— Breed of the Month —

Golden Retriever

These magnificent looking dogs are renowned for having one of the most stable temperaments of all of the breeds which is one of the reasons they are so popular around the world. Their lovable nature and overall compatibility with humans, other dogs and animals, is what makes a breed of dog that people love. They are also the least likely to be aggressive or anti-social.

The Golden Retriever is a large breed of dog (average 55 – 75 pounds) with a fun-loving nature that suits most people’s lifestyle. Because they learn quickly, they are great family pets and lifelong companions. They are strong dogs and hard workers whether they are hunting, guiding, servicing or performing search and rescue activities.

If there is a downside to this breed, it might be their coat type, the care it requires and the shedding from the dense undercoat. But this is a small price to pay for sharing your life with this magnificent breed of dog that ticks all the boxes when it comes to temperament.

Back to Breed of the Month

Breed Traits and Characteristics

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some breed characteristic you can find in Golden Retrievers. 

 

  • Height

    23-24 inches (male), 21.5-22.5 inches (female)

  • Weight

    65-75 pounds (male), 55-65 pounds (female)

  • Life Expectancy

    10-12 years

  • Coat Type/Length

    Double/Medium

  • 100 Affectionate with Family
  • 100 Good with Young Children
  • 100 Good with Other Dogs
  • 100 Trainability Level
  • 60 Energy Level
  • 20 Barking Level
  • 80 Shedding Level
  • 40 Drooling Level

The History of Golden Retrievers

Scotland

Golden Retrievers were originally bred in Scotland in the 19th century to retrieve waterfowl and game birds. They were popular with the Scottish elite who loved hunting and needed an energetic dog capable of bringing the birds back unharmed.

As guns became more effective over long distances, more birds were being felled and the need for the perfect dog with the retrieval ability to help the hunter became important.

The breed had to be capable of navigating their way through rough terrain, over long distances, determined and undeterred, retrieve the birds where they had fallen and bring them back to the hunter intact. The Golden Retriever was excellent at performing these tasks and so their popularity as a great retriever grew.

Although they are still used for hunting, Golden’s excel at many other activities including search and rescue and guide work.

United Kingdom

The Golden Retriever was first bred in Scotland and then spread throughout the UK. The United Kingdom style of Golden Retrievers are slightly different than the North American types with thick coats and larger body weight.

British-type Golden Retrievers can be found in Europe and Australia. They have a larger, broader skull, larger chest and forequarters and are more muscular than those found in the USA and Canada. The coat is generally lighter in color than in the American types, with the blonder color being very popular in Australia. The darker colors of gold, red or mahogany are hardly ever seen.

Golden Retrievers have muscular bodies with great endurance, owing to their origins as hunting and gun dogs.

United States

In the USA in 1938, the Golden Retriever Club of America was founded. Golden Retrievers are ranked number two for American Kennel Club Registrations. According to the pure bred dog guide recognized by the American Kennel Club, Golden Retrievers are judged based on a variety of traits: color, coat, ears, feet, nose, body, etc.

Canada

The Honourable Archie Marjori Banks took a Golden Retriever to Canada in 1881, and registered 'Lady' with the AKC in 1894. These are the first records of the breed in these two countries. The breed was first registered in Canada in 1927, and the Golden Retriever Club of Ontario (GRCO) was formed in 1958. The cofounders of the GRCO were Cliff Drysdale, an Englishman who had brought over an English Golden, and Jutta Baker, daughter-in-law of Louis Baker, who owned Northland Kennels. The GCRO in later years expanded to become the Golden Retriever Club of Canada.

Golden Retriever Grooming

Coat

Brush your Golden regularly and bathe them 4-5 times a year, unless they get extremely dirty. Be sure when you do bathe your dog that you dry them thoroughly followed by a brisk walk until they dry completely. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris which can result in an infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.

Because of their lush coat, they need to have regular grooming and brushing to keep them looking beautiful.

Nail care

Goldens need their nails clipped at least once a month. Start out using a treat to accustom them to the clipping procedure.

Don’t rush in and grab your puppies foot and start clipping immediately. This alarms most dogs and they will automatically try to pull back, bite your hand and a tussle begins. If you puppy begins to fear nail clipping early on it can lead to a lifetime of headaches.

Start off by just picking your puppies paw up, offer a treat and let it go. Once your puppy accepts that, some pups will begin to lift their paw just to get the treat. Now you can produce the clippers, just take the paw, touch the puppy’s nail briefly with the clippers, offer a treat and let go. Lavish praise! Never grip your puppy’s paw on the pad as most dogs are ticklish there. Always grip them gently at the knuckle just above the paw. This is more comfortable for your dog and they are less likely to resist.

Initially get your puppy used to you holding its paw and the clippers touching their nail. Begin by only increasing this process to clipping one nail. Offer a treat and lots of praise, like they have done something fantastic. Then leave it until the next day, and repeat the same procedure.

Golden Retriever Health

Your Golden Retriever’s health concerns will change over the course of their life. A puppy might be more prone to swallow something they shouldn’t, a 2-year-old Golden may be more likely to rupture their knee ligament, and a senior Golden is far more likely to develop arthritis or cancer as they age. Goldens also have personality and physical traits that may make them more prone to certain conditions— a Golden Retriever who loves to swim may develop an ear infection more often than a breed with a pricked ear.

Common Injuries and Illnesses

At any stage of life, there are some of the most common injuries and illnesses you should be aware of when bringing home a Golden Retriever:

  • Vomiting and Diarrhea
  • Cruciate Ruptures
  • Ear Infections
  • Masses
  • Arthritis
  • Ingestion of foreign material

If you are ever concerned about your dog’s health, your local veterinarian is a great resource—no matter how small the question.

Genetic Health Concerns

Like many popular breeds, the Golden Retriever has its fair share of hereditary based issues, like hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Most reputable breeders now have their breeding stock checked and scored for these hereditary ailments by a vet. You can request proof that the puppy you are purchasing comes from parents that have been checked for these issues. 

Because many other health issues are also hereditary, you should do some research on the ancestry of your puppy and any health issues of that particular breed. Other Golden Retriever health issues to watch out for:

  • Allergies to things like food, grasses and pollens
  • Bone and joint problems
  • Cancer
  • Cataracts
  • Diabetes
  • Epilepsy
  • Heart disease
  • Liver problems
  • Thyroid disease

Regular Vet Visits

Some of these ailments may not be hereditary but could stem from environmental or dietary issues. Be sure that your dog is fed on a healthy diet and receives regular vet checks to ensure it always stays healthy.

As a pet owner, you should expect to pay for basic veterinary care like vaccines, spay/neuter, and annual checkups. Many pet owners don’t consider the unexpected illnesses and injuries that can occur throughout a pet’s life, and they don’t prepare for them. Medical insurance can help a pet owner prepare.

The concept of medical insurance for pets is fairly straightforward—pay a monthly premium to be covered for eligible veterinary expenses. But every provider is different, offering varied coverage with different plans, pricing options and limitations. As you research, pay close attention to coverage, deductible options, and ease of use.

Golden Retriever Training

A Breed Eager to Please

The Golden is one of the safest breeds and most lovable. They make a great family dog and are loyal and trustworthy. Golden lovers know how lucky they are to have a breed of dog that has the all-round personality that fits into most situations with ease. Their temperament is generally very stable. If you choose a breeder who breeds ethically, you will have an all-around fun-loving dog, with a great temperament and overall grace and beauty.

You can teach a Golden Retriever almost anything because they are highly intelligent and willing to please. They are very keen to learn new things and bond easily to their family members. Although they might initially be over-exuberant, they will soon learn to calm down and listen.

The most common reason Bark Busters dog trainers are called in is to address barking or over-exuberance and food aggression. Rarely are we asked to address aggression towards humans or other animals in Golden Retrievers.

This breed are lovers, not fighters.

Aggression

Although aggression is rare, we do see it in some fearful temperament types. This needs an experienced knowledge base of how to address these issues effectively through the proper dog training techniques. Although Bark Busters has seen relatively few Golden Retrievers with aggression issues, this problem is easily solved once we identify the reason behind it. We do however get quite a lot of ‘food aggression’ cases.

Food aggression

Food aggression is quite common in this breed, especially if they were not properly imprinted as a puppy. Some breeders like to feed their puppies from one large bowl which causes the puppies to push and shove each other to ensure they get enough to eat. This creates urgency in the puppy to rush its food and a feeling its being deprived. The puppy thinks that if he doesn’t learn to fight to protect his meal, he will starve.

This invariably leads to ‘food aggression’ which is jostling for position at the food bowl resulting in bickering and all out fights.

The ideal way to wean puppies of all breeds, is to have them eating from something like a muffin tin, so they all get an adequate opportunity to eat with ease. You can also feed them with individual bowls. This way there is no feeling of urgency, no sense of feeling deprived, no fights and no jostling for position.

Barking

The Golden Retrievers are a very vocal breed and barking issues are often a behavior that Bark Busters is called to address.

Don’t allow your Golden Retriever to demand attention from you, by barking and then getting your attention or a response from you. They may bark to go outside, bark to get fed or bark simply for attention. If you tolerate these mis-behaviors it will only encourage your dog to bark more.

Bark Busters can tailor a dog training behavior modification program for you and your dog that will address any barking issue your dog has using communication and leadership, kindness and understanding.

Recall-come when called

Golden Retrievers are renowned for their ability to bound away without notice, leaving their frustrated owner looking bewildered and unable to get them back quickly. This is a dangerous behavior and something that could spell disaster for your dog.

If you have a recall problem, then start off on a long leash and condition your dog to stay close and to come when requested. Don’t allow your dog off the leash until you first teach them to come back immediately when called or this could spell trouble.

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Need help training your Golden Retriever? Call 1-877-500-BARK (2275)or enter your zip code.

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Notorious Water Lovers

Pool Safety for your Golden Retriever

Goldens love the water and won’t take much coercing to get them swimming. This comes as no surprise considering their origin. As dog owners, it’s our job to make sure they are safe. If you have a pool in your backyard be sure that your dog is trained in poo safety. You might well ask, why would a Golden Retriever that can swim efficiently, need pool safety training? They have to be able to locate the stairs as some dogs stubbornly try to exit the way they went in. There have been incidences where dogs or young puppies have fallen into a backyard pool and the owners have found them near exhaustion or worse dead from trying to get themselves out of the pool. Your dog needs to know where the stairs or exit from the pool is, or they could just swim around for hours, attempting to get out of the pool where they went in. They can easily tire and drown.

Even though Golden Retrievers are adept at swimming and are addicted to water, they still need to be trained how to exit backyard pools safely. A dog can drown in a backyard pool, even an adept swimmer like the Golden Retriever. The reason being is, the side of the pool is slippery and does not allow a dog to gain a foothold, to allow it to easily climb out.

It is hard-wired in the domestic dog as it was in the wild dogs, that when they fall into a creek or a river, they would instinctively attempt to exit the water at the exact spot where they entered or fell in. This is nature’s way of protecting them for those times when they fall through the ice while maneuvering frozen creeks or rivers. A fall into icy water could be fatal and the instinct is to get out quickly, not to swim around and find another option.

Steps to make your Golden Retriever safe around the pool

  • Start water training as soon as your new dog or puppy is venturing outside and near the pool.
  • Fit a firm collar and long leash to your puppy or dog and let them enter the pool and swim around a little while. Now gently guide them, using the long leash, to the stairs or where you know they can exit the pool with ease and allow them to exit the pool on their own. You are conditioning your dog or puppy to locate the right way out of the pool.
  • If you help them, you can slow their ability to be able to get themselves out of trouble if ever they were to fall into the pool or in an emergency when you are not there.
  • If it is impossible for your dog or puppy to exit easily, then your puppy/dog must NEVER be left alone near the pool or he could drown.
  • Once you see that your dog can exit easily, then start having the pup or dog enter at different points, still attached to the leash. Make sure that they are capable of working out how to swim towards the exit or stairs and get out of the pool.

Read more about pool safety for dogs!

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Hear from Bark Busters Clients Who Have a Golden Retriever

Damon was a pleasure to work with. After our first session, we immediately noticed improvements with our Golden Retriever puppy. We look forward to working with Damon further!
We were having a problem with our golden retriever Wrigley barking uncontrollably. We read the reviews of Bark Busters and decided to give them a try. After the first 3 hour visit there was a noticeable difference in her behavior regarding the barking. We felt more in control because we now had a strategy in place. We are continually working on things from the program with Wrigley to make her a better dog and member of our family. Vicky is very knowledgeable about the program and dogs in general. We feel very comfortable with her. She is easy to reach for any questions you may have. Vicky is always prompt and professional. We are extremely happy and satisfied with Bark Busters.
Navigating the challenges of owning an 8-week-old Golden Retriever would have been incredibly overwhelming without Kevin's help! As first-time puppy owners, my wife and I were unsure how to handle all the different phases. Kevin provided invaluable guidance tailored to our specific situation that books and TV shows couldn't match. We are so grateful for his support!
We contacted Bark Busters for help with our 1 year old Golden Retriever. Maverick is such a sweet boy in so many ways, but has issues with jumping up and being crazy on the leash! We were struggling every time we had to take him out. We definitely needed help! We had our first visit with Bonnie, and after 2 hours, he was a different puppy! It was finally enjoyable to go for a walk! She was so good and patient with him. Her knowledge and guidance trained us and our puppy responded so quickly. It has already been life-changing for us! We will continue to work on everything we learned. Thank you for all your help Bonnie! We look forward to our next session!
Amber is the best in TEXAS. When she arrived are dog was very unruly. At the end of the session we did not recognize our dog. (GREAT EXPERIENCE) Needed all the help in the world.
Who knew the dog was training me? Loved the tips and insights. Now we have a lot of work to do but lots of hope!
Coco responded well today. He listened to John and with John's guidance he listened to me. I believe we have a lot of work to do but now I know what I'm doing. Thank you.
Our session with John was very productive. Bay was very responsive and showed noticeable changes in behaviors we want to adjust. The approach is very intuitive and should be easy to implement.
The training went very well. John explained everything very well and gave us great tips.
John was outstanding! Our dog responded right away to his techniques. We would recommend Bark Busters to all our friends who have dogs.
The training session was amazing. I learned so many things that I never knew in regards to training of myself and my dog, even though I have had dogs my entire life.
If you are looking for help in dealing with a challenging training situation with a puppy or adult dog, Kyle Milwit at Bark Busters should be the first person you call! We have a young puppy & wanted to head off some problems before they became major issues down the road. After just a short period of time with Kyle, utilizing the techniques he taught us, our puppy has done a complete turnaround with painful nipping & biting. It is amazing to see how effective the tools that Kyle gave us are working.
The thing I really appreciate about Kyle’s training approach is that he clearly loves his work, loves dogs, & believes that all dogs just need to be taught what is expected of them. Once they are, & proper techniques are used, (no physical or harmful methods), dogs respond quickly. Kyle taught us that it’s all about “learning to speak dog!”

Kyle was immediately responsive to us when we reached out, & followed up our in-home training session with additional videos & resources. I love that once you become a Bark Busters client, you’re a client for life for no additional cost. It’s also extremely helpful that all training is done in our home, in our puppy’s environment, so Kyle can see & address training issues where they occur, rather than in a class in a different setting. It’s also a huge help to be able to talk & text with Kyle as additional questions come up, to get reassurance & direction to address issues right away.
Kyle is our guy for Richmond and he has changed our lives! My partner and I got our first dog Poppy-a 6 month puppy from the shelter. Within the first week of having her, she ripped out of her crate while we were both at work and chewed anything she could get her paws on. We did a quick google search and found Bark Busters and signed up that night. We are currently on the 3rd visit and our pup is an angel! Kyle has taught us how to effectively communicate with Poppy which has led to a strong puppy human relationship. I can rest well at night knowing that the only thing she will be chewing on will be the Nylabones we give her. Im so happy I will never have to research and pay for any other dog training services ever again!
Orlando was Great!!
I felt the training was great! I was nervous and not sure what to expect. It went great and we saw immediate results! Looking forward to following and implementing what we learned today!
The training session really helped to make a plan and understand what is going on with my dog. I can't wait to have her fully trained.
Fantastic and fun first session. Both my dogs showed improvement and listen so much better. Less barking, it's a miracle. Thank you, Joshua! I'm excited to do the homework with my dogs!
- Met and exceeded expectations
- Kind to our situation
- Got to know our Ruby
Orlando was great at explaining everything necessary detail in depth. The changes I wanted to see in my dogs were visible and I am excited to see them become even better/well behaved dogs.
If you have any doubts, questions, worries or are just plain interested in hearing a personal testimonial from someone who has enlisted the services of Mike and Cassidy of Bark Busters, please, please take a moment to read this review! I want to start out by saying my husband and I have had dogs all of our lives. We thought we knew all the training techniques, and have utilized different trainers, programs, and internet taught methods. And we’ve always had very well-behaved, affectionate dogs. Then came our German Shepherd Greta… We got her at a very young age from a reputable trainer known for dealing with reputable breeders. Someone we’ve worked with in the past and with whom we trusted. But from day one Greta was like no other dog we ever had. She was a very anxious puppy and as her anxiety grew, so did her aggression. We took her to standard dog training with someone who is highly respected in our local community, but that was not what she needed. We needed to get to the bottom of why she was behaving the way she was before we could figure out how to correct it. That’s where Mike and Cassidy came in and they were spot on. I found I was answering “yes” to so many of the questions they were asking about her history. It’s like they knew her to a “T” after observing and spending just a little while with her. They were not at all judgmental about techniques I had tried in the past, when I was desperate.
The patience they both showed in working with not only my dog Greta but with my family and me has been amazing. They worked with me time and again until I understood all the subtle nuances of the training. They took time to hear me out, answer any questions, and demonstrate and walk me through techniques until I got it just right. The techniques are not difficult but the timing and the follow-through make all the difference in the world. And as I said previously, they so kindly went over things as many times as I needed until I got it just right. They took time and time again to explain the “why” behind the “how” of all of their techniques. I am truly so impressed and thankful. I could tell immediately that they are not in it for the paycheck, Mike and Cassidy actually truly care about you and your dog!
All of these kind things you’ll read in these reviews about Mike and Cassidy, they are 100% true. So if you are reading this and are feeling overwhelmed and helpless like I was, please know there is help, there is a solution!
Luis is knowledgeable, patient and genuinely takes the time to understand not only your dog, but the unique bond and family dynamics as well. I rescued my dog as a puppy and while he had always been very social, when he got to about a year and a half I started noticing some reactive behaviors that were confusing. I read plenty of reviews and researched different companies and appreciated the way Bark Busters communicated their approach. From my first call with them, it was clear that they did not take a "one size fits all" approach and understood what I was hoping to accomplish and we had booked our first appointment with the lifetime guarantee.

A few weeks later, Luis came into our lives. Luis genuinely wanted to understand all about Gadget, our time together, the experiences we had and the behaviors we wanted to address. It was clear he wanted to help us truly get as close as we could to the root causes and not just apply a bandaid to behaviors. He started by giving me better tools to understand what Gadget was going through and to make sure I was equipped with the right knowledge and tactics to address these things. Gadget took to Luis and what he was teaching both of us immediately. It is amazing what you can accomplish with Luis and how quickly you can see a difference. By the end of our first session we had both learned so much... With no treats, no toys, just genuine patience and understanding.

We've now seen Luis 3 times and to be honest, the second and third time really have been more refreshers for me or opportunities to have Luis guide us through the best things to do in particular situations (also, both Gadget and I enjoy our time with Luis and the new things we learn that we get endless compliments on).

In between sessions, Luis is also communicative and always willing to assist or offer insight when needed. Luis understands the bonds and wants to give you opportunities to truly build the relationship, without compromising personalities or ever putting your fur baby or you in any kind of distress.

I cannot think of anyone better to help if you're dealing with reactivity and want to just help your pup (and you) live your best lives together. We're very grateful to Luis and his tactis - and proud of all we accomplished in our first visit and the fun we've gotten to have since!
Cassidy with Bark Busters is the best! Our two labradors, ages 4 and 6 are so lovable, but they ruled the house. They jumped on people when someone came through the front door, pulled us on their walks, begged at the dinner table and needed overall reinforcement on human/pet boundaries.
Cassidy addressed our specific issues with a clear and consistent approach. Guests can now walk in the front door without being bombarded, our walks are enjoyable (*bonus I can walk both dogs at the same time) the begging has stopped, and friends have commented on how “calm and well behaved” our dogs are.
The training, expertise and guidance Bark Busters provides is a game changer and worth every penny. Their approach doesn’t involve choke collars, correction collars or treats, so the training can be implemented anywhere you and your pet are.
Kayla was very informative. We are very happy with our decision to get some training. The dogs have responded very well to the tips and tools she gave us. She asked a lot of questions to help figure out what the best way is to help our dogs out with behavior and anxiety issues. She even helped us with their eating habits too! Overall, we are very, very impressed with the way training went and we are excited to continue the lessons taught to us from Kayla. She is AWESOME. I will be recommending her to all of our friends! Well worth the money!
Contacted Mariah from Bark busters to work on a few manners related issues with our GSP. Mariah is knowledgeable, effective, and communicative with the entire process. Mariah is passionate about training and it shows! If you want a very easy play book to dog training, contact Mariah at Bark Busters. We’ve been very happy with the results!
Thank you muchly for your insight and helpful instructions!
Just had my first session with Mariah from Bark Busters and boy am I so glad I reached out! By the end of the first session, the behavior of my 5 dogs had already improved leaps and bounds. I feel empowered and capable of following through with the training. Bark Busters is well worth the investment.
Wow! So much more productive than we imagined just one session could be! What we learned, that we will use with our 3 GSDs forever, is a game changer!! Thank you!!
We had our first training session with Mariah yesterday. There was so much good information and training that we’ve already seen significant improvements on day 1. She’s very kind, caring, and respectful. She was wonderful about ensuring she was coaching us to train our dogs and practicing with her there. We look forward to continuing to work with Mariah and Bark Busters. Well worth the money and time.

Need Dog Training Assistance with Your Golden Retriever? Find Your Local Trainer Now!

CALL TODAY 1-877-500-BARK (2275)

Please begin by confirming your zip code.