Will A Golden Retriever Chew Up My Shoes
Like many dogs, Golden Retrievers like to chew. They also like to hold things in their mouthsremember they were bred to retrieve waterfowl. Chewing is a healthy activity for dogs since it helps clean the teeth and strengthen the jawbone. The trick is to make sure you offer plenty of safe chew toys, so they wont be as tempted to nosh on your shoes. Its also useful to keep your favorite pair secure in your closet.
Keep in mind that a dogs natural urge to chew can lead to swallowed objects, like rocks, pieces of clothing, or bits of toys. This can cause choking or obstructions that require surgery.
Goldens Have A Large Powerful Bark
Goldens retrievers are not the most vocal of dogs under normal circumstances. However, if they feel threatened or believe that you are in danger, its not uncommon for them to bark. In most situations involving a would-be burglar or intruder, a big, booming bark can make a criminal change their minds quickly.
For example, if someone were to break into your home at night and hear the sound of a large breed dog barking, chances are they would move on for fear of being attacked.
Since Goldens are so smart, its actually possible to train them to bark on command. This can be effective if you feel threatened and need your dog to show their strength without actually behaving aggressively.
Are They Healthy Dogs
While Golden Retrievers are generally considered healthy dogs, they are susceptible to a number of conditions, such as:
Elbow Dysplasia
This is an inherited condition common in larger breeds where the bones that make up the elbow joint develop abnormally. It can be very painful and result in lameness.
Hip Dysplasia
This is also an inherited condition where the thighbone doesnt fit properly into the hip joint. Like elbow dysplasia, it can cause pain and lameness.
Hypothyroidism
With this disease, the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone that helps regulate metabolism. This can lead to weight gain, skin issues, and heart problems. Luckily, it can often be treated with prescription medication.
Cataracts
Like humans, these dogs can get cataracts as they age, causing a cloudy film to form over the eye. Cataracts typically need surgical correction.
Heart Disease
Golden Retrievers are prone to heart problems, particularly a disorder called sub-aortic stenosis, which causes a narrowing of the aorta and can lead to sudden death. This makes it especially important to schedule annual check-ups, so your veterinarian can listen for heart murmurs and other signs of this disease.
Cancer
Skin cancer, bone cancer, and other variations of this disease can be common in Golden Retrievers. Our illness coverage includes cancer, which can be very helpful since treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can be costly.
Allergies
Skin Problems
Ear Infections
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What Characteristics Of Golden Retrievers Make Them Ok Watch Dogs
If you look at the list above Golden Retrievers have all of the traits of good watchdogs.
- Excellent hearing. Golden Retrievers do have excellent hearing. That is why they are trained as hearing aid dogs.
- Alert. Golden Retrievers are favorite dogs to be trained as service dogs. One of the reasons why is because they are alert.
- Loud bark. Although Golden Retrievers are not famous for barking, they do have a good bark. If you hear it, you have no doubt that it comes from a big dog. At night that is a particularly effective deterrent for aspirant intruders. The trick is to convince them to bark when there is something worth barking at.
- Protective towards owner and family. The American Kennel Club uses three words to describe the Golden Retriever: Friendly, Intelligent, Devoted. These dogs love their owner and family and are loyal to a fault. Loyalty is not equivalent to protective instinct, and there is no way to predict with absolute certainty what your dog will do in a situation where you are threatened. At the risk of repeating it too much, if you want a dog that will protect you physically by biting, attacking, or something similar, you are looking for a guard dog, not a watchdog.
- Ability to distinguish between regular and irregular activity. Err. This is where the Golden Retriever is most likely to fail the test as a good watchdog. It will bark, yes, but it is saying hello, wanna play? not what are you doing in my yard?
Goldens Are Overly Friendly
Whats a guard dog worth if they dont bark? Since theyre rather quiet dogs, Goldens may miss out on letting you know your house is illegally occupied by intruders.
The fact is, Golden Retrievers naturally have a love everyone mentality. They want to be friends with all other humans, dogs and even cats. According to The Spruce Pets, Goldens are one of the 10 friendliest dog breeds.
To fix this issue, youll need to train your Golden out of their natural friendliness and let them know they should bark to inform you of the arrival of people they have never seen or of animals that might be dangerous.
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What Should I Feed My Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers should be fed a high-quality dog food thats appropriate for their age. Your veterinarian can offer recommendations and advise you on a healthy feeding schedule. Be careful not to overfeed your Golden Retriever. Use a measuring cup to make sure youre providing the right amount of kibble, and dont go overboard on treats, which can be high in calories.
Its important to help your Golden Retriever maintain a healthy weight to avoid problems like joint pain, heart disease, and liver and kidney issues. Like other large breeds, theyre also prone to conditions like hip dysplasia and arthritis, which can become more painful if theyre carrying extra pounds.
What To Do If You Lose Your Golden Retriever
If your Golden Retriever Dog or any other pet has gone missing and it does not have an identification tag with a phone number, you can:2. Report the missing pet on the .3. Telephone the local vets to see if anyone has handed in your lost pet.4. Contact the RSPCA or Visit the RSPCA Lost Pets website and complete a Lost Pet Report.5. Visit Lost Pets Pages of Animal Pounds.
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Why Goldens May Not Be Good Guard Dogs
Even the biggest Golden Retriever fan will admit that these dogs arent the best guard dogs compared to the options in the market. Its not really a bad thing, but you should know these qualities if you plan to turn your Golden into a guard dog.
Certain qualities will make the Golden a perfect friend and companion. But when seen as a guard dog, the same qualities might be disqualifying for the guard-dog task.
Golden Retrievers Trace Their History Back To Scotland
For decades, apocryphal stories were floating around that the Golden Retriever was descended from Russian circus dogs. This theory was debunked when the records of Lord Tweedmouth of Inverness, Scotland were released. In 1864, Lord Tweedmouth purchased a yellow retriever named Nous and bred him to a liver-colored Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle. The Golden Retrievers we know today are likely descended from Nous and Belle. Thank you, Lord Tweedmouth!
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So Will A Golden Retriever Protect You
Maybe.
But it probably depends more on circumstances. Weve already established that the Golden Retriever is large enough to be a formidable dog. As well, they become very attached to their owners and are highly intelligent. The breed is exceptionally loyal as well.
Given the right circumstance, the Golden Retriever might protect you. Its not unheard of for any dog, even small ones, to protect its owners from other dogs, animals, or people. So, Goldens can do the same.
To prove that point, lets look at some examples.
A Golden Retriever called Angel protected and saved its 11-year-old owner from a mountain line. Angel stepped in between an 11-year-old boy and a cougar and saved the boy from the attack. Police credited Angel the Retriever for saving the boys life.
To read more about the heroics of Angel, the fantastic Golden Retriever, check out the article here:
Or, watch this video on Sadie, another Golden Retriever who fought off an intruder. Sadie showed protection dog behavior, although her owner said its uncharacteristic. But, it goes to show in the right circumstances, your Golden Retriever CAN protect you.
Are Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs
Golden Retrievers are the quintessential family dog. Loyal, loving, and intelligent, these dogs are a joy to raise. They’re also pretty easy to train. When you look at all of their traits combined, it’s not hard to see why they are one of the most popular breeds in the world!
But, are they any good as guard dogs?
This is a question that many potential and current owners have. You see these dogs working to protect humans all the time. Many will train to become guide dogs for the blind or companions for those with disabilities.
When most people think of guard dogs, they picture scary-looking behemoths frothing at the mouth to attack. That’s not exactly the reputation of the Golden Retriever. So can they protect your property and family?
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Final Thoughts On Are Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs
I hope that you were helped, now your question Can Golden Retrievers be good guard dogs is pretty easy to understand after going through this breakdown.
I have talked about the traits that golden retrievers has and how you can use the 3 cool training methods to make your golden more better guard dog.
Oh! Well, how were the 3 YouTube videos that I shared? Well, I know you must have not watched all 3! But you might have at least 1, so let me know more about the videos and feedbacks in the comments.
Like I know that Golden Retriever is not the best Guard Dogs, but theres another way to have the Best Guard and that is by having another companion dog.
Like see, I too have 2 dogs, Chester & Max , you can also try another companion dog for your golden! In fact, Chester is my guard dog, you wont believe how protective he is, also Rottweiler is #1 Protective Dogs as listed on K9ofmine.
Have a look at this article that I published last month Best Companion Dog For Golden Retriever
Check out the above-listed article and you would get amazed by the list of dogs that Ive mentioned!
Can a Golden Retriever and a cat can coexist? Get your answer here, Are Golden Retrievers Good With Cats?
I hope that you were helped and were satisfied with the answer that you just went through!
That was my opinion on this, now I would like to hear from you.
Are golden retrievers good guard dogs?
Let me know in the comments I would like to know your opinions!
Golden Retrievers Can Be Protective
Although golden retrievers arent typically the first breed you think of when you think of a protective dog, golden retrievers can be protective.
Because of their loyalty, intelligence, and their size, yes, golden retrievers can protect you.
But their friendly and gentle nature may not make them the best candidates for when it comes to defending you.
If protection is one of the top attributes youre looking for in a dog, then you might be better off going with a doberman or German shepherd.
However, if you want a family dog thats big and loud enough to scare most threats off and has the potential to protect you, then a golden retriever might be for you!
Lets look a little more at what actually makes a good protective dog.
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What Does It Mean For A Lab To Be Protective
I think there are some things that need to be defined beforewe go any further. Some Labrador-lovers are going to be indignant to the factthat I believe their favorite breed is not protective. Well, lets define whatprotective means and what it does not mean.
First, when I think of a guard dog, I am not talking aboutthe Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever because they do not have a meanstreak in them naturally. That is not to say that there are not meanretrievers. There are. However, that mean streak is not in them by nature.
For exampleand I know that I am going to catch grief forthisthere are some dogs that have been bred for their mean streak just likeretrievers have been bred for their ability to find birds and retrieve to hand.
Pit Bulls come to mind as a dog breed that has nurtured themeanness factor. I understand that some Pits are sweet but, they have beenbred for the purpose of fighting and you cannot train that breeding out of adog. It is always there. Hereis a list of the most dangerous dog breeds with an explanation.
Because Labradors lack that mean-factor, I dont think theymake a good traditional guard dog. The fact is that most people know aboutthe Labs typically good disposition. Give him a treat and he will be your bestfriend.
Examples Where Golden Retrievers Have Been Used As Guard Dogs
Yes. Golden Retrievers have been recently trained to guard and protect in all types of jobs. Check out this article on Bud, the first working Golden Retriever for the Navy. Bud protects the Navy base perimeter and searches cars. He does this while still keep the Golden Retrievers trademark friendly attitude.
Golden Retrievers have also recently been enlisted to work with police forces in the United States as support animals, but in India, these dogs have recently been added to their K-9 units. Golden Retrievers have been enlisted because of their hunting skills, intelligence, and good reputation.
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Three Methods To Train Your Golden To Be A Better Guard Dog
You can make your Golden Retriever a better guard dog if you invest a little time in training them. Were going to go over three training methods pretty quickly and well probably have a complete post with much more details later.
Method 1 Teach Them to Pay Attention to Visitors
Objective: To train the dog to pay attention when someone comes to the door.
In this method, you should start training your dog when they are very young to pay closer attention to strangers. I have not used this method before, but it gets recommended a lot, and here how it goes
This should teach they should pay attention to visitors and keep an eye on the door. This will make them more attentive of their surrounding.
Method 2 The Bark Verbal Cue
Objective: The goal of this method is to teach your dog to bark on command. Here is how it should go:
Here how it should go:
Golden Retrievers Dont Make Good Watch Dogs
If you would like to get a watch dog to feel safer in your home, you should choose another breed. Golden Retrievers are friendly, and they are most likely to welcome strangers with a big smile and a wagging tail.
It is not in the Golden Retrievers personality to bark, so you cant really count on them to warn you if someone is lurking around your home. They are calm and gentle, and unless someone tries to harm you, your Golden probably wont have any guard instincts.
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Best Examples Of Golden Retrievers As A Guard Dog
Below Im listing some amazing YouTube videos which are worth watching, these are examples of how a Golden Retriever is a superhero when he is trained to be a Guard Dog.
Some of the video clips are so overwhelming that youll be amazed, also youll get to know how well the kids are protected and your main question are golden retrievers good guard dogs will get justified? Well, check these videos and youll come to the conclusion that YES, golden retrievers are actually good guard dogs.
Golden Retrievers Will Put Themselves In Harms Way
Goldens were bred as hunting dogs and are usually quite fearless, especially when the danger comes in the form of another animal. When faced with the threat of a wild animal or aggressive dog, dont be surprised if they jump in front of you, placing themselves in harms way to protect you.
They do this to create a barrier between you and the threat, and it is very instinctive. As their pack leader, its a Golden retrievers duty to protect you.
Heres an example where a person out for a hike with their Golden retriever was about to step on a rattlesnake when their dog jumped in front of their legs to prevent the owner from getting bit. Id say that Golden retriever saved the day for their owner.
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