Golden Retriever Size Guide: How Big Does a Golden Retriever Get?

A firm family favorite, the loyal and loving Golden Retriever has long placed highly in the ranks of most popular pets. These fun, fab dogs are not only beautiful, but they have the kind of sweet temperament and joyous nature that makes them an absolute pleasure to have around. However, if you’re thinking of taking one on, there are a few things you will need to know. Probably the first question that pops into your head is how big does a Golden Retriever get, or what is a Golden Retriever size?

Our handy interactive puppy growth chart and calculator takes all the hard work out of predicting your puppy’s potential adult size. This helps you to know exactly what you are in for.

Here we will provide you with some information to address that question in the hopes of helping you decide if you have space for one of these medium-sized, big-hearted dogs in your home.

Golden Retriever Size Predictions by Age

Friendly, intelligent, and devoted, Golden Retrievers, despite holding on to their puppyish ways long after they’re full-grown, make incredible work dogs and especially excellent service animals. They are extremely bright, easy to train, and are real people pleasers.

Golden Retrievers are great with kids of all ages from 0 to 92. They love being around their people – this is when they are at their happiest. All they ask in return is lovely long daily walks, a nice garden to enjoy, opportunities to swim (Goldies love water), and plenty of love and affection.

As Golden Retrievers are a fairly old and established breed, we know a fair bit about their appearance and characteristics, as well as about their size and growth patterns. Every dog is different, but Goldies tends to hit the same milestones at roughly the same time.

Here’s what to expect from your pup in their first year:

Age	3 months	6 months	1 year	Adult
Weight	16 – 34 lbs	27 – 68 lbs	55 – 75 lbs	55 – 75 lbs
Height	10 – 20 inches	15 – 22 inches	20 – 24 inches	21 – 24 inches

*Keep in mind that a dog’s height is measured to its withers. This is the space between the shoulder blades.

When it comes to your Golden Retriever’s weight, they will reach around 30% at three months, 60% at six months, and 93% at a year old. In terms of height, this will go a little faster. They will likely have exceeded 50% of their adult size before 3 months, and although they will have reached their adult height at 12 months, they will continue to increase in weight until around 16 months.

Are There Different Sizes of Golden Retrievers?

While there is just one recognized type of Golden Retriever, there are variations in the breed depending both on where they were bred as well as what they were bred for. Three of the known varieties are the British, American, and Canadian Golden Retrievers.

Differences are reasonably minimal, but British Goldens are generally on the smaller side, while Canadian ones will be found towards the top end of the scale. Working dogs, on the whole, tend to be lighter than those bred for showing. However, all variations should fall within the ranges given above.

There are also some differences based on gender. Males are often between 23-24 inches and 65-75 pounds, while females are 21-23 inches and 55-65 pounds. Beyond that, look to the parent dogs to find out your pup’s potential adult size. This can give you a relatively good idea of what to expect.

Golden Retriever Growth Patterns

Whatever your Goldie’s gender and background, their growth should be fairly consistent. As larger dogs, they take a little longer to hit their adult size – especially in terms of filling out and building their muscles. These dogs tend to put on weight easily if fed too much or not exercised enough – so keep an eye out for that.

Although your dog will shoot upwards with almost alarming speed in the first six months of their lives, their growth will slow after this. Your pooch may look a little gangly and puppy-like until they have achieved their adult weight at around 18 months to 2 years.

How Big is a Full-Grown Golden Retriever?

While classified as medium dogs, Golden Retrievers tend to be on the larger end of that scale at 21 to 24 inches and 55 to 75 pounds. Where they fall in those ranges will depend on such factors as their gender, genetics, and nutrition. Make sure you pick a suitable puppy food that will properly support your fur baby’s growth.

These dogs tend to get to half their full weight around 4 and 5 months and their adult weight at roughly 18 months.

A different formula you could use is:

1. Growth = current weight / current age in weeks
2. Adult weight = Growth x 52 (number of weeks in one year)

So, for example, if your 12-week old pup weighs 18 pounds. You simply divide the current weight by their age in weeks and multiply the result with 52:

At What Age is a Golden Retriever Considered Fully Grown?

Your dog will likely get to their full height at 12 months, but this doesn’t mean that they will be fully grown. They will likely continue to increase in weight for some time after that. The table above can give you some idea of what to expect along the way.

If your puppy falls outside these ranges at any of the milestones, don’t be too alarmed – dogs differ. However, it may indicate that you need to make some changes in their diet, for instance. If they go significantly beyond these numbers, then you will need to consult your vet.

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Golden Retrievers make excellent family dogs. Not only are they smart and fun, but they are also wonderfully loving of their ‘pack.’ As far as dogs go, they are a little on the larger side, so make sure you factor that in when deciding whether to get one. Hopefully, the information included here has proven useful in helping you to understand how big Golden Retrievers get and exactly how they grow.