Why is my golden retriever so small?

The Golden Retriever is a friendly, loyal, fluffy, and fun-loving dog that is famous for its playful nature.  Originating in Scotland in the 1800s and bred as a hunting dog that would retrieve birds on shooting trips, it has a soft bite and a devoted loyalty that can’t be shaken.  In surveys conducted around the planet, the golden retriever always comes out in the top ten breeds of dogs to own! 

Why is my golden retriever so small?

• Poor or Inadequate Diet. 
• Not Enough Exercise. 
• Long Term Anxiety and Stress. 
• Genetic Heritage. 
• Breed.
• Your Dog’s Age.

There are a few main reasons why your dog might be smaller than average but in most cases, you can address the issue with a properly balanced diet and plenty of varied exercises.  Different dogs will grow at slightly different rates so keep an eye on your pet as it grows up so you can monitor its growth over time.  Just like humans, young dogs may suddenly have a growth spurt so you shouldn’t be fretting until your dog is at least 18 months old. 

Each of these areas can cause your golden retriever to be small and often they can work in tandem with each other

Golden retrievers are one of the most well loved dogs on the planet and because we know them so well we tend to have expectations about how they should look, how they should act and also, of course, how big they should be!  

What Might Be Causing Your Golden Retriever To Be So Small?

There are several main reasons why your furry friend might be smaller than usual although you won’t be able to know for sure until they are fully grown – or at least 18 months old.  If you’re Golden Retriever isn’t growing up to be as large as usual it could be due any one, or a combination, of the following:  

Diet – Vitally Important To Get Right.

The food that your dog eats each day is probably the most central factor in determining their weight and height.  Your dog needs a well rounded diet that contains all the nutrients and proteins that it needs.  

A young Golden Retriever needs between 1200-1800 calories per day to keep them healthy and growing.  If they’re highly active then they should be eating upwards of 1500 calories per day and if they are less active or in a situation where they can’t get as much as exercise as they might otherwise do then you should be aiming for closer to 1200 calories to stop them getting overweight.

Exercise – Keeps Your Dog Fit and Growing Healthily. 

Your Golden Retriever needs to be getting plenty of exercise each day to ensure that their muscles, bones and joints develop correctly.  Golden Retriever’s are a big commitment in your life and ideally they should be getting between 1-4 hours of activities each day.  At a very minimum, they should be getting at least a 1 hour walk which should include some ball throwing and other games that improve their coordination.

Anxiety, Stress and Nerves.  

Stress and anxiety can lead to a loss of appetite in your dog which is also detrimental to their health.  One of the most common causes of stress in dogs is known as ‘separation anxiety’ which is when dogs become very upset when you’re out the house at work.  This can lead to destructive behaviors around the house and a loss of appetite and needs to be addressed as soon as possible.  

Genetics – Underlying Causes of Slow Growth. 

Just like humans, dogs have a unique genetic code which they inherit from their parents. Abnormalities in a dog’s genetic code can lead to them being far smaller than other dogs in their breed.    

All dogs are originally descended from wild wolves but high levels of cross breeding and variations in their size and weight over the generations means that even if you bought a purebred Golden Retriever it might have some genes tucked away in its make up which causes it to be quite small!    

Breeding – Do You Know The Dog’s Family Tree?

Golden Retrievers are frequently bred with other types of dog – for instance, a Cocker Spaniel, which will produce a very small Golden Retriever.  Before you get your dog try to ask a few questions about its family tree to find out what it may have been mixed with in the past. 

There are some breeders who specialize in small, or toy, dogs but provided you are buying your puppy from a trusted breeder they should be able to give you an accurate picture of the family tree so you won’t get any surprises while your Golden Retriever is growing up.

Age – Dogs Can Get Smaller As They Get Older. 

As your dog ages it may actually reduce in overall size.  This is because its muscle growth will slow down as it grows older and it becomes less active.  This is completely normal and there is very little you can do to stop this natural process.

Of course, this won’t start happening until they become elderly so don’t expect this until they are at least 10 years old.  In their early years though, between the ages of 0-24 months, they should be growing steadily throughout with interspersed periods of with rapid spurts of growth.

What Can You Do To Ensure That Your Golden Retriever Is Growing Properly?

If you’re sure that your dog is not growing as it should then you should take action to ensure that they are getting a complete diet, plenty of exercise and aren’t suffering from anxiety or stress.  

Your Golden Retriever’s diet is probably the most likely reason why they may not be growing at a normal rate – particularly when they are young.  The food that your dog is eating is the most important component that will determine how well your furry friend is growing during its early developmental phase – between 0-18 months.

The Ideal Diet for Your Growing Golden Retriever.

Protein is the most vital nutrient that your dog needs to grow healthily and naturally to its proper size.  Your dog is descended from wolves who hunted animals for meat as their primary source of food and energy and your Golden Retriever is no different!  Although it no longer hunts for its food it still needs the proteins that are found in meats to grow to a healthy size without its growth being stunted.

The best sources of proteins for your Golden Retriever include: 

• Beef.
• Chicken. 
• Lamb.
• Fish.

All of these help their muscles to grow strong and their bones and joints to develop properly.  Your dog also needs enough protein for its vital organs to form correctly as well as for its brain to develop in the early months.

Resistance and Strength Training.

Golden Retrievers are descended from dogs that were bred in the Scottish Highlands for hunting and so they were used to a lot of exercise and a very active lifestyle.  Your dog just loves to run, chase a ball and play in the park and so you need to make sure that they are getting plenty of exercise to build up their muscles.  

You can also incorporate resistance training into their exercise routine.  To help to bulk up your dog you can take them walking to places with hills and steep inclines.  Throw their ball up the hill so they need to chase up the slope to catch it before returning it to you!  Repeat this for a good 10 minutes and you’ll be helping your dog to develop strength in its legs and back.  Be careful not to over exhaust your dog, particularly when it’s young but mild to moderate resistance training can be a fantastic tool to help your dog develop properly. 

Another way to give your dog some resistance training is to use a weighted vest which they carry with them on their walk.  You can put weights in the vest which will help to develop their muscles.  Your dog will love this activity because the breed used to carry animals from the hunt on their backs during the 19th century in Scotland!  However, you shouldn’t use a weighted vest, or similar items, with your dog until it is at least 8-12 months old so that you don’t put too much strain on their joints as they are developing.

Always Consult Your Vet If You’re Worried.

If you’ve made sure that your Golden Retriever’s diet is great and they’re getting plenty of exercise but still don’t seem to be growing at the right rate then you should certainly pay your vet a visit! 

Any time you’re in doubt about a pet’s health, never hesitate to pop into your vet’s office and ask them to take a look.  They may find that there’s nothing to worry about and simply give you some advice about your dog’s diet and exercise regime; however, it’s always worth playing it safe when it comes to the health of your furry friend! 

Getting a professional opinion is a good idea if nothing seems to be working for you and your dog is undersized as it grows up.  There could be an underlying illness or condition that needs some treatment which may be causing your dog’s growth to be stunted – such as worms or other parasites that it could have picked up from the park.  Most conditions of this nature are easy to cure and just require a quick course of antibiotics or anti-parasite medicines particularly if you catch it early.

Could Your Dog Be The Runt of The Litter?

It’s always possible that your pooch was the runt of the litter and is consequently smaller than its siblings!  The runt of the litter is a puppy that is born smaller than the others and tends to lose out to its siblings when it’s competing for its mother’s milk in the early days after it was born.  

This leads to the runt of the litter being smaller than average for the rest of its life!  Again, this is nothing to be concerned about so if your dog was the runt of the litter you’ll have to accept it for who it is!  Don’t worry though, runts of the litter often have the biggest personalities and the most fun loving and playful natures!

Is Your Golden Retriever Too Small?

Have you been wondering why your golden retriever is so small even though it’s growing up and supposed to be a large breed?  Have you compared it to other dogs and been concerned that it’s not developing properly?   

Within every breed of dog there are always going to be variations in the size of individuals and so it’s not necessarily something to be worried about if your furry friend is somewhat under sized.  There are many reasons why your Golden Retriever might be so small, some of which you can change and others which you can’t.   

So How Big Should A Golden Retriever Be?

For reference, the average, fully grown golden retriever stands at between 20 to 24 inches to the shoulder.  Females tend to be on the lower end of that average while males stand taller.  If your golden retriever is shorter than the average, especially if it’s significantly smaller, then it is definitely undersized. 

The 3 Types of Golden Retriever and How It Impacts on Their Size.

According to the kennel clubs, there are actually three types of golden retriever.  They are classified as the British, Canadian and American Golden Retriever but they are all a similar size once fully grown.  What is different however about the three types of Golden Retriever is that they grow at different rates – so if you’re comparing yours to someone else’s it could be that they are of a different type and so would be expected to be different sizes at similar ages! 

Chart of the Variations in Growth Rates Between Different Types of Golden Retriever.

There will always be variations from the normal so if your pooch is growing a little slower than others then there’s nothing to be worried about in the short term.  Just like people, dogs do vary in their size and the speed at which they mature, grow and put on muscle mass.

How Tall Should Your Golden Retriever Be?

Your golden retriever should be fully grown by the time they are 18 months old.

What About Your Golden Retriever’s Weight?

It’s not only the height and speed at which your dog is growing that matters – their weight is also a great indicator of their overall size.  

There’s no absolute rule about how heavy your Golden Retriever should be however if they are weighing in significantly lower than the average guidelines then it might be something you’ll need to investigate further.  Males will usually be around 10 pounds heavier than a female once they are fully grown.

Golden Retrievers are amongst the most loyal, energetic and fun dogs that you could ever own and if you make sure that it’s getting a good diet and the exercise it needs it should grow to a healthy size.