Dog Breed - The Golden Retriever

Ranked #2 in Dogs

The Golden Retriever. Learn about this beautiful dog's temperament, exercise needs, health and appearance.

These sweet natured dogs are considered one of the best all round canines in the world, and not without reason. They are so adaptable, intelligent and responsive to training that they have been used worldwide for various jobs. Golden Retrievers make excellent guide dogs, assistance dogs for the handicapped, therapy workers, hunting companions, search and rescue dogs and most of all, fantastic companions.

Golden Retrievers are energetic fun loving dogs. They are best suited for an active family or person, who enjoys the outdoors and has at least a little experience with dogs. They are affectionate and extremely friendly to almost everyone they meet. They are so amiable they really cannot be counted as good guard dogs.

With early training and daily mental and physical activity, they fit well in to city life, as they are quiet and well manned. However, when owners do not keep up to their needs they can become rather high strung and rowdy and even a bit of a troublemaker. Usually their biggest sins are those of enthusiasm, such as jumping up, pulling on their lead and being easily distracted.

Overall, Golden Retrievers are an excellent breed. As long as owners are as dedicated as they are, they will be amazing friends and companions. One who will be more than happy to go anywhere and do anything with their family. Truly blessed is the family with a Golden Retriever.

CHILDREN: Golden Retrievers are renowned for their patience and kindness with children and are an excellent choice for a family.

OTHER ANIMALS: Golden Retrievers are so sweet and kind that they are not only good with other animals, they are known for being one of the best surrogate mothers around. They not only adopt puppies in need but also the young of other species.

EXERCISE: Although they are seen today mainly as family companions, they were once used as gun dogs and retrieving is in their blood. They are tireless workers, possess a great endurance and will. They do best with at least an hour or two of activity daily, preferably with some time for swimming. They make excellent jogging, rollerblading or bicycling companions and will enjoy going camping, hiking, fishing and swimming. They also do extremely well in obedience and agility trials and can happily participate in scent hurdles, retrieving trials and conformation shows. They can be trained to do search and rescue work and of course excel at both therapy work and being a hunters companions.

HEALTH: Like most very popular breeds, Golden Retrievers suffer from bad breeding and many health problems. People looking to add a Golden Retriever into their home should pick their breeder carefully. Look for a breeder that does all the necessary health tests and offers a guarantee. Hip dysphasia, PRA, cataracts, heart problems, von Willebrand’s disease, skin conditions, epilepsy, eyelid/eyelash/retinal abnormalities, allergies and cancer are all common ailments. Like many breeds, cancer is the biggest cause of death for Golden Retrievers. Their average life span is 12-15 years.

APPEARANCE/COAT CARE: Golden Retrievers have a dense water repellent coat, which comes in dark red, medium golden or light cream. They shed heavily and should be brushed at least twice a week. They measure 20-24 inches at their withers and weigh between 60-80 pounds.