Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever (a Scottish breed of retriever) is a medium-large, powerfully built dog with a gentle, affectionate nature and a striking golden coat.

According to the Kennel Club breed standard, males stand 56 to 61 cm and females 51 to 56 cm. Healthy adults typically weigh between 25 and 34 kg. The head is broad, the eyes dark, the nose large and black, and the ears moderate in size, set high and hanging with a slight fold.

The double coat has a long, flat or wavy outer layer with good feathering on the forelegs and a dense, weather-resistant undercoat. It can be any shade of cream, yellow or gold, and typically becomes paler with age. A few white hairs on the chest are permitted.

Golden Retrievers are commonly kept as companion dogs. Some compete in dog shows or obedience trials, some work as guide dogs or therapy dogs, and some still work as gundogs.

The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland in the nineteenth century by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks at his Guisachan estate. From the 1860s he began with a yellow Flat-coated Retriever called Nous and crossed it with a Tweed Water Spaniel. Later breeding brought in a Red Setter, Labrador Retrievers and a Bloodhound. The golden-coloured offspring were kept and bred together to form the foundation stock.

For years, romantic tales claimed the breed had Russian circus origins. Research by Marjoribanks's great-nephew and Elma Stonex, published in 1960 and based on his stud book, countered these stories.

Golden Retrievers were first seen as a colour variety of the Flat-coated Retriever. The Kennel Club recorded them in 1903, and a breed club formed in 1911. Separate recognition came in 1913, and the name became simply Golden Retriever in 1920. Winifred Charlesworth was instrumental in this and drew up the first breed standard. In 1936 the standard was amended to allow cream.

After the First World War the breed's popularity rose, and it spread through much of the Western world in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Golden Retriever is considered intelligent, gentle-natured and very affectionate. It is generally calm and biddable, very easy to train and extremely keen to please. The breed is known for being generally very tolerant of children, and is often keen to join in family activities.

Golden Retrievers are often completely devoid of guarding instincts. There have been reports of some very aggressive dogs in certain lineages, and it has been suggested that genetic factors partly cause such variation.

The breed usually keeps many gundog traits, including an excellent sense of smell and a strong instinct to retrieve. Even dogs not trained as gundogs typically bring toys or other objects to their owners. Compared with other retrievers, Golden Retrievers are typically slow to mature.

A 2024 UK study found a median life expectancy of 13.2 years for the breed, compared with 12.7 for purebreds overall and 12 for crossbreeds. Other studies have given different figures. A 2005 Swedish study found 22% died by the age of 10, compared with 35% of dogs overall.

The breed is unusually prone to cancer. One United States study found it caused about 50% of deaths, while several European studies found a lower share of 20 to 39%. Golden Retrievers are especially prone to haemangiosarcoma and lymphoma, with an estimated lifetime risk of one in five and one in eight respectively.

They also have a genetic predisposition to primary hypothyroidism. Nonepidermolytic ichthyosis is caused by an autosomal recessive trait linked to a mutation in the PNPLA1 gene.

The breed is the subject of the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, a long-term research project into cancer and other diseases in dogs.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

Is a Golden Retriever a good family dog?

The breed is known to make excellent pets and family dogs. It is generally extremely tolerant of children and keen to join in with family members.

How long do Golden Retrievers live?

A 2024 UK study found a median life expectancy of 13.2 years. That is longer than the 12.7 years found for purebreds overall.

Are Golden Retrievers easy to train?

They are generally calm and biddable, very easy to train and extremely keen to please. They are, however, typically slow to mature compared with other retrievers.

What colour can a Golden Retriever be?

The coat can be any shade of cream, yellow or gold, and typically becomes paler with age. The Kennel Club standard does not allow red or mahogany coats.

Are Golden Retrievers good guard dogs?

Not usually. Their affable nature means they are often completely devoid of guarding instincts.

Many Golden Retrievers like to present their owners with toys or other objects, a trace of their retrieving instinct.

The breed is not a strong swimmer compared with other retrievers, because its long coat makes it sit low in the water.

Golden Retrievers are often among the top ten breeds by registrations in the United Kingdom.

Orca, a Golden Retriever, received the PDSA Gold Medal for bravery.

Golden Retrievers bred for shows tend to have longer, finer coats than those bred for work as gundogs.