When Do Golden Retrievers Stop Growing? Your Question Answered

You love that your golden retriever is in his puppy stage.

He’s full of beans and chewing everything in sight, but you might wonder when he’ll reach the adult stage and stop growing so much.

How long does your golden retriever stay a puppy?

The cute puppy phase will last for about 18 months before your golden retriever will be an adult dog.

So, make sure you make the best of your golden retriever’s puppyhood! However, when your golden retriever becomes an adult, it doesn’t mean the fun’s over. There’s more fun ahead – let’s check out what to expect as your golden retriever grows up.

How Big Will Your Golden Retriever Get?

Golden retrievers are large dogs. Male golden retrievers will reach 24 inches in height and they can weigh between 65 and 75 pounds.

Female dogs, on the other hand, will reach between 21.5 to 22.5 inches in height and they can weigh between 55 and 65 pounds.

It will take your golden retriever about a year to reach their full height!

By the time they’re the age of two, they will reach their mature weight.

Here’s how you can expect your golden retriever to grow as he or she ages.

Stage One: New-Born Phase

This stage of growth starts when your puppy is born and lasts until they’re three weeks old. They are helpless and defenceless.

They need their mothers to keep them clean, warm, and well fed. They will start to crawl and eventually try to walk during this time. A golden retriever puppy during this phase will weigh less than five pounds!

Stage Two: Socialization Phase

This phase starts at three weeks and goes up to 12 weeks. Puppies will start to explore the world around them during this stage of growth.

They will also start to become socialized with other animals and people. As they start to socialize, golden retriever puppies will want to play and bite more. They will grow to around 17 pounds in weight.

Stage Three: Adolescent Phase

A golden retriever puppy’s juvenile phase will last up to about six months. This is when the puppy’s growth starts to slow down because they’re almost fully developed.

Female dogs will reach around 44 pounds of weight on average by the time they hit the six-month milestone, while male dogs will be about 52 pounds (via PetHelpful).

Stage Four: Adulthood

The maturity stage of a golden retriever will be reached at around 16 months. During this time, they will have grown to their full size.

Golden retrievers will display mating behavior if they’re not neutered. They will also engage in challenging and territorial behavior. Around this time, a female golden retriever will weigh around 70 pounds, while a male golden retriever will weigh around the same amount.

When Do Golden Retrievers Calm Down?

You love that your golden retriever is lively and energetic, but you might wonder if – and when – these dogs start to calm down a bit.

When your golden retriever is a puppy, he or she will be full of energy but this starts to wane when they reach the age of two or three years old.

This doesn’t mean all golden retrievers will become calmer at this stage. Some golden retrievers will remain full of energy even when they’re senior dogs, while others will calm down with age, so it really depends on the individual personality of the dog.

Bear in mind, though, that golden retrievers are designed to be active!

You should never try to make them less active than they’re meant to be. Instead, it’s good to find ways in which you can channel your golden retriever’s energy and help them to feel calm instead of filled with destructive energy. Here are some important tips to follow:

Give them enough exercise. Your golden retriever will need to get lots of exercise so that they can eliminate their excess energy. You should try to ensure that your golden retriever gets at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise twice a day every day. If they don’t get enough exercise, this can make them get out of control because they’ll become restless.

Get your golden retriever trained. You should consider getting your golden retriever trained so that it will learn not to release excess energy at inappropriate times, such as by learning to wait for your commands before running to the door for daily walks.

Have relaxation time daily. Once your golden retriever has had enough exercise for the day, as well as enough playtime, you should ensure that you allocate resting time for your dog. By sticking to the same time every day in which you both wind down, this will train your dog to get into the routine of being calm and relaxed.

When Is Your Golden Retriever A Senior Dog?

When your golden retriever reaches the age of eight, it will be considered a senior. During this phase of life, your golden retriever might show signs of ageing.

These include finding it a bit more difficult to get around, gaining some weight, being a bit less tolerant, and even experiencing anxiety, to mention just a few age-related behaviors that could affect your dog.

It’s important to be aware of these changes so you can spot anything that raises a red flag. You also need to make some lifestyle changes to ensure you keep your golden retriever happy and healthy into old age. These include:

Keep your dog at a healthy weight. It’s easy for senior dogs to start to become overweight, but this can lead to health problems so it’s important to ensure your dog eats a healthy, balanced diet that is filled with fiber, protein, and fat, and doesn’t contain too many treats.

Avoid rewarding bad behavior. If your golden retriever starts acting up when he or she gets older, it’s important not to reinforce the behavior by giving them attention. If you give your golden retriever what it wants when it acts up, it will learn that this negative behavior works on you! It’s better to get into the habit now of rewarding your golden retriever when he or she is calm to encourage that behavior into their later life.

Take your golden retriever to a professional groomer. While you should continue grooming your golden retriever when he or she reaches the senior years, you might find your dog starts to battle to groom him/herself because of lower mobility. This is why you should consider taking your golden retriever to a professional groomer who will ensure they stay healthy and hygienic.

Don’t stop playing games! Senior golden retrievers should be getting a lot of playtime! Keep your senior dog mentally stimulated with a range of toys, such as puzzles and plush toys.

Regulate their exercise. Even though your golden retriever will be active by nature, health conditions such as arthritis as well as the natural ageing process can make exercise a bit difficult. You should still take your senior golden retriever for walks, but just make the walks a little shorter and/or slower. Remember that your senior dog will be more susceptible to extreme weather, such as heat and cold, so you want to ensure that you take this into consideration. For example, don’t walk your dog when the weather’s especially hot and make sure they have protective clothing if it’s cold. If your dog does have health conditions such as arthritis, you should consider transitioning to gentler exercises, such as swimming.

What bed is best for your senior golden retriever?

An orthopedic bed is a great choice as it will ensure your golden retriever will be comfortable and supported, especially since he or she is susceptible to joint problems.

Are golden retrievers easy to train?

Golden retrievers are easy to train and this is why they are often used as professional and service dogs. You should start training your puppy from around the age of eight weeks when they’re still open to a lot of learning.

Conclusion

“When do golden retrievers stop growing?” you might wonder. Your golden retriever’s puppy stage can’t last forever, after all. While that might make you sad, it really shouldn’t. Golden retrievers are wonderful and loving pets that will maintain most of their energy and playfulness throughout their lives.

In this article, we’ve featured important tips to help you navigate your golden retriever’s life phases so that you can be better prepared for what to expect.