This loyal and lovable breed is one of the most popular and trustworthy canines out there and they have a great reputation for being a great family dog.

With their kind-loving eyes, this is the perfect breed for the active family who love spending time outdoors and don’t mind dog hair everywhere. We mean everywhere!

In This Blog

Breed Overview

History Of The Golden Retriever

Originally from the Scottish Highlands, the Golden Retrievers were created by the first Lord of Tweedmouth, also known as Dudley Majoribanks.

He wanted a specific breed capable of coping with the rough terrain and cold, miserable weather of his home in Scotland. This dog had to be good at retrieving game when hunting, whilst also behaving in a home and having a sweet temperament.

He started to research using old breeding records from the 1840’s all the way up to the 1890’s.

When it came to breeding, he started with the Yellow Retriever and a Tweed Water Spaniel while adding some Irish Setter, Bloodhound, Springer Spaniel, Newfoundland and more.

In 1908, the breed was shown for the first time in Crystal Palace, UK. But they weren’t introduced with the name they are known by today.

In fact, they were originally named Golden Flat Coats. It wasn’t until 1911 where they became recognised as the Golden Retriever and in 1913, the Golden Retriever Club of England was formed.

Since then, the popularity in the breed has soared, becoming popular across both America the UK.  n 2020, the breed ranked as the 4^th most popular dog to own.

They are often seen in movies due to their obedient nature and sweet temperament.

Characteristics

The Golden Retriever is known to be outgoing, playful, energetic, but still loving and cuddly and up for curling up on the sofa in front of the TV with you.

They are great pets for the outgoing family who just want a pet to love and who will love them in return!

Diet and Nutrition

Being a large and active dog breed, the Golden Retriever requires a balanced and nutritional diet including the three important macronutrients of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Like us, our canine friends can gain weight and develop illnesses if they don’t have a balanced diet too.

As puppies, they often rapidly grow quicker than their little bodies can cope with. To prevent them from growing too quickly and forming bone disorders, feed them a suitable low-calorie puppy diet.

Be sure to check the calorie content of all their food before you feed them and make sure that it is the right age category for your puppy.

Following this, as they grow into adults, they require a more adequately balanced diet and more calories. They may not require as much fat or protein proportionately in their diet as a puppy, due to them not growing anymore, but the more active your dog, the more carbohydrates they will require.

Monitor your dog’s weight to prevent them becoming overweight and from putting unnecessary stress on their joints and causing other health concerns.

Only feed treats every now and again and try to feed them human food only occasionally as a treat. Check out our blog on what you can safely feed your dog.

Grooming

If you are going to get a Golden Retriever, be prepared for hair everywhere. We are talking everywhere!

Even in rooms where your pooch may not go. You are guaranteed that some of their hair will find its way there, especially in shedding season. Due to this, you will definitely need a good vacuum cleaner!

Although very beautiful, by having lustrous double coat, one thick undercoat and one water-repellent coat, they are bound to shed…lots!

You will find that they will shed most of the year, more so in spring and fall during shedding season.

In order to help keep your retriever happy and minimise the hair getting everywhere, give them a thorough daily brushing and use a de-shedding tool to help thin out their undercoat.

During spring and fall, when it will be at its worse, you can take them to a dog groomer who can trim their coat to making it easier to cope with.

There are four things that you can be sure your Goldy will love, and that’s food, sleep, water and unfortunately…mud!

We are not sure if they were accidentally part bred with pigs at some point, but it is hard to explain their great love for wallowing in pools of muddy water.

So, if they manage to frequently get dirty and you find yourself bathing them frequently, always use pet-friendly shampoo and never leave them outside when they are wet as this will give them a chill and make them sick.

General Health of Your Golden Retriever

Like all canine breeds out there, the Golden Retriever is prone to certain health conditions. To try and avoid these health conditions as much as you can, always get one from a responsible breeder who can supply papers and follow the strict breed standards from the kennel clubs.

But as with any dog, they can be born with health conditions. Here are some to look out for:

Hip Dysplasia: This condition is where the ball and socket of their hip joint do not fit currently. This can occur from the retriever not developing properly in their youth. If present, overtime the constant grinding can cause joint deterioration and eventually they will lose the partial function of the area.

Osteochondrosis: This can affect a variety of the joints in the young, growing body of a Golden Retriever. Osteochondrosis is where there is an abnormal growth of cartilage on the end of the bone in the joint. This can be most commonly found in the knee, elbow, or shoulder. You will find this disease occurs between 6 and 9 months of age whilst they are growing and is more common in males than it is females.

Ear Infections: Common in dogs with floppy, heavy, or droopy ears like our Golden Retrievers. Therefore, it is important that you check their ears frequently and look out for any signs of infection. Signs include scratching their ears, shaking their head profusely, or in advanced cases, tilting their head.

Whilst they can be excitable and you’ll see more hair than a busy barber shop, the Golden Retriever makes an amazing pet. They will play for hours on end, especially if you’re playing fetch with them, or they will love to go on adventures with you through the hills and in streams.

These outdoor dogs thrive off the smell of fresh air and you will see them at their happiest running through wet, muddy fields. By having a Golden Retriever in your life, you will have a best friend too!