Golden Retriever Characteristics
Life expectancy: 10 – 12 years
Adult weight: 65 – 80 lbs.
Adult height: 20 – 24 in.
Origin – United Kingdom
The most popular dog breed in the entire world, the Golden Retriever is a Scottish breed developed in the late 19th century. Their striking golden coat is probably the most attractive and recognizable attribute of these dogs. But let’s not limit these beautiful dogs to their looks. Golden Retrievers are known for their wonderful personalities capable of making anyone fall in love with them. With their friendly, joyous, playful, energetic, and affectionate nature, there is rarely a person who is not fond of them. Even cat lovers will re-think their stance once they come across a Golden Retriever.
The breed was initially developed as an attempt to create an ultimate retriever by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks. And history is full of evidence that he was very successful. The early dogs were called ‘Flat-coated retrievers’ due to their origin which is linked to the breed.
These dogs make excellent family dogs known to be wonderful with all the members of their families, including small children and extended relatives. Now, this can also be seen as a negative trait for individuals looking for a breed with natural guardian instincts as Goldens are likely to see even strangers as friends. But the Western world seems to not mind this much, as Golden Retrievers are the most adopted breed in the states, UK, Canada, and Australia.
What is the price of a Golden Retriever?
Adopting a Golden Retriever is like adopting a child. This means that it will come with responsibility, along with all the love and affection it can give. We will break down the price by categorizing it by the initial cost of purchasing of adopting your pet, vaccinations, diets, healthcare, grooming, and miscellaneous expenses.
Adoption: $100 – $300
If you decide to buy your dog from a breeder and search for ‘Golden Retriever Price,’ you’ll find an average cost of $1500. But a Golden Retriever Puppy can cost a little more at around $2000. The price may vary from breeder to breeder and can also vary due to factors such as coat color, age, and gender, just to name a few. A reputable breeder will usually ensure proper health care and diet, so when you decide to bring your pup home, you can be confident in its health. Puppy farms may quote a Golden Retriever dog price around $800-$1000, but the quality of the dog’s health should be evaluated before you decide to bring the puppy home.
If you are looking for Golden retriever puppies for under $300, adopting one from a rescue shelter is a great option for you. There, you can expect the adoption cost to be between $100-$300. There are a lot of reputable rescue shelters in the US that take great care of homeless pets. Plus, if you go for an adult dog, there are chances you’ll get it at a great price!
Monthly costs for a Golden Retriever
Diets: $60-$80
These energetic and playful dogs do not require a special diet. A good quality, vet-recommended raw dog food would suffice. You can, of course, add supplements as well as human foods like meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables at times to the bowl. In its puppy stage, you could spend around $60 per month on food, with the cost increasing to about $80 per month once your dog has grown into an adult.
Grooming: $50-$75
Weekly brushing will be needed for these long-haired dogs. Apart from that, monthly baths, regular nail trimming, and teeth, and ear cleaning would also be necessary. One-time costs here could include a dental kit for $4-$5, nail clippers for $12-$15, and a brush for $15-$17. Generally, shampoo can probably last a couple of months and may cost around $10. But if you prefer a professional grooming service, you can expect to pay between $50-$70 per session.
Medical Costs: $700-$1200
During the first years, it is recommended you take your pet to the vet about 3-4 times annually. Vet fees can range from $100 to $300, and could include things like annual wellness exams and blood tests, among other recommended preventive care treatments. Other examinations and tests could cost you another $300-$400.
Like all breeds, Golden Retrievers are at risk for developing certain health conditions throughout their lifetime. Allergies, heart disease, cancer, and hypothyroidism are a few of the conditions common in this breed. In the last few years, issues with breeding have led to dogs that can develop bad temperaments. Costs associated with treatments may be:
Allergies - $300-$400
Hypothyroidism - $700-$800 annually
Behavioral issues - $40-$50 per session
One-time costs for a Golden Retriever
Initial Costs: $400-$450
Before bringing any dog home, you should make sure that you have all the basic supplies ready to go. This typically includes making purchases such as food and water bowls, a collar and leash, a harness, toys, a clicker, a crate, and a dog bed, in addition to food. The initial set-up costs could cost you around $400-$450.
Microchipping: $50-$70
The average cost of microchipping is around $50 but can vary depending on the state where you reside. Along with a dog license, add an extra $10-$20 to your estimate. Spot Pet Insurance highly recommends every pet parent get their pets microchipped as it can help increase the chances of finding a lost pet.
Vaccinations: $250-$300
There are certain core vaccinations that a Golden Retriever would need. These include distemper, parvovirus, Adenovirus, type 1, Adenovirus, type 2, and rabies. All of these could cost you around $150-$200.
There are also certain non-core vaccinations that are recommended by most vets for a Golden Retriever. These include parainfluenza, Lyme disease, and leptospirosis. The cost of these vaccines can be around $130-$150.
Miscellaneous: $200-$250
Park passes, dog sitters, training, clothes, trips, etc. are just a few additional once-in-a-while costs. Annually, they could costyou around $250.
Lifetime Golden Retriever Cost
The initial purchase cost may vary depending on whether you are looking for a white golden retriever, red, black, or the golden one itself. Estimating an average of $1500 on the purchase of your new pet, you can expect to spend around $2500 in the first year, with annual costs then gradually sliding down to around $1200. Taking the initial, recurring, and one-time costs into consideration, the cost of a Golden Retriever in its lifetime could be between $20,000-$22,000, not including the cost of emergencies or critical surgeries should your pet happen to need them.
How can Spot Pet Insurance help?
Spot Pet Insurance accident & illness plans offer a wide variety of coverage for services from microchip implantation to surgeries and prescription food and supplements prescribed to treat your pet’s unexpected accidents and illnesses. (Prescription food and supplements used for general health or weight maintenance are not covered). For an extra cost, Spot dog insurance plans offer preventive care coverage add-ons to help cover the costs of certain routine vaccinations, annual wellness exams, and other preventive care treatments. You can view the add-on preventive care coverage options. Get in touch with Spot to learn more!
Conclusion
With a complete package and a tag of the most popular dog breed in the world, Golden Retrievers are not very cheap to maintain. However, if you ask if these expenses are worth it, you’ll say yes when you fall in love on the first day. Spot plans can help by covering up to 90% of eligible costs for covered conditions!
Happy Parenting to you and Lots of Love to your Pup!
Creative manager by day, pet enthusiast all the time! After 19 years with my dog (hopefully he wins the award for oldest pet in the world), I enjoy spending my days brainstorming tail-wagging content, and sniffing out the latest trends in the pet world.
