It takes about 18 months for a Golden to reach their full adult weight. An eight week old puppy starts off around 10 pounds. Once they are full grown the average Golden Retriever size is 55–65lb for an adult female and 65–75lb for an adult male. But there are a lot of factors that can influence your baby Golden Retriever as they grow towards maturity.
Contents
- How big are Golden Retriever puppies?
- Growth and Growing Up
- Adult height and weight
- Feeding and Exercise
- Mini Golden Retrievers
Golden Retriever size matters. In this article we are going to help you to work out whether your dog is a healthy weight and height for their age as they mature. We’ll look at the roles that type, diet and activity levels play in a full grown Golden Retriever’s size and give you some tips for getting the balance right between food and exercise.
How Big Are Golden Retriever Puppies?
All dogs are individuals, including Golden Retriever puppies. Keep in mind that your puppy could be above or below the average size and still be within a healthy range. If a puppy falls well below the small end of the typical size range, it could be the runt of the litter. While it’s easy to fall in love with a runt, be aware that small size could come with some health issues, including a fatal condition known as fading puppy syndrome.
Normal Puppy Size
Generally, a newborn Golden Retriever puppy weighs around 14 to 16 ounces. How big will your puppy be when it is ready to leave its mother and go home with you?
8 week old Golden Retriever Size
Eight weeks is usually the earliest that reputable Golden Retriever breeders will let a puppy go to a new home. At this age, your cute Golden Retriever puppy will be around 10 pounds.
Golden Retriever Growth – How Big Will My Puppy Get?
By the time your puppy is four months old, its weight will be around 30 pounds. At eight months, your adolescent Golden Retriever could weigh 50 pounds or more.
It’s a fact, your Golden Retriever puppy won’t be a little fuzzball for long! Golden puppies have a fairly fast growth rate, growing anywhere between 5–10% larger each week.
When Do They Stop Growing?
Expect your puppy to reach its full adult height although not full maturity between 9 and 12 months of age.
Your puppy will continue to fill out after this and reach its full size at around 1½ years of age. Your puppy’s growth can be influenced by many things, such as genetics, sex, and age at spay/neuter. As a responsible owner, you can encourage healthy growth in your Golden Retriever puppy too!
Average Height
A healthy adult male Golden Retriever will stand 23–24 inches tall at the shoulder. Female Goldens stand between 21½–22½ inches tall at the shoulder. You can expect an English male Golden to stand around 22–24 inches tall and a female to be around 20–22 inches tall.
Healthy Adult Weight
The weight range for an adult male Golden is 65–75 pounds. The weight range for an adult female is 55–65 pounds. Most dog breed size charts place the Golden Retriever size in the medium-large range.
The average Golden Retriever weight at maturity is 70lbs for a male and 60lbs for a female.
Golden Retriever Weight By Age
Although a 1 year old Golden Retriever will have reached their full grown height, they should still be quite slim. Weighing up to 55lbs.
But a 2 year old or 3 year old Golden Retriever will also be at their final adult weight too. At this stage they should have reached full maturity too.
What Is the Average Golden Retriever Size?
How big will your Golden be when fully grown? Golden Retrievers are sturdy but elegant medium to medium-large size dogs. Golden Retriever size can be influenced by genetics, whether your dog is male or female… and even where you live!
Because they have been bred from different lines, English Goldens tend to be slightly stockier than the taller American Goldens. The average English Cream golden Retriever size will be larger than the average working adult American Golden Retriever.
Sex differences are linked to size in Golden Retrievers, with males being 1–2 inches taller and around 10 pounds heavier than females. Size-based sex difference in animals is known as sexual size dimorphism. In dogs, these differences tend to be more noticeable in larger breeds (like the Golden Retriever) than in small or toy breeds.
Miniature Golden Retriever Size
A full grown Mini Golden Retriever will be smaller on average than a standard Golden. That’s because they are a mixed breed with either Cocker Spaniel or Toy Poodle lines as well. It’s very hard to predict the height and growth rate of a Golden Retriever mix unless the other parent is a dog of similar size, such as a Labrador. They can fall anywhere along the vast range of 20-65lbs in weight!
Toby says
Today my Misty, ages 15 years died, and I am unhappy bout it. I still have her twin brother which is some consolation.
Jon says
So sad to gear Toby, I had to reply as I happened by this page in choosing harness sizes for our new pup, we pick her up in 2 weeks time, and we’re naming her ‘Misty’!!!!! It’s devastating losing a dog, I hope things feel less painful soon 🙂
Becki Vincent says
Butch is 11 years old, At one time he was 158 did not seem heavy at all, now at 11years old he is 138. 29 inches tall 5 feet long. Wonderful loving big guy, he believes he’s a lap dog wanting to sit on my 4 foot 11 frame. Our vet calls him a leaner he has knocked quite a few people over just leaning against them wanting to be close to them.
Victoria says
I’ve taken in a giant 12 year old male Golden retriever named Bear. He’s 29″ at the shoulder and tips the scales at 115 lbs. Even at this weight I can feel his ribs,and there’s not an ounce of excess anywhere (unless you count fur,lol).
S.Salvagno says
Our Golden is a Red female field golden. She is 6 yrs. has had 4 litters. She is finished with breading. Active every day with frizzby and or ball fetching (weather permitting), trains for agility competition twice a week and multiple daily dog walks. She stands 21 inches Weighs 50lbs. Agility trainer sYs she is perfect weight for this endeavor and vet says she is perfect but dose not want to see her lose more weight. I believe it depends on how active your Golden is and amount of food intake that must be monitored if you want to keep your Golden healthy. Like a human being it takes the correct amount of exercise and the correct amount and type of food to stay healthy and lead an active long life.
Angie says
My female Golden, Maizie is 5 months and 5 days. Weighs 52 lbs, 22 in tall.
Lydia A Helgren says
Our male golden is also 27″ high at the withers and is about 130 lb, yes overweight, he should probably be closer to 100, yet still very large for a golden retriever. He doesn’t have papers, but his mother and father were average size beautiful purebreds. Can’t seem to find many other Golden’s that are that large.
Heidi J Rolstad says
I have a 5 month old golden Male, he is 41lbs already and about 20 inches. And a Klutz, is this normal
Melody Juarez says
Don’t feel alone! We had a golden that was 28.4 at the withers and he stayed pretty much at 108 to 110! He was THE MOST gentle giant we ever owned!! We miss him everyday! He started having seizures and we found him dead in the yard one morning! He was an inside dog all the way and it broke our hearts to loose him!!
Lori Ruesing says
thats very sad my 1st one was 10 and he was put down because of a tumor on his bladder it killed me for 2 yrs got another one now he is 2 and is 109 lbs and is a great friend again
Rich says
My first Golden had her first grand mal seizure after being spayed. She had 355 grand mal seizures until age 5 when she had gold bead implants along her meridian points. Had only two seizures in the following 4 1/2 years!
Dan Malmborog says
My last golden was 29 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds, a real lover. I wa speaking to a lady who bred giant golden for people who wanted large dogs. I not sure where the term “giant” came from but she said she was told that term came from some breeding association. My Buddy, that was his name passed two weeks after his 13th birthday. We has him from a pup. I now have a new pup who is 23 inches tall and 79 pounds at 8 months. We love large dogs.
Bobby says
Please help you golden lose weight he will he will have a short life if you don’t.He will be in pain with joint issues early and other issues if you don’t.
Shonda says
Our boy weighs 114 pounds, is not overweight but very tall. He has a huge block head. I need to measure him. He is registered with papers. His dad is large but probably 80 pounds (not overweight). His mom is bigger than most females at about 65-70–not overweight.
We have never seen one as big as him. He is very healthy muscular and fast.
Kim says
I had a purebred male that weighed 115 and was not at all overweight. My 8 month old golden retriever puppy is 80 pounds and very lean, his mom was 70 lbs. and his dad was around 100 lbs.
Jennifer says
I just might have a golden about the same size !!! He’s only 7 months and vet / trainer tells me they except him to be a huge Golden !! He’s probably around 80lbs already !!
Matt C says
My 6 mo is 60lbs and 22 inches. Not fat at all, he’s going to be very big.
Victoria says
I’ve taken in a 12 year old male Golden. 29″ at the shoulder, 115 lbs. Even at that size, I can feel his ribs,so he’s not carrying any excess weight. I love this gentle giant, and recommend the breed to anyone seeking a companion who will always put your needs above his own.
Jerry says
My male Golden is 27 inches tall. That’s the largest Golden in our group of six.
Dan says
How much does he weigh? My niece has a male that was 115, but does not look over weight at all?