Can Golden Retrievers Be Protective

Are Golden Retrievers Protective

You dont have to look far to find story after story of golden retrievers fighting against the odds to be reunited with their owners after being separated or protecting their masters from danger.

Take, for example, Yogi, the golden retriever who saved his owner, Paul Horton, just like something out of an episode of Lassie.

After suffering a tragic accident, Horton found himself unable to move and had Yogi go fetch help.

Even then, Yogis loyalty to Horton made him reluctant to leave his masters side, but ultimately Yogi listened to his command and got the help Horton required.

Although Horton still ended up paralyzed, he would have died had it not been for the help of his loyal pet.

The unparalleled loyalty of golden retrievers makes them instinctual protectors.

The Bark On Command Method

The goal of this method is to teach your Golden to bark until there is a response to the bark or the object of the bark disappears.;

Follow these steps to train your dog to guard using this method:

You can adapt the two methods to your situation as long as you keep the training goal in mind.

Are Golden Retrievers Protective: Pros Of A Protective Dog

Here are some of the pros of having a protective dog.

Your Noble True Companion

Golden Retrievers seem to have a heart full of affection. They love getting everyones attention, so they want to be friends with someone else. That is why their caring nature causes them to fall hard and easily in love with their owners.

Goldens are loyal friends and strongly committed to their masters. Youd hear many stories of them being reunited with their families after theyre split by going against all odds.

Youre not going to find many dog breeds that are as loyal as the golden retriever. This quality makes them instinctive protectors. You may have heard them contradict their existence to defend the owner in times of danger.

Obedience Stories

If you dont know how these dogs won their retriever tag, let us tell you. In the 19th century, Scotland was used for breeding them for obedience. When the masters were out for hunting, the retrievers offered protection. These dogs were known to recover the birds that had dropped after being shot down.

Retrievers are happy to please their owners, and they appear to follow orders happily. Popular for their calm nature and obedience, they easily learn new commands compared to other races. Although they are not violent, they can be trained to obey commands, including the houses defense.

Beauty With A Brain

Don’t Miss: Service Dog Golden Retriever

Incredibly Loyal And Family

One of the most impressive parts of a Golden is that they are family dogs through and through. They love their family more than anything in the entire world and will stop at nothing to do whatever it takes to be with them. This loyalty and family love is, of course, what makes them so dedicated when there is a threat.;

The Root Of The Behavior

Labrador Retrievers are bred to be loyal dogs. In fact, you may even notice that Moses looks to you as if you are his pack leader and he will probably follow you in any way that you want. You may also find that this breed works in law enforcement sometimes and Labrador Retrievers usually are bred to work as guide dogs. They are trained as puppies and learn to act as an assisting leader for their owners early on in life. Therefore, their loyalty is extremely strong and they are not timid when it comes to protecting their owners from anything that may seem dangerous because it is just a part of their canine nature.;Yet, it is important to know that this dog breed will not act aggressively towards their family, which you may have noticed in Moses.;

Read Also: Potty Training A Golden Retriever Puppy

Are Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs

Have you ever wondered whether your Golden Retriever would make a good guard dog? I wondered the same thing before I adopted my Golden.

I knew that when I bought a dog that I wanted a breed that had a reputation for being good with kids, friendly, and able to protect me and my family, I wanted my dog to be a friend and protector.

With that in mind, I began doing some research, this is what I found out about a Golden Retrievers ability to be a guard dog.

Is A Golden Retriever A Good Guard Dog?

Yes! Golden Retrievers possess many qualities that make them great guard dogs. However, Golden Retrievers may require more training to become a guard dog, than some other dog breeds because they arent as aggressive in nature.

So How Do We Train Them To Be Guard Dogs

Golden Retrievers are relatively easy to train, but like other dogs, its best to start when they are young. Weve all heard the term teaching an old dog new tricks and they say that for a reason. Younger dogs tend to learn a lot easier than older dogs. So, if you start training your dogs to guard as a puppy, they will grow up to continue this behavior.

Most people choose to train them using the command technique. This is normally a cue word that is spoken to your dog that puts them in protective mode. This can take a while to perfect with your dog as they are not naturally aggressive, but it will work if it is taught over time. You can teach your dog to bark on command, which will warn an intruder that you have a dog present or you can go further teaching them to chase or even attack an intruder as well.

Some owners, instead, choose the boundary method. This teaches your dog what property is theirs to protect. Then, when a stranger approaches your property, they will alert you of someone being there as they know to protect their home. This method is not as common because your dog may not know the difference in a person entering your property versus a squirrel. They will both be seen as a potential threat. This might not be the best option for hyper or energetic Golden Retrievers as they may be more vigilant than necessary. If your dog is still very energetic, then this article may help you understand why and how you can fix it.

Kern Campbell

Read Also: Crate Training Golden Retriever Puppy

Golden Retrievers Growl To Warn Of Danger

When really threatened, Goldens will bear down and growl. This will be their way of alerting you to the danger, as well as making their stand against it.;If you have a Golden retriever, then you know that it takes a lot for them to growl. So if your Golden is growling its time to sit up and pay attention to whats going on around you.

Growling is a sure sign that something is amiss. It may be a smell or something theyve seen, but a Golden retrievers growl helps alert you so that you can avoid whatever is making them nervous.

Are Golden Retrievers Good With Babies

The gentle, loving gesture of Golden Retrievers makes them great around babies. Just introduce them to one another and supervise the pup around your baby.

Golden Retriever has the habit of licking its friend to show love. Be careful; the Retrievers mouth contains germs. Dont allow them to expose and keep them away from kids.

After the baby and Retriever gets familiar, they get along too much, creating everlasting memories. Make sure to capture the most!

Recommended Reading: Golden Retreaver Rescue

Train Him To Resist Impulses

Since Goldens are naturally friendly and food-motivated, youll need to train him to be wary of strangers even the ones who speak calmly and quietly no matter their body language, and also the same resistance and distrust of treats and food. Not only can it be a distraction, but intruders can also give food to dogs that is laced with sedatives, or worse.

How To Introduce A New Baby To A Golden Retriever

The addition of a new family member leads to a decrease in time and attention for others. Your Golden may feel alone and isolated after a newborn enters the house. Thus, for managing both the newborn and the Golden Retriever, you can follow these ideas:

Read Also: What Is The Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers Are Exceptionally Obedient

Known to be people-pleasers, Golden Retrievers are exceptionally obedient, which makes them perfect for training to be all types of service dogs, including a guard dog.

Did you know, owing to their obedience, that Golden Retrievers were the first three dogs to achieve the American Kennel Club Obedience Champion Title? This is no coincidence.

The first among these 3 was Morelands Golden Tonka, a female Golden who won the title on July 23, 1977, scoring more than the required 100 points. Tonka set the standard high for the rest to follow.

In canine history, Golden Retrievers have been consistently recorded as the best breeds in the agility and obedience rings.;No other breed has more obedience championships.

As a matter of fact, from 2010 to 2019, Goldens won AKCs obedience championship 6 out of 10 times! If a Golden Retriever didnt win first, they were probably 2nd place.

For Protection Which Is Better Male Or Female Golden Retriever

This is just another challenging topic to answer. Second, we must determine if Golden Retrievers are suitable for security.

Due to their sweetness and friendliness, goldens are not the best option for defense. It wont surprise you if you see them wagging their tails and interacting with strangers. They do, however, have characteristics that will enable them to become formidable guard dogs if adequately educated.

Despite protecting, Golden Retrievers cannot be compared to pets like Dobermans and Rottweilers. However, with the proper experience, they will make excellent guardians. Here are several characteristics that render Goldens suitable as guard dogs:

• Medium-sized dogs.
• Very loyal to their owners.
• Protective by instinct.

You May Like: The Best Puppy Food For Golden Retrievers

Help Your Golden Understand His Turf

Since Goldens cant defend what they dont know is theirs, youll want to help them understand what belongs to them. This is related to their physical territory, but also the people in the household. Does he know to protect all of them or just some?; The more he understands as his responsibility, the better he will be able to protect.;

Whats An Ideal Guard Dog

Guard dogs are meant to scare away strangers and alert their owners when unwelcomed characters are approaching, or any other form of danger is imminent. For this canine job, these dogs should possess certain qualities.

Here is your quick list of qualities that make ideal guard dogs:

• Guard dogs should be large enough to instill fear in strangers.
• They should be athletic enough to move fast and with ease when they sense danger.
• Guard dogs should be fearless and courageous, attacking to defend when needed.
• They should be loyal and stay by the owners side during an encounter, not easily lured with treats to the strangers side
• Guard dogs should be intelligent, watchful, and alert so they can notice, judge and assess real danger.
• They should manifest instinctual protective behaviors such as jumping between the owner and an impending source of danger and barking or growling when danger is sensed.
• Guard dogs should be obedient, heading the owners command to attack when danger is real or keep off when danger is misjudged.

The rest of this article will explore whether the Golden Retriever possesses any of these qualities to qualify as a good guard dog.

Youll need to remember that Golden Retrievers werent built for guarding. Instead, Goldens were bred for hunting and retrieving. As such, theyll need to develop into guard dogs any missing qualities with training.

Also Check: How To Make My Golden Retriever Gain Weight

What Makes Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs

Now you know that golden retrievers have the potential to be guard dogs, its important to know what traits make them good guard dogs, and what traits make them bad guard dogs. Here are their good traits!

Theyre Large Dogs

Depending on the list you look at, golden retrievers are either considered large breed dogs or medium-sized dogs. This means theyre still big enough to carry a lot of mass and muscle. Golden retrievers typically weigh between 65-75 pounds and grow 23-24 inches tall. As a comparison, this is roughly the same size as a rottweiler.

Theyre INCREDIBLY Loyal

Golden retrievers are one of THE MOST loyal breeds of dog around. Once your dog has bonded with you, theyre going to be extremely loyal. While they tend to be more loyal to one person in particular, theyll still be incredibly loyal to your whole family.

This is perfect as one of the most important traits to look for in a guard dog is loyalty. If theyre not loyal to you then its less likely theyre going to want to protect you.

Theyre Exceptionally Intelligent

Often making the top 10 list for intelligence, golden retrievers are incredibly smart dogs. They normally rank 4th in intelligence just under german shepherds.

This can be seen in the fact that theyre often working dogs. They used to be used for retrieving game, but more presently they often make excellent guard dogs. Did you know that golden retriever/Labrador crosses make some of the best guard dogs?

Golden Retrievers Are Also Obedient!

Golden Retrievers Are Highly Trainable

Thanks to their intelligence, character, and eagerness to please, Golden Retrievers are highly trainable and receptive dogs. When training your Golden Retriever, you should start from the eighth week onwardssome breeders even start socialization training while still in the litter!

Thanks to their excellent ability to learn quickly, you can teach them to be obedient and trust you, building mutual respect with your dog. However, you should always keep in mind that a dogs behavior mostly depends on the level of training theyve received.

A Golden Retriever thats relatively untrained can be dangerous because it doesnt know better.

You May Like: Why Do Golden Retrievers Eat So Fast

Your Pack Cant Let Them Down

Dogs want to belong to a pack and that means you and your family. Your dog will do anything to protect the pack and it expects the same in return. If you are walking your Golden Retriever and a dog, a human or coyote attacks it, it expects you to fight for it and save it. If you do, your dog will feel secure with the pack. If you dontif you dont do what you have to to protect your dog, it may feel hurt and rejected. It may lose trust in the pack and it may become dangerous and hostile because of this. So teach your family how to break up dog fights and what to carry to help your dog in case of an attack.

Neglect And Abuse Can Affect A Golden Retrievers Personality

Factors such as neglect and abuse are among the leading causes behind aggressive behavior in Golden Retrievers. Some different types of aggressive behavior in dogs include:

• Territorial
• Pain-elicited
• Predatory

If a previous owner has abused your dog, he or she might be suffering from fears and anxieties that make them occasionally aggressive, such as in the case of food aggression. If you adopt a Golden Retriever, learn as much as possible about the dogs history, previous owner, medical history, and track record.

Indeed, with adopted pets, you might find it challenging to trace back to their breeder because shelters dont always receive this paperwork. While re-education is possible, it is much more complicated than training a puppy for the first time.

Also Check: How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Dog

How Should I Treat Any Incidents Or Accidents That Happen While I Am Away From My Golden Retriever Who Is Left Home Alone

The way that you should treat any incidents or accidents that happen while you are away from your golden retriever who is left home alone is with a gentle but loving hand but a firm reminder of their training.

Accidents and incidents happen to us all, some of our own doing, some through no fault of our own.; Whatever the cause, the golden retriever needs to be reminded of the training and house rules through gentle love and care.

Golden retrievers are very gentle and loving dogs and should be treated with the same care and compassion that all dogs should be.; They have feelings just as we do, and while they may need to be reminded not to chew on something or that they shouldnt pee in the house while you are away, it must be understood that they likely didnt do it intentionally.

It can be challenging for any dog to be away from the people they share a close bond with.; And this can not easily be remedied with any amount of toys, snacks, or other things.; The simple fact is while you are away, they can miss you desperately, and it is often beyond their control that they act the way they do.

They might get scared while you are away or fear that you are never coming back.; They may get bored without time spent with you or just plain lonely because they miss you so much.; Whatever the cause, the golden retriever left home alone should continue to be treated with love and respect.