How Big Do Golden Retrievers Get?

Full-grown golden retrievers are usually considered medium to large dogs.

According to the breed standard set by the Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA), these are the expected measurements for adult goldens:

Keep in mind that the size of individual golden retrievers may vary from the breed standard, which is just how big they’re supposed to be, and what most good golden breeders aim for. The reality could always be different.

Just ask Ivey Miller, a former golden owner living in Orlando. Miller grew up with a golden retriever named Rugged, who she says “always hovered around 100 pounds.”

But Rugged’s brother, Shadow, who was adopted by her friend down the street, was even bigger.

“Shadow was probably pushing 120,” says Miller. “He was huge.”

When do golden retrievers stop growing?

According to Pat Swallows, the breeder behind Topmast Goldens in Otisville, MI, golden retrievers typically reach their adult height by the time they turn one. Females usually fill out at age two or three, while males don’t reach their full size until they’re about four years old. 

There are two other factors to keep in mind when it comes to golden retriever size.

First, there’s some evidence that spaying or neutering goldens before six to eight months of age can cause them to grow a few inches taller than the breed standard. Neutering your golden when they’re that young could delay the closing of their growth plate, which means they’ll keep growing after puberty.

Having an extra-tall golden might sound great in theory, but researchers at UC Davis have found a link between early neutering and increased rates of joint disorders. Talk to your vet before you decide to spay or neuter your golden — they’ll be able to tell you when you should have it done.

Diet and exercise also play an important role in determining how big a golden can get. Golden retrievers are prone to obesity, so you have to be careful to make sure they stay a healthy size.

“Weight issues are very common in goldens,” says Swallows. “It seems like most goldens never think they've eaten enough. And those big brown eyes are so good at convincing you that they are really hungry.”

What’s it like to live with a full-grown golden retriever?

Golden retrievers are known for being somewhat oblivious to their (significant) size. Not that this a problem, per se, but it’s probably a good idea to make sure you don’t have fragile items in the line of their tail.

“Golden retrievers think they’re the size of a toy poodle, so that they can get in your lap and sit on top of you on the couch,” says Gayle Watkins, the breeder behind Gaylan’s Golden Retrievers in Highlands, NC. “They are large dogs. Not huge, but goldens take up space.”

Goldens can never get close enough to their people — and when a dog is that big, you definitely notice. Of course, some owners find golden retrievers’ lack of spatial awareness to be part of their charm. 

“It’s nice to have a bigger-size dog,” says Jasmihn Williams, who recently got her golden retriever puppy, Theo, from Wyoming Sky Goldens in Gillette, WY. “He does this thing where he likes to come up on the pillows when my boyfriend and I are sleeping and wedge himself between the headboard and us, so he’ll just take over our pillows. It’s his thing.”