Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me? Let’s Find Out!

Goldens are soft, caring, loyal, and generally make a great family pet. They’re the outgoing “people” dogs. We kindly name them “Velcro dogs” since they like to be near to their humans whenever possible. They’re usually next to you, on top of you, or lying at (or on) your bottom. Most of them will follow you adoringly from room to room. Since they love to be with their owners, the Goldens usually don’t make good outdoor dogs; they are indoor companions. Goldens left as outside dogs may become depressed, neurotic, and destructive. Consider your lifestyle and household schedule—If you fly regularly, work long hours, have little time to give love, affection, and exercise to the Golden, you may be better off choosing a different breed. Is a golden retriever right for me? Find out here.

Golden Retriever: Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me? 

Golden retrievers are smart, loyal dogs, perfect family companions. With their friendly disposition, sparkling coats, and beautiful smiles, they are considered one of the most common breeds in America. Read more about living with these guys-pleasing pups.

The Golden Retriever is one of the most common breeds of dogs in the U.S.—for a good reason. At the same time, they are great family pets—thanks to their friendly, tolerant attitude—and competent, intelligent working dogs. These robust, medium-sized dogs grow to about 55–75 pounds and normally live to about 10–12 years of age. Outgoing, trustworthy, eager-to-please, and easy-to-train families are particularly popular with young children. Goldens also retain their fun-loving puppy personalities and their signature adult smile.

In a part of the sports dog category, golden retrievers are active dogs who need at least an hour of physical exercise. They live up to their name; they love to recover everything thrown at them. This makes them excellent hunting partners and trained service dogs. They love to feed, run, spend time with their parents, and even participate in obedience and agility competitions.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Appearance

Adult male golden retrievers grow to 65–75 pounds, while females are 55–65 pounds. Its color varies from light golden to cream and dark golden to golden, and its physicality can vary from wide and thick to leaner and more sporty. According to the AKC standards, the goldens walk with a fast, strong gait, and the feathery tail is borne, as the breed fans claim, with a “merry action.”

Golden retrievers also shed a lot, so they need daily grooming. Their outer coat is thick, and water repelled thanks to their breeding as hunting and waterfowl-retrieving dogs in the Scottish Highlands. They have a thick undercoat, too. Their coats can vary in texture from wavy to straight. Strong feathering occurs on the chest, backs of the legs, and tail.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Temperament

Generally, the golden retrievers are outgoing, playful, and gentle. They are polite, intelligent, and devoted, too. Golden retrievers are unique, and they’re the ultimate family dog. From a personality standpoint, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a more caring, outgoing, eager-to-please companion. They’re great for playing with children in the backyard early in their lives. When they grow older, most of the golden retrievers become docile and cool.

Bred, to work with the retrievers, the goldens have a lot of energy and need a lot of action. They’re ideally suited to active lifestyle owners, and they thrive in a home where someone spends time with them during the day. They don’t do well when they go home independently; they love their people so much.

Since goldens have been bred to work with humans, they are willing to please their owners and enjoy getting a job to do, including retrieving a newspaper or waking up children. Their cheerful disposition also catches the attention of others when you’re out and about—goldens get along well with strangers and other pets. Though not considered good guard dogs—they will be more likely to show an intruder where the rewards are then to give an intruder—golden retrievers are outstanding service dogs because of their loyalty, intelligence, and stable temperament.

Golden retrievers are delighted to have other animal friends in their house and will accept and play with the family cat when given a chance.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Living Needs

A golden retriever likes to live close to the ones he loves most. They see themselves as part of the family, and they need to be handled as such. Luckily, the goldens are not disturbed by noise, commotion, and movement, making them very forgiving of children. Golden retrievers also take a merrier attitude to have other pets at home. With proper introductions and instruction, golds can be trusted with other dogs, cats, rabbits, and other species. A golden retriever will do well to rule over a wide fenced-in yard, so if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space or live in an apartment, make sure you get your golden outside regularly.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Care

Anyone considering getting a golden retriever should know they’re going to get a faithful friend, but one who’s going to shed—a lot of it. Owners can get used to having a decent amount of dog hair on clothes and furniture in their homes. They have a dense, water-repellent double coat that develops moderately in the winter and summer and heavily in the spring and fall. However, if you brush your gold regularly, you can stop tangling and remove any dead hair until it covers anything in sight. Baths can also aid and are recommended around once a month. Just make sure the gold is dry before the brushing starts.

Golden retrievers may also need their nails to be clipped only once or twice a month. A good indication of when they need to be trimmed is when you can hear them click on the concrete. Teeth should be brushed at least two to three times a week. The ear checks are also important; the golden ears are folded, creating an atmosphere that promotes bacteria and fungi’ growth. Look for redness or a foul smell, and simply wipe the outer ear with a cotton ball dampened with a smooth, pH-balanced ear cleaner to avoid infections.

Exercise is an important part of the day of the Golden Retriever. At least one hour a day of intensive exercise is required, even if this occurs during various outings or playtimes during the day. Goldens can be taken on long walks, bike rides, hikes, and swims. They also enjoy hunting trips, field trials, and other canine activities such as agility, obedience, and tracking.

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A golden one who doesn’t get enough exercise is likely to display unhealthy habits like digging and chewing. Mental challenges, such as learning tricks and playing puzzle games, also appeal to gold but can never replace physical exercise. Take it easy to exercise in the golden retriever’s first two years of life, as their growth plates are still forming. Don’t go for long, strenuous walks or hikes until the dog is fully grown, and always prefer grass over concrete.

Early socialization and puppy training classes are critical for golden retrievers. Puppies should be exposed to a wide range of people, places, and circumstances to help them become well-adjusted in their young lives.

When it comes to feeding time, owners need to help golden retrievers control their intake; they appear to become overweight. Food should be weighed and given twice a day instead of leaving food out all the time. Dog treatments should be provided in moderation. If you don’t know if your golden retriever is overweight, give him an eye exam and a hands-on test. 

First of all, look down at him. You’re going to be able to see a waist. Then put your hands on your back, your thumbs on your spine, your fingers spread down. Without having to push hard, you should be able to feel but not see his ribs. If you can’t, you probably need less food and more exercise. Speak to your vet about the right course of action.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Requirements For Activity Level And Exercise

Goldens are a sporting breed and require daily exercise, and this is most pronounced during puppyhood (up to approximately two years of age). Although most Goldens will adapt to a less active lifestyle once they’re mature and conditioned, puppies and teenagers also have the energy to burn. If an adequate outlet is not created, this energy can be channeled into actions that are disruptive and appear to be “hyperactive.” And even though the puppy is still psychologically young, it can be a strong and powerful dog that can be difficult to control when energy is mounted. Rule to remember: a mentally exhausted puppy is a well-to-do puppy!

Appropriate opportunities for youthful excitement include brisk walks on a lead, fishing, hunting a ball in a protected enclosure, playing dates with known safe dogs, and even obedience, agility, tracking, and field training sessions. Activities such as jogging and biking with a dog are too difficult for a young Golden to grow joints and are not recommended until he is at least 12 months of age. Even then, the dog’s doctor, and probably the hip x-ray obtained to determine the hip’s joint condition, should be consulted before the gradual initiation of this form of operation.

As adults and their elders, Goldens also enjoys daily, vigorous exercise to maintain lean body weight, encourage physical and mental health, and enhance longevity. And because most Goldens do not want to exercise on their own and need their people to accompany them, the advantage is that the whole family will benefit from a dedication to practice their Golden!

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me? Reasons You Should Have One

The Golden Retriever is a high-profile breed, frequently seen in the media and consistently making top 10 lists of famous breeds in many countries. They work retrievers and assist dogs, as well as common family pets. And they’re seen all over the world and are well known and enjoyed by many. But is the Golden Retriever the best dog for you, huh? Are you and your family the best people for the Golden Retriever?

There are some very compelling reasons to want a Golden Retriever.

First of all, it’s an incredibly good-looking breed. Only take a look at the picture above, and we’re sure you’re going to agree with that. They’re great with children, other pets, and other animals. They are trustworthy, willing, and will do their best to please their owners. They’ve got wonderful, mischievous personalities. They love to play, and they always seem to be content. They are highly intelligent and can be conditioned to a very high degree, excelling in disciplines of agility and obedience and being used as assistance dogs.

What’s Wrong With A Golden Retriever?

But as with any big life-changing decision, you’ve got to know the whole story. You need to remember a few realities about the breed that you should be aware of and need to prepare before you know whether you and the Golden are a good match. So let’s ask a couple of questions that you have to answer honestly to see if the Golden Retriever is the right dog for you.

Do You Have Enough Space To Get A Golden Retriever?

The Golden Retriever is a big dog breed. Some are as tall as 25 inches, and some weigh as much as 40KG, And with that happy, shimmering tail meeting with your ornaments and coffee table, they may seem so much bigger!

Do You Have A Room At Your Home?

We’d say if you don’t have enough room in your house, and if you ask yourself a question you probably don’t have, then getting a Golden isn’t a good idea. You’re going to need space for a dog bed, or maybe a big crate, as well as a space for food and water.

They want to be around their family all the time, and this means chasing you around the house, constantly wanting to be by your side, which also means they’re going to be under your feet and in the way’ if you just have a tiny home. And this might be a headache. Ample space in your home is a must!

Have You Got A Wide Enough Yard?

Many people have no garden or yard, some of the greatest Golden owners. Conversely, there are those with large yards and Goldens that don’t get enough exercise. But please don’t think a broad yard is necessary. It’s nice to have a golden one, but it’s not necessary.

What is important is that your Golden is given a decent 1.5 hours or more of exercise in a day. And the Golden One is not going to exercise itself! You need to be out there with them, tossing a fetch, running, playing a tug, not just letting them loose on their own in the yard. They’re probably going to wait by the door begging to get back in with their families.

The perfect scenario would be a good wide fenced off yard where you and your Golden would play and go to the bathroom. But if this isn’t open, as long as you take your Golden out 2 or 3 times a day and exercise it well, don’t be put off if you don’t have a big yard.

Will You Have Enough Time To Exercise The Golden Retriever?

The one and a half hours of exercise we described above? Yeah, it’s every day. The Goldens are a sporting breed with a high degree of activity. So come rain or shine, or after a bad day at work, your Golden will always require 1,5 hours a day to be satisfied.

This is quite a responsibility, and it is something that you need to be completely conscious of and commit to. If you have a large yard, you can get away with a decent couple of 2-hour workout sessions per week, consisting of swimming, hiking, running, or whatever for 45 minutes per day.

But if you don’t do that, your gold will be bored and full of pent-up energy, making them skip around the house and chewing destructively. This is not a golden being naughty. Chewing is a normal relief for bored dogs with no other outlet for their energy.

This Isn’t Just About Time, Do You Have Enough Energy?

And if you have enough time to exercise Golden enough, do you have enough energy? If you’re an outdoor guy who enjoys swimming, biking, hiking, outdoors, and exploring with your dog every day without exception, the Golden Retriever and you’re the right match.

But if you’re a home-style sit, who’d rather kick their feet in front of the TV five days a week or don’t go out in the cold winter months, it’s probably better to get a lower energy breed. Goldens have a great deal of energy and need the owner with the energy levels that fit. Someone who will always fulfill their needs for training, exercise, and play.

Locked up indoors for any amount of time, they will become bored and hyperactive, which is cruel to the Golden, and will undoubtedly end up being just as unkind to your chair legs, shoes, and any other belongings within the scope of their bored mouths and minds.

Could You Financially Afford To Care For A Golden Retriever?

Forgetting the initial investment made for a Golden Retriever with good health and pedigree from a good, responsible breeder, the continuing cost of keeping the Golden Retriever fit and safe for the 12+ years of its life is substantial.

But if the money’s tight, and you’re still struggling to pay your bills, it wouldn’t be smart to get a Golden Retriever or some kind of dog. Either you, your dog or both, may have to suffer from the occasional abandonment of necessities. You’re not allowed to put yourself or a dog in this place.

Do You Care About A Bit Of A Mess In Your Home?

As with other dogs, the Golden Retrievers have a scent of them. A distinctive, unmistakable scent that many people grow to love or at least tolerate, but that’s something you should be conscious of.

Now and then, you should bathe the Golden that helps to minimize the scent temporarily, but you shouldn’t bathe them much as they have natural oils in their coat that keep them safe and waterproof. The stripping of these oils is strongly discouraged.

Also, Golden Retrievers are a long-haired and double-coated breed that shed their undercoat in large clumps and high volume every spring and fall. And the hair was also shed in smaller quantities all year round. So you’re still going to find Golden Hair on your carpets, tables, and in your tomato soup.

But daily grooming will hold this down, and it’s not that bad when you’re used to it. Goldens are such outdoor and active dogs. You will also have to experience dirty, wet, and muddy paw prints in your house on occasion. So, all in all, if you want to keep the squeaky clean at home, you’re going to have your job cut out for you, and this is something to keep in mind.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Goldens And Kids

Goldens has a well-deserved reputation as a good family dog and a great boy. This makes it all the sadder that families who are attracted to Goldens because of small children in the family may often find it difficult to raise a puppy. And why is this happening?

Second, introducing a new puppy to the family is a lot like adding a toddler in terms of the time and attention needed and the commotion that might ensue. For a family that might already have one or more preschoolers, this combination may literally spread the parents’ resources so thin that something needs to be offered. Unfortunately, this may result in not spending the time and effort required to do enough exercise and teach good puppy manners.

Second, a puppy may be excited and puzzled by contact with young children. The puppies instinctively chase, leap, and bite (as they did with their litters), and the noises and gestures that children make will give rise to this usual yet rough behavior of the puppy. The success of the relationship between the puppies and the children depends almost entirely on the parents’ care, and without this, mishaps are bound to occur.

Worst of all, the new puppy constantly misbehaves because it doesn’t get the time, exercise, and training it needs, and it ends up being thrown out of the garage or yard or crate. This causes a tragic cycle in which manners do not change because there is a lack of investment in training the puppy; the puppy continues to grow larger and larger, and therefore takes it away from the family more and more.

Certainly, most Goldens are good with children – but only when parents devote enough time and energy to raise them well.

Is A Golden Retriever Right For Me: Socialization 

Golden puppies grow mentally and physically at a pace that approximately equals one month of a puppy’s life to one year of a child’s life, for the first 24 months. As a result, an 8-week-old puppy moving into a new family is close in abilities and needs (relative to its species!) to a two-year-old toddler.

In this sense, it should be understood that 2-4 months of age is a crucial developmental phase for a puppy. Proper socialization and training during this time will lay the groundwork for a lifetime of relaxed and well-mannered behavior in public and at home. Socialization should involve daily exposure to all circumstances that could be encountered as an adult, including car trips, visitors to your home, neighborhood walks, noisy and unknown locations, bathing and grooming (including nail trimming and ear cleaning), parks and schoolyards, outdoor shopping malls, and so on.

Safely incorporating as many people, dogs, sounds, and interactions as possible during this critical socialization window can show the puppy that the world is a safe and enjoyable place and that there is no reason to get over-excited by routine situations. Puppy training classes (puppy kindergarten) can also be a very helpful part of this method, and qualified teachers can teach owners how to communicate and educate their puppies effectively.

Final Words

Golden Retrievers are consistently one of the most common breeds of dogs in the western world, but they are not suitable for all. Don’t get a Golden if you have a small home. Just keep your home immaculately clean, prefer a sedentary lifestyle, or are short on time or short on money.

It’s important to note that they’ve shed a lot of hair, that they’ve taken a lot of time to exercise, and that they’re a 10 to 15-year commitment this time and your money. This article’s goal was not to speak to you about having a Golden Retriever, but it is a reality check for those who might have only considered the positive side of Golden ownership.

The Goldens are adorable in their looks, their disposition, and their personality. They’re the ultimate pet family, life partners, and friends. But you need to be able to navigate the rough with the smooth.