The Vet’s Guide to Golden Retrievers: Facts, Care, and Training Tips

A beloved breed, Golden Retrievers are friendly dogs popular with young families in Australia. Their intelligent nature and excellent retrieving skills made them a historically popular breed amongst hunters.

• Golden Retrievers are often regarded as one of the most friendly and affectionate dog breeds and are commonly used as therapy and assistance dogs due to their calm and patient nature.

• They are also known for their intelligence and trainability, making them a popular choice for obedience, agility, and retriever trials.

• This breed is very energetic and requires daily exercise and mental stimulation to prevent destructive behaviour.

• Golden Retrievers have a strong retrieving instinct and love to carry objects in their mouth, which can be encouraged and utilised in games such as fetching or retrieving items for their owners.

“Truly a special breed. Their gentle and loyal nature, combined with their high intelligence and trainability, make them ideal family pets and working dogs. In fact, Golden Retrievers have been used for a variety of purposes, including search-and-rescue, therapy, and assistance for people with disabilities. owners of Golden Retrievers should provide them with regular veterinary checkups, a nutritious diet, and plenty of exercise”.

- Dr Jane Miller BSc, BVSc (hons)

Appearance: The Golden Retriever is known for its thick golden coat, with colours varying in darkness from each dog. With a distinctive broad frame averaging between 30 - 34 kilograms and a straight muzzle, the breed typically has a large feathery tail with the same density as its coat. Their coat comes in shades of golden, ranging from cream to dark gold, and requires regular grooming to maintain its soft and shiny appearance.

Temperament: Golden Retrievers are very gentle dogs with a soft character, making them a regular choice fit for families with children or other pets. This breed has become quickly popular in Australia for its calm nature and obedience, making them very easy to train.

Activity level: Golden Retrievers require 40 to 60 minutes of hard exercise a day. To achieve this, be sure to keep on top of your dog’s activity through agility classes or dog activities which will stimulate them mentally and physically.

Health: Golden Retrievers are generally healthy dogs, but like most breeds, they’re prone to certain conditions. The most common include hip and elbow dysplasia, allergies, cancers and skin problems. Obesity is also a factor for older Golden Retrievers, so it's important to monitor their weight.  Anxiety in the Golden Retriever has become a recognised health issue that needs ongoing management and support. A good health insurance policy is recommended for all pet owners. 

Lifespan: Healthy Golden Retrievers are expected to live up to 10 to 12 years, but this is dependent on your dog specifically. Depending on the breeding situation, some Goldens may be subject to medical issues such as allergies, cancer and heart disease. We will help you minimise these impacts through this guide.

Due to the Golden Retrievers’ thick double coat, you can expect some heavy shedding. In this guide, we will provide you with some tips to reduce the impact of this fur on your home.

Shedding patterns: Golden Retrievers shed year-round, meaning that you need to keep on top of their grooming. The period where shedding occurs the most frequently is during the spring and autumn to prepare for the changing climates. Golden Retrievers don’t shed a whole lot until they get older. Regular twice-weekly brushing and bi-monthly baths help immensely with the amount of shedding you see.

Grooming & bathing tips:  To effectively manage the shedding, you need the right tips to manage all the excess fur. We recommend daily brushing of your dog outside, as to not have bundles of dog hair clouding your space. Baths every 1-2 months with a good quality shampoo will likewise reduce the amount of shedding and fur in your home.  Ensure your Goldie is thoroughly dried after bathing to help reduce skin issues such as hot spots.

Nails: Taking your Golden Retriever to a groomer is also a smart choice, as professionals can take care of their nails, paws and ear trimming. This isn’t a replacement for daily brushing and should be used in conjunction with one another.

Tools: We recommend investing in some good-quality brushes and combs specifically for thicker, longer coats. By using an undercoat rake and shedding blade in conjunction with a good-quality brush, your job will be made easier.

Keeping up with the shedding of your Golden Retriever is vital if you suffer from any allergies. As a non-hypoallergenic breed, there is a heightened potential for allergy flare-ups in your home.

Common barking behaviours: Along with their friendly nature, Golden Retrievers are also known for their vocalness. Golden Retrievers have a tendency to bark for attention, which can become problematic if not trained. The barking levels of your Golden Retriever will be dependent on their personality and personal triggers for barking.

Attention-seeking barking: The primary reason for the barking behaviours of Golden Retrievers is the want for attention. This can be brought on by as small an action as turning your head away from them. 

Golden Retrievers may also be vocal in other ways due to feelings of anxiety or being scared. Finding the cause of these feelings, and minimising them will likely reduce the stress upon your dog, along with reducing the barking in your home.

Our training tips: Our number one tip for reducing this type of barking behaviour is consistency in training. By consistently using a singular word such as “stop” or “quiet”, your Golden Retriever will become more likely to respond to the word by no longer barking.

Rewarding positive behaviour such as looking at you and minimising barking can also be effective. Being persistent with these practices will further help your dog in learning not to bark.

Golden Retrievers are widely regarded as being among the top five breeds for their intelligence. This contributes to them being an easy breed to train.

Intelligence & trainability: Golden Retrievers are a breed that is eager to please you, making them easier to train. However, getting into dog training classes as soon as possible is always a good idea. Getting them used to training practices and obedience at an early age allows for a stable foundation of skills to build upon.

Group classes: We recommend enrolling your Golden Retriever into group classes as soon as possible (after their vaccinations) to help them build a foundation of obedience. However, if you’re training your dog yourself, we recommend making each training session fun for your Golden Retriever! By conducting consistent, fun and rewarding sessions with your dog throughout the week with the family, your Golden Retriever will be more likely to remember skills, as well as obey them.

Common training issues: A common training issue with Golden Retrievers is their fear stages, a period of time when a dog may become more sensitive to new experiences and exhibit fear in response to certain stimuli. Fear stages usually occur in the first two and a half years, and vary from each dog.

Moderate level of exercise: The recommended level of exercise for a Golden Retriever is anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes per day. This involves hard exercise that can be accomplished through daily walks and playtime.

Regular walking: A great activity for you and your Golden Retriever is long walks. Your Golden Retriever will more than enjoy the time outside, whilst also achieving the recommended amount of exercise.

Keep exercise frequent: As Golden Retrievers were bred to sustain a full day of hunting, you need to have a plan for daily exercise. A fenced-in dog park is another great opportunity for your Golden Retriever to get in their daily exercise as well as interact with other pets!

Creating a routine: To keep a daily routine, consistency is key. Being consistent with your schedule is extremely important, as habits form from repetition. By ensuring that your Golden Retriever receives a walk every day, you are more likely to start sticking to a routine without thinking about it.

Golden Retrievers are known to have some common behavioural issues, such as jumping on people, tugging on a lead whilst walking, digging, barking and chewing destructively. Each of these behaviours can be overwhelming to tackle but can be addressed through training and patience.

Some common causes for these behaviours are typical for a Golden Retriever, with the main cause being the need for attention. 

Pulling on the lead: If your Golden Retriever is pulling on the lead, it is likely that your dog is overly excited. Whilst this behaviour may calm down after the first two years, it is best to jump in early to combat this behaviour. Begin by teaching your Golden Retriever to walk on a loose leash in a low-distraction environment, such as your backyard. Use treats and praise to reward your dog for walking calmly beside you.

Prevention: A large way to prevent or minimise these behaviours is to tire out your Golden Retriever before the behaviours present themselves. This could be done through big play sessions before guests come around, or running in a fenced backyard or dog park before a walk.

Chewing and digging: For chewing, your dog may be teething, which means they need the appropriate accommodations. Toys and redirections will assist in your furniture being saved - along with your dog relieving their pain! As for digging, redirection and distraction is the key to minimising the impact of these behaviours. Through mentally challenging and stimulating toys, your dog can still fulfil their urge without ruining your garden or furniture.

Reward positive behaviours: If this isn’t possible at the time, be sure to reward positive behaviours, such as having all four paws on the ground, sitting, not pulling etc. Therefore, your Golden Retriever will have a positive connotation with the behaviour you want them to learn.

With their long lifespan, you need to evaluate the nutritional needs of your Golden  Retriever through each stage of their life. As a general rule throughout their lifetime, it is important to not overfeed them as it can lead to obesity - leading to many other issues. 

Aim for balance:  The types of food typically appropriate to feed your Golden Retriever incorporate a balanced diet consisting of protein, vitamins and minerals, healthy fats and prebiotics. With all dogs, it is stressed that you do not feed cooked bones to your Golden Retriever. This can lead to a multitude of issues with their health and well-being.

Portion sizes: In terms of portion sizes, follow the directions on the particular food being fed.  A conversation with your veterinarian about an appropriate diet is also recommended. 

Frequency: Whilst you are able to split these portions into two meals for your dog (breakfast and dinner), it is recommended to feed your Golden Retriever in small portions throughout the day to keep them active and healthy.

Quality over quantity: We recommend always looking at the ingredients that are present in your dog food! Ensuring that there is a source of protein, healthy fat as well as all the nutrients needed for your Golden Retriever is so important. Looking at the back of the packet, or asking your local vet can greatly inform you of the food appropriate for your dog.

Whether you have a Golden Retriever or you're thinking about getting one, we hope you learnt something by reading our article. Whilst this guide is great start to learning about Golden Retriever ownership, never stop seeking out new information from reputable sources. Share your experiences with other Golden Retriever owners, and always continue to learn more about your dogs breed, temperament and how best to care for and love them.

This article was written by Dr. Jane Miller