About
Golden Retrievers are incredibly loyal and friendly with everyone. They make the perfect family dog and can be welcomed into a home that has other dogs or children.
They are also very intelligent, able to pick up tricks and skills quickly. Golden Retrievers are easy to train and are always looking to please. Because of this they are one of the best breeds to train as service animals.
There will be quite a lot of grooming to consider when caring for a Golden Retriever as they shed frequently.
Health
There are a few health conditions to look out for when caring for a Golden Retriever. You’ll need to be careful not to feed Golden Retrievers too much as they have a higher risk of becoming overweight.
Their short legs can lead to issues with joints that can eventually lead to Arthritis.
Hip Dysplasia
Symptoms: walking strangely, limping, clicking noise, difficulty standing
This condition is caused by a mis-alignment in the dog’s leg joint. It can occur as the dog grows and symptoms can come and go.
Elbow Dysplasia
Symptoms: limping, difficulty walking, clicking noise when moving
A similar issue to Hip Dysplasia but affecting different joints in your dog’s legs. Can lead to arhritis is left untreated.
Ear Infections
Symptoms: redness or swelling of the ear canal, scabs in the ears, scratching
Golden Retrievers have big floppy ears which means they are at a higher risk than other breeds of contracting an ear infection. Weekly cleans can help prevent infection.
Appearance
Similar in size to the similar Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers can range from 55 – 60cm tall and can weigh between 25 – 35kg.
With short legs for the size of their body, they can appear short and long.
A Golden Retriever has a double coat with a thick undercoat and a topcoat that repels water. A very fluffy breed!
Such a fluffy coat means that Golden Retrievers will shed a lot and will need lots of brushing.
You will see Golden Retrievers in a wide range of shades of Gold. From a very pale, almost white, to a dark gold that could pass for red.
Behaviour
Golden Retrievers are one of the friendliest breeds around! Comfortable around strangers and other dogs. They don’t make very good guard dogs and are much more likely to give the postman a lick than bark!
An active breed, Golden Retrievers need lots of exercise and will need multiple walks a day. Outside space is important for most dogs but especially for energetic breeds like the Golden Retriever.
It’s easy to train a Golden Retriever and so you will often see this breed working as service animals or as a gundog.
Friendly with Children
Friendly with Dogs
Suited to Compact Living
Happy with Strangers
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Golden Retrievers shed a lot, and often, so you’re going to be cleaning up a lot of hair.
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