.
If a Golden Retriever suffers from these symptoms, the owners should use food that consists of a few different components as possible and is guaranteed to be free of allergenic ingredients .
The gastrointestinal tract can also be supported by prebiotics such as inulin . If the skin is affected, essential fatty acids in the food of the golden retriever are suitable to reduce inflammation .
Elbow dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia
Progressive retinal atrophy
English Retriever Vs Golden Retriever The Main Differences
Because of different breeding standards in Europe, and North America, slight differences among the types of Golden Retrievers have developed.
Breeders in Europe have bred Golden Retrievers according to The UK Kennel Club standards, and American and Canadian breeders bred Golden Retrievers according to the AKC or CKC standards.
Here are the differences between them:
1. Colour
This is the main difference that people will notice right away. The English Retriever’s coat is lighter in colour than the American and Canadian Golden Retriever.
English Retriever: According to The Kennel Club, any shade of gold or cream is acceptable, and red or mahogany is not allowed.
American Retriever:The American Kennel Club allows for rich lustrous golden of various shades. Extremely light or extremely dark coats are not permitted.
Canadian Retriever: The Canadian Kennel Club allows for lustrous golden of various shades just like the AKC.
2. Coat
The English Retriever has a thicker and shorter coat as compared to its American and Canadian counterparts.
English Retriever: The coat is flat or wavy with good feathering and a dense water-resistant undercoat.
American Retriever: The coat is dense and water-repellent with moderate feathering. The coat is slightly longer than that of the English Retriever.
Canadian Retriever: The coat is thinner than the English and American, and is straight or wavy.
3. Size
4. Head and Skull
5. Eyes
6. Health and Life Expectancy
7. Cancer Rate
Trainability & Training Tips
You can assume that a breed this popular as a service dog is also pretty trainable. And you’d be right! With the Golden Retriever’s calm demeanour, smart wit, and people-loving personality, this breed is one of the easiest to train.
The best tip we can provide is that you start training early and that you stick with it. Golden Retrievers are pretty large doggos, so it’s best to train them in proper house etiquette and manners around people and dogs when they’re young.
Once you’ve covered the housetraining basics, that’s when you can get into more complex territory. These dogs are particularly skilled at tracking, which can make for hours of fun in your neighbourhood or your own backyard. Training your Golden Retriever to track includes challenging them to find hidden objects such as their favourite toy, after you’ve hidden it from them.
Obedience training is also a fun way to bond with your Golden Retriever. They’ll love the mental challenge and you’ll be wowed by their ability.
Smaller May Be Better
So, yes, size does matter when you’re choosing a canine companion for your golden years. But so do energy level and health history. Energy level is important, because if you choose a small dog thinking he’ll be easier to keep exercised and entertained than a large one, chances are you don’t know anyone who has a Jack Russell. And the health history is important in choosing any dog, but especially so when you’re on a fixed income, as most retirees are. The health history may tell you about any preexisting health conditions that your dog may have, but of course, it’s not a guarantee that the dog won’t develop health issues in the future. An easygoing or at least kid-tolerant temperament is also a must, especially if you have grandkids over regularly.
Before I start suggesting specific , I have two other recommendations. First, get an adult dog. With an adult , you are more likely to have a good idea of health history and temperament, and you’re past the time and money involved in raising a puppy. Second, check out and rescue groups to get a great pet — breed mixes may often have fewer health problems than their purebred counterparts. If you want a purebred puppy, be sure to find a reputable breeder, because if you don’t, you may end up with a poorly socialized dog or a dog with health issues who doesn’t measure up to the full potential of the breed.
There Are Three Types Of Golden Retrievers
While you might think all Golden Retrievers look very similar, the breed actually has three different colors — golden, light golden, and dark golden — as well as three different types — English, Canadian, and American. There are subtle differences between the types of Goldens, but they all fall under the same breed.
How do you know what type of Golden Retriever you’ve got? Check their build and coloring. Canadian and American Golden Retrievers tend to have the same build; however, Canadians have a thinner coat than the Americans. English Golden Retrievers have a stockier build than the other types, and also tend to have a light golden to white color. To get an idea of what color coat your Golden Retriever puppy will have when it matures, take a look at its ears. The tip of the ears usually show what color the pup will be after they lose their puppy coat. No matter which type of Golden you have, they’ll have an even, enjoyable temperament. Goldens are renowned for their calm, playful, and friendly disposition.
Best Harness For A Golden Retriever Reviewed
Below, you will find reviews of the top 10 Golden Retriever harnesses available on the market. I’ve included pros, cons, and key features of each model to help you decide what is the best kind of dog harness for a Golden Retriever.
The Noxgear LightHound Reflective Dog Harness is made from lightweight but durable materials that are ideal for active Golden Retrievers.
Key Features
- Sturdy leash attachment
- Rechargeable LED lights
Designed to increase a dog’s visibility, this harness is an excellent choice for late evening walks. It is very easy to put on and take off, and its lightweight design allows for a free range of motion.
Pros
- Comes in many sizes and different colors
- Made from sturdy and durable materials
- Easily adjustable for the perfect fit
Cons
- LED lights can stop working after some time
Overall, the Noxgear LightHound Reflective Dog Harness is a sound investment if you are looking for a comfortable Golden Retriever harness that will make your dog more visible.
- Reflective stripes for better visibility in low light
- Available in sizes to fit golden retriever puppies and adult dogs
Durable and comfortable, the PetSafe padded dog harness offers a great fit. The no-pull martingale design means it’s easy to head out for a walk at a moment’s notice – just clip on your favorite leash and go!
Pros
Cons
- Might be difficult to put on very wiggly dogs
Cons
- Pouches are sold separately
Despite Their Titled Heritage Golden Retrievers Didn’t Win Breed Recognition Until The 1920s
Golden Retrievers were developed starting in 1850 by the Scotsman Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, the Lord of Tweedmouth. Hunting birds was popular at the time, both as sport and as a practical way of obtaining food. Marjoribanks sought a medium-sized bird dog to support the hunt. The breed was developed by crossing a Retriever with a Water Spaniel, then crossing their offspring with Bloodhounds, Irish Setters, the St. John’s Water Dog, and other Retrievers. Golden Retrievers were first shown in 1908, at the U.K.’s Crystal Palace. They were entered as “flat coats ” rather than the name we know them by today.
It took until 1925 for the breed to win official American Kennel Club recognition. Today, Golden Retrievers are still used for hunting and field trials, and they also perform obedience and guide dog work.
Breed History Of Golden Pyrenees
Golden Pyrenees is a mix of two playful and affectionate dog breeds- Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees. The exact origin and history of the Golden Pyrenees are unknown. Also, the facts and figures about the Golden Pyrenees may vary until the breed is matured.
While we talk about its traits, we need to have a closer look at the parent breeds. For example, the Great Pyrenees is used as a livestock watchdog and is popular for its ability to bark loudly. On the other hand, the Golden Retrievers are well known to be ideal family pets that were originally bred to retrieve the game. Later they gained popularity as detection working dogs, tracking dogs, and obedience competitors.
Let’s have a quick introduction to the parent breeds.
Getting A Golden Retriever
Getting a Golden Retriever is simple, but it’s important to be prepared. If you’re buying a Golden Retriever puppy, you’ll spend plenty of time on basic obedience training, socializing the puppy to other people and dogs, and teaching important skills like and going to the bathroom in the right spot.
Finding a Golden Retriever puppy or adult dog can be as easy as an internet search, but be careful of puppy mills and internet scams. Do your research and ask around about reputable breeders, visit before committing to payment, and trust your gut.
A Nutritious Diet And Grooming Routine:
One of the most important aspects of caring for your Golden Retriever will be to make sure that they are healthy and happy. You should be sure to feed your Golden Retriever a highly nutritious and well-balanced diet suitable for their breed, while also making sure that you are not feeding them any foods that could be potentially harmful, such as grapes and other foods that may seem to be harmless.
For this reason, we recommend that you regularly research and educate yourself on what foods are suitable for your Golden Retriever.
In addition to that, you should also ensure that you are regularly grooming and caring for your Golden Retriever. As we’ve already mentioned above, Golden Retrievers are prone to shredding, so you will need to make sure that you are brushing at least once a week, and bathing them at least once a month.
Brush Your Pup Regularly:
Brush your pup regularly Golden retrievers have long coats that will either be wavy or straight. They require standard brushing to decrease shedding and avoid tangling.
Brush your canine from a young age and make brushing a part of your every day schedule. You’ll also use common bristle brush, wire bristle brush, and a greyhound comb.
Remove tangles from your golden retriever’s fur. Brush all parts of your golden retriever. Brush stomach, his back, sides, chest, tail, and ears every day.
Common Health Problems In Golden Retrievers
Like any purebred dog, Golden Retrievers may encounter some breed-related health problems throughout their lives. Often, Breed Clubs will also be able to provide advice on what tests your breed may need and where to get these done. Make sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening to reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by these upsetting conditions.
Golden Retrievers are amongst a group of breeds classed as ‘Category Two’ by The Kennel Club. These are breeds of dog that have been highlighted as having ‘points of concern’ – visible features which, if exaggerated, might potentially affect the breed in the future and cause health and welfare concerns. For Golden Retrievers, this is because they can have short legs in proportion to their body and a tendency to become overweight.
Some of the conditions Golden Retrievers are more prone to developing include:
There Are 3 Varieties Of Golden Retrievers: Here’s What You Should Know About Them
Though Golden Retrievers were initially bred to handle the rainy climate and rugged terrain of the Highlands in Scotland, they’ve since become one of America’s most popular dog breeds. Whether they’re hunting, working as guides for the blind, performing search-and-rescue missions, or cuddling on the couch, Golden Retrievers are known for being as powerful and hardworking as they are loyal and sweet. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of this breed, but here’s what you may not know: there are actually three different kinds of Golden Retrievers. Though the differences are slight, here’s what makes Canadian, British, and American Golden Retrievers distinct from one another.
Personality Of A Golden Retriever Dog
The Golden Retriever is a hunting dog when left in a field, but it is also a loving, socializing, calm, and friendly dog that loves to be surrounded by family members all the time. A sweet and loyal nature is the hallmark of a Golden Retriever as a family dog.
People who are obsessed with the Golden Retriever, love the golden coat and how the Golden Retriever tries to please his owner by doing silly and innocent actions. It loves to cuddle and can remain near the family in the living room for a whole day.
The Golden Retriever is a trustworthy dog breed. It has a friendly nature and remains away from the quarrelsomeness and hostility towards people or other pet animals.
Nervousness or timidity is not the problem while keeping a Golden Retriever at home. It displays a kind expression and possesses a personality of eagerness, alertness, and self-confidence.