Do All Golden Retrievers Get Big?

I don’t know about anyone else, but I like big dogs.  I have often wondered how big the golden retriever gets as I am not sure if they are a medium or large dog.

Read along to find out what I discovered.

Do all golden retrievers get big?

Yes, all golden retrievers get big.  This, however, depends on the type of golden retriever chosen.  Standard golden retrievers are larger-sized, but golden retrievers are miniature or petite.  These are smaller than the standard or traditional golden retrievers but surprisingly are not completely golden retrievers, having a mix with another dog breed. 

All golden retrievers do not get big even when they are standard or larger-sized dogs.  This is related to their genetics from their mother and father and ancestors, but each dog is unique.  The differences in how big each golden retriever gets will likely only be a slight variation.  It is also a little different in how big all golden retrievers get based on gender. 

Female golden retrievers can be slightly smaller than their male companions.   All golden retrievers that get big and are standard or large-sized can weigh anywhere from fifty-five to seventy-five pounds, with some being on the smaller end of the scale and others the higher end of this scale. 

Regarding height, the standard-sized golden retrievers will range from twenty to twenty-four inches to the withers.  While there are three different types of golden retrievers, the Canadian, the English, and the American, all three golden retrievers get big to about the same height and weight.

Golden retrievers have a long history as being family-oriented, loving, gentle, and people-pleasing dogs that are good at many occupations, including retrieving for hunters or the coast guard or being of assistance for the blind.  Aside from that, golden retrievers are rather big dogs.

Not all golden retrievers are created equal, though all golden retrievers are big, with a few exceptions.  This depends partly on the dog that is chosen as well as the type.

There are miniature or smaller golden retrievers in today’s designer world of dogs that are smaller than the large or standard-sized golden retrievers.  These dogs, however, may be thought of as being a golden retrievers. Upon closer inspection, they are a hybrid or mix dog breed combining the qualities of the golden retriever with another breed of dog.

That aside, all golden retrievers are not big also because of genetics.  Each dog will acquire genes from its parents and ancestors.  This will be why some dogs are not big when compared with others in the same litter.  One inherited certain traits relating to size, while the other acquired other characteristics relating to size.

While there is no likelihood of a considerable variation in how big each golden retriever will get, there is still a slight difference.

Gender can also play a role in golden retrievers getting big or not.  Females usually tend to be slightly smaller than males when it comes to the golden retriever.  This, however, is not etched in stone and only a guide as some males are small due to genetics, and some females are big due to genetics.

Generally speaking, the male golden retrievers will weigh anywhere from fifty-five to seventy-five pounds.  Regarding height, they can average anywhere from twenty to twenty-four inches to the withers based on their gender and genetics.

There are three golden retrievers, the American golden retriever, the English golden retriever, and the Canadian golden retriever.  Each is pretty close in weight and height, with only slight variations due to gender and genetic background.

Whatever golden retriever is chosen, they are a whole lot of love.

So, there are no golden retrievers that are under fifty-five pounds?

No, there may be a golden retriever here or there that is under the fifty-five-pound range.  The numbers listed above are just weight and height ranges. This doesn’t mean that no dog will exist that doesn’t fit into these categories. It means that, generally speaking, the breed is usually fifty-five pounds and over.

Aside from this, other factors determine the weight of a dog, including the golden retriever.  Age can play a role in the golden retriever size as seniors or puppies will or can, of course, weigh less.

Other issues such as improper diet or health problems can lead to a golden retriever being thinner than average.  When it comes to height, their genetics play a part in this and a healthy diet.  Older golden retrievers can also suffer from bone loss or slumping.  Each dog is as unique as its particular situation.  Height and weight are only but a small part of their genetics.

Is it possible for a female golden retriever to be bigger than a male golden retriever?

Yes, of course, a female golden retriever can be more significant than a male golden retriever.  If the female comes from one litter of puppies and the male golden retriever comes from another, the female can be bigger, depending on her being compared to.

There can also be the chance of a male golden retriever being smaller than the female and smaller than the other male golden retrievers in the bunch in the same litter.   This can be hard to determine at such a young age but is better left when the golden retriever is older and has their adult coat of hair, body, and face.

If my golden retriever is over seventy-five pounds, does that make her obese?

Not necessarily. Not all golden retrievers that are over seventy-five pounds are thought of as obese.

Each dog is unique and individual, from the type of food they eat, their favorite toy and treat, to how much exercise they need.  While guides can and always should be given to see the broader picture, they are just that, a guide.

A golden retriever that is over seventy-five pounds might have more muscle. As muscle weighs more, that will mean that they are healthier and stronger. Therefore they would not be considered obese despite the higher number.

Health and wellness are determined by many factors that a weight guide can never fully express by numbers.  The best way to decide on your golden retriever’s health and wellness is to consult with her veterinarian.

If she is in good health and not overeating daily while getting enough exercise, the veterinarian will tell you so.  Another way to determine health and wellness is to look at the coat of hair on your dog.  Her coat of hair will be shiny versus dull.  Her hair and other body parts, like her eyes, will tell the true story of health.

Weight charts and guidelines are only a chart or guide to follow. Nothing about them is etched in stone.  Therefore a few pounds over the maximum weight for your golden retriever could never mean that she is too big or overweight.

If all the different golden retrievers are big, what is the primary difference between English, Canadian and American?

Since all the golden retrievers are so big, the difference between the three of English, Canadian and American includes different diversity of colors to the coat of hair and the length of the coat of hair.

The American golden retrievers have a longer and slightly thicker coat of hair when compared with the English golden retrievers.   English golden retrievers tend to have more of a cream-colored coat of hair with gold in it.  American golden retrievers tend to have light, medium, and dark golden colors and closer to reddish colors to their coat of hair than the English.

When it comes to their head, the English type or version of this breed has a boxier head while the American version has a fox type head.

The English golden retrievers are more mellow and calm when it comes to character traits, whereas the American golden retrievers are slightly more active and athletic.

When comparing the Canadian golden retriever with the English or American, it is found that the Canadian are somewhat taller and leaner than the English golden retriever.    Canadian golden retrievers will have a slightly thinner coat of hair than the American version while having a somewhat different colored coat.

These variations are noted and compared through the American Kennel Club’s eyes and other kennel clubs in Britain and Canada.  The AKC, BKC, and CKC stated the breed standard of what is considered acceptable for each golden retriever.  Other differences may be seen if dogs are not bred to the breed standard, but generally, all three golden retriever versions only have slight variations.

In Conclusion

While all true golden retrievers are big, there can be some slight variations in size related to genetics, gender, and type.

Size variations can be found as all dogs are individual despite their breed, with such things as food, how much eaten, and even age factoring into the mix.

Despite this, how big they are can never fully express how big of a heart this breed of dog has to give love!