Are you looking for cute, intelligent little puppies that’ll complete your life?
Then, Golden Retriever puppies are the answer!
They are sweet, affectionate, intelligent, and fast learners. And they grow so fast! They come in several different colors like cream, light golden, dark golden, etc. but are all equally adorable.
Did you know that the Golden Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the United States?
And for good reasons. So, today we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Golden Retriever puppies.
Let’s go!
Golden Retriever Puppies: The Stages of Puppyhood
Have you seen Golden Retriever puppies in real life?
If you have, you know how extremely adorable these little guys are. They can steal your heart in a matter of seconds without even trying!
Isn’t that true?
Now, the thing with Golden Retriever puppies—or puppies in general— is that they grow up and become even more adorable dogs. But, the path from puppyhood to doghood isn’t an easy one.
Each and every puppy goes through this transition.
The stages are the same for every breed, of course, but a few things differ from breed to breed.
Let’s talk!
Puppyhood to Doghood: Life at a Glance
| Stage | Age Range | Main Development Areas |
| 1 | 2-3 weeks |
|
| 2 | 3-4 weeks |
|
| 3 | 4-7 weeks |
|
| 4 | 8 weeks – 3 months |
|
| 5 | 3-4 months |
|
| 6 | 4-6 months |
|
| 7 | 6-24 months |
|
Here’s the deal.
Different dog breeds develop differently. And, with Golden Retriever puppies this means that the growth isn’t just…linear…it happens in spurts.
So no, there’s nothing wrong with your puppy.
Now that we’ve cleared that out, let’s begin!
Stage 1: Sleep, feed, repeat…
Newborn Golden Retriever puppies are extremely small and don’t know much about what’s happening around them or the world.
During their first weeks of their lives, the Golden Retriever puppies just like to sleep and feed. This goes on in a loop.
Apart from that…
The tiny puppies can’t see, hear or smell anything as the sense organs haven’t developed yet.
What to expect?
Golden Retriever puppies start opening their eyes, responding to light, during this stage. They also try to crawl closer to their mum, push their littermates here and there, and just sleep.
You can really just expect the newborns to just cuddle, eat and sleep all day and all night long.
Nothing fancy, folks!
Stage 2: Meeting The World
The second stage of development for these little Golden Retriever puppies begins at week number 3 and during this stage, the sense organs start to develop!
Exciting, right?
For your puppies this indeed is exciting. They get to see, hear and smell the world through their own senses!
And, they’re a bit more active rather than passive…
Golden Retriever puppies start to recognize their mom, littermates, and human friends during this phase of life. And, they keep discovering new things every day.
But, there are a thing you should keep in mind.
Never bring other humans (like your friends, coworkers, etc.) close to these puppies as this can be a stressful even for the little ones and can even result in some behavioral problems later in life.
So, appreciate them by yourself!
Take some photos and make some videos for your friends and family until your tiny ones are ready to meet the world.
What you should try is to keep your Golden retriever puppies close to each other and their mom! Never take a puppy away from the litter for more than ten minutes!
Let’s talk about Stage 3.
Stage 3: Socializing
This is a very important developmental stage for your Golden Retriever puppies as this is where your puppies will first learn the rules of socializing.
So, make sure you don’t screw this up.
The puppies essentially just play with themselves and teach each other how to be dogs. Milk teeth also start coming during this stage, so the puppies tend to bite. A lot.
Other than that.
The mamas start weaning these puppies off of her milk. And this means that you’ve got to start adding some food to the diet.
You should introduce cerelac or puppy food to the Golden Retriever puppies around Week 4. I’m sure the little ones would enjoy this meal a lot! After all, they’re dogs in training.
As for the socialization process…
The mama Golden Retriever teaches her babies how to become dogs. And the curriculum to Dog 101 includes basic behavior like accepting their mama as the apla of the pack, playing, etc.
Now, during this period of socialization, there’s one thing you should take care of: Leaving the puppies alone with their mom and littermates.
Wondering why?
Well, that’s because they need to learn how to be dogs first. After that, they’ll learn about being the man’s best friend.
There’s more.
Golden Retriever puppies will start getting control of their bladder, but will still have accidents around the house.
And, they may even bite their siblings during puppy play.
That’s all normal. So, don’t be harsh on the little ones…
Stage 4: Hello, Anxiety, My Old Friend
The Golden Retriever puppies start exploring more. And guess what it brings along?
Anxiety and nervousness.
And that’s very normal. The Golden Retriever puppies may be scared of a wide variety of stuff! From loud noises to strangers.
So, your job is to resolve these issues without causing any damage.
What does this mean for you?
Well, for starters, don’t be very strict with these little puppies as they’re already very nervous. After all, they’re tiny pups in this big world!
I’ve got some good news.
During Stage 4, the Golden retriever puppies gain control of their bowel movements and bladder. This means that they’ll sleep through the night and have fewer accidents.
This means you can start toilet training your little Goldies.
Speaking of training…
Golden Retriever puppies can be taught the basic command during this stage. But, be very gentle with these little ones or they may develop behavioral issues later.
You can even start leash training during this phase!
Let’s see what Stage 5 has to offer, shall we?
Stage 5: I Don’t Wanna Do It
Would you like to take a guess as to which stage this correlates to in human life?
Teenage!
And you know how teens are, right?
Well, that’s how your Golden Retriever puppies will be like. Just not as awful and catty.
During Stage 5, these tiny Golden Retriever puppies wish to become individuals of their own and may ignore a few of your commands.
But, they’re still good boys and girls!
In case that happens, I’ve got you covered. First of all, you should never be harsh or cross with your Golden Retriever puppies. This’ll make them rebel even more.
What you should do is to add positive reinforcement!
Feed them some yummy treats when they obey your commands and all will be well yet again in puppy land.
Don’t let your Golden Retriever puppies become spoilt brats.
There’s another thing. And it involves biting.
Golden Retriever puppies start to learn that they can do a whole lot of things with their mouths and may even start biting you.
Never entertain that…
This is the right time to nip such bad behavior in the bud—before it even becomes an issue.
This is not a drill!
Moving on…
Stage 6: Just Chew It!
This is probably the most annoying stage for the Golden Retriever puppies. And you’ll know why I said that…
Teething.
Yep. Your Golden Retriever puppies will chew on anything and everything during this stage. And, yes, they may even eat your homework. This is really uncomfortable and painful for your puppies.
After all, teething is never fun. If you’ve gotten your wisdom teeth, you know what I’m talking about.
Now, you can’t really curb the chewing but you can contain it.
So, stock up on some of the best chew toys for puppies.
The Golden Retriever puppies will be too busy with their toys to chew your slippers, shoes, TV remote, etc.
Other than that…
During this stage, the Golden Retriever puppies will start to develop their own personalities and will rebel. So, leave a little room for them to grow!
There’s more where that came from.
The pups will exert dominance on their siblings and even human family members (especially small children!).
And, there’s still more.
Your Golden Retriever puppies will have some hormonal fluctuations in their tiny bodies.
During this stage, you’ve got to train them well, feed them right and make sure that you aren’t too harsh on those pups.
Stage 7: The Snarky Comments and Rolling Eyes!
This is the true adolescent phase for Golden Retriever puppies. They look like adults but are just puppies.
So, don’t expect them to be good boys and girls all the time!
They’re excited to smell everything they can, run as fast as they can and eat everything. Even grass.
Don’t stop them from enjoying the joys in life.
Expect for eating grass. That can’t be good, can it?
Other than that,
This is the Golden Retriever puppies’ first step into doghood.
What you should do is feed your Golden Retriever puppies the right diet. Transition them from puppy food to dog food as well.
And make sure you feed them the best dog food for Golden Retrievers.
Other than just that, you should also feed your Golden Retriever puppies some nutritious treats as well, like bell peppers, olives or even olives.
And, keep training those pups!
Golden Retriever Puppies: The Size!
The Golden Retriever is large a sporting dog with a lifespan of 10-12 years. But, that really just depends on how you care for the dog and the genetic factors.
Let’s talk about the sizing!
The thing to note here is the fact that there are gender differences and males and females do differ in size.
| Sex | Weight (lbs) | Height (inches) |
| Male | 65-75 lb | 22-24 inches |
| Female | 55-65 lb | 20-22 inches |
The Golden Retriever puppies, on the other hand, are at a growing stage and their ideal height and weight differ from one stage to another.
Gender differences are also seen in the pups!
Golden Retriever Male Puppy Chart
| Age | Smallest | Largest | Average |
| 7 weeks | 3 lb | 25 lb | 9 lb |
| 8 weeks | 3 lb | 27 lb | 11 lb |
| 9 weeks | 7 lb | 27 lb | 13 lb |
| 10 weeks | 10 lb | 28 lb | 17 lb |
| 11 weeks | 6 lb | 24 lb | 17 lb |
| 3 months | 9 lb | 34 lb | 23 lb |
| 4 months | 15 lb | 55 lb | 33 lb |
| 5 months | 20 lb | 67 lb | 42 lb |
| 6 months | 38 lb | 75 lb | 52 lb |
| 7 months | 35 lb | 75 lb | 59 lb |
| 8 months | 41 lb | 77 lb | 61 lb |
| 9 months | 45 lb | 77 lb | 61 lb |
| 10 months | 50 lb | 77 lb | 63 lb |
| 11 months | 55 lb | 77 lb | 66 lb |
Golden Retriever Male Puppy Chart
| Age | Smallest | Largest | Average |
| 7 weeks | 5 lb | 17 lb | 9 lb |
| 8 weeks | 5 lb | 17 lb | 10 lb |
| 9 weeks | 8 lb | 17 lb | 12 lb |
| 10 weeks | 13 lb | 22 lb | 15 lb |
| 11 weeks | 12 lb | 22 lb | 17 lb |
| 3 months | 16 lb | 43 lb | 22 lb |
| 4 months | 25 lb | 44 lb | 30 lb |
| 5 months | 25 lb | 57 lb | 40 lb |
| 6 months | 27 lb | 72 lb | 44 lb |
| 7 months | 27 lb | 67 lb | 45 lb |
| 8 months | 40 lb | 67 lb | 52 lb |
| 9 months | 44 lb | 67 lb | 52 lb |
| 10 months | 50 lb | 68 lb | 65 lb |
| 11 months | 52 lb | 80 lb | 65 lb |
Let me know in the comments section if this chart helped you!
Why Should You Get Golden Retriever Puppies?
Before you go and look for Golden Retriever puppies for sale, you need to first ask yourself if the dog is the right fit for you.
Here’s a video that you’ll find helpful:
A dog is a lifetime commitment and you need to know a lot before you go ahead and bring one in your life.
So, let’s chat, shall we?
I’ve got a few reasons why you should be looking into Golden Retriever puppies
Let’s go.
1. Easy Training!
Okay, that’s not entirely true.
Training may be a little hard in the beginning but your Golden Retriever puppies will catch up in no time!
It’s because they’re really intelligent and quick learners.
That’s why they make such good companions.
2. Moderate Shedding
The Golden Retriever puppies shed.
And you need to be okay with the shedding if you’re going to have a Goldie in your life. There’ll be a lot of cleaning up to do around the house.
So, think about it.
3. Good With Kids
What I love about the Golden Retriever puppies is that they’re amazing with kids.
They’re gentle, loving, kind, and patient. Qualities that a dog needs to have if he’ll be around small kids.
So, that’s a plus!
4. Good for 1st Time Owners
Golden Retriever puppies make great first owner dogs.
They aren’t too hard to maintain, they’re easy to handle, and are just too friendly and loyal. So much so that they can turn a cat person to a dog person!
Amazing, right?
The History of Golden Retriever Puppies!
Golden Retriever puppies find their roots in Scotland—at Lord Tweedmouth’s estate during the mid 19th century.
During that time, wildfowl hunting was an important sport among the Scottish elite but the Retrievers they had at the time weren’t able to retrieve the fowl from both, the land and the water.
So, what could have been done?
Interestingly, Lord Tweedmouth took it upon himself to create a new breed of dogs that was attentive to human hunting companion, had a superb nose, and was loyal and even-tempered.
Tweedmouth took his retriever Nuos (an Irish Setter) to Scotland to breed him to Belle (Tweed Water Spaniel) and the result was four flat and wavy-coated retrievers, one Irish Setter and one Tweed Water Spaniel.
A Picture of Nous and Belle
The Tweed Water Spaniel (now extinct) was known to be an amazing retriever on the hunt while a calm, loyal, and even-tempered dog at home.
The Irish Setter or the Red Setter dog, on the other hand, is known to be good for humans but problematic for other small animals. This is an intelligent breed that thrives as hunting dogs.
The four puppies were the first of the modern-day Golden Retriever puppies.
This new breed of puppies were not only great hunters, they were also known for their loyalty and friendliness.
The Kennel Club (England) recognized the breed in 1911, while the American Kennel Club recognized it in 1932.
Feeding Golden Retriever Puppies
Food is really important for growing puppies. In this section, I’d like to delve deeper into how you should feed your Golden Retriever puppies, how to switch from one food to another, etc.
Let’s get started.
The Initial Weeks
Take what I say very seriously, okay?
Never feed your Golden Retriever puppies any sort of puppy, dog, or human food until they turn 6 weeks old.
Now, don’t be a rebel. I’ll explain everything.
The thing is that Golden Retriever puppies need just their mother’s milk for nourishment until she weans them off.
During Weaning
The mom will start weaning the Golden Retriever puppies by gradually decreasing the number of feeds she gives them.
And, you should start to supplement for the missed feeds.
And no, puppy food isn’t an option right now! Their digestive system can’t take any solids right now.
So, you should start by introducing you puppies to cerelac instead. I like the Esbilac Puppy Weaning Food, PetAg Second step, etc.
But, why not feed them anything else?
The fact of the matter is that mamma Goldie’s milk contains a magical substance called antibodies that help the puppies fight off any infections and the pup’s need it to stay alive. The pup’s bodies don’t make them just yet.
After Weaning
As you may have guessed already, we should never make and abrupt changes in the diet of your Golden Retriever puppies.
This means that you’ve got to transition from cerelac to puppy food.
So, start by feeding your Golden Retriever puppies half a serving and work your way up to the recommended limit.
And, don’t shy away from feeding the pups some nice treats straight out of your kitchen! You can feed them like bell peppers, tuna or olives!
The Goldies would love ‘em…
Bathing, Shedding, and Grooming: Golden Retriever Puppies
Puppies are creatures of God.
Golden Retriever puppies are fuzzy balls of cotton and everything nice in the world. But, when it comes to grooming and shedding, they can be a nightmare!
Golden Retrievers are blessed with a shiny and fuzzy double coat.
And that’s just double trouble.
Let’s talk about it all, shall we?
Walkies
Golden Retriever puppies will eventually become large dogs. And, you’ve got to keep them active!
Why so?
That’s simply because Golden Retriever puppies just need a lot of exercise or they’ll become obese later in life and may even develop some serious issues. So, take your puppy out!
You can start early.
Take your Golden Retriever puppies out to the puppy park!
Washing and Grooming
I’d be a big fat liar if I told you that Golden Retriever puppies are easy to maintain. They’re not.
I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you’ll have to take your Goldies to the groomers an awful lot.
The fur will need trimming, washing, etc.
So, you can’t really get out of paying those grooming fees.
Hair, Hair Everywhere!
Golden Retriever puppies are blessed with double coats. And double coats equal double trouble.
So, buy a new vacuum cleaner for pet hair or get a maid!
Golden Retriever puppies shed through the years, and it gets even worse when the season changes.
I can’t comprehend how that much hair can come off of just one dog.
But, I’d like to advise you to never shave your Golden Retriever.
The Nail Problem
Golden Retriever puppies become large dogs. And these large dogs have large paws and big nails.
You must be wondering where in the world I’m going with that. Well, I’ll just tell you point blank.
Large nails equal split nails and scars on your body.
Since the Golden Retriever puppies are really playful, they sometimes tend to play a little rough and end up unintentionally hurting you with their nails.
Also…
Nails can split and can make your dog really uncomfortable while walking.
So, what’s the solution?
I feel that you should invest in a good dog nail grinder and start grinding your Golden Retriever puppies’ nails when they’re young to make it less scary and a routine thing for them.
The Charming Personality: Golden Retriever Puppies
There’s a reason why the Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breed in the United States. And, it’s got to do something with the personality as well.
After all, it’s the personality that counts, right?
But, here’s the thing.
Every one of the Golden Retriever puppies is a different individual. Just like you’ve got a different personality than your mom or dad, the same way one puppy may have a completely different personality than the other.
And, it’s all okay and completely normal.
I’ve got a list of the basic behavior traits of the Golden Retriever puppies. But, I promise you that your puppy isn’t weird if he’s different.
Let’s begin!
Playful and Lively
Golden Retriever puppies love to play. They’ve got their tiny tails wagging all the time.
From playing fetch with a ball to playing with your kids, they enjoy it all. In fact, they love playing…after food, that is.
And, they’re really good with the kids, too.
Moving on…
Friendly
You know what a dog is, right?
A man’s best friend.
And, Golden Retriever puppies are very friendly. They easily make friends with other dogs and humans and aren’t as reserved and closed.
Isn’t that amazing?
On to the next one…
Intelligent
Golden Retriever puppies are really intelligent.
In fact, they are extremely easy to train and very difficult to fool. The thing I really love about this breed is that they never make the same mistake twice!
And that’s why they are preferred by many.
Moving on.
Confident
The Golden Retriever puppies like to hold their ground.
They aren’t very nervous or scared like other breed. They like to lead the way and are very confident as well as trustworthy.
Social
Wonder why large families usually have Golden Retriever puppies?
That’s because these doggies are really active and social. They’re amazing with other dogs, humans and even kids.
And, they like to be the center of attention.
There’s more.
Reliable
The Golden Retriever puppies are really reliable doggies and you can count on them.
They always bark when they feel a threat and always try to protect their pack and their master from anything and everything.
They’re the kind of dogs that’ll save you from a fire in your house.
Isn’t that amazing?
Family Dogs
Golden Retriever puppies are amazing with families as well as kids. That being said, they can also be one-owner dogs, too.
Wonderful, right?
During their puppyhood, Golden Retriever puppies can exert dominance over small kids, so you need to make sure to nip such bad behavior in the bud.
Other than that, they make perfect companions for the family guy!
Training Golden Retriever Puppies
Training your Golden Retriever Puppies is really important.
Ideally, you should begin training your pups during Stage 4 of puppy development and be firm but gently with your pups.
There’s a thing, though.
Training your Golden Retriever Puppies the right way can be tricky, and even hard for you and your puppy.
So, go slow and stay firm.
When’s the right time to start training Golden Retriever Puppies?
Speaking ideally, you should start training your Golden Retriever Puppies at Stage 4.
But, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First and foremost, you should never be too harsh with your Golden Retriever Puppies while you’re training them and always try to make it seem more like a game than commands.
And, secondly, never punish your pups! This can really have a bad effect on your puppy’s development of personality!
And, it may even lead to some conduct disorders.
So, take a chill pill.
What about toilet training the Golden Retriever Puppies?
You can actually start toilet training your Golden Retriever puppies during Stage 3 when they start to gain a little bit control of their bowels and bladder.
But, there’s a few things.
Before you start to train your puppies to go outside, you should first housebreak them. And, it’s not a piece of cake!
Your Golden Retriever puppies will have accidents inside the house, and you shouldn’t get cross with them if they do! After all, they’re just babies.
Never scold or be harsh with your puppies or they’ll have some personality issues if you do.
So, what should you do instead?
Use the magic of positive reinforcement!
It really does work.
All you have to do is praise your puppy and give him some yummy treats every time he goes outside.
Golden Retriever puppies are intelligent. It won’t take too long, I promise.
Rescue, Don’t Buy!
Having a purebred dog is good. But, at what cost?
Dogs all over America are living their sad and miserable lives in Animal Shelters, waiting to be adopted in their tiny cages.
Those that aren’t adopted are euthanized.
Rather than getting a pure Golden Retriever puppy, I urge you to rescue one instead and save a life.
Following are the links to some of the Golden Retriever rescue committees:
- Golden Retriever Club of America, Inc., National Rescue Committee
- Golden Retriever Rescue
- J & L Golden Retriever Rescue
- Adopt a Golden Knoxville
- Delaware Valley Golden Retriever
There are many more of these rescue groups in America. Be sure to look at the Golden Retriever puppies they have there before you decide to buy one.
You have the power to save a life.
What Does This All Mean?
You’ve made it to the end!
Thank you so much for reading the article. I know it was a little long, but I had so much to tell you!
It’s time to take a quick recap about Golden Retriever puppies.
Golden Retriever puppies are really cute balls of fur and love, but you’ve got to take really good care of these fur balls!
There are seven stages that these tiny Golden Retriever puppies must cross in order to become responsible doggies. And, each of these stages has a few things that you, as their human parent, must take care of.
And, don’t be too harsh with your puppies!
More importantly…
You should know that Golden Retriever puppies have a certain set of personality traits that they’re born with, but each pup in the litter is quite different from the others. So, no behavior is weird behavior.
The Golden retriever puppies price is worth it!
Take care of your Golden Retriever puppies!
Got some questions? Or some suggestions? That’s why we’ve got a comments section on this blog! You can feel free to leave a comment or two down below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
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