Purebred Dogs vs. Mixed Breed Dogs Which Dog Breed Is Best For You? 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy Advice You Can Trust: 180 Dog Breed Reviews Teach Your Dog 100 English Words Golden Retriever Health Problems

Golden Retrievers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Golden Retriever temperament, personality, and behavior. Golden Retriever Main Page » Golden Retrievers: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em Golden Retriever FAQ Golden Retriever Health Golden Retriever Training Buying or Adopting a Golden Retriever Links My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Golden Retriever, including these excerpts: "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." History The Golden Retriever was developed in England and Scotland as both a land hunter and water retriever. He serves as a responsible guide dog for the blind and is one of the flashiest workers in advanced obedience and agility competition. Size 21-24 inches and 55-75 lbs

Golden Retrievers What's good about 'em What's bad about 'em 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... A careful search to avoid increasingly common bad temperaments Vigorous exercise requirements Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young or not exercised enough "Separation anxiety" (destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much Mouthiness -- carrying and chewing objects, mouthing your hands Regular brushing and combing Heavy shedding A distinctive doggy odor A multitude of serious health problems A Golden Retriever may not be right for you. If I were considering a Golden Retriever... My major concerns would be: Unstable temperaments. Golden Retrievers used to be about the safest breed you could buy in terms of a good-natured temperament, but sadly, this is no longer the case. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants are seeing more and more Golden Retrievers who are painfully shy -- or dominant and aggressive. It's the unfortunate result of popularity that the typically glorious Golden Retriever temperament can no longer be taken for granted. 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. If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog running or hiking or biking or swimming, or to get involved in agility (obstacle course), or advanced obedience, or tracking, or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed. Bounciness. Young Golden Retrievers (up to about three years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Golden Retriever puppies. The temptation to play roughly is simply too great with many young Golden Retrievers. Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Golden Retrievers need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you. Grooming. To keep their feathered coat free of mats, Golden Retrievers require regular brushing and combing, and occasional trimming. Heavy shedding and doggy odor. Golden Retrievers shed a LOT. Their hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, stick tenaciously to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting, and hide under the furniture. Be prepared for vacuuming. Also note that Golden Retrievers have a distinctive "doggy" odor to their skin and coat that some people find offensive. Serious health problems. All retriever breeds are susceptible to joint and bone problems, and eye diseases. Because of overbreeding and poor breeding practices, Golden Retrievers are one of the riskiest breeds of all. To keep this breed healthy, I strongly recommend following all of the advice on my Golden Retriever Health Page. Not all Golden Retrievers are alike! There are energetic Golden Retrieverss, and placid ones. Hard-headed Golden Retrievers, and sweet-natured Goldens. Serious Golden Retrievers, and good-natured goofballs. Introverted Golden Retrievers, and individuals who love everyone. If you acquire a Golden Retriever puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." If you're considering an adult Golden Retriever... There are plenty of adult Golden Retrievers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you. When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS. If you would like to link to this review, here is the HTML code: <a href="http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/goldenretrievers.html">Golden Retrievers: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em</a> Copyright © 2000-2008 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author.