Everything You Should Know About Golden Retriever Puppies

Golden retriever puppies are friendly, cheerful, and loyal family dogs. However, adopting and caring for them has some special notes you need to remember. If you are completely in the dark about their characteristics and way of caring for them properly, this article is here to help you! Let’s scroll down for more information!

Origins And History Of Golden Retriever Puppies

The story of the first Golden Retriever began in the 19th century, and it is noted in the notebook of Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks – a wealthy businessman. In 1865, he bought a yellow wavy-coated retriever named Nous. Three years later, he mated Nous with Belle, a liver-colored Tweed Water Spaniel (now extinct).

In 1865, the first Golden Retriever was born at Guisachan, the highland estate of Dudley Marjoribanks, 1st Baron Tweedmouth. It is a successful combination, as this crossbreeding dog is active and energetic on land and water. However, Marjoribanks did not sell the next generation widely but only gave it to his family and friends.

In 1908, Golden Retriever puppies were displayed publicly at a fair in England for the first time. It was not until 1903 that the Kennel Club accepted the registrations and officially recognized them as a new breed. Since then, Golden Retriever dogs have gradually gained more popularity in many countries and become one of the finest family breeds today.

The Breed Standard

General Appearance

The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed with a smooth coat in blonde, yellow, or gold color in terms of overall appearance. Originating as hunting dogs, they are well-balanced, strong, and active. Moreover, there are three common types of Golden: British, American, and Canadian, from genealogical crossbreeding throughout development.

British-type Golden Retrievers have more muscular forelimbs and lightest fur than the other two types. Meanwhile, the American type is a bit taller and has a dark coat similar to the teacup poodle but with moderate fluff. By comparison, Canada Golden’s coat is a bit thinner and lighter in color.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Typically, male dogs are about 23 to 24 inches tall. Their weight ranges from 65 to 75 pounds. Meanwhile, female dogs have a slightly smaller build with a height of 21 ½ to 22 ½ inches and 55 to 65 pounds.

Dogs with a height difference of about an inch from the standard are considered disqualified.

Coat And Color

Regardless of the type of Golden, their coat is waterproof, strong, and elastic in common. However, the outer coat that hugs their body may be straight or wavy. Fluff is fine and distributed more in the front of the neck, the back of the thighs, and the underside of the tail.

In terms of color, the coat is golden with various shades depending on the breed. However, unless the face is gray or white with age, any white marks on the fur (except a few on the chest) are a sign of exclusion.

Temperament

The characteristics of Golden Retrievers are somewhat reminiscent of baby pugs. They become the perfect family dogs because of their outgoing, playful, and gentle personalities. The dog breed shows friendly and incredibly patient attitudes with children. However, this is also the reason that prevents them from becoming good guard dogs.

As they mature, the Golden Retriever obtains the nature of a hunting dog: calm, confident, and naturally intelligent. They are loyal and always have a lot of energy. The training process does not take much time and effort because they are always hard-working, ready to satisfy the owner, and love having a task to follow.

Lifespan

Overall, Golden Retrievers are a healthy breed. Like chocolate lab puppies, they can be your family’s best friend within 10-12 years.

However, they are also susceptible to certain diseases that we will mention in the next section.

If you intend to buy a Golden puppy, we highly recommend finding a reliable breeder. It would be best to have health clearances for the previous generation. You also need to pay attention to the puppy’s health certificate and vaccination record.

Basic Needs Of Golden Retriever Puppies

Feeding

The amount of food varies on the dog’s age, health condition, and activity level. It is hard to give one-size-fits-all advice, but we’ve tried to come up with a summary as follows:

Puppies under six months of age eat an average of 2 cups of food per day. You should divide it into three meals morning, noon, and night.

Adult dogs need between 2 and 3 ½ cups of food. However, your dog may only eat two meals a day. Daily calorie requirements for this age range from 1300 to 1700.
Senior dogs are less active, so they only need 900 calories daily.
It is essential to focus on the nutrition of pregnant and lactating mother dogs to maintain weight and provide enough milk for puppies.

High-quality ready-to-eat foods ensure a complete supply of nutrients. Many types are differentiated according to the dog’s age, so consider this factor carefully before buying.

Furthermore, do not feed Golden Retriever cooked bone and high fast content food. Snacks after training can be a worthy reward but should be kept in moderation to avoid obesity.

Not all human foods are suitable for your dog’s digestive system. Therefore, you must research appropriate human food for Golden Retrievers to avoid dangerous situations for your pet’s health.

Last but not least, monitor your dog’s weight regularly and see your veterinarian immediately if you have any questions regarding nutrition.

Grooming

Coat

We recommend you develop a routine of brushing your Golden Retriever’s coat once a week to remove old hair. This routine also makes cleaning the house more manageable, as dead hair can fall everywhere if not appropriately handled.

Besides, Golden Retrievers undergo shedding periods one to two times per year, similar to teacup pomeranian. The brushing procedure must be repeated regularly (once a day is best) during this time.

However, bristle brushes cannot provide excellent support in some cases because they do not penetrate thick coats. A slicker brush will become your savior in these cases.

The first step of shedding begins with brushing all of the body hair back to loosen the old coat, remove debris, and brush the hair in the direction it grows. You can spray water or balm for tangled patches to make the process go more smoothly.

Remember to brush the coat first if you plan to bathe your pet. It is essential to wet the skin before applying the shower gel. Subsequently, rinse the hair twice and dry it thoroughly.

You may also need to dry its coat again with pet-specific dryers, which produce cooler air than a human hairdryer. But before that, let your dog run around for a few minutes. Finally, blow up opposite the natural hair growth and then brush again.

Nails And Paws

Golden Retriever’s hind feet do not need much special attention because regular activity makes them toned. On the other hand, it is necessary to perform a manicure and pad trimming once a month.

Cutting nails short helps reduce the risk of them getting scratched or broken. Also, this period is time to check for oxtails or grass barbs. Trimming the hair between the paw pads increases your pet’s traction on slippery or steep surfaces.

You can do this routine at home, but it requires patience and concentration, or you can take your dog to a professional salon once every four to six weeks. Trimming the hair between the paw pads also increases your pet’s traction on slippery or steep surfaces.

Oral

According to research, brushing your pet’s teeth three times a week reduces the risk of tooth decay. Do this by touching the gums as soon as you bring the dog home to build a good habit. However, it is best to ask the veterinarian about your dog’s condition first.

Ears, Eyes, and Skin

Check Golden Retriever’s ears once a week and clean them with cotton balls if necessary; dogs that frequently play in wet areas need even more frequent checkups. Skin testing is also important for the early detection of fleas and their removal.

Exercise

You may hear complaints that the Golden Retriever often loses control, such as biting, constantly running around, or even trying to get out of the house. The reason is simply that these dogs crave more physical activity.

At each stage, your pet requires a different amount of exercise. In general, we have some suggestions as follows:

Puppies under one-year-old need training time equal to the number of months of age multiplied by 5 minutes. For example, you should spend 10 minutes playing with your 2-month-old baby.
As your pet matures, at least an hour of exercise daily is essential. You can also diversify into more forms of energy release, such as playing frisbee, hiking, or swimming.

From the 8th year onwards, joint pain is likely to occur more quickly. Take the time to monitor your pet and quickly reduce the duration and intensity of exercise if they feel short of breath, irritable, and tired.

Training

When your puppy is 2-6 months old, it is that to start the training. During this period, you should focus on building obedience and quick reactions. Specifically, communication and fear are expressions that need special attention. Expose your pup to loud sounds and unexpected movements to develop the correct response.

During adolescence (6-18 months), your dog can become stubborn and irritable. Let them do what they like but within control. This means that you are teaching them to behave properly with a soft attitude. From 24 months onwards, the rebellion gradually subsided.

If you give enough attention to the first two years, your Golden Retriever will surely be smart, loyal, and always obey your word.

Read more:

Healthcare

Any dog breed is susceptible to certain diseases; we will list some common ailments for Golden Retrievers in this part. It does not mean your pet has to go through all of them, but health information is never excessive.

Hip Dysplasia: an inherited disease that causes a dog to feel pain and limp in one or both hind legs. Some exceptional cases do not experience this, but arthritis in old age is inevitable.
Elbow Dysplasia: a painful or lame elbow condition caused by genetics.
Cataracts: Cloudy spots on the lens of the eye that impair vision.
Von Willebrand’s Disease: blood movement disorder leading to hemophilia.

Are Golden Retriever Puppies Suitable To Your Lifestyle?

If you want a large athletic dog with some terrier characteristics than a teacup pomeranian, the Golden Retriever is a great choice with its cheerful and dependable nature. Besides, the training is not too difficult because they always try to please the owner. A stable and friendly personality also makes them suitable for families with children.

On the other hand, consider other options if you are allergic to fur because the long, shiny coat is the trademark of the Golden Retriever. Making time for practice can also become a hindrance. They have a lot of energy and need to release enough to limit inappropriate behavior. Thus, adopting a Golden means building a daily exercise routine. Moreover, if you want another dog like Golden Retriever, you can keep a black golden retriever at home.

In Conclusion

This article has provided relatively complete information about a popular family dog breed – the Golden Retriever puppies. It would be best to consider many factors before deciding whether they suit your lifestyle.

After reading this post, we hope you understand how to care for them and some of their typical health problems. Please be a responsible owner because the love you get back from your pet will not let you down.