Golden Retriever

Description:
Golden retrievers are work dogs and they have been blessed with a long beautiful rich golden coat that has a wonderful texture. This dog has a very intelligent and kind expression and has been bred to be very symmetrical, powerful, and active. This dog's head is wide, gracefully arched and has a well-defined stop. Its eyes show it personality and are sort of big, separate and dark. Its ears are pretty short and should fall over its cheekbones. The neck of this dog has a medium size length and flows down to its shoulders which are well inclined back. The body of this dog is compact; its thorax is long and reaches down to its elbows. Its stomach should not be too retracted. The Golden retriever should never look long and thin. It has a double coat, which is thick and water resistant. The outside coat should not feel silky or course, but it should be well adhered to its body whether it be straight or wavy. The hair on its hind legs and underneath its abdomen should be thicker and should have some fringes. The coat should not be excessively long, open, loose or soft. The color of the coat can vary but it should always have a rich tone to it, it shouldn't look too pale or dark. The height of the males is around fifty-eight to sixty centimeters and the female's is around fifty-four to fifty seven centimeters.

Ideal owner:
If you are the type of person that enjoys going out on long walks, hunting, swimming etc, this is definitely the dog for you. However, although Golden retrievers love being outside they also enjoy being inside the house and hanging out with their family. One thing that must be known about this dog is that they shed a lot, so if you are allergic to this type of thing you may want to reconsider your choice. Since this dog is a retriever it has to work with its mouth and will put almost anything in it. It loves water, but it will need to be introduced to water sports adequately to not make it lose its aquatic instincts. Golden retrievers are very intelligent and they worry about everything they do. This aspect sometimes interferes with their training process, so make sure you give it the appropriate type of training being careful to not hurt its sensitive personality. Although it is a pretty quiet breed, it is very active and needs to be kept busy. In essence, this dog is a very affectionate dog and needs caring and affectionate owners.

Growth:
This dogs weight at birth varies, at around seven or eight weeks of age it should weigh around three and a half to six kilograms. If you are interested in getting one, make sure to pick out one that is robust, has straight legs, clean and thick hair, a black nose, and dark pigmentation around its eyes. Its coat will darken as it ages. Breeders have pointed out that its ears will let you know what color its coat will be as an adult. A female Golden retriever usually matures around the age of one year and males around the age of two years. It needs supervision to avoid it from getting hurt since it can be mischievous. The owner will need to control its diet to avoid it from becoming overweight and to avoid it from having health problems. Basic puppy training can begin at the age of seven weeks.

General health:
Since the Golden retriever is such a popular dog, it has some health risks. Make sure to only pick out puppies that have certified parents because hip dysphasia is a common problem in these dogs. Ocular problems are also common such as ectropion, cataracts, loosening of the retina, progressive retina atrophy, and trichiasis. Hereditary cataracts are pretty common as well, to which an eye check up is a good idea. Von Willebrand, which is a disease that affects many breeds, can also occur to a Golden retriever. Hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and stenosis have also been documented in this breed. Unfortunately cancer is becoming more common in this breed. Although the care its coat requires is simple, it is necessary to groom it regularly – remember also that it sheds throughout the whole year. The life span of a Golden retriever is around twelve years but some have lived up to sixteen and seventeen years of age. After the age of ten years, its muzzle turns grey or white.