# Growth and size



## Maggie'sVoice (Apr 4, 2018)

10 pounds is a lot from 1 year to 18 months since their growth is very minimal. As long as you didn't neuter him early, his growth plates close at 12-14 months of age. I've always had female Goldens but a male Great Dane. My Goldens have always added about 4 or 5 pounds from 12 to 18 months. So with a male, I would expect 5-8 pounds. There is no skeletal growth really.


The breed standard is 65-75 pounds for males and your boy sounds like he will reach 68-72 pounds as he still has 1-3 months of minimal growth plus it's weight he'll gain filling in a bit.


As far as showing, you could have been showing in the 6-9 month group, you don't have to wait until he's done growing. This gives you an idea how he's stacking up against who he will be competing against down the road potentially.


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## Rion05 (Jan 4, 2016)

Thanks, Maggie's Voice. I held off for the most part from showing, because I did a "modified slow growth" (not stressing of being exactly on schedule, but keeping growth nice and even) with him and he still looked as though he could be under 23 inches at 6 months - he really has grown quite a bit since then and now looks in standard for height - I'm actually guessing he'll eventually be about 23.5. I was actually fearful at age 6 months that he could be wicketed and DQ'd for being undersized (no longer a concern).

He is intact and has all of his needed parts. 

I feel as though there might be more of an emphasis on size with boys, which is why I'm wondering if it doesn't just make more sense to wait/play around with matches, UKC.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Technically golden retrievers are one of those breeds that are expected to be breed standard height whenever shown. 

Just like they should have a scissors bite. 

These are the only disqualifications for the breed.

Judges generally are more lenient - especially with 6-9 month puppies and I had an all breed judge assure me that they are not even looking too closely at bites with pups because they are still growing. My question was not on the correct bites or size, but she covered those areas as well in answer to my question.

But a stickler judge could DQ a dog who is not qualifying. And there's politics.

My Bertie comes from slow-grow type lines (I think). I have not spoken with his breeder on this, but I noticed she typically shows the dogs more after 9-12 months. I don't think she brings them out as puppies. I could be totally wrong. 

Him, he could not have been shown as a 6 month old. H-e was too short.  He wasn't full height until after 12 months. I want to say that by 12 months, he was still about 19-20" tall. I showed him the first time as a 14 month old and he was about 22.5 to 23". He always looked very small compared to some of the other dogs. Even when we started showing in the Open class, he was still filling out and I had to ask around for tips on making him look as big as the other dogs we were competing against.

He has been pretty much in the 68-74 pound range quite a bit most of his life... but I know his one brother who was like his twin is 80 pounds (gave me a shock to hear because he doesn't look it). 

Because this is a sporty breed - they don't want the dogs looking like labs out there. There's a lot of focus on movement - especially breeder judges (looking for correct movement) and all breed judges (looking for correct plus a little extra pizzazz movement).

ETA - my puppy is about 23.5" and weighs 65#. If he gets any taller - maybe figure 1/2 to 1". Some dogs grow differently than others. For example with Bertie and that one brother I mentioned above - his brother a couple inches taller than Bertie at 9-12 months and worrying his owner, but it all evened out in the end with the boys being the same size.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

So when you say 'next to conformation dogs in class' do you mean an actual class, or at a dog show? And really next to or you looking from ringside to your dog and back again? unless you are a quilter, it is very hard to see an inch looking back and forth or even next to. If you go to shows, have him wicketed. If there are judge applicants there, the AKC rep will need a dog to use as an example and would be happy to have you volunteer.


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## Rion05 (Jan 4, 2016)

Prism Goldens said:


> So when you say 'next to conformation dogs in class' do you mean an actual class, or at a dog show? And really next to or you looking from ringside to your dog and back again? unless you are a quilter, it is very hard to see an inch looking back and forth or even next to. .


Thanks, Prism Goldens. I am attending an actual conformation handling class, taught by a former handler (showed goldens), who now judges. My pup LOOKED smaller than other goldens in that class at 6 months, but now - heightwise - does not. My boy does look lean/immature, IMO. Still, he no longer looks shorter than the other males and is taller than the girls, so I highly doubt that he'd get pulled for a wicket any longer. He does not "stand out" heightwise.

I also train obedience (my first love) and hope to have him train through a U.D., so I purposely keep him lean for future jumping ability/orthopedic health. The conformation class teacher has told me to switch him to Pro Plan and "put some pounds on that dog." So I am trying to strike a balance.

Yes, I agree a real wicket would be better! The conformation class teacher doesn't have one, but first real wicket, I see, I will use! I am curious at this point and have tried the home level and tape measure method a bunch of times - clearly not as accurate! 

At this point, I am more curious about whether they really physically develop such that they can put on as much weight (in a healthy way) that they are as big as the "slow growth" article would suggest. I am trying to understand about mature muscle development/chest drop and terms that people at class throw around.


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