Golden Retriever

Vital Statistics:

Place of Origin: England

Group: Sporting dog

Height: males 22-24 in., females 21-22 in.

Weight: 65-80 lbs., females 55-70 lbs.

Life span: 10-12 yrs.

Trainability: high

Good with children: yes

Good with other pets: yes

The Golden Retriever was bred in the mid-19th century in England with crossings including spaniels, setters, a light-coated retriever.

What does the Golden Retriever look like?

The Golden’s coat is wavy, shiny and feathering. Eyes are dark and ears are medium-sized and hanging down. Colors are cream to shades of gold. The undercoat is water-resistant. The Golden has a powerful muzzle with a scissors bite. Its tail is long, but not curved. Height is about 21-24 inches and weight is 55-80 lbs.

What is the Golden Retriever’s temperament?

The Golden Retriever is sweet and affectionate and patient and gentle with children and can be trusted with infants. They are loving and loyal, well-mannered and intelligent. They learn quickly and try to please the trainer at every step of training. While they may not make good guard dogs, they will bark at approaching visitors.

What are the Golden Retriever’s uses?

The Golden Retriever is prized as a hunting dog, retrieving and tracking. They compete in agility and obedience trials. They are very versatile and are used as therapy and service dogs and guide dogs for the blind. Because of their excellent sense of smell, they have been used in narcotics detection and rescue. The Golden Retriever is an extraordinary companion dog.

What specialty care does a Golden Retriever need?

Typically, the Golden Retriever loves water play. When a Golden Retriever participates in water play, or even has a bath, the combination of their long ears and moisture can commonly lead to yeast infections. This may be easily prevented with a little aftercare. Your veterinarian can supply a solution to be used after each exposure to water, or a couple of times a week. The usage usually consists of applying a few drops of the solution in the ear, and massaging it in.

Possible Health Issues

High incidence of cancer, hip/elbow dysplasia, eye problems, heart disease.