If you are going to adopt a Golden Retriever puppy, there are some basic concepts you should know. Knowing where your puppy comes from, how it should be, etc., will help you understand and raise it better.
History is important because each breed of dog has its own specific temperament and physical features that run through it, and knowing what the AKC (American Kennel Club) standard will help you with health problems (knowing if your puppy is overweight/underweight).
History Of Golden Retriever
The puppy you are thinking of adopting, or that you just adopted, has a pretty healthy bloodline story. The Golden Retriever breed comes from the Scottish Highlands, where, in the late 1800s, it was used for hunting.
It originally descends from a Yellow Retriever mixed with a now extinct Tweed Water Spaniel. Later, Bloodhound and Irish Setter mixed with that breed to give us the Golden Retriever we all know and love today, with which you are about to embark on a journey for life.
The Golden Retrievers were raised to recover waterfowl that were hunted and shot in Scotland at the end of the 19th century. They were popular for not being able to damage the game they retrieved, which you will have problems for other dogs to do well.
In addition to that precious ability to recover, they were popular for their coats, which allowed them to be comfortable, dry and warm in the cold and humid hunting weather, and were also known and appreciated for their intelligence and ability to train.
AKC Standard
Your golden retriever puppy will probably come home acting and looking like any puppy: Clumsy, hyperactive when awake and very sleepy when tired, always happy, possibly showing some puppy fat until it reaches 4 months-1 years, where it will grow so fast that it may seem a bit too thin (although with the Golden Retriever thick fur, the thin part can never happen).
However, when your Golden retriever is fully developed, it must match a particular breed standard determined by the AKC.
Size Of A Golden Retriever
Your puppy should measure 23-24 inches if male and 21.5-22.5 inches if female and 65-75 lbs if male and 55-65 lbs if female.
Head
The puppy should have a broadly shaped head that is slightly arched without being able to see frontal or occipital bones prominently. Your snout should be straight from a profile view, with a smooth transition from the snout to the skull.
Your puppy should have a friendly and intelligent expression as if welcoming people and a challenge. Its ears should be short, fall near its cheek when they fall to the side and when it pulled up falling to cover the eye just a little.
Your puppy’s nose should be dark (brown or black), while it seems to be a little lighter in cold climates. If your puppy has a light nose, such as pink, it does not meet the standard. Your puppy’s teeth should be aligned, without bite or below.
Body
In general, your Golden retriever should show a naturally good and strong posture body. The neck is medium-long and flows smoothly towards the relaxed shoulders.
Your puppy should have a deep chest that is well developed. Your ribs should be long but not barrel-shaped and should have a short and muscular loin.
Your puppy’s tail should be thick and muscular at the base and should be carried merrily.
Coat
Your puppy should have beautiful golden fur, which can vary in real tones. If you want your puppy to compete in shows, it should not show any age coloring (white or gray), and it should not have a body color that is too light or too dark.
Gait
Your puppy should have a free gait when trotting, and it should be powerful and well-coordinated. He should have a good extended reach, and his legs should remain straight instead of turning in or out.
Temperament
You are lucky to have a puppy who is friendly. Golden Retrievers are also known to be confident, comfortable, reliable and trustworthy animals, who show true loyalty to their owners. If your pup shows any hostility or skittishness, something’s not right, because that’s not the natural Golden Retriever way.
Are Golden Retrievers good pets?
If you haven’t already adopted your new fun little Golden pup (or even maybe if you have) you probably want to make sure that you picked the right one. If you know anything about dogs, you know that different breeds require different types of owners. This is why so many lifelong dog owners pick a specific breed and stick with it. Keep reading to find out whether your chosen breed is really right for you.
Golden Retriever Personality & Temperament
The golden retriever is built for companionship, particularly being popular within families. This is why you always see them on family shows on television. They’re playful with the children and obedient to all owners of the house.
They’re also good with strangers, so you’ll have no problem bringing friends over to hang out, or any other guests over for any other purpose.
Your pup will be good at keeping a lookout for what’s going on in the neighborhood and letting you know what’s going on. Don’t get being a watchdog confused with being a guard dog though. Your pup will likely never bite an intruder because he’s naturally inclined to love people.
How Good Is A Golden Retriever With People?
You’ve probably already picked up a bit on how good your retriever will be with people. They naturally love everyone they meet, including you. They’re also incredibly loyal, and their ability to be so obedient and loyal makes them great to work alongside you. If you hunt or do any type of work that your retriever could give you a helping hand with, he would be happy to do it.
Of course, you will want to train your Golden Retriever to settle into being great with people. You will still want to pay attention to socializing your pup, but he won’t need as much socialization as, let’s say, a Louisiana Curr.
Are Golden Retrievers Good With Children?
If you plan for your puppy to be around children, then you’ve picked the right dog. Golden Retrievers are naturally great with kids, which is one of the reasons they’re so popular as family dogs.
Towards any children, your puppy will naturally be gentle, friendly, and patient. If you have a toddler that you think might want to pull on his ears and poke and prod him in an uncomfortable yet “she doesn’t know any better”, then know that you have more worrying to do about the puppy than the child.
Your children, and your friends and family’s children, will be just fine with your new pup, from baby age to old age.
Are Golden Retrievers Get Along With Other Dogs
Your puppy will also get along great with other dogs, so long as she’s socialized to standard. While the Golden Retriever is naturally great with other dogs, if you allow your pup to spend the first few years without socializing with other dogs, she will react the same way a child in a similar situation would: she wouldn’t know what’s appropriate.
A non-socialized Golden Retriever may show tendencies of being skittish, or maybe even a bit aggressive when it comes time to share toys, or even you, with other dogs.
However, a Golden Retriever that’s grown up going to dog parks and spending time with your friends’ dogs is going to be great with other dogs, so be sure to set her up for success.
On the other hand, if you already have a dog at home and you’re wondering how your new pup will do with it, then you have nothing to worry about. Puppies are innocent and just want to play, so she won’t start out showing any wrongful behavior.
Just be sure that the dog you have at home is puppy-friendly because they’re much like small children in the sense that they may be a bother to someone who either doesn’t know how or doesn’t have the patience to deal with puppies.
Are Golden Retrievers Quiet or Excessive Barker?
Your Golden won’t typically be an excessive barker, however, that can easily change. You must remember that just because you have a relatively quiet pup doesn’t mean that you can just leave it alone and it will be fine. Your puppy needs exercise and attention, and without those two key things, he will likely become quite vocal.
If you don’t want your pup to bark a lot, then be sure to follow the directions and guidance you find in chapter three. If it’s too late and your puppy is already barking far too much, too loudly, and too often, then have a gander through chapter seven and see if you find anything that helps you there.