Dog breed

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is a large Scottish gundog, bred to retrieve shot birds from water and thick cover. Today it far more often works as a guide dog or therapy dog, or simply lives as a family member. It has a water-resistant gold or cream coat, a gentle expression and a very strong need to be close to its people.

FCI Group VIII · Retrievers and spaniels · standard no. 111

Weight: 25–34 kg
Height: 51–61 cm
Lifespan: 10–13 years
Origin: United Kingdom (Scotland)

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Photo: Mtlchung, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Temperament

It is hard not to like a Golden, because a Golden likes almost everyone. It greets strangers with a wagging tail, usually wants to play with other dogs and puts up with children with a patience many breeds lack. That friendliness has a flip side, though: it makes a poor watchdog and is more likely to welcome a burglar than chase one off. Puppies and young dogs up to about three years old can be boisterous, jumping on people and carrying everything around in their mouths. That is the retriever instinct at work, and it is worth redirecting to toys. Goldens love to cooperate, pick up new cues quickly and respond beautifully to rewards, which is why they are so often chosen to work with people with disabilities. They cope badly with loneliness and boredom; left alone for many hours, a Golden can wreck a home out of sheer frustration. It barks very little.

Energy: calmvery energetic
Affection: independentvelcro pet
With children: not idealgreat
With other pets: difficultgreat
Trainability: stubborneager to learn
For first-time owners: for experienced ownersyes
With strangers: waryoutgoing
Playfulness: dignifiedeternal puppy
Shedding: minimalheavy
Grooming: easydemanding
Being left alone: strugglescopes well
Apartment living: needs a house and yardgreat in a flat
Barking: quietvocal
With other dogs: difficultgreat
Protectiveness: lowhigh
Drooling: hardly anya lot
Cold tolerance: feels the coldexcellent
Heat tolerance: strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Golden Retriever for?

The Golden Retriever suits a family with children, an active person who enjoys long walks and water, and a first-time owner who is willing to put time into training. It will be unhappy with people who are away from home ten hours a day, and in a home where dog hair on the couch is a problem. If you are looking for a protection dog, choose another breed.

Pros

gentle with children and other animals
very easy to train
rarely barks
a great partner for swimming and fetch

Challenges

sheds heavily all year
copes badly with being alone
boisterous and jumpy until about age three
higher cancer risk

Size and looks

Size and looks: Golden Retriever
Height at the withers	males 56–61 cm, females 51–56 cm
Weight	males 29.5–34 kg, females 25–29.5 kg
Lifespan	10–13 years
Coat	medium
Colors	gold, dark gold, light gold, cream
Country of origin	United Kingdom (Scotland)
Classification	Group VIII: Retrievers, Flushing dogs, Water dogs
Also known as	Golden, Goldie

Care and exercise

60–120minof exercise a day

2/5grooming needs

4/5shedding

An adult Golden realistically needs one to two hours of exercise a day, ideally with a job built in: retrieving, swimming, tracking or nosework tire it out far more than a plain walk. Don't take a puppy on long runs or alongside a bike until its joints have matured. The double coat sheds all year and blows heavily once or twice a year, when brushing becomes a daily chore. The rest of the time, a thorough brushing twice a week, a weekly ear check and regular tooth brushing are enough. Bathe only when needed. Training is easy, but start with loose-leash walking, because an adult dog weighs over 30 kg. The breed gains weight easily, so subtract training treats from the daily ration.

How much should the Golden Retriever eat?The calculator starts from this breed’s typical weight: calories and grams a day.

Health and breed-related conditions

Goldens are generally hardy, but a few problems show up noticeably more often in the breed. Responsible breeders X-ray the parents' hips and elbows, check their eyes for juvenile cataracts, PRA and pigmentary uveitis, and listen to their hearts for aortic stenosis. Cancer, however, is owners' biggest worry: in US breed club surveys, hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma are among the most commonly reported diseases in dogs that have died. A 2024 UK study put the median lifespan of Goldens at 13.2 years, a good result for a large breed. Regular checkups for an older dog help catch worrying changes sooner.

hip and elbow dysplasiaCommon in large breeds; breeders X-ray the parents before mating.
cancer (hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma)US breed club surveys list these as the most common cancers and one of the leading causes of death in older Goldens.
progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)An inherited eye disease that leads to blindness; DNA tests exist for several forms.
pigmentary uveitisAn eye condition typical of the breed, picked up during regular eye exams.
subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS)A congenital heart defect; the parents should have a cardiac exam.
ichthyosisGenetic scaling and flaking of the skin; a DNA test is available.

Health tests to ask the breeder about

hip and elbow X-rays (HD/ED)
eye exam (ECVO)
DNA tests for GR_PRA1 and GR_PRA2
DNA test for ichthyosis (ICT-A)
cardiac exam (auscultation, echocardiogram)

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The breed was developed in the second half of the 19th century by Dudley Marjoribanks, later Lord Tweedmouth, on his Guisachan estate in the Scottish Highlands. He wanted a dog that could handle rain, cold water and rough terrain. In 1865 he bought Nous, the only yellow puppy in a litter of black Wavy-Coated Retrievers, and bred him to Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel. Further carefully recorded matings with setters and other retrievers laid the foundation of today's breed. The British Kennel Club recognized "Yellow or Golden" Retrievers in 1913, and the name Golden Retriever stuck after the breed club was founded in 1920.

Fun facts

The breed's founding sire was a dog named Nous, the only yellow puppy in a litter of black retrievers.
Guisachan, the Scottish estate where the breed began, still hosts gatherings of Golden Retrievers.
The FCI standard gives only height at the withers, not weight; body weight appears only in the American standard.
For years the Golden has been one of the three most popular breeds in AKC registration rankings.

Frequently asked questions

Do Golden Retrievers shed a lot?

Yes, quite a lot. They shed all year and go through a heavy shed once or twice a year, when the undercoat comes out in handfuls. During that time they need daily brushing; otherwise twice a week is enough. A Golden is not a dog for people with allergies.

How long do Golden Retrievers live?

Usually 10–13 years. A large 2024 UK study calculated a median of 13.2 years, while the American breed club gives 10–12 years. Lifespan depends mainly on keeping the dog lean, giving it exercise and catching cancer early.

Can a Golden Retriever live in an apartment?

It can live in an apartment if it gets one to two hours of active exercise outside every day and isn't left alone all day. In a small space, the amount of hair and the size of the dog are more likely to be a problem than noise, since Goldens rarely bark.

Are Golden Retrievers good with kids?

It is one of the breeds most often recommended for families with children: patient, rarely aggressive and fond of playing together. A young Golden can be clumsy and knock over a toddler, though, so an adult should always supervise play between children and the dog.

How much does a Golden Retriever weigh?

Adult dogs of this breed usually weigh: males 29.5–34 kg, females 25–29.5 kg. Height at the withers: 51–61 cm. That range is for healthy adults in good condition.