Reason #7: Golden Retrievers Are Beautiful
As puppies, golden retrievers are absolutely adorable.
Then, as they grow up and their golden coats fill out, theyre beautiful.
Almost every day somebody stops me while Im walking my golden just to tell me, Your dog is beautiful!
And its literally those exact words every time.
It makes me feel good to hear these compliments, and Oliver seems to walk with a little more pep in his step after them.
P.S. Getting a golden retriever puppy? Check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook!
They Get Along With Other Pets
When a new pet is brought into a home, it is important that the pet gets along well with the family. Intelligent and gentle, Golden Retrievers are quick to warm up to your other household pets, including cats or other smaller animals. Their calm nature will also mean less, or no furry quarrels at home. In addition to the good company, Golden Retrievers will often help you look out for pets too.
Why Golden Retrievers Are The Best Family Dog
July 02, 2020
If youve ever been blessed to have a dog as part of your life, then you know that theres something about a dog that makes you a better person. Choosing to add a dog to your family is a big decision, and if you have children, then there are even more factors to consider.
Of course, you want to find a dog that is good with kids, but you most likely are also looking for a pup that will quickly become their best friend. Golden retrievers have enjoyed a long reputation as a great family pet, but what exactly is it about this breed that makes them such a good family dog?
Golden Retriever: Less Barking Dog
Golden retrievers are the kind of dogs that dont like barking much as compared to others and only bark when they want to show their loyalty to the owners.
Along with the less barking habit, they also dont bite a lot which is the reason they are commonly used as service and support dogs as they love to meet everyone they meet the first time.
They Are Prone To Waxy Ears
Unfortunately, Golden Retrievers are prone to waxy ears. This tends to be a result of poor air circulation due to their long ears.
Although it is not always the case, waxy ears can be the symptom of a more serious problem, such as an infection or mites. If left untreated or if not treated correctly and consistently, ear problems can become chronic and affect the dog’s quality of life.
The most common cause of ear infections in Golden Retrievers is yeast. After swimming or bathing, take the time to dry your dog’s ears. Effort should also be made to keep ears clean. There are solutions available for purchase or that you can make at home that, in addition to cleaning and soothing your Golden Retriever’s ears, will also change the pH level, creating an environment yeast should not thrive in.
Be careful; Goldens will eat almost anything that resembles food, regardless of whether or not it is good for them.
Golden Retrievers Are Easy To Train
Golden retrievers are smart dogs, as well discuss later, which makes them easy to train. This makes great search and rescue dogs, as we discussed, and also great service dogs, which is the next section. But what else are golden retrievers great at being trained for?
Golden retrievers are great dogs for agility competitions. Theyre athletic enough to last through the entire course and strong enough to make the leaps and keep speed. Because of how easy to train they are, they arent difficult dogs to introduce agility training too.
Golden retrievers are also still used for hunting, for some people. Hunters who go out for waterfowl commonly use golden retrievers to get their shot game. Golden retrievers are easily trained to carefully fetch and return the shot game. Theyre eager to please and quick to catch on.
Finally, golden retrievers can be trained to be detection dogs. This means they can detect illegal drugs, explosives, and other illegal substances. This is vital for police, as a dogs nose can save them time when searching for illegal substances.
The Way They Please Everyone Makes The Golden Retriever Best Dog For The Kids
Golden Retriever knows how to please surrounding them. Although their perfect appearance attracts everyone, their knee interest in pleasing everyone makes them more appealing. They obey every word and do not disappoint, always making the house undisturbed and peaceful. Thus, their presence is good for the intellectual development of the kids.
They Have Noble Stature
Most pet owners love the attention their pet gets, and would certainly be delighted to know that Golden Retrievers are bound to turn-heads. Golden have a noble stature and are very easy to notice since they stand out from other breed of dogs, thanks again to the attractive and glistening fur.The maximum height of a male Golden Retriever is 24 inches whereas a female is typically 23 inches, so expect your pooch to stand out, particularly among a sea of common poodles and pugs.
They Are Ideal Hunting Dogs
Apart from having a keen sense of smell, golden retrievers also have a unique inborn instinct to hunt. This is what makes them one of the most commonly preferred dog breeds for hunting purposes. They have excellent tracking skills, and true to their name, they help hunters retrieve things and other creatures.
Additionally, they also have the right kind of physical build and great stamina levels that are much-needed to help them perform at their best out on the hunting field. More than that, they are easily trainable, which makes it easy for hunters to bring out their A-game out on the field with the help of golden retrievers.
Living With A Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers can live happily in a small home, as long as they can access a decent backyard Additionally, Golden Retrievers are best not left home alone for long periods. As such, a pet sitter is a good backup if your dog needs some company.
Golden Retrievers were traditionally used in waterfowl hunting. Therefore, they love to swim or play fetch with a ball. Furthermore, be sure to keep your swimming pool gates locked so your dog doesnt have an unsupervised swim!
All retriever breeds explore the world using their mouths and teeth. As such, be sure to give your Golden Retriever plenty of chew toys. If you don’t, your shoes, kids toys or pot plants may be destroyed.
Golden Retrievers Are One Of The Most Active Dog Breeds Out There
As members of the Sporting Group of Canines, golden retrievers are the type to stay active for the vast majority of their lives. They are always prepared for sporty activities with their hoomans, whether it be a walk in the park, a weekend hike, or even a simple game of fetch. Veterinarians have repeatedly encouraged 40 to 60 minutes of daily exercise for golden retrievers since they prosper on both physical and mental training.
If youre a dog owner who loves fitness and the outdoors, golden retrievers are surely the perfect breed for you. They are gentle, loyal, and extremely active!
Theyre Great Hunting Dogs
One look and you can tell that a Golden Retriever is meant for hunting. It possesses an extremely eager personality to begin with; its like it just wants you to give it the go-ahead to pounce onto something. In regards to its comprehensive appearance, the dog is extremely powerful with a balanced gait that gives it an edge while out in the wild. It isnt long in the leg, or clumsy. The hindquarters in particular are strongly muscled and broad, with well angled stifles to complement. Its simply a highly active dog, bred for hard working conditions such as hunting and its not that hard to see why.
Common Health Problems In Golden Retrievers
Like any purebred dog, Golden Retrievers may encounter some breed-related health problems throughout their lives. Often, Breed Clubs will also be able to provide advice on what tests your breed may need and where to get these done. Make sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening to reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by these upsetting conditions.
Golden Retrievers are amongst a group of breeds classed as Category Two by The Kennel Club. These are breeds of dog that have been highlighted as having points of concern visible features which, if exaggerated, might potentially affect the breed in the future and cause health and welfare concerns. For Golden Retrievers, this is because they can have short legs in proportion to their body and a tendency to become overweight.
Some of the conditions Golden Retrievers are more prone to developing include:
What Is The History Of Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers originated in Scotland around the 1830s Lord Tweedmouth brought them into being for hunting. And although these dogs are excellent hunting dogs, their sweet and gentle attitudes make them more fit for the home.
In 1903, the UK Kennel Club registered them as flat coats, yellow-golden dogs in KC Golden Retriever history. Similarly, in 1938 the American Kennel Club registered Golden Retrievers in AKC Golden Retriever history. Today, Golden Retrievers are the fourth most popular breed in the USA.
Finding A Golden Retriever Breeder
The first step is to do your research. Sadly, there are many puppy mills posing as reputable breeders along with plenty of online scams. Be aware, and reach out to different online forums for conversations about getting your future furry family member.
Be sure to ask questions, make arrangements to meet the parent dogs or mother, and follow your gut. If something seems wrong at a breeder you visit, or the golden retriever puppy seems too good to be true, theres likely something sketchy going on. The AKC also offers resources for finding a breeder, with fairly strict guidelines on who they let participate.
They Are Playful And Loving
This breed of dog loves to love their humans. They enjoy cuddling, and as mentioned before, they love to play. Since they were made to hunt birds, games of fetch are their favorite and one of the best ways to satisfy that instinct.
They keep their playfulness well into adulthood. The energy they have when they play is similar to a puppy. Theyll love playing any games you are able to teach them.
Are Golden Retrievers Hard To Train
Golden Retrievers are extremely easy to train and comes fourth in The Intelligence of Dogs by Stanley Coren. They are one of the brightest dogs ranked by obedience command trainability. A combination of intelligence, biddability, and physical skill make Golden one of the go-to breeds for service work.
Golden Retrievers Love Other Animals
Golden retrievers arent just social with humans, but also with other animals. Theyre known for their gentle mouth, which makes them infamous for picking up smaller animals in their mouths without hurting them.
There are stories of golden retrievers picking up kittens, puppies, turtles, hamsters, and every other small animal with a gentle golden mouth. Theyre known to never hurt another animal, as theyre very careful.
Golden retrievers also love to play with other dogs. Theyre very social dogs, especially if theyre allowed to socialize as a young dog and puppy. If you get the chance, make sure your golden retriever can go out and make friends.
Golden retrievers work well in multi-animal households. They arent known as heavily prey driven, meaning they rarely try to chase or harm smaller animals. Even if they do, theyre so trainable you should have very little to no fear when adding a golden retriever to your pets.
Needs Enough Time And Attention
Golden Retrievers need more exercise to keep in shape. You need to spend more time in their care and maintenance. And they continuously seek human attention, and you need to supervise them 24/7.
Are you planning to own a Golden Retriever?
If yes. Are you well prepared for welcoming a pet?
Will you be able to cope with these problems?
Training And Exercising Golden Retrievers
Golden Retrievers love a mental and physical challenge. Therefore, they are easily trained and can do very well in dog shows. Additionally, Golden Retrievers make great service and therapy dogs.
Golden Retrievers love to please and are sensitive to harsh training. As such, always show patience and kindness to these big softies.
Golden Retriever Is Smart And Intelligent
The Golden Retrievers cope up well with the training. They are intelligent thus, a fast learner. They are easy to train. Therefore, you can avoid dangerous situations between kid and pet with just some commands. They are obedient to you and immediately back out when they see you commanding. And, also service training can save you and your kid from different critical situations.
Hence, Golden Retriever is best for kids.
Now, you may be wondering how to train the Golden Retriever?
If you have trained them earlier, was it effective?
Golden Retrievers Are A Great Size
Golden retrievers arent incredibly tall dogs, usually around two feet at the shoulder. If you think your dog is significantly taller than that, think about how high they may hold their head. The taller they hold their head, the taller they look!
Theyre also only a rough 70 pounds or less, when healthy and in shape. I know that I know a lot of golden retrievers heavier than that, but thats just from extra love in the form of food. Theyre heavily made up of muscle and fluff, making them both athletic and cuddly.
Theyre big enough to help with rescue teams. Because of how comfortable in water most golden retrievers are, they can be a great help to people who are drowning or in a different water-related emergency. Theyre also used by other rescue teams.
Golden retrievers are strong dogs, especially for their size. Most of their weight is a muscle, which means they can be very slim dogs.
In rescue situations, golden retrievers can go places humans wont fit. Theyre strong enough that some have been trained to rescue injured or disabled people by dragging them out.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing your goldie is what size of kennel theyll need. Check out this article on The Happy Puppy Site on golden retriever sizes.
They Are Not Noise Makers
Remember that we say golden retrievers are peerless. That is because other dogs can be loyal and intelligent too, but they are rarely quiet.
Unlike the noisemakers, golden retrievers are gentle and rarely bark. They wont form nuisances and disturb public peace to show their loyalty to you.
So, does that mean golden retrievers dont bark?
No! The golden furries bark, but only to notify you of a strangers presence. And even then, the bark is almost like a low growl. Put simply, you have a peaceful, lovable, and friendly pet that hates noise just as much as you.
Another thing similar to barking is what complements it: biting. Fortunately, golden retrievers dont do that. If at all there are cases of a bite, those would be insignificant.
So, what do you think? Still, think golden retrievers are not the best dogs?
We doubt that. And if youre not yet convinced, you only have to get a golden retriever and confirm what we explained. We hope you do!
Charles Withrow
Golden Retrievers Are Forever Young
When humans grow old, we try to wake up every day and enjoy each minute as a blessing. We live life to the fullest by being young at heart, but did you know that golden retrievers have the exact same mindset their entire lives?
Goldies are praised for being fun and playful for the vast majority of their time on Earth. With a lifespan of 10 to 12 years, most senior goldies retain their youthful charm. They show lots of energy and happiness when they are outdoors. Their once golden fur does fade into a greyish white when they grow old, and they can even lose their hearing as well. But one things for sure: golden retrievers will never lose their vibrant and high-spirited personality!
There is absolutely no denying that golden retrievers are a popular canine breed for first-time dog owners or for humans in need of emotional support. They are kind, loyal, and able to provide unconditional love their entire lives and these dog personality traits are ideal to make every home a little happier.
Theyre Always In The Action
One thing youll notice about golden retrievers is that they dont like to be left out of the action one little bit.
If youre at home doing something, the chances are that your dog wants to be doing it, too. Even if the thing that youre doing is trying to take a bathroom break, unfortunately.
Out and about, they want to get involved with everything thats going on, whether that means making a new dog pal or splashing their way through the muddiest puddles they can find.
Receptive And Open To New Ideas
Golden Retrievers are always open to new ideas, new places, and new people. This makes them excited to go with you wherever you go and meet whomever youre going to meet. They are just always onboard with whatever is on your mind.
This receptiveness makes them seem like they are always happy to do whatever, which is true. Goldens are always willing to do whatever as long as it includes spending more time with you, which is what matters to them at the end of the day.
There’s An App For That
If you aren’t looking for in-person human help, there are a ton of apps out there for both mobile operating systems to help you with your fitness goals.
Not only do many of them have the functionality to track calories and macros, but many of them also have social integration. This can let you get support and encouragement from others on your socials or who you connect with within the app.
Golden Retrievers Are One Of The Gentlest Dogs
Everyone has seen the videos on the internet of peoples golden retrievers carrying an egg around in their mouths.
This is because golden retrievers are known for their gentle mouths. Golden retrievers all seem to have an innate habit of being very gentle with their mouths when necessary.
This probably is because of how they used to be gun dogs and had to fetch waterfowl. The hunter wouldnt want the destroyed game, so the golden retriever was trained and bred to know to be very gentle when carrying fowl back to its master.
Golden retrievers arent carrying fowl around anymore, but because of their innate restraint against applying bite pressure, you can trust them around not only your friends but children too. Theyre known to be very gentle and careful around children, making sure not to be mouthy or bite.
If you havent seen the golden retriever with an egg in its mouth, you have to check it out. Its the best example of a golden retrievers gentleness. Check it out here:
What Are The Benefits Of Golden Retrievers In Pairs
Even though there are no scientific studies that state that Golden Retrievers are better in pairs, there are people who think that its better for your Golden Retriever to have another Golden Retriever buddy or partner.
It does not necessarily have to be a Golden Retriever, though. You can adopt another dog so that yours wont feel lonely. Having another dog in the house will help ease the separation anxiety of your Golden Retriever. However, the dog in question should also have the same level of friendliness and playfulness as a Golden Retriever. Otherwise, the dog that you adopt may just end up being annoyed or aggressive towards your Golden Retriever.
It does not matter what gender your second Golden Retriever is. Two male or two female Golden Retrievers will keep each other company while youre away at work or if your kids are at school. There are a bunch of other benefits to having Golden Retrievers in pairs. These benefits will improve your lifestyle. It will also improve the lifestyle of your Golden Retriever and take away their social anxiety. However, keep in mind that there are also drawbacks to having more than one Golden Retriever in your household. Later on, I will also discuss the drawbacks of having two Golden Retrievers.
For now, let me share the benefits with you.
Golden Retrievers In Famous Movies
Theres a lot of dog movies, and an overwhelming majority of them star golden retrievers. After all, who doesnt love a big, golden fluff ball on screen? Heres some youve probably seen.
- TheAir Bud series by Disney. Who could forget a golden retriever who can play basketball? Furthermore, who doesnt love to watch golden retrievers conquer every sport? There was a total of five in this series.
- TheAir Buddies series also by Disney. This is a spin-off of Air Bud, following his puppies and their adventures. These were direct-to-video movies, but still considered classics to fans of golden retrievers.
- The Santa Pawsmovies, again by Disney and starring Buddys puppies from the original Air Bud These are Christmas specials.
- Homeward Bound: The IncredibleStory and the sequel, Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco by Disney are two movies about pets on a journey to find their owners, starring a golden retriever, tabby cat, and bulldog.
Theres also a multitude of movies not starring golden retrievers, but with plenty of them cast in the movie.
Golden Retrievers In Television Shows
While there arent any popular TV shows primarily about a golden retriever, theres a lot with golden retrievers featured prominently. Here are a few of them.
- Comet from Full House. Full House is an iconic sitcom about a dad, his best friend, and brother-in-law raising three girls after their mom passes away. Comet is the family dog, featured predominantly through the show though the dad isnt too sure about a dog at first.
- Speedy from The Drew Carey Show, another sitcom. Speedy is Drews dog, playing on the trope of a typical everyman who has the traditional doggy best friend of a golden retriever.
- While Vincent from Lostisnt a full golden retriever, hes a lab and golden retriever mix. Vincent is the only confirmed survivor of the island theyre all stranded on in the series. Of course, the writers had to make sure watchers knew Vincent was okay.
Just as with movies, there are many more shows with golden retrievers than on this little list. However, if youre craving a golden retriever in a show, heres a place to start.
Bred To Be Perfect Companions
Golden Retrievers were bred to be the perfect companion dogs. Most sources claim that the dogs were bred by Lord Tweedmouth, while other, more recent sources, tell other stories.
But despite those conflicts, all sources agree that golden retrievers were bred by people who had hunting as their main activity.
Its easy to understand so much about Golden Retrievers when you know why they were bred. What does a hunter look for in a dog?
Friendly
It was normal for a group of nobles to go on hunting trips together, and the perfect dog in these trips is the friendly dog who wont bite a noble and gets you in trouble.
This trait has carried on with golden retrievers until today. Goldens are very friendly with strangers and they always assume these strangers are friends.
Humans love friendly animals, and we started caring for and breeding the friendliest golden retrievers more than the not-very-friendly goldens, so the friendliness genes were amplified.
This kind of selective breeding over the last two centuries is one of the main reasons why golden retrievers are so friendly and loved by millions around the globe in the modern world.
Gets along with dogs and other animals
The other nobles will have their dogs with them on these hunting trips as well, so your dog needs to be able to get along well with these other dogs. No dog fights can take place on these hunting trips, and so, the golden retriever was bred to be friendly with other dogs as well.
A Good swimmer
Mostly Quiet