Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is one of America’s most popular dog breeds. The breed can be trained as a hunting dog or being as a guide dog to help the blind, also, they can participate in a search and rescue activity. The Golden Retriever attracts people to feed it as a family pet with its enthusiasm, friendliness and loyalty.
| Other Names | Golden Flat Coat |
| Color | Dark Golden, Golden, Light Golden |
| Height | Males: 22-24 inches. Females: 20-23 inches. |
| Weight | Males: 65-75 pounds. Females: 55-70 pounds. |
| Life Span | 10-12 years |
| Personality | Friendly, Intelligent, Devoted |
| Exercise | Needs Lots of Activity |
| Origin |
| Popularity | #3 |
| Groom Needs | Weekly |
| Kids Friendly | Yes |
| Dog Friendly | Yes |
| Watch Dog | |
| Family Dog | Yes |
| Litter Size | 4-12 |
Golden Retriever Video
Introduction
Do you want to own a dog that will form a good family pet? If yes, then you need to know about Golden Retriever. It is one of the most common dog breeds in the US and there are several reasons for its popularity. For instance, they are naturally intelligent, calm, active, friendly, and fun-loving dogs. They are known to be competitive in agility as well as other performance events. Unlike some other dog breeds that you may already know, Golden Retrievers are easy to train due to their higher intelligence levels and athleticism – no harsh training methods. You will love the fact that these dogs form good companions with other dog breeds, cats as well as most livestock. On average, the Golden Retriever dog breed lasts for approximately 11 to 12 years. To live with this dog breed in your home for this long, you will need to include him in your daily routine. They are active and will help you with some daily chores such as retrieving paper, taking part in dog sports, or waking up family members. You should not breed this dog if you are not ready to have him with you underfoot almost all the time. Golden Retriever is referred to as a family dog in the sense that it loves spending most of the time indoor with its human companion and as such you should not leave him lonely in the backyard.
Living with Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers have a water-repellent outer coat with a thick undercoat, and the coat is straight or wavy, and dense. They shed moderately in the winter and summer, and heavily in the spring and fall.
Daily brushing is recommended to prevent tangling, they also need a bath weekly or twice a week, and don’t forget to dry up their ears after the bath. A dirty, tangled coat is not only unattractive, but it can be uncomfortable for your dog. So you need to provide your dog with a clean and smart appearance as much as you can do.
If you can hear them clicking on the floor, it means that the nails are too long. Short, neatly trimmed nails can keep the feet in a good condition, so you can trim nails once or twice a month if your dog doesn’t wear them down naturally.
Golden Retriever grooming isn’t very difficult, you just need to show your patience to it, and a little maintenance goes a long way in ensuring your best furry friend not only looks good but feels good.
Such as most Sporting breeds, Goldens need plenty of daily exercises, both physical and mental. Many Goldens happily get their exercise on hunting trips or at field trials, as well as by participating in canine sports such as agility, obedience, and tracking. And they also enjoy water and swimming which are great low-impact exercises. Besides, it is better to get some advice from a vet before you take them a high-impact exercise to prevent the bad influence in the dog’s bones and joints.
Adult Goldens need an exercise at least 45 minutes of a day, whether it is walking, running, or playing fetch with a toy. Chewing is also an important behavior that can be supported by giving your dog safe items to chew. For normal growth, Golden Retriever puppies need less strenuous exercise than adult Goldens.
In addition, overeating and obesity should be avoided for this breed; regular exercise will help them maintain a proper weight and build up a good behavior and body strength.
Goldens have a tendency to become overweight. Adult dogs should be fed a balanced diet, and they don’t need to take the same amount of food because it depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level about how much it eats. Also, the quality of dog food has an impact on the food amount which they take.
It is not suggested to leave food out all the time but measuring his food and feeding his twice a day to keep your Golden in a good shape.
Raise Golden puppies should be taken special care because they grow very rapidly between the age of four and seven months that makes them susceptible to bone disorders. A high-quality and low-calorie diet can keep them from growing too fast.
Nutrition plays an important role in the health of the Golden Retriever, studies show that large-breed dogs can live longer and experience fewer problems with disease, including arthritis, if they are kept at a healthy weight. So, you need to consult from a veterinary about your dog’s appropriate weight.
And if you choose to cook at home for your dog or feed raw dog food, consult with a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a complete and balanced diet.
Goldens are generally healthy dogs, but like all breeds, they’re prone to certain health conditions. The responsible breeders will monitor their dogs for health conditions including elbow and hip dysplasia; eye conditions such as juvenile cataracts, pigmentary uveitis, and progressive retinal atrophy; and certain heart diseases, including subvalvular aortic stenosis. Their ears should be checked weekly for signs of infection and the teeth should be brushed daily.
If you’re buying a puppy, find a good breeder who will show you health clearances for both the puppy’s parents to prevent the potential genetic health problems.
Total Annual Cost: $3239
Cost is estimated for the first year and may vary depending on many factors, such as dog food, health care, leash, collar, licensing, possible fencing, crates, training and obedience classes, dog-walking, grooming, treats, toys, flea, tick, and heart-worm meds, microchips, etc.
Golden Retriever is a kind of breed that is easy to be trained because they are eager to please and learn quickly, and that makes them quick studies in basic obedience.
Gently exposing the puppy to different people, places, and situations at the ages of seven weeks to four months will help the Golden develop into a well-adjusted and well-mannered adult.
Like every dog, Golden Retriever can be trained by using balls and toys to supplement treating training because most of them are toy-drive, and they can perform well in the treats and dog-friendly positive-reinforcement training.
When it comes to training a Golden Retriever puppy, it’s important to note that some can become overexcited during the training process and might require a quick pace to stay focused. Like many dogs, Golden Retriever puppies can be mouthy, so consistent early training can help to decrease this natural tendency to nibble. Golden Retriever potty training is requiring typical supervision and consistency to complete it.
Also, the Golden Retriever is a sought after a breed for assistance or service dog training, and as a working dog. Their acute sense of smell earns praise as an ideal scent dog.
History
Golden Retriever dog breed was allegedly bred in Scotland in the mid-nineteenth century. During these moments, wildfowl hunting used to be a common game among the loyal Scottish elites; however, the retriever breeds were insufficient for retrieving a downed game. It was necessary to retrieve a downed game from land and/or water since the hunting grounds were somewhat pocketed with rivers as well as marshy ponds.
As a result, the healthiest water spaniels were picked and crossed with the retrievers and this lead to the establishment of a breed otherwise referred to as the Golden retriever in the current world. This dog breed was developed in the neighborhoods of Glen Affric, Scotland at the estate of 1st Baron Tweedmouth. Several sources indicate that Golden Retrievers may have descended from a Russian tracker dog (which is currently extinct). Improvements in guns in the 18th century lead to the downing of more fowls and at a greater distance. Soon, fowl were hard to find and this called for a need to have a specialist retriever. Crossbreeding begun in search of such a breed.
The first cross involved Nous (yellow-colored retriever) and a Belle/tweed water spaniel (now extinct). Belle was said to be calm and loyal – a character that is still evident in today’s Golden Retrievers. The descendants were then crossed with Wav/ Flat-coated retrievers, a red setter, and a Tweed Water Spaniel. The first breed was known to possess special hunting skills. The Don of Gerwyn was one of the most famous descendants of Tweedmouth dogs and he won a trophy in 1904 at the International Gundog League. In 1911, The Kennel Club that’s based in England announced officially that it had recognized the Golden Retriever dog breed as a distinct one. In 1932, Golden Retriever dog breed gained recognition from the American Kennel Club and believe it or not, it’s the most popular dog in the US as of now.
Helpful Information
Breed Club: GOLDEN RETRIEVER CLUB OF AMERICA
Breed Club Link: https://grca.org/
Breed Club Rescue:
Breed Club Rescue Link: http://www.grca-nrc.org/