The golden retriever is a popular dog breed. Most likely you adopted your dog as a puppy because they are cute, and that rich golden glow makes them adorable. These dogs have a happy smile to their faces, and they are also friendly and smart.
Now that you’ve adopted your dog, or you’ve had your dog for some time, you may notice that they pant a lot. The panting can seem normal, while at other times it may increase. This may make you concerned about your dog, particularly if the two of you have bonded over time.
You only want what’s best for your dog. You may be wondering, why is my golden retriever panting so much? And at what point, is it excessive and he/she needs a vet visit?
Contents
The Beautiful Golden Retriever
This type of dog originated from Scotland, and is of medium build, making it the perfect pet for all sizes of homes. This type of dog was originally bred by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks in the late 19th century. He saw the potential in his dogs and encouraged the breeding of flat-coated retrievers to tweed water spaniels to create this golden-coloured type.
Other dog breeds have been interbred during these early years, until you see the well-recognized golden retriever we have today. It is a recognized registered breed in North America, and these types of dogs are often entered into dog shows. This breed is highly intelligent and easy to obedience train. In the past they have been used in hunting, while today are commonly trained as guide dogs.
What Exactly Is Panting?
Humans generally pant after going for a run. This panting eventually slows down and stops, as the body gets the oxygen it needs. Panting happens when the mouth is open. It’s breathing through the open mouth. In a dog, their tongue will be out. Humans can deliberately slow their breathing down, while a dog will do it naturally.
Why Do Golden Retrievers Pant?
If you’re familiar with dogs, they all pant at some point. Panting occurs when the dog is running around, having fun. This is due to a few different reasons. For one, dogs pant because it helps to cool their bodies. They don’t have as many sweat glands as us humans do, so they can’t sweat out the heat.
Instead, they pant. Panting is also part of their breathing process. Their nostrils aren’t as effective as breathing in, such as with humans. Instead, they pant to help oxygenate their blood.
A dog can increase their panting when it’s hotter outside, or they’re running around having fun. The panting process helps to increase their oxygen intake while naturally cooling the dog through the evaporative heat loss process. Dogs have naturally adapted to this process over the years, much like other animals have adapted to their own natural processes in nature.
You may be surprised to learn that the golden retriever dog pants more than other dogs. This is due to them having a double fur coat. Their bodies must work harder to help regulate their internal body temperature, especially when they’re exercising or it’s a hot summer day.
Should I Be Concerned About Golden Retriever Panting?
If you’ve just adopted a puppy and are concerned, this is totally normal. If you’ve had dogs for years, and are now becoming concerned, there could be a reason why your intuition is acting up. So yes, at times your dog could be excessively panting, and it could be good or bad news.
When Is Dog Panting Not Normal?
Dogs generally pant all the time, and this is normal. But at times, it may not be. For one, if your dog is at rest and still excessively panting, you need to take a closer look. Ask yourself if they just had the zoomies and are now at rest? If not, for example, they just woke up from a sleep, and they are panting, there may be a reason.
Has your dog recently had water? They could be thirsty, or hungry. Take a closer look at your dog. If they have any unusual medical signs, they may need a trip to the clinic. Some examples may include if they are lying on the ground, not moving. Do they have diarrhea or are vomiting?
Is there any blood in the waste? Is the dog crying, barking, or in distress? Does their breathing sound unusual? If this excessive panting is lasting more than 15 minutes without any reason at all, you should call the vet.
Panting Through Stress
Another reason a dog may pant excessively is when they’re stressed out or excited. The panting should slow down after the initial excitement. But if it’s through stress, you need to examine the environment. Things that can stress out a dog can include other animals or wildlife nearby.
Your dog could be naturally excited, or it can feel fear, such as if it’s a bear or coyote. It could even be another human that it senses as bad. There may be outside noise bothering your dog. Fireworks is one example that has a detrimental effect on your dog’s happiness. Bad smells or bright lights have have a lesser impact too.
How Can I Help My Dog?
Whether the excessive panting is occurring inside or outside your home, you need to take a look around to see if you can eliminate any stressful situations. It may be as simple as moving your dog to another room, or away from the dog park.
If it’s hot outside, provide a bowl with water so they can have a drink. Find some shade for them to rest under, until you can get back home. If panting is from fear, it may be best to head home. If you can’t figure it out then book a vet appointment.
Golden retrievers may pant more than other breeds of dogs. This is due to their extra excitement over their environment. If the panting goes back to normal, there is nothing to worry about.
But if the panting is excessive and not going away, it’s time for a trip to the veterinary clinic to rule out any diseases or bad health conditions. Your golden retriever dog is very lucky to have such a caring human who looks after all their needs!
