# Golden retriever too large?



## maggiesmommy (Feb 23, 2010)

My parents' golden Abby was about there at 4 months...they asked the vet, and she just said that Abby has large growth plates and "is gonna be a whopper".


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## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

That's a lot for a 4 month old. My 3.5 year old male was 30 lbs at 6 months old.
As an adult he is consistently between 58lbs and 60lbs and he's about 24 inches at the withers. He's very active (does agility, dock diving & speed retrieving) and all muscle. He has a great appetite and fortunately a very good metabolism. My vet thinks his weight is perfect.

It sounds like he is going to be off the charts standards wise.


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## sadiegold (Nov 3, 2010)

Not sure if this adds anything, but Sadie is 54 pounds at 7 months.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I always just put my hands on their sides and I want to feel the ribs easily under the skin but not see the ribs in the least. Keeping them at a healthy weight is more important than the size of the dog. Though the breed standard has a rather narrow weight limit there are goldens that go way above and below the breed standard.


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## cprcheetah (Apr 26, 2009)

What are you feeding him? Shellie grew really fast before I got her as they didn't have her on a large breed puppy food or adult food, and it ended up causing joint problems. Some dogs/puppies are bigger than others, but that was just Shellie's experience.


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## julliams (Oct 27, 2010)

Zali is part of a Slow Growth programme. I was given a chart by our breeder which has been compiled by a vet who is studying this at the moment. She has asked us to keep all our weights for her for one whole year.

It's all in kg but I will write it out in lbs and kg as it might be helpful for someone out there. Our girl is from Swedish lines so I think these pups run larger in general than the field lines (this is what I understand - I could be wrong) and we are in Australia so I don't know if it is relevent to all here at GRF.

Anyway here goes - I'll do males first, then females *I tried to put it in with spaces, but it won't allow me so I've used bold to help sort out the numbers - sorry it's so hard to read!!!!*:

Age months *Male Range kg & lbs* Male Average *% of Adult weight*

1 month * 2 - 3.5kg (4.4 - 7.7lbs)* 3kg (6.6lbs) *10*
2months *5 - 8kg (11 - 17.6lbs)* 6.5kg (14.5lbs) *22*
3 months *9 - 13kg (19.8 - 28.6lbs)* 12kg (26.5lbs) *40*
4 months *14 - 18kg (30.8 - 39.7lbs)* 16kg (35.2lbs) *50*
5 months*18 - 21kg (39.7 - 46.3lbs)* 20kg (44.1lbs) *60*
6 months*20 - 24kg (44.1 - 52.9lbs) * 23kg (50.7lbs) *70*
7 months*24 - 26kg (52.9 - 57.3lbs)* 25kg (55.1lbs) *80*
8 months*25 - 28kg (55.1 - 61.7lbs)* 27kg (59.5lbs) *85*
9 months*27 - 30kg (59.5 - 66.1lbs) * 29kg (63.9lbs) *90*
10 months*28 - 31kg (61.7 - 68.3lbs)* 30kg (66.1lbs) *92*
11 months*29 - 32kg (63.9 - 70.5lbs)* 31kg (68.3lbs) *95*
12 months*30 - 33kg (66.1 - 72.7lbs)* 32kg (70.5lbs) *95*
18 months*32 - 36kg (70.5 - 79.3lbs) * 34kg (74.9lbs) *98*
24 months *32 - 38kg (70.5 - 83.7lbs)* 35kg (77.1lbs) *98*
36 months *32 - 38kg (70.5 - 83.7lbs)* 36kg (79.3lbs *100*



Age Months * Female Range kg & lbs* Female Average *% Adult Weight*

1 month *1.8 - 2.8kg (3.9 - 6.1lbs)* 2.5kg (5.5lbs) *10*
2 months *4 -7kg (8.8 - 15.4lbs*) 6kg (13.2lbs) * 22*
3 months *7 - 10kg (15.4 - 22lbs)* 9kg (19.8lbs) *40*
4 months *12 - 15kg (26.4 - 33lbs)* 13kg (28.6lbs) *50*
5 months *15 - 18kg (33 - 39.6lbs)* 16kg (35.2lbs) *60*
6 months *18 - 20kg (39.6 - 44lbs)* 19kg (41.8lbs) *70*
7 months *20 - 22kg (44 - 48.5lbs)* 21kg (46.3lbs) * 80*
8 months *22 - 24kg (48.5lbs - 52.9lbs)* 23kg (50.7lbs) *85*
9 months *23 - 26kg (50.7 - 57.3lbs)* 25kg (55.1lbs) *85*
10 months *24 - 27kg (52.9 - 59.5lbs)* 26kg (57.3lbs) * 92*
11 months *25 - 28kg (55.1 - 61.7lbs)* 27kg (59.5lbs) *95*
12 months *26 - 29kg (57.3 - 63.9lbs)* 28kg (61.7lbs) *95*
18 months *27 - 29kg (59.5 - 63.9lbs)* 28kg (61.7lbs) * 98*
24 months *28 - 30kg (61.7 - 66.1lbs)* 29kg 63.9lbs) *98*
36 months *28 - 32kg (61.7 - 70.5lbs)* 30kg (66.1lbs) *100*


Please excuse me if I have made some mistakes with the conversions here and there - I googled them all and cut and pasted here and there. Remember, this is a guide and may not apply to all Golden Retrievers. It was given to me by my breeder for lines here in Australia. It is an extract from "Hip and Elbow Displasia in the Golden Retreiver in Australia" by Karen Hedberg BVSc, 2009. Karen states that pups at 4 months are half their expected adult weight. If the pup grows fast in the first 6 months, this won't apply of course.

Just for interest sake, Zali has been about a kg above average until this month where is is only a half kg above average. I got told by the vet today that she looked perfect and on the lean side.

Hope it's helpful to someone


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Cosmo was just below that at the age. At 11 months now his ideal weight is 68. He'll probably be in the standard when he's full grown. Puppy size is not really indicative of adult size. 

It's great for them to grow slow but rate of growth seems really more related to genetics than food. Cosmo has 6 brothers and their growth was virtually the same despite different
types of food. Look at his parents to determine his adult size.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

FWIW, Hank weighed 40 lbs. at 18 weeks. Now at 1+ yrs. he weighs around 70 lbs.


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## penparson (Sep 19, 2010)

Sounds like he's going to be a large dog! My wonderful Reuben was over 100lbs. at his peak - ideal weight for his frame was about 90lbs. He was a big, handsome boy. Wakefield, at 5 mos., has been just about average since birth. His height is 19 1/2 inches at the withers, my guesstimate on his weight is about 40 lbs. He's going to the vet on Friday for his rabies shot.


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## wxman1995 (Feb 27, 2011)

Wow, lol. Keala is 28 lbs at 13 weeks (her siblings are about 3 to 4 lbs lighter). Her dad and grandpa are both big in terms of frame. She is on 1 1/2 cups of Canidae Chicken/Rice 2x per day. She was also the dominant female in the litter though. The breeder and her vet both said she would look like a male in terms of weight. Your pup looks like it would top the charts too 
Do you have access to your pup's ancestry for a comparison?


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Luke is nine months and 63 to 65lbs.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

julliams said:


> Zali is part of a Slow Growth programme. I was given a chart by our breeder which has been compiled by a vet who is studying this at the moment. She has asked us to keep all our weights for her for one whole year.
> 
> It's all in kg but I will write it out in lbs and kg as it might be helpful for someone out there. Our girl is from Swedish lines so I think these pups run larger in general than the field lines (this is what I understand - I could be wrong) and we are in Australia so I don't know if it is relevent to all here at GRF.
> 
> ...


Thank you. That's helpful to me.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> I always just put my hands on their sides and I want to feel the ribs easily under the skin but not see the ribs in the least. Keeping them at a healthy weight is more important than the size of the dog. Though the breed standard has a rather narrow weight limit there are goldens that go way above and below the breed standard.


I agree, I had to take Chewie to the vet today and he weight 92 pounds, now I thought that was a lot, he don't look overweight I can feel his ribs, well the vet agreed he was in perfect weight for his height


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

I agree with Oakley's dad and Heidi. Samantha weighed 60lbs at 6 months (she was the runt of the litter and was on large breed puppy food her entire life). Our new vet at the time told me she was overweight and actually yelled at me. Well we sought 2 second opinions, as we had just moved and were searching for a new vet. 

Both of the other vets told us that not only was she NOT overweight, but that her weight was perfect. She was indeed heavy for the breed standard, but she was also much taller. They both told me what was already said here... you should be able to feel the ribs but not see them and there should be a visible "dimple" at the hips.


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## Goldandpearls (Dec 15, 2010)

Thank you all for the great info and input. I feed RC Puppy, Im thinking of switching him to adult because I hear that slows growth. Thanks


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