How Fast Do Golden Retrievers Grow? — Health Facts!

Golden Retrievers are precious dogs who are known to be gentle, energetic, and intelligent. Like most medium-sized dogs, they grow at a faster pace than other dogs. That being said, how fast do Golden Retrievers grow exactly? As they grow older, they will need a specific diet, amount of exercise, and enough water in order to remain healthy. Otherwise, they will be prone to several health conditions, like diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, liver disease, and heart disease, as they are growing up.

In this article, I’ll be sharing how fast do Golden Retrievers grow and how you can keep them healthy.

How fast do Golden Retrievers grow? 

Golden Retrievers grow pretty fast. They are much like other medium-sized dogs wherein they have sudden growth spurts.

Below is a chart of data we’ve gathered on how fast Golden Retrievers grow. 

Age	Smallest	Largest	Average
7 wks	5 lbs — Female 3 lbs — Male	17 lbs — Female 25 lbs — Male	9 lbs — Female 9 lbs — Male
8 wks	5 lbs — Female 3 lbs — Male	17 lbs — Female 27 lbs — Male	10 lbs — Female 11 lbs — Male
9 wks	8 lbs — Female 7 lbs — Male	17 lbs — Female 27 lbs — Male	12 lbs — Female 13 lbs — Male
10 wks	13 lbs — Female 10 lbs — Male	22 lbs — Female 28 lbs — Male	15 lbs — Female 17 lbs — Male
11 wks	12 lbs — Female 6 lbs — Male	22 lbs — Female 24 lbs — Male	17 lbs — Female 17 lbs — Male
3 mos	16 lbs — Female 9 lbs — Male	43 lbs — Female 34 lbs — Male	22 lbs — Female 23 lbs — Male
4 mos	25 lbs — Female 15 lbs — Male	44 lbs — Female 55 lbs — Male	30 lbs — Female 33 lbs — Male
5 mos	25 lbs — Female 20 lbs — Male	57 lbs — Female 67 lbs — Male	40 lbs — Female 42 lbs — Male
6 mos	27 lbs — Female 38 lbs — Male	72 lbs — Female 75 lbs — Male	44 lbs — Female 52 lbs — Male
7 mos	27 lbs — Female 35 lbs — Male	67 lbs — Female 75 lbs — Male	45 lbs — Female 59 lbs — Male
8 mos	40 lbs — Female 40 lbs — Male	67 lbs — Female 77 lbs — Male	52 lbs — Female 61 lbs — Male
9 mos	44 lbs — Female 45 lbs — Male	68 lbs — Female 77 lbs — Male	52 lbs — Female 61 lbs — Male
10 mos	50 lbs — Female 50 lbs — Male	68 lbs — Female 77 lbs — Male	60 lbs — Female 63 lbs — Male
11 mos	52 lbs — Female 55 lbs — Male	80 lbs — Female 77 lbs — Male	65 lbs — Female 66 lbs — Male
1 yr	55 lbs — Female 65 lbs — Male	90 lbs — Female 77 lbs — Male	70 lbs — Female 68 lbs — Male
2 yrs	55 lbs — Female 65 lbs — Male	90 lbs — Female 80 lbs — Male	70 lbs — Female 73 lbs — Male

When does a Golden Retriever stop growing?

Golden Retriever growth varies from dog to dog. There is no specific data as to when your Golden Retriever will stop growing. However, average data has stated that when your Golden Retriever reaches the age of 4 months, they will already reach half the size of an adult in terms of height.

They grow rapidly as well. At 6 months of age, Golden Retriever pups will grow about ⅔ of the weight of an adult. If you see that your Golden Retriever has suddenly filled out or has gained weight, this is normal for them at their age.

A Golden Retriever will keep growing until they reach the age of 18 months old. That is equivalent to 1 ½ years old.

Even when they have reached their full adult size, that does not mean that they are fully developed and grown. A Golden Retriever is not considered as a mature adult until they reach the age of 2 years of age. 

This is because as a puppy, they are still learning and gaining information in the world around them. They will develop personalities that are gentle, intelligent, and eager to please. When they are puppies, it is best to train them because it is at that age that they are easy to train.

It is wise to teach them basic house manners when they are a puppy. Their eagerness to please you will give you an advantage and will make them easy to train.

How do I keep my golden retriever healthy?

There are many ways for a Golden Retriever to stay healthy. However, they need your help to take care of them! Golden Retrievers love to stay active, so if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to exercise on a daily basis, perhaps a Golden Retriever is not the kind of dog for you. 

A Golden Retriever prefers a healthy lifestyle. They need a good balance of food, water, basic grooming, and exercise. Otherwise, they will suffer from a number of health complications as they grow older. Later on, I’ll be sharing the common health problems that a Golden Retriever can get. 

Don’t worry though! As long as you properly take care of your pet, they are less likely to develop these kinds of problems.

In order for a Golden Retriever to maintain a healthy weight, they need a number of things. Let’s talk about the things that you can do to help your Golden Retriever stay healthy.  

Exercise

The first on this list on keeping your Golden Retriever healthy is proper exercise. Puppies don’t require as much exercise as an adult or senior Golden Retriever.

Keep in mind that the age of your Golden Retriever will determine just how much exercise that they need. A puppy will need more time during the day to sleep. Why is that, you ask? Golden Retriever puppies sleep a lot because they need time to grow and develop their bodies. If you prohibit a puppy from sleeping, they might become malnourished and develop health problems.

However, whenever a Golden Retriever puppy is awake, have you noticed that they are quite energetic? This is the time where you can take them out for exercise!

Fun Fact: A one-month old Golden Retriever puppy only needs five minutes of exercise.

You can take your Golden Retriever out for exercise for five minutes only. Take them out for five minutes twice a day. This can be in the form of running or just playing fetch.

For every month that your golden retriever grows, add an additional five minutes for their exercise. That means a two-month old golden retriever needs 10 minutes twice a day. A three-month old golden retriever, on the other hand, needs 15 minutes.

A full-grown golden retriever needs 45 minutes of hard exercise twice a day. Meanwhile, a senior will spend more and more of his or her time lounging and sleeping instead of being hyper like they used to. Taking senior golden retrievers out isn’t bad, but if they have dog arthritis, limit their walks to once a day for only 20 minutes.

Besides, walking and running, there are also other kinds of exercises that you can introduce to your golden retriever. Some of these exercises are hunting, hiking, and swimming. 

Well-balanced diet

The next on our list for a healthy Golden Retriever is a well-balanced diet. A well-balanced diet for a Golden retriever includes a lot of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. There’s a lot of speculation if people should make their dogs eat raw meat or not. While there are a lot of recommendations that golden retrievers should eat raw meat, there are also a lot of drawbacks.

Preparing your golden retriever’s meals yourself is beneficial because you can control what your dog eats. You will be able to avoid putting in food that your golden retriever is allergic to. Additionally, I have noticed that golden retrievers who eat a raw meat diet have a better overall appearance.

Their coat is shinier, their skin isn’t dry and flaky, and they don’t have bad breath. This is because a raw meat diet (along with other vitamins and vegetables) do not have the additives that a kibble diet has. A drawback of a raw meat diet is that it is time-consuming. It may also cost you more cash, especially if it’s an all-meat kind of diet. 

Nevertheless, whether you choose kibble or a raw meat diet, your golden retriever needs the right amount of nutrition in order to stay healthy. Feeding your golden retriever too much, on the other hand, will make them prone to obesity and diabetes. In turn, they will be prone to kidney disease, heart disease, and other health complications that are related to obesity and diabetes.

Keep in mind that it’s a lot harder for dogs to lose weight rather than gain it. It may take you quite a while for your golden retriever to get back in shape once they cross the line to obesity.

Enough water

Next on our list is water. There are many pet parents who overlook the importance of water. Don’t be one of those pet parents! Your golden retriever needs more water than you think. 

Always make sure that your dog’s water bowl is filled with clean water. If the bowl is not clean, it does not matter if the water that you put in is clean. The water will end up becoming contaminated with germs because the water bowl was not clean in the first place.

You might be asking how much water your golden retriever needs. It actually depends on how old your golden retriever is to begin with.

Since golden retrievers are highly active than other dogs, they need to drink up to 40% more water than other dogs. Water is very essential to the growth of a puppy. A golden retriever puppy needs to drink two cups of water every four hours. Otherwise, they will be prone to dehydration. 

On the other hand, an adult golden retriever can drink up to 30 ounces of water per day. The larger your dog is, the more water that they need. To be exact, your adult and senior golden retrievers would need one quart or three cups of clean water every day.

If you want the exact measurements, measure your golden retriever’s weight in pounds. Then, divide their weight by 20 in order to get how many ounces your golden retriever needs to drink per day.

Basic Grooming

Lastly, in order to keep a golden retriever healthy, you need to do basic grooming on him or her. No, that doesn’t mean that you should give them a hair styling — unless you know how. Otherwise, basic grooming will only include a nice warm bath every other month during the months that they don’t shed a lot. 

When it’s the months for shedding, you should bathe them once a month or once every other week. That will help with the amount of shedding that they do. Spring and fall are the seasons where a golden retriever shed profusely. In the United States of America, these are the months of March to early December. When winter begins, your golden retriever will need their coat in order to stay warm.

Another form of basic grooming is cleaning your golden retriever’s ears. This will make sure that there will be no infection that forms. Additionally, other grooming methods are to brush their teeth with a dog-friendly toothbrush. However, if your golden retriever isn’t comfortable with you brushing their teeth, there are edible treats that you can give to your dog that are great for cleaning teeth. Don’t forget to clip their nails occasionally too! 

You don’t necessarily have to bring your golden retriever to a groomer unless you really want to. As long as you use a good shampoo that keeps their skin and coat healthy, that’s already a good enough way to keep your golden retriever’s health at its best. A simple deshedding tool will enable you to help your golden retriever control the amount of shedding that they do. 

What are the common health problems of Golden Retrievers?

Golden retrievers are known for their loyal, protective nature. They are known for their intelligence and endurance. However, dogs can also appear to suffer from some common health issues such as heart diseases and cancer.

Golden retrievers are very popular dogs. Dogs, like golden retrievers, have been used for many different purposes throughout history and these dogs have been used for pulling carts, pulling boats, pulling carriages and pulling noiselessly. 

However, due to the fact that Golden retrievers live an active, independent life and this independence could affect their health. Some common health problems faced by Golden Retriever dogs include cancer, arthritis, kidney disease, and allergies. These are some of the problems that you can expect to face if you choose to adopt a Golden Retriever from a pet shop or a breeder.

Obesity

Golden Retrievers are generally a healthy weight, but obese golden retrievers are also common. Obesity in golden retrievers is usually a non-growing problem that is caused by genetic or body type reasons.

Obesity in golden retrievers is one of the common problems faced by these dogs. This condition in golden retrievers can affect them in various ways such as an increase in body fat, increase in joint problems, decreased stamina, and bone conditions. 

Golden Retrievers are often reported to be overweight or obese as a breed. Obesity is a fairly common problem in dogs, typically being seen in the overweight category.  The causes of obesity are varied; however, there are several factors that can be part of the problem. 

These include genetics, obesity in the early stages of life, and hormonal imbalances. Obesity in Golden Retrievers can be corrected by lifestyle changes and plenty of exercise. For those seeking a medical solution, drug treatments such as Metabolic Auto-Therapy may be prescribed. 

Dogs can obtain too much fat on their stomach areas from the amount of food they are given and as a result they can become overweight. Also, they may not be willing to exercise much as they may recognise that their body is not in good enough shape to perform an activity, which results in them not doing as much exercise as they could be.

Diabetes

Diabetes in golden retrievers is the most common chronic health problem in the United States, affecting about 8 million dogs and nearly 1 in 5 dogs in the country. A recent study shows that nearly 9% of all dog breeds in the United States are obese or overweight. 

In many cases this is because of a medical condition known as “obesity” or “type 2” diabetes in golden retrievers. Many people mistake type 2 diabetes for just fat but in reality it is a very serious medical condition that can cause a person to be more vulnerable to developing various illnesses.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most frequent and most dangerous diseases affecting golden retrievers. It causes the organs to grow in size and form which leads to many health problems. The insulin used to treat diabetes has to be of great quality since it just cannot provide enough energy to the body. 

The dog will start losing its energy rapidly without it and needs a regular amount of insulin. This can cause serious harm to the organs and tissues in the body. Therefore, diabetes in golden retrievers is a serious condition and needs to be taken very seriously by its owners.

Skin Diseases

Common health problems in golden retrievers include skin allergies and skin conditions. Skin allergies are commonly found in golden retrievers as they have a wild, dog-like allergy to a specific species of moth. This problem is initially treated using steroid creams which work to eliminate the allergy. Over time the dog may become more sensitive to light and air and possible water sources, prompting them to recommend a change in environment.

Skin diseases are quite common in golden retrievers, like psoriasis and dander balm priming. Skin conditions are sometimes called “inflammatory ” or “atopic dermatitis”. It is a type of dermatitis that causes dry and itchy areas on the skin. The condition may be more noticeable to the dog owner than to those around them. 

Dander balm is best treated by applying a solution containing mineral oil to the affected skin. If your Golden Retriever has white spots on their coat they usually have two kinds of these spots. 

The first one is a very small white speckle on their fur that you will likely not even notice unless you groom your dog a lot. This tiny spot can be easily mistaken for a hairball or wavy hair. The bigger the problem, the better to prevent it from happening.

Liver Disease

Many people who are fond of golden retrievers ask themselves if their dog has a disease. Though the health problems associated with golden retrievers are similar to those found in other breeds, most reports still list liver diseases in golden retrievers as one of the most common problems in this breed. 

Despite this, many owners have reported that golden retrievers make wonderful pets. So if you want to find out whether your dog has a disease, schedule a visit with your veterinarian soon.

The most common (and sadly, often fatal) diseases in golden retrievers are undiagnosed liver problems. If you own a golden retriever, understand that there are very likely certain conditions affecting your dog that you don’t even know about. 

In fact, there is no standardized test for identifying these disorders. However, by knowing a little about what they can potentially cause, you can be ahead of the curve and save your puppy’s life.

The common health problems of golden retrievers include liver disease, hepatitis and pancreatitis. Golden Retriever puppies should be vaccinated to prevent liver failure in the first 1 year of their lives and should be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus during this time.

There are many ways in which golden retrievers can contract the liver disease called biliary tract obstruction. This condition can affect all dogs regardless of the breed. However, golden retrievers in particular are at particular risk because of their size and nature which makes them more susceptible to external factors such as infections or obstruction.

Kidney Disease

Did you know there are more than 700 dog diseases? Many people don’t know about these common illnesses because they’re so common. Kidney diseases in golden retrievers make life very difficult for owners and dogs. In fact, about 30-50 percent of all golden retriever owners will need to see a doctor at some point.

A few years back, it was estimated that 25% of golden retrievers need to have a transplant due to kidney disease. The good news is that even with so many retrievers needing a kidney, there are still plenty of available donors.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in golden retrievers in recent years has raised concerns amongst pet owners and can ultimately affect how you care for your bull terrier. CKD is an incurable and potentially fatal condition affecting the kidneys, affecting both humans and animals; however, despite this, there are some tests you can do to find out if your dog has the disease.

The kidneys are the major reservoir for eliminating wastes from the body. Because of the condition named nephritis, almost all dogs have kidney problems. Nephritis is a condition due to incontinence in which urine leakage occurs from the bladder, urethra or rectum. The most common symptom of this condition is a wet Skittle, shortness of breath or drooling.

Heart Disease

Heart diseases are the biggest killer and the most common cause of death in golden retrievers. Therefore, it’s not a big surprise that Golden Retriever dog food should contain ingredients which help to keep your dog healthy and prevent heart disease.

Heart diseases are the most common cause of death in golden retrievers – about 7 out of 10 deaths in the area of dogs, according to the American Heart Association. This condition is also responsible for about 200,000 hospitalizations and 60,000 deaths in dogs annually so there is significant scope for dog owners to reduce their risk of heart disease by keeping their dogs in good health.

Heart disease in golden retrievers seems to be on the rise. The cause is unknown, but many think it to be related to their high-carb, high-fat diet. A U.S. government report found that more than 16% of all deaths from heart disease can be prevented by maintaining a healthy diet.

Research done by Petfood Ingredient has found that two common heart diseases in golden retrievers are atrial fibrillation and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Atrial fibrillation is commonly referred to as “parasympathetic coaching” or “stress-control syndrome”. It causes chest pain and pauses the heart rate.

Final Words

Most or all of the common health problems of golden retrievers can be prevented. It is of great importance to get your golden retriever checked by a Vet whenever it gets sick or injured. The golden retriever has more collagen than an average dog which helps it fight off infections quite easily. They also have a higher metabolism and can burn more calories than an overweight dog or a diabetic dog. Finally they have a higher concentration of antibodies that fight off viral and bacterial infections. That means with your help, they can live long and healthy lives.

Did you find this article useful? Don’t forget to share this with your fellow golden retriever lovers!