Dogs are a great addition to any home and fill a variety of important roles. But not all dogs are suited to every home. Each family and home has certain criteria that must be met to ensure the best home for the dog and the best dog for each family.
Golden Retrievers make wonderful pets but, like all dogs, there are settings and families that are ideal for Goldens, and vice versa. It is very important when choosing any pet to find out as much as you can about the breed you are considering, such as temperament, ability to be trained, and what type of grooming is needed, to ensure the best home for the dog and the best dog for your home.
Golden Retriever History?
The forerunners of the Golden Retriever include the Tweed Water Spaniel (now extinct), the Irish Setter, and several other spaniel breeds. The Golden Retriever was “created” in the 1800’s to be loyal and kind, but energetic, with outstanding retrieval qualities and a love for water, as these dogs were bred for retrieving water fowl. Although the original dogs were medium to dark gold, or copper, in the 1920s, as they became more popular as show dogs, they were bred for lighter colors ranging from cream to gold.
What Kind of Personality Does the Golden Have?
Golden Retrievers make ideal family dogs, known for their loyal and loving natures. Goldens have a moderate energy, making them neither hyper nor lazy. They are highly trainable and make excellent guide dogs. Goldens are very gentle, loving and patient and are good with children overall, but they may be rambunctious and may accidentally knock a small child down, so adult supervision with toddlers is advised.
What Does the Average Golden Look Like?
Golden Retrievers are a medium/large dog with dark brown eyes, short ears and their coats consist of a water resistant undercoat with a wavy top coat and fringed tail. Coat color ranges from cream to dark gold.
Do Golden Retrievers Require a lot of Grooming?
Yes. Goldens will shed year round, and more so in the spring. Golden Retrievers have two coats, a thick undercoat designed to resist water, and a thinner topcoat. It is very important to use an undercoat rake, along with a regular dog brush for the topcoat. The undercoat rake requires more use early in the spring, but after removing all the dead undercoat, a weekly routine brushing with the undercoat rake and regular brush will keep shedding under better control, but even with all that, you will have to deal with a lot of hair around the house, so be advised.
Are Golden Retrievers Easy to Train?
You can expect any dog training to require consistency, patience and time. Fortunately, Golden Retrievers are bred to retrieve and are easier than some other breeds to train, but their fun loving nature sometimes gets in the way. As with any dog, the younger you begin training, the easier it will be. Golden Retrievers love to please, and once they learn just what it is that you require, they will amaze you with their willingness.
What Type of Home is Best?
Although Goldens are loving and gentle, due to their exuberance a home with children over 7 is best. Golden Retrievers are a medium/large dog, so the amount of space in your home is a consideration, since they do best indoors due to their need for human companionship. They also need lots of exercise and will require lots of brushing. Even then there will be a lot of dog hair to clean up, so that can be an issue.
Overall the Golden Retriever makes a great family dog, with a need to please you and be in your company. Adding a Golden to your family can be a wonderful and rewarding experience for all.
Adopt A Purebred Golden
Please consider adopting before purchasing through a breeder. Please avoid purchasing a animal from a pet store. There are plenty of pure bred Golden Retrievers in need of good homes. Click here to search for you a Golden Retriever in need of adoption near you: <Petfinder>
Images: iStock
