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Is a Golden Retriever the right dog for you?  

Golden Retrievers are well-known as great family dogs.

The golden retriever breed originated in 1868, in the Highlands of Scotland when Lord Tweedmouth mated a yellow Wavy-Coated retriever named “Nous” with a Tweed Water spaniel named “Belle.  Goldens were used primarily as hunting dogs, they retrieved birds either in water or on land.

As sporting dogs, golden retrievers need lots of exercise, they’re natural athletes that excel at a variety of sports. Goldens are Friendly, Intelligent, Kind, Reliable, Trustworthy, Confident.

Like other retrievers, goldens are likely to carry something around everywhere they go in their mouth, such as sticks, toys, clothing.


Goldens are all shades of gold to some degree.  Coat is dense and water-repellent with good undercoat. Outer coat firm and resilient, neither coarse or silky, lying close to body; may be straight or wavy.  They do shed a good amount of hair.  If you are looking for a dog that doesn't shed a lot a golden is probably not for you.

Females weight around 55–65 lbs and 21½ to 22½inches in heigh at the withers
Males weight around 65–75 lbs Males 23 to 24 inches in height at withers

Life expectancy is roughly around: 10 – 12 years

Known health issues with goldens are hip & elbow dysplasia, heart problems, cataracts, pigmentary uveitis.  Goldens should have all health clearances done before being bred, those being hip, elbow, eye, and heart.  This information can be placed in the public record on searchable databases, provided by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals at www.ofa.org. All clearances can be found on the OFA website. Records can be accessed by searching using the dog’s full registered name or registration number, and reputable breeders should not hesitate to provide you with this information. There are additional conditions such as hypothyroidism, skin disease, cancer, etc., for which routine screening of golden retrievers is not performed. It is our job as reputable breeders to have the goldens health as priority.