A dog’s teeth are not as strong as you may think. A chew that is more forgiving on the teeth and easily digestible is currently recommended. With the “mouthy” nature of the golden retriever, they will often explore the world and pick up lots of edible and inedible things with their mouths. Careful supervision is needed in unfamiliar areas to ensure your dog’s safety. The “drop it” and “leave it” commands are quite useful in training your golden to use their mouth appropriately. We recommend various chewing toys/bones to help redirect your goldens need to mouth and chew. This will also aid in reducing plaque buildup. Regular toothbrushing at home is also recommended.

Regular nail trimming is essential to the health of your golden. When nails become too long, the foot begins to change shape and can cause pain and deformity over time. If you have hard floors, an easy reminder to trim your dog’s nails is when you hear the “click click” on the floor.

We know you’ve heard the saying “ wow look at how big those paws are, that’s going to be a big dog when it grows up…..” No matter how your puppy looks or grows- adult golden retrievers should range from around 55-75 pounds with the males being larger than the females. No golden retriever should ever weigh close to 100 pounds despite what you hear. With the golden retriever’s love of food and being by your side, they have a tendency to pick up weight just like people. Because of this, goldens do require some moderate amount of exercise. They are great “workout buddies” because they typically adapt to your activity level. Regular neighborhood walks, playing fetch in the yard, or training a new skill are all great ways to keep your golden in shape physically and mentally.

Unlike people- your golden does need a different diet. Please read the following article and study prepared by the GRCA concerning grain free food.
https://grca.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Diet-Associated-Heart-Disease-in-GRs-3.pdf

These days there are just as many dog food choices available as there are people food choices it seems! CGRC recommends that you start with your breeder’s food choice and adjust as necessary as your dog grows. Your veterinarian can provide you with some great suggestions. Since most family goldens are only moderately active, they need a lower ratio of fat and moderate proteins and carbohydrates. By working with your veterinarian, breeder and golden community you will gain knowledge on what works best for your dog. You can learn how to read dog food labels online here:
https://foreverfreckled.com/ingredients-dog-food

A golden retriever usually is not a picky eater and their natural instinct to put things in their mouths tends to lead to them ingesting dangerous items. Keep an eye out for poisonous plants (especially mushrooms), sticks, rocks and animals that they could come in contact with and keep away. Goldens are also known for swallowing socks and gloves. Once they have swallowed something, it either passes through their digestive system, or they will likely need surgery $$$. Learning how to remove something safely from a Goldens mouth is a necessity and will help prolong their life and your budget.

Golden retrievers can also be quite ravenous eaters. Don’t be surprised if they actually sneak in an extra meal from time to time either! A serious health condition goldens are prone to because of this is bloat. Please read this article from the AKC about bloat so you can recognize signs and symptoms. CGRC recommends you have your veterinarian and local pet er contact information somewhere easy to find in the case of an emergency.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/bloat-in-dogs

Golden retrievers have several genetic health conditions that need to be screened for. The most common things that should be evaluated by a qualified Veterinarian include Hips and Elbows, Heart, Eyes*, and now many genetic blood tests are available as well. *Golden retrievers should have their eyes checked once a year for life

You can read all the GRCA health and genetics details here:
https://grca.org/about-the-breed/health-research

There is a lot of very specific information on this page, so please take some time to read through to acquaint yourself with issues affecting the golden retriever. As with our own health, the more you can learn about your golden will ensure you provide them with the happiest and healthiest life they can live.

The Golden Retriever Club of America is one of the leading promoting groups in dog genetic research. We are very lucky our parent club supports and promotes this ongoing research. GRCA and the Golden Retriever Foundation are paving the way to improve dog health, starting with our very own and beloved golden retriever!

More information on The Golden Retriever Foundation here:
https://www.goldenretrieverfoundation.org