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When do Golden Retrievers stop growing? They will typically achieve their maximum height in 12 months and gain their potential weight at 18 months of age.
Golden Retrievers will however take a much longer time to fully develop their intellectual abilities.
These charming dogs make good family pets and they have a well-defined growing pattern from puppyhood to their adult stage.
It is important that you understand their growth and development pattern for you to provide good care as needed.
Keep reading this post to discover the growth stages of Golden Retrievers and what you can do to support healthy growth.
Golden Retriever Growth, Weight, And Height Chart for Males
| Age | Weight Range (pounds) | Average weight | Height Range (in inches) |
| 8 weeks | 4 – 17 | 10 | 6 – 15 |
| 9 weeks | 5 – 17 | 12 | 9 – 15 |
| 10 weeks | 8 – 22 | 15 | 10 – 15 |
| 11 weeks | 12 – 25 | 17 | 10 – 15 |
| 3 months | 16 – 43 | 22 | 10 – 20 |
| 4 months | 25 – 44 | 30 | 12 – 24 |
| 5 months | 27 – 57 | 40 | 13.5 – 24 |
| 6 months | 29 – 72 | 44 | 19 – 24.5 |
| 7 months | 32 – 77 | 48 | 19 – 26 |
| 8 months | 40 – 77 | 55 | 21 – 26 |
| 9 months | 45 – 77 | 61 | 22 – 26 |
| 10 months | 50 – 77 | 63 | 22 – 26 |
| 11 months | 55 – 77 | 68 | 22 – 26 |
| 1 year | 65 – 77 | 68 | 22 – 26 |
| 2 years | 65 – 80 | 73 | 22 – 26 |
Golden Retriever Growth, Weight and Height Chart for Females
| Age | Weight Range (in pounds) | Average Weight | Height Range (in inches) |
| 8 weeks | 5 – 17 | 10 | 6 – 15 |
| 9 weeks | 8 – 17 | 12 | 9 – 16 |
| 10 weeks | 9 – 22 | 15 | 11 – 18 |
| 11 weeks | 12 – 25 | 17 | 11 – 18 |
| 3 months | 16 – 33 | 22 | 11 – 19 |
| 4 months | 22 – 44 | 30 | 12 – 22 |
| 5 months | 25 – 52 | 40 | 13 – 24 |
| 6 months | 27 – 61 | 43 | 15 – 24 |
| 7 months | 31 – 67 | 45 | 16 – 25 |
| 8 months | 40 – 68 | 52 | 18 – 25 |
| 9 months | 44 – 68 | 52 | 20 – 25 |
| 10 months | 52 – 68 | 60 | 20 – 25 |
| 11 months | 52 – 70 | 65 | 20 – 25 |
| 1 year | 55 – 70 | 70 | 20 – 26 |
| 2 years | 55 – 70 | 70 | 20 – 26 |
When Do Golden Retriever Puppies Become Adults?
Golden Retriever puppies will fully transition into adulthood during the period between 10 – 12 months of age.
They will start showing their adult features by the 6th month, however, they will not achieve their full height until they reach one year old.
Between the first 12 months up to the 18th month, the young adult will gain considerable weight until they get to their maximum potential.
The growing stages of a Golden Retriever may vary from one dog to the other due to factors such as health, genetics, and diet.
When Do Golden Retrievers Stop Growing?
Healthy Golden Retrievers will usually stop growing taller when they’re 12 months old. Female Goldies may achieve their full height faster (at 9 months) than their male counterparts.
Golden Retrievers also keep their puppy coat, which eventually becomes an undercoat when they’re adults.
Speaking of puppies, Golden Retrievers may not outgrow their puppyhood behaviors even during adulthood. They still carry on their cheekiness and willingness to play even into their senior years.
However, they can be well-trained to put aside their puppy tendencies and take on a more responsible behavior into adulthood.
These double-coated dogs will however keep developing their intellectual strength until they get to 3 years.
Brain training your dog from an early age will help them stimulate their mental powers, creating obedience and adopting good behavior.
How Big Should a 6-Months Golden Retriever Be?
A male Golden Retriever should weigh between 29 –72 lbs. with a height range of 19 –24.5 inches while a female one will stand at a range of 15 –24 inches with a weight range of 27–61 lbs.
These charming puppies normally experience rapid growth between 3 – 6 months. During this period, you can literally see your dog transforming every single day.
The awkward stage usually occurs at the 6th to 8th months of age, they usually have uneven haircoat – a transition from puppy coat to adult fur.
They look awkward due to their ungracefully thin and tall appearance often coined as ‘lanky or gangly’.
This is the period where your dog may engage in intense biting and chewing on items. The behavior is quite normal and it is because of the pain of losing their puppy teeth and the discomfort of developing a new set of adult teeth.
Keep your soft chew toys nearer to discourage your puppy from nibbling into tough surfaces.
What Is the Optimal Size of a Full-Grown Golden Retriever?
The optimal size of a fully grown Golden Retriever will vary based on gender and genetics.
A Golden male will achieve a height range of 22 –26 inches with an average of 24 inches and an ideal weight range of 65–80 pounds with an average of 73 pounds.
A Golden female will optimally stand on a range of 20 –26 inches with an average of 23 inches and a body weight scope of 55 –70 pounds with an average of 70 pounds.
Factors That Impact a Golden Retriever’s Growth
Certain factors can influence the growth and development of Golden Retrievers both positively and negatively.
The positive factors will contribute to their optimal growth while the negative factors will lead to stunted growth.
Positive factors
1. Genetics
This is a key factor that determines a lot of traits in dogs including growth. A well-bred Golden Retriever is likely to grow to its full potential so long as they get the necessary resources.
This can be attributed to the favorable traits that were picked from the dog’s lineage. Technically, there are 3 official subtypes English Goldens, American Goldens, and Canadian Goldens.
Although the differences are minimal but mostly observed in their physical appearance -coat type, head shape, and built.
The health of the puppy’s mother, both pre-natal and post-natal, will also play a role in determining how well the nursing dog grows.
The mother should always be given proper care during gestation and after delivery to ensure the puppy is weaned to their potential growth.
2. Appropriate feeding
The saying ‘we are what we eat’ applies both to us and our pets too. A well-balanced diet will help your Goldie in attaining good health and the bonus of achieving their full growth sizes.
A good diet should consist of the right servings of proteins, vitamins, carbs, and other important minerals needed to build their bodies without forgetting clean water to drink.
Make consultations with a canine nutritionist to ensure that your Goldie receives the best food that supports their physical and mental growth.
3. Exercises
Engaging your dog in physical stimulations will work out their muscles and help in building a stronger body and healthy bones.
Being a high-energy breed, Goldens require a few minutes or hours of daily exercise depending on their age and capabilities.
Exercises also help in maintaining a healthy weight which can assist the dog in avoiding chronic conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.
4. Health care
Taking your dog for a regular checkup at the vet and providing them with the right treatment is crucial in supporting their growth and maintaining good health.
It is during the routine visits to the vet that a disease may be detected early hence prompting early treatment.
5. Dietary supplements
Certain dietary supplements for dogs may provide the nutrients that your dog may be lacking in their regular food.
Such may be important in assisting your canine friend to achieve their full body potential with good health.
Healthy probiotics for dogs can also be used to balance the dog’s microbiome hence improving their digestive health.
With good digestion, the dog will absorb more nutrients hence improving their overall health and supporting growth. You should not start your dog on any supplements before consulting a vet.
Negative factors affecting growth in Golden Retrievers
Some of the negative factors that may slow down the growth potential of Golden retrievers will therefore be
- Irresponsible breeding
- Poor nutrition and diet
- Medical conditions
- Lack of vaccination
- Inconsistent health care
- Lack of exercise
- Unconducive environment for growth
How To Make Sure a Golden Retriever Has a Healthy Growth
You can play a part in ensuring your Golden Retriever achieves their potential growth and overall health. These are some of the things you need to do:
1. Provide a healthy diet
Work out a favorable meal plan for your puppy right from when they get weaned throughout their growth phases.
The dog will need different types of kibbles and food during the entire growth stage and into their senior years.
Giving a young puppy some food that is meant for adults can only lead to negative effects such as indigestion, stomach issues, and malnutrition.
Puppy food contains high protein content compared to adult food, which is necessary for muscular growth.
Reach out to a canine nutritionist to help you find the right diet that will be easier for your puppy to eat, digest ad absorbs into their body.
2. Have regular exercises with the dog
Slot in some time in your diary for engagements with your Golden Retriever in daily exercises and physical stimulation.
During puppyhood, you need to mind the time and intensity of the exercise. A one-month-old puppy should get at least 5 minutes of stimulation twice per day.
You can add 5 more minutes for every month, leading to at least 30 minutes of exercise for a 6-months old puppy, and so on.
3. Regular check-up at the vet
Routine visits to the vet are important to the dog in keeping up with their health during growth and development.
Your vet will perform a physical examination on the dog and do some blood work to find out any warning signs of illness.
Such visits will also help you to follow up on any genetic disorders that may be predisposed to your dog.
4. Vaccines
Vaccinating your puppy right from their 6th week is crucial in preventing canine communicable diseases.
Your vet will give you a vaccine schedule for your Golden Retriever for the core shots and the boosters.
Make sure to stick to this plan for the effectiveness of the vaccines.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can you tell how big a Golden Retriever will get?
You can almost tell the precise size a Golden Retriever will achieve by comparing them to their family tree.
Take an overall look at the Golden’s father and mother and work out an average size based on your findings.
The immediate family is not the only determinant of the size of the puppy. Sometimes the puppy could pick traits based on hereditary traits further down the lineage.
The full-grown size of a male Golden Retriever will usually be larger than that of the female one.
2. Are Golden Retrievers medium or large breed dogs?
Golden Retrievers are classified as large breed dogs. They achieve the size requirements for large dogs, that is a minimum weight of 50 pounds and a minimum height of 23 inches.
3. When do Golden Retriever growth plates close
The growth plates of Golden Retrievers will close at around 18-24 months old.
This period will usually signify the end of a Golden Retriever’s growth phase, but they could alter their weight based on other factors.
Once the growth plates are closed, the body will now shift focus to maturing and developing their mental knack.
4. How fast do Golden Retrievers grow?
Golden Retrievers will have a normal growth pattern from birth to about 3 months when they enter their rapid phase.
By the time the puppy hits 6 months, they would have started attaining some of the adult features and almost half of their potential adult weight.
From the 7th month onwards, the puppy will grow slowly but steadily to build their adult anatomy until they mature.
5. At what age do Golden Retrievers get fluffy?
Golden Retriever puppies would start to develop a fluffy coat at around 3 or 4 months of age and it normally starts at the tail then it proceeds to other body parts.
The exact time the feathering will begin depends on the dog’s genetics.
As the puppy matures into adulthood, they will develop a well-defined double coat; which consists of a dense undercoat and a longer & curly top coat.
Conclusion
When do golden retrievers stop growing? They will normally attain their potential heights at 12 months old and their full weight 6 months later when they’re 18 months old.
Knowing the growth pattern and development stages of Golden Retrievers will help you in planning their diet, adjusting their exercise requirements, and providing general care.
Remember to put your dog in favorable conditions that will assist in their growth.
Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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