Golden Retrievers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find about Golden Retriever temperament, personality, and behavior.

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Golden Retriever Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010

The Golden Retriever's kindly expression says it all. This is one of the finest family dogs in the world: cheerful, demonstrative, trustworthy, and forgiving of mistakes.

If you give him two brisk walks each day, play frequent fetch games, and take him out for a run once a week, he is adaptable to almost any lifestyle.

Friendly with everyone (human and otherwise), his bark is welcoming rather than protective.

You must control his tendency to chew on objects and to mouth your hands -- provide a box filled with toys so he can carry things around in his mouth.

A Golden Retriever remains enthusiastically puppy-like for many years, so early obedience training is required to instill calmness and good manners.

Eager to please and wonderfully responsive, he is nonetheless distracted by exciting sights and sounds, so you must be both patient and persistent.

The mind and heart of a Golden is sweet and gentle, but his body is robust -- until he's taught not to pull on the leash, you'll need good biceps to walk him.

If you want a dog who...

Is large, athletic, and natural-looking Has a pretty feathered coat Has a cheerful, tail-wagging nature Thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities Is steady-tempered and dependable with everyone Is peaceful with other animals Is eager to please and very responsive to training A Golden Retriever may be right for you.

If you don't want to deal with...

• Providing a goodly amount of exercise
• Exuberant jumping, especially when young
• Mouthiness -- chewing on things, carrying things around
• Regular brushing and combing to avoid mats and tangles
• Heavy shedding
• A distinctive doggy odor
• Concerns about a multitude of serious health problems

A Golden Retriever may not be right for you.

If I were considering buying or adopting a Golden Retriever

My major concerns would be:

1. Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Golden Retrievers MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by becoming destructive. Bored Goldens can make a shambles of your house and yard.
2. Bounciness. Young Golden Retrievers (up to two or three years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people who are not steady on their feet. If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, consider adopting an adult Golden Retriever from a rescue group. Adults have a more settled temperament and you can specifically look for a calmer one.
   
   
   To learn more about training Golden Retrievers to be calm and well-behaved, consider my dog training book,
   Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.
   
   It's a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will make your Golden Retriever the smartest, most well-behaved companion you've ever had.
   
   Teaches your dog to listen to you, to pay attention to you, and to do whatever you ask him to do.
   
   
3. Shedding and doggy odor. Golden Retrievers have a strong doggy odor and shed heavily. Their hairs come off on your hands and clothing when you pet them. Be prepared for vacuuming.



4. Finding a healthy one. From joint and bone problems, to eye diseases, to heart disease, to epilepsy and cancer, Golden Retrievers are, unfortunately, one of the riskiest breeds in terms of long-term health.
   
   My dog buying guide, How To Buy a Good Dog, will teach you everything you need to know about finding a healthy Golden Retriever puppy. Health problems have become so widespread in dogs today that this book is required reading for ANYONE who is thinking of getting a purebred, crossbred, or mixed breed dog.
   
   

   If you'd like to consult with me personally about whether a Golden Retriever might be a good dog breed for your family, I offer a Dog Breed Consulting Service.

   
   Once you have your Golden Retriever home, you need to KEEP him healthy -- or if he's having any current health problems, you need to get him back on the road to good health.
   
   My dog health care book, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy is the book you need. Raise your dog the right way and you will be helping him live a longer, healthier life while avoiding health problems and unnecessary veterinary expenses.

Please consider adopting an ADULT Golden Retriever...

When you're acquiring a Golden Retriever PUPPY, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important.

But when you acquire an adult dog, you're acquiring what he already IS and you can decide whether he is the right dog for you based on that reality. There are plenty of adult Golden Retrievers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics that are "typical" for their breed. If you find such an adult dog, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you. Just be happy that you found an atypical individual -- and enjoy!

Save a life. Adopt a dog.

Adopting a Dog From a Dog Breed Rescue Group

Adopting a Dog From the Animal Shelter