r/goldenretrievers • • Jun 02 '26

Breeder Advice Is health testing important?

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9 Upvotes

Health testing isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of protecting the future of the breed.

The Golden Retriever Club of America recommends a comprehensive approach to health testing that goes beyond the basics. This includes:

• Hips evaluated by OFA or PennHIP
• Elbows evaluated by OFA
• Cardiac exam by a board-certified cardiologist (advanced/echo preferred)
• Annual eye exams by a board-certified ophthalmologist

These recommendations are in place to help reduce the risk of passing on hereditary conditions and to preserve the health, structure, and longevity of Golden Retrievers.

A CHIC number through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals simply means a dog has completed the required testing—it does not mean the dog “passed” everything, and it does not include genetic testing.

Health testing is about transparency, education, and making informed breeding decisions—not shortcuts.

If we want to protect what we love, we have to be willing to do the work behind the scenes.

Learn more about why its so important for breeders to preform health screenings for the parents of a litter here: Health Screenings for the Parents of a Litter


r/goldenretrievers • • Apr 26 '26

Discussion Show-Line or Field-Line?

40 Upvotes

Have you ever wondered what the differences between a show-line Golden Retriever and a Field/Working line Golden Retriever are?

There is a lot of mis-information out there that makes Golden owners believe if their Golden Retriever has a red coat, they are a field line Golden Retriever or if they have a lighter shade of gold coat, they are a show line Golden Retriever. This is NOT TRUE.

So what actually defines a line?

Titles in your dogs pedigree and generations of purposefully bred dogs is what lets you know wether you have a Show-line, Field-line or neither. If your Golden Retriever shows no titles in their pedigree, they are simply a pet-line Golden Retriever.

Field-Line Golden Retrievers will have AKC hunt titles in their pedigree like: JH, SH, MH, HR, WCX, or competitive titles like QA2 and FC/AFC (The titles listed are examples from AKC - your dog may be registered with CKC or UKC)

Show-Line Golden Retrievers will have AKC conformation titles in their pedigree like: CH, GCH, or international show titles. (The titles listed are examples from AKC - your dog may be registered with CKC or UKC)

Golden Retrievers can also be dual champions, meaning they hold titles for both hunt tests and conformation. Dual Champion dogs have not only been proven in the conformation ring to be bred to standard and hold the breed temperament, but have also been proven and titled to do what they were bred to do in the fields.

A lot of backyard breeders will label their dogs as "Field-Line" or "Show-Line" based only on coat color, with zero titled dogs in the pedigree. They market them as something they are not.

Both show-line and field-line Golden Retrievers should be bred close to standard. There should not be a drastic difference in appearance. You can find more information on the breed standard here: AKC Golden Retriever Breed Standard

English Cream Golden Retrievers are NOT a different breed. This is a marketing tactic/ term used by backyard breeders. They are not breeding for the right reasons - and most likely breeding for color.
You can find more in depth information about this term here: English Cream Golden Retrievers

Lastly, purebred ≠ well-bred.


r/goldenretrievers • • 9h ago

New Puppy You guys didn’t do a very good job of talking me out of getting a second Golden!

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1.5k Upvotes

I brought this little girl home yesterday! About a week ago, I made a post here asking for reasons NOT to get a second dog, and well… that clearly didn’t work out haha.

They’re actually siblings same dad and mom. Roger is 2 years old, and his little sister Nina is just 3 months old.

Now it’s time to go through all the puppy stages all over again and enjoy this little ball of fluff while she’s still tiny!


r/goldenretrievers • • 10h ago

Discussion Rescue and vet want to put him down ASAP - I think he deserves time

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942 Upvotes

I got Turbo four weeks ago from a rescue, he was surrendered by his owner of 5 years to a golden rescue in AZ.

He had aggression to the kennel staff that he was left at so they medicated him heavily. He also had overgrown black gums cause he hadn’t been to vet in years.

They put him on this, he is still on all of these unless otherwise noted.
Gabapentin 600 2x day
Trazodone 200mg 2x a day
Carprofen 75mg 2x a day
Zoloft 25mg 2x a day (no longer on this)
Antibiotic 2x a day

The rescue said he had great kennel stress and thought he’d be better with me.

He had surgery scheduled for his gums and neuter (same time) in 2 weeks.

In the weeks leading up he was mostly loving, loyal and social but had several scary moments.
Tried to bite me when I tried to clean his paws.
Probably 7-8 stiff body low growl moments all various reasons usually something similar to being touched when he didn’t want to be but it coming out of nowhere.

Overall things seemed to be getting better until surgery. The cone has been a sensory nightmare for him.

Since surgery he’s had more escalated incidents :
Cornering me in bathroom showing teeth , growling and barking cause I pet his back even tho he followed me in there.
Barking, growling at my girlfriend
Showing teeth and barking at me for telling him not to try to lick incision
Trying to bite me when I tried to adjust his cone.

We took him to ER vet to sedate him so we could swap to a soft cone (the donuts didn’t work for him). Soft cone has been much better but he’s still had some erratic moments. Vet noticed scrotum infection and he’s on a new antibiotic now.

I tell rescue I need a break and if there is another foster.

They put me in an insane situation saying I either keep him or they’re putting him down cause he’s too much of a liability. The vet is highly anxious and thinks he’s a danger. My girlfriend and I feel everyone is being too cut throat and impatient.

We feel the context matters greatly.
He’s had an insane amount of traumatic change in just 30 days.

They think it’s just his nature and he’s too risky.

I asked if there’s another rescue who will give him a chance and they said no.

I want to see behavioral specialist hopefully next week.

Cone comes off Tuesday then can start phasing out all the meds and start fluoxetine as daily med.

This has been so hard on me and I hate this life or death scenario and feels it’s unfair. It’s been absolutely exhausting and confusing.

I jsut feel like there’s far more aggressive dogs who still get a chance. He’s been in pain and uncomfortable since any of us met him. Granted the behavior still is scary and dangerous and everyone just wants us to be safe which I understand.

I would appreciate advice or hope. As it stands we are going to see how next week goes with no cone and he shouldn’t be in pain anymore then go from there.


r/goldenretrievers • • 16h ago

Cute/Funny How can I be mad when she’s so cute 😭

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2.1k Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 2h ago

New Puppy Our new little sweetheart!

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143 Upvotes

This is Mackenzie, we brought her home today. She’s from a wonderful breeder that we have had a dog from before.

We lost our girl Sophie at the end of July to Lymphoma. Turns out our breeder had just bred a female and was awaiting confirmation of pregnancy. We were given this little sweet girl to love. Our 10 year old male is curious about her and tolerates her but is definitely feeling jealous.

We are hoping he will open his heart and this little pup wants nothing more than to snuggle up next to him. We have an area for her to be away from our senior when she’s too active for him.

She’s very sweet but slow to warm up to new situations so socializing is imperative.


r/goldenretrievers • • 5h ago

RIP How soon is too soon to welcome another dog after a loss?

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235 Upvotes

We recently said goodbye to the love of our life after a very quick moving illness. 6months ago we expected to be adding another pup to the family as a little brother for our sweet Golden. As soon as the illness appeared, we pumped the brakes on adding another.

Fast forward to now, we surprisingly find ourselves without a dog and it while I knew I would miss him as a family member, I’m missing all the dog things. No dog will ever be like him, but I’m finding the house so quiet (despite having young kids) with no dog around.

How soon is too soon to welcome another pal? Do you regret adding another dog “too soon”?


r/goldenretrievers • • 13h ago

Cute/Funny First annual check up to today (2022-present)

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391 Upvotes

Not lifting her onto the observation table anymore 😆


r/goldenretrievers • • 2h ago

New Puppy Two states of matter: Happy Golden and deeply asleep Golden 🐾❤️

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50 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 5h ago

Cute/Funny Not a braincell in that head ♡

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74 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 9h ago

Cute/Funny Beg Squad cuddles

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165 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 2h ago

Cute/Funny Stuck jowls is a mood haha

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39 Upvotes

She’s so serious


r/goldenretrievers • • 19h ago

Cute/Funny Do you think he likes his new bed?

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769 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 13h ago

Cute/Funny A little too comfortable

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260 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 1h ago

Training Advice/Tips Weird behaviour towards me when I return home from work

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• Upvotes

Hi, was looking for some advice or even just to see if anyone else has experience this or something similar with their dog.

This is Larry, he's a 3 year old, in-tact male doofus.

We've had Larry since he was about 10 weeks old, and he's lived with myself, my wife and our two kids, in the same house since then. He's pretty much the perfect family dog.

Except for some resource guarding around food and stolen items when he was young (which we addressed and he got out of very quickly) we've had no behavioural issues at all with him.

However, he's recently started to act strangely towards me when I return home after being out of the house for a while (and once towards my 10 year old son when he came home alone) . When I come home he acts very wary of me, scared almost - staying away from me and barking from a distance and sometimes growling to leave him alone if I approach him (not stiff body or showing teeth - more of a leave me alone 'low grumble'). I just leave him alone, go upstairs and get changed and by the time I come back down 10 mins later he's absolutely fine and it's nothing happened.

It's very weird. Whats weirder is he absolutely love when we have visitors, gets super excited and wants all the fuss - even when they're complete strangers. On occasion we've even had tradesmen let themselves in the house when no one else is home and he's been fine and excited.

We're not quite sure why this might be happening, or the best way to address it.


r/goldenretrievers • • 20h ago

Happy Birthday! 🎂🎉 Birthday Boy turns 12!!

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643 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 14h ago

RIP Remembering Spirit

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240 Upvotes

I wanted to share a picture of my Golden Retriever, Spirit, who sadly passed away today.
Spirit wasn't just a dog, he was a fully trained guide dog who I was lucky enough to have come and live with me.
Over the last 13 years, he helped me through some incredibly tough times and brought so much love, comfort, and happiness into my family's life.
Thirteen years wasn't enough time. I wish we could have had many more together, but sadly he was ready to go, and the kindest thing we could do was let him rest.
I know some people don't like memorial posts on this sub, but Spirit deserves to be remembered. And for those of you lucky enough to have a Golden in your life, I know you'll understand just how much they become part of your family and how hard losing them is, or will one day be.
Thank you for everything, Spirit. You were the best boy, and I'll miss you every day.
Please give your dogs a big hug from me tonight.
❤️🐾


r/goldenretrievers • • 7h ago

Cute/Funny POV: You’re a deer but the dog wants to sniff you

51 Upvotes

I was moving an old trophy mount my dad had and Albus got curious


r/goldenretrievers • • 8h ago

Cute/Funny If I fits, I sits

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50 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 20h ago

Cute/Funny Stealing socks is only fun if someone sees you do it.

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429 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 20h ago

Cute/Funny My boy Tyrone is tired of being so cute

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403 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 5h ago

Cute/Funny An angel born from my Golden Retriever... grown up now, but still my sweetest boy ☀️😇

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25 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 13h ago

Cute/Funny Snoring

96 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers • • 15h ago

Cute/Funny My best bud Oz

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133 Upvotes

Whooza good boy?! 6 yrs old!


r/goldenretrievers • • 1d ago

New Puppy my new baby!

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2.1k Upvotes

his name is Aslan ◡̈