When do Golden Retrievers Stop Growing?

It’s time to get a brand new family pet.

Maybe you’re christening a new home with one, or you’re celebrating a birthday for one of your children; your reasons are your own, but you’re right to consider a golden retriever for a dog.

But how long will they stay little once you get them as puppies?

Golden retrievers growth is a bit skewed compared to some other dog breeds out there, so we’re going to go over everything that you need to know.

By the end of this, you’ll be able to map out your new retriever’s first couple of years and know what milestones to look for. Golden retrievers have some specifics centered around their growth that you need to know about before you get one.

If you’d like to see a graphical breakdown of the golden retriever growth, we got you covered:

Puppies are Cute, but They Grow Up

Golden retrievers are going to grow up, and while they’re some of the most adorable puppies out there, you can’t stop the march of time. That being said, you’re still going to have plenty of puppy time to enjoy their little selves.

It takes one full year for them to technically begin adulthood, but that’s just for weight. This is when you aren’t really certain if you’re supposed to use adult or puppy food, which is when you ask your vet.

Their weight is only going to shift incrementally during the next year, which is when they actually start to become an adult.

When is a Golden Retriever an Adult

This is where it gets a wee bit tricky. Technically, they reach the adult phase once they’re one year old. This isn’t uncommon in dogs, which is why the puppy stage is relatively short for most breeds.

Golden retrievers aren’t done growing, though: they’re just done getting taller. A golden’s weight isn’t completed until they hit about two years old, sometimes up to twenty-seven months in specific cases (rarely anything over that).

This means you have a responsibility to ensure proper nutrition during this critical point in their lives. It should continue after they’ve finished growing, but extra special attention should be paid to their diet during their first two years.

When a golden hits their mature weight, they may appear a little bit wider around their chests. Oftentimes, owners will bring them into the vet’s office, and the vet will just tell them about the growth cycles since they’re a bit different from other breeds.

It’s a sign of a good owner, but it’s usually a completely unnecessary visit. Monitor your dog’s weight throughout all of this, and look at the average sizes of most golden retrievers that we’ve listed below to get a better idea of a healthy range.

Average Sizes of Golden Retrievers

Golden retrievers come in different breeds, and no two are the exact same size. There are basic parameters you can expect for golden retriever sizes, though.

The average height of a male golden retriever is about 22” up to 24”, and somewhere up to 75 lbs in total.

The average height of a female golden retriever is about 20” up to 22”, and somewhere up to 65 lbs in total.

They’re great medium-sized to large dogs through and through, but there’s a few more things to know about their size before you sign-off and say “Okay, that looks normal.”

Growth and Development of Your Golden Retriever

You’re a good pet owner. You think your golden retriever is amazing, you love them, they’re a furry part of the family, right? Then it’s important to track their growth and progress from the time they’re pups up until age two. We want to track that progress.

• Week #8: Your golden retriever should weigh about ten pounds in total (10 lbs).

• Week #10: Your golden retriever should weigh about thirteen pounds in total (13 lbs).

• Month #3: Your golden retriever should weigh about twenty-two pounds in total (22 lbs).

• Month #4: Your golden retriever should weigh about thirty pounds in total (30 lbs).

• Month #5: Your golden retriever should weigh about forty pounds in total (40 lbs).

• Month #6: Your golden retriever should weigh about forty-eight pounds in total (48 lbs).

• Month #7: Your golden retriever should weigh about forty-eight pounds in total (48 lbs).

• Month #8: Your golden retriever should weigh about fifty-five pounds (55 lbs).

• Month #9: Your golden retriever should weigh about fifty-seven pounds (57 lbs).

• Month #10: Your golden retriever should weigh about sixty-two pounds (62 lbs).

• Month #11: Your golden retriever should weigh about sixty-five pounds (65 lbs).

• Year #1: Your golden retriever should weigh about sixty-eight pounds (68 lbs).

Your golden retriever is going to grow right alongside you. Utilize tips and information below this so you can be sure your dog is growing properly. Consult this chart as well as your veterinarian’s recommendations.

Tips for Ensuring Proper Golden Retriever Growth

If you want your golden retriever to grow properly, you’re going to need to focus on exercise, diet, and supplemental health, just to name a few. These are the ways you ensure your golden retriever grows into a healthy, long life.

Supplemental Health

Dog food isn’t going to have 100% everything your dog needs, and even if it does, not all of it is going to be taken in by the bloodstream. Nobody’s body is that efficient.

When that doesn’t work, supplements will. Omega-3 supplements work well for golden retriever pups to help with a healthy coat, as well as brain development.

For longevity, they should also be taking joint care supplements. There are a lot of different supplements available for dogs, so consult your veterinarian before you purchase one and have your dog take it.

Proper Exercise

Exercise is the other half of the coin. If you have to do two things right, diet and exercise are exactly it. Staying athletic is super important for your dog.

Not only does it help with regulatory hormone production (and golden retrievers can get hypothyroidism), but it maintains heart health, joint function, organ function, and longevity.

It also assists with muscle maintenance, which allows your dog to stand, walk, and even helps with core muscles (like those centered around the bladder and bowels), which helps as they enter their senior years.

Essential Diet

I mean essential—actual nutrients that benefit their body. You can find a lot of filler ingredients on the labels of department store dog food, and it’s not doing anything kind for your dog’s body.

It’s not only going to help with weight management and keeping physical stress off of their organs from obesity, but it’s going to help lubricate their joints to prevent arthritis complications, maintain heart health so they can keep being active, and promote better eyesight.

Every single time your dog eats, they’re either getting stronger or they’re just getting full.

Stress-Free Environment

Stress is a serious problem. It releases chemicals in the body that actually hurt you, like a viral attack on every single part of you. Cortisol is released, which is a hormone that affects your heart rate, blood pressure, and your flight-or-fight instinct, which dictates anxiety.

An influx of constant stress can mess with the adrenal glands in humans, as well as dogs, and send them into states of panic.

This is why rescue dogs who were yelled at or abused are quick to jump to anxiety or assuming the situation is going south, because they’ve been conditioned to release adrenaline when stress attacks their body.

Love and Attention

Golden retrievers are affectionate, loving dogs. As such, they need that same energy propelled back towards them.

If you look into the science surrounding socialization, you’ll find that hugs and affection literally release happy hormones and help cut out stress. Remember what we just talked about regarding stress?

Affection is like medicine for the symptoms of stress. You want to give your dog love, hugs, and let them know you care about them. Even if they cannot understand your words, they will understand the mood and general vibe you’re giving off.

A lot can impact your golden retriever’s health and lifespan, and it all comes down to you. With the right information and supplies, you can give your dog the best life possible.

Your Golden Retriever Will be Around for a While

By the time that they’re two years old, they’re completely done growing in all ways, it’s just up to you to help with diet and exercise to keep them at their mature weight.

With the right way of living, your grown retrievers will stay the same size from two up until their time has hit its end.

When a retriever stops growing, they’re less likely to develop health issues that are specific to puppies. Because their weight is still coming up between years one and two, there are still some dietary issues that might occur, so be sure to maintain those regular vet visits no matter what.