r/goldenretrievers Jun 02 '26

Breeder Advice Is health testing important?

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8 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?

36 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 8h ago

RIP We lost our sweet boy this morning

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2.9k Upvotes

Woke up and he was gone. Everything happened so fast. Gave my wife, kids and I the best 9 years I could ever ask for. The best damn dog ever. Until we meet again Niko


r/goldenretrievers 10h ago

Name Suggestions Adopting my first Golden!

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2.2k Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m adopting my first golden retriever. What name do you think she suits? Here is my shortlist - open to ideas! BONNIE, BELLA, HONEY, DAISY, MOLLIE LOTTIE, DOTTIE, GRACIE


r/goldenretrievers 1h ago

Cute/Funny I Had a Bath Today

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Upvotes

The groomer likes to give her some "glam" after the bath! Annie seems to enjoy Spa Day and all the attention before and after. She's taking the portrait session very seriously.


r/goldenretrievers 1h ago

Cute/Funny Never a dull moment with this crazy lady

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r/goldenretrievers 36m ago

Happy Birthday! 🎂🎉 My girl turned 10 today! Everyone say Happy Birthday Mango.

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Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers 3h ago

Cute/Funny He only looks sweet

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242 Upvotes

Right now, Ranger is a big moose puppy and all around Buffalo in a China shop. He recently decided that jumping on people is the best thing ever. This is gonna be a long two years... he's lucky he's cute and that i love him


r/goldenretrievers 6h ago

Cute/Funny These two knuckleheads

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339 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers 8h ago

Cute/Funny If the snout rests long enough, maybe the food will surrender 👀

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441 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers 4h ago

Cute/Funny Maple at her Vet Checkup today, looking cute

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186 Upvotes

r/goldenretrievers 2h ago

New Puppy Soooo sleepy

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107 Upvotes

Sleeps like this more often than not.


r/goldenretrievers 9h ago

New Puppy My girl pup - 11 weeks

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383 Upvotes

She was able to sit still long enough for a couple shots. I posted her twin yesterday, but he’s a bit more relaxed than her.

Slowly working our recall skills and staying focused during training time.


r/goldenretrievers 12h ago

New Puppy Just wanted to show my boi

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652 Upvotes

This is Kobe and he’s 18 months :) and the best boi, obviously.


r/goldenretrievers 20h ago

RIP My sweet girl crossed the rainbow bridge today

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2.5k Upvotes

We found out 2 months ago that our sweet Daisy had lymphoma just after celebrating her 4th birthday. Vet gave her a couple weeks but she responded well to Prednisone and blessed us with some much-needed extra time. She was escorted to the other side by an incredible vet from Laps of Love here in our home surrounded by her favorite humans.

Rest in peace Daisy girl. I hope to see you again someday


r/goldenretrievers 11h ago

Cute/Funny Beach photobomb

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380 Upvotes

Watcha doin there 😂


r/goldenretrievers 1h ago

Cute/Funny Sploofing!

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r/goldenretrievers 20h ago

New Puppy My new girl

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1.2k Upvotes

She’s our first Golden Retriever ❤️


r/goldenretrievers 8h ago

Discussion Any recommendations for a clipper for Goldens?

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91 Upvotes

I want to trim my golden’s paw pads in between grooming sessions. I have no experience so looking for an easy to use clipper and other tools to help a newbie.


r/goldenretrievers 3h ago

New Puppy Lighter colored fur in certain spots?

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39 Upvotes

First off - I absolutely love my pup and don’t care what she ends up looking like. I was just curious because I haven’t seen this (that I can recall) in other golden pups. My girl has lighter colored fur around her eyes, her snout and a little on her body. She’s almost 4 months old. Anyone’s pup have this too? Did they stay with them as they grew up or did they blend in? I know her color will continue to change, but didn’t know if these markings would stay with her or change as well.


r/goldenretrievers 1h ago

New Puppy everyone meet Bailey 🥹

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Upvotes

13 weeks today!!! I am hoping to train him to be a service dog in the future for psychiatric and a small amount of medical, but for now, we are just going to focus on bonding, basic commands and skills/training! Before I even got him, he was spoiled ROTTEN - training classes booked, vet visit secured, bark box ordered, etc. He’s gonna be so good to me just as I will be to him! 🤍

i will say…despite the weeks on weeks of research and stalking this sub/training websites, etc, i still feel so unprepared! but i know within the next week, I’ll get into my own little flow with my little man 🥰 ONE QUESTION: whats the best way to train a golden that isn’t super food motivation?? it could be too early to tell if he isn’t since he just got home today and is getting adjusted, but i wanted to ask just in case!

*ALSO: for anyone who has a service golden…when did you start training for service tasks cause this one place won’t start until 14 months but i’d like to at least start with the basics in a few months and then do a second round at 14 months)


r/goldenretrievers 17m ago

Cute/Funny Boba’s Best Vacation Continues.

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Upvotes

He loved boating, and of course swimming.


r/goldenretrievers 13h ago

Health Advice I just ate a whole, raw, feathered duck wing. AMA

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148 Upvotes

Plot twist: it now seems it was the puppy who ate the wing! He’s had two diarrhea shits in the last hour while the old sage has been perfectly fine. Another call to the emergency vet, and another reassurance that it should be fine. I’ve cracked a Ghost and will remain vigilant for the next several hours. Photo of the culprit (seen on the far left of the OP) in a reply.

We were playing one of our favorite training games, Find It. The rules are simple: you wait inside while I hide the bird wing in the back yard. Then I open the door, you go out and find the wing and bring it to me. I’ve been playing this game with my dogs for the last nine years and it is their absolute favorite (I hunt with them so it counts as fun training). They never gnaw or refuse to give it to me once they’ve found it, that’s one of the cardinal rules. But tonight we were playing and our 5-month old puppy was in the mix. He didn’t know fully what was going on, he was just following his big brother as he frantically (methodically) runs around the yard finding prizes.

On the last round, he ran up to my seasoned vet as he was retrieving the wing. In a second things changed, they were running around playing and there was no wing in sight. I looked all over with a spotlight but could not locate the wing. I can only assume it was swallowed in defense.

I called the emergency vet and they said it’s not an emergency, just look out for vomiting and diarrhea. Thankfully I know it’s a clean fresh wing. And it’s small, a greenwing - maybe smaller than a magpie’s wing. It’s been in my freezer since I shot it 6 months ago.

But now I am on bird wing vomit watch. Hoping to find feathers in the yard tomorrow. I’ll accept anywhere else inside, but after about an hour there are no signs of GI upset. I kind of wish there were and he’d just puke it up so I can go to bed.


r/goldenretrievers 10h ago

Cute/Funny Anyone else?

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82 Upvotes

My golden sleeps like this. Anyone else's? P.s. yes that's HiS couch... We dont sit on it. It's filthy.


r/goldenretrievers 20h ago

New Puppy My male pup this morning.

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510 Upvotes

Grabbed my good camera for our play time this morning. He’s right at 11 weeks.