The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. The breed's friendly, tolerant attitude makes them great family pets and their intelligence makes for them to be easily trained! They are very loyal, loving, and smart companions.

The golden needs daily exercise; a walk or jog, free time to run in the yard, a run at the beach or lake (goldens love water), or a game of fetch. Goldens like to have a job to do...such as retrieving the paper, waking up family members, or playing fetch.

As well as given your golden retriever physical and mental exercise, you should also be prepared to include him/her in your family activities. The Golden Retriever is a Family dog. Don't consider getting a Golden unless you are willing to give him/her attention and make them a part of your family.

Goldens love to eat, and will quickly become overweight if overfed and not exercised properly on a daily basis. Limit their treats, measure out their daily kibble, and feed him/her on a regular schedule (morning, midday, and night - puppy under 1 year of age and morning and night - for adult).

History

The Golden Retriever breed was developed in Scotland, at the highland estate of Sir Dudley Majorbanks, later known as Lord Tweedmouth. Tweedmouth, like many gentry of his day, bred animals of all kinds, trying to perfect different breeds. HIs breeding records show what he was aiming for with the Golden: A talented retriever, a loyal dog and even-tempered in the home.

The Kennel Club in England officially recognized the Golden Retriever as a distinct breed in 1911 and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1932.

Size

The male Golden is around 23-24 inches tall and weighs 65-75 pounds. The female Golden are generally 21.5-22.5 inches tall and weighs 55-65 pounds. The Golden usually reaches their full height by one year of age and their mature weight by two years of age.

Personality

A sweet calm nature is the hallmark of the Golden breed. The Golden was bred to work with people, and is eager to please his owner. Though hard-wired with a good disposition, like all dogs, the Golden must be well-raised and well-trained to make the most of his heritage.

Like every dog, the Golden needs early socialization - exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences - when they are young. Socialization helps ensure that your Golden puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.

Care

Recommend feeding is 2-3 cups of food a day divided into 3 meals for puppies and 2 meals for adults. Note: How much your puppy/dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals and they all do not need the same amount of food. More active dogs will need more than a "couch potato" dog. Also, the quality of food makes a difference - the better the dog food, the further it will go in nourishing your dog and the less you will need to feed. We feed our adults Purina One Smartblend for large breed and our puppies are started on Purina One large breed Puppy and after several weeks are transitioned over to the Purina One Smartblend for large breed puppies.

Golden Retrievers shed moderately in the winter and summer, and heavily in the spring and fall. Daily brushing is recommended to prevent tangling, and once a week is bare minimum. Your golden will need a bath at least once a month and more frequently to keep him looking and smelling fresh. Remember to Trim his nails and keep ears clean.