Golden Retrivers

[ilovedogs]

Anyone have a Golden Retriver beacause I want to see how they are and how they act because I MIGHT get one in the Future.

[Rivsky]

My grandparents have had 2.

The first one (Jessie) was a beautiful girl - everytime I went to visit her she was like my shadow!! She LOVED to be with people and liked to talk back to us - was also a bit on the bossy side. Unfortunately she died unexpectedly when going under for an operation but she was a truly gorgeous girl.

Their current GR is a bit special (to put it nicely). She gets WAY over excited when visitors come over - very vocal and often pees as well. She isn't really terribly bright either (unlike Jessie was). However she is a BIG people person and only goes outside when nature calls - otherwise she is following my grandparents around the house.

If you are getting a GR and it's going to be inside (which I think they need to be) be prepared for the hair - it is EVERYWHERE!!!

If you want to know anything else let me know (I spent heaps of time with Jessie and still frequently see their current GR).

[RedWolf]

I have a Golden. She's always been a very calm and laid back dog, but she also can be very active if I want to do something active. When we're at home she is happy to just 'hang out' around the house but she also LOVES going out and doing active things.
Not all Goldens are like this though, many are very high-energy and need a LOT of exercise to not be a nut at home...

[ginastags2315]

I have a golden mixed with a little bit of lab, and my first dog was a golden. They're very smart... the one I have now, Muffin, learns commands in only 1 or 2 days. They're very active and need a lot of exercise. Muffin needs a lot of companionship too... she follows me around all day, and has to have someone to play with.
But that's just Muffin... they're all different.

[StephanieandTeddy]

Like with a lot of other breeds, the Golden Retriever has been overbred due to their popularity...I don't want to say "ruined"...but it is crucial to get one from a proper COE breeder and not a BYB. (and there are A LOT out there!)
That said, the Goldens are so popular for a reason. They are beautiful, affable, intelligent dogs...close to perfect!
Be prepared for hair and dirt in your home...since they love the water and mud and sand and grit and poop...and...and......(well, you get the picture)
I have one lying at my feet right now (I'm housesitting)...she is 12 years old and still goes for 3 hours of walks daily...She is a fabulous dog!
You can't really go wrong with a Golden. Be sure and meet the parents of the puppy as well...(or research their lines)that will give you an idea of what your pup will look like as an adult. (and some of the personality)

[IceyBlueSibes]

Originally Posted by StephanieandTeddy

Like with a lot of other breeds, the Golden Retriever has been overbred due to their popularity...I don't want to say "ruined"...but it is crucial to get one from a proper COE breeder and not a BYB. (and there are A LOT out there!)
That said, the Goldens are so popular for a reason. They are beautiful, affable, intelligent dogs...close to perfect!
Be prepared for hair and dirt in your home...since they love the water and mud and sand and grit and poop...and...and......(well, you get the picture)
I have one lying at my feet right now (I'm housesitting)...she is 12 years old and still goes for 3 hours of walks daily...She is a fabulous dog!
You can't really go wrong with a Golden. Be sure and meet the parents of the puppy as well...(or research their lines)that will give you an idea of what your pup will look like as an adult. (and some of the personality)

I think they seem to be a lot like lab breeders. The goldens at work range from a monstorous size (almost as big as a St. Bernard), or a very small, skiny dog with shorter hair. There's one at work that doesn't really look much like a golden. Her fur is short, but curls on the back, her nose is extremely pointy (almost like a dobie facial structure). She's said to be a purebred, but that's when breeding dogs to the proper standard comes in.

I had a GR/ChowChow mix. She looked just like a golden, with slightly thicker fur (she had a thick undercoat). She acted exactly like a golden, but had a slight bit of protectiveness to her from the chowchow. She was such a great dog. She was my childhood buddy. She lived a wonderful 14 years with us, after spending the first few months of her life being locked in the garage for hours, and running behind a truck until her tounge bled.

[keekers]

we have a golden & she is so funny, cuddly, & a sweet loyal dog.. we researched different breeds for a year thinking what we really wanted & our main thing was gentle with kids, good temperment,friendly with everyone & they really are. (as our other dog a mutt wasnt, but i am sure part of it was our lack of training/socialization too as we were young & didnt have a clue.) the activity level of our golden is high energy (granted she is 9 m though), loves to run & play (yes in the mud as another poster said). if you want a laid back dog who lounges all day, i would def make sure the parents were this way. they are very easy to train & really want to learn. she has had her typical puppy naughty moments but all dogs do. only cons would be the dirt because they love to get slopped up in the rain/mud, whatever esp now in spring with everything melting.

[Vanilla]

I have met several goldens around here,they are quite popular.There is also the local "Golden Retriever Club".Anyway every goldie I have met was high energy and sweet.I have met a few laid back ones,but they were older.

[Aria]

Goldens ARE high energy, even though they aren't up with aussies.

they are typically laid back inside, but outside and you'll find your calm golden has morphed into a large, rambunctious, speed devil.

They are quick learners, and do well on clicker training.

[anaconda]

I have a golden called Finn, he's a year and a half old and he's as mad as a hatter. He's great with people and dogs, loves everyone and would probably run off with them too. Complete coward, afraid of all dogs from Alsatians to Yorkies; afraid of dustbins, vacuum cleaners, lorries, friendly dogs, unfriendly dogs, shadows, big flies and his food if it's in a bad mood.

Madly energetic part of the time, sleeps through everything else. He gets a five or ten minutes walk in the early morning at indecent hours, two long walks (1h/2h) in the morning and afternoon, and twenty or half an hour minute walks in the evening. This means that when we're at home he sleeps and lazes around and gets tripped over; he has short bursts of activity which are easily solved with a toy when we feel like playing with him and something to tear up when we don't.

Finn will eat everything and anything, except maybe spinach. In the street he stuffs himself full of aluminium foil and Kleenex, though now I've taught him to drop them on order.

He's in love with the whole world. You can't go wrong with one like him.

[DahliaBelle526]

I love Goldens. My moms friend had one and she was a wonderful dog. Very loving, and just incredibly smart.

[very_vizsla]

for some reason, three of my friends all got golden puppies @ the same time. two of them are very well bred dogs from reputable breeders & one is from a 'backyard' breeder. not very well bred at all, it looks more like a blonde border collie. i know that these dogs are very popular with families, but i'm not a huge fan. they are very hairy, so during the spring & fall there is a lot of hair to deal with & i don't find them very smart. they also seem to have a lot of giant breed problems even though they are not considered giant breed. the breed seems to gain weight pretty quickly if you don't keep an eye on them & they get 'old' pretty quickly. i don't mean to 'bash' goldens, it's just the way i feel about the breed.

[Cherokee]

I have two Goldens, and I will say they are the best overall breed of dog their is, by far. They can be trained for a number of things, but also have a good temper to be an excellent family dog. My one golden, Levi...is very very layed back and calm. My other golden, Keiko has quite a bit more energy. So there can be a wide variety of personalities in the breed.

[Camz]

Well, I guess it's like this: as with any other breed, you have to get one from a good breeder, or at least one from a rescue.

I've met some really nasty golden retrievers. I've met ones that are terrified of everything and everyone.

I've met some that are extremely hyper. I've met some that aren't intelligent.

Most of these I have met in the pound, dropped off by their owners because of a variety of reasons. Usually because they were too difficult, and their owners were expecting a wonder dog like "Air Bud" or something.

Then again, I've met some beautiful and brilliant ones, usually at shows or at agility events at shows. Today, you can't count on a golden to be a good dog. Back yard breeding has really destroyed this breed, IMHO.

If you do get one, don't count on it to be a "perfect" dog. It's still a dog that has to be trained, cared for, disciplined and loved.

BTW- to the above poster: I don't think theere is a best all around breed. I think that different breeds are good and best at different things. It's all about finding what works with YOU as a person or a family and then going about making it happen in the right way.

[DahliaBelle526]

I never thought I'd get a Golden Retriever but I did end up with a mix and she's smart as a whip. She's not too hyper of a puppy. Dahlia (my Lhasa mix) is the most hyper of all 3 of my dogs. LOL. Chloe is extremely good natured- she loves to sit on my lap(won't be so fun when she's 45-50 lbs! lol)