Golden Retrievers - pluses and minuses

[D2B]

Hi

My DH is desperate for a golden retriever, it has been a long time comming, but we have stopped travelling and are ready to get a pet. Does anyone have a golden retriever or can share the pluses and minuses of having one. We will both be working, (me part-time) have a primary school age child, one cat and a good sized yard at the moment, but may move somewhere closer to the city later. How many walks etc are needed. we could get a female.

All thoughts and feedback are much appreciated.

pb

 

[bee*]

I''ve always had golden retrievers and Amber, my big baby, is the one in my avatar. For me, the benefits of having a retriever are that they are such family dogs,they get along well with people, especially children. They normally love other dogs as well and are extremely sociable. They''re not yappy, tend to not be too fussy with their diets and usually have a long lifespan.
The negatives are that they are prone to obesity, hip dysplasia and they shed an awful lot. They do require a lot of exercise and when Amber was younger, we used to walk her about three times a day and the rest of the day she''d run around our garden with the other two dogs. Now that she''s 12, she''s walked five small walks per week and then two bigs walks at weekends. It''s so important to try and control their weight too as they will just keep on eating if allowed, and they are especially prone to gaining weight after being neutered. For me, they''re the ideal breed. I''ve grown up with other breeds too but none of them have come close to the retrievers.

 

[Sabine]

I''ve never had one, but growing up my best friend did, and I used to pet sit for them when they went out of town as well. I happen to think Golden Retrievers are GREAT dogs...happy, easygoing, easy to train, lots of energy and fun, great with kids, and honestly, the puppies are probably THE CUTEST puppies ever! I would say that where you are now would be fine, but it might be slightly harder in a city setting because they do have lots of energy and need to PLAY, not just go for walks. He did calm down majorly as he got older though. The only other drawback is just how much hair they have and how much they shed. I remember brushing my friend''s dog, and when we were done we''d have enough hair to make a new dog, and if he wasn''t brushed often, there would be clumps of hair found randomly around the house. And this might have just been their house, but it definitely always smelled like dog there.

 

[justginger]

I grew up with golden retriever sisters and they were fantastic. Great family dogs, they kept each other exercised, and they were always gentle and tolerant of the silly things I would do to them as a child (putting them in nightgowns seemed like a brilliant idea at the time!

). I agree with the shedding though - we didn''t keep our''s well groomed (I would give them a brush maybe twice a week and a haircut when, as a child, I thought it would a good idea), but thankfully they weren''t prone to getting mats. They''d just shed, and yes in spring it would come out in clumps (actually made it easier to clean up though!).

Lovely creatures. I should get some of my old photos scanned in, as I don''t have any on my computer to share.

 

[mayachel]

Date: 7/13/2009 8:03:02 AM
Author: bee*
I''ve always had golden retrievers and Amber, my big baby, is the one in my avatar. For me, the benefits of having a retriever are that they are such family dogs,they get along well with people, especially children. They normally love other dogs as well and are extremely sociable. They''re not yappy, tend to not be too fussy with their diets and usually have a long lifespan.

The negatives are that they are prone to obesity, hip dysplasia and they shed an awful lot. They do require a lot of exercise and when Amber was younger, we used to walk her about three times a day and the rest of the day she''d run around our garden with the other two dogs. Now that she''s 12, she''s walked five small walks per week and then two bigs walks at weekends. It''s so important to try and control their weight too as they will just keep on eating if allowed, and they are especially prone to gaining weight after being neutered. For me, they''re the ideal breed. I''ve grown up with other breeds too but none of them have come close to the retrievers.

*bee said it all. I have grown up with having goldens (rescues!) my whole life and that has brought me through 4 amazing dogs. They are extremely kind, loyal loving, intelligent dogs. They have the gumption of a 2 year old...which means not leaving the steak you are preparing for dinner on the counter...''cause it''s all at nose level...

They do need to be trained because of their size, not to jump up on people, which mine have always loved to do to greet us. Fine for us, not for grandma or company etc...so best that they don''t do it at all.

The hip dysplasia is a bummer, but that is also a symptom of puppy mill breeders and added reason to not support pet shops.

They shed. Be prepared to brush them at least once a week, luckily they often adore any and all attention. (Except our one dog Morgan HATES getting his ears cleaned...but to give you an idea of personality, he runs and hides and then shakes his head alot, not growls and snarls while we do it anyway.)

Golden''s tend to believe that they are part of the family. They "count noses" and miss you when you leave for long periods of time.

Gush Gush Gush...they are amazing dogs and with a bit of luck yours will live healthy long lives. Ours, died at 13 and 14 years. Both times the vet said they were the oldest goldens he''d known. We have two young guys now-well, not that young, they are both about 5 or 6 years old.

 

[neatfreak]

I grew up with goldens and now we have a golden mix. They are GREAT family dogs and I love them to pieces. That being said-they do need a lot of exercise so make sure you are committed to that. And my other big negative-two of the three goldens my family had when I was growing up stunk to high heaven! Even when they were clean their "natural musk" was just really bad. And the shedding-oy vey.

 

[cellososweet]

Goldens are great pets. Loyal, sweet, loving.

The only downsides are: their puppy stage seems to last a bit longer than other dogs (I know that one we had when I was a teenager seemed to be in puppy mode for almost three years). Some of them need training and some of them are well-behaved at puppy-stage, just a little hyper.

The shedding is a little over the top sometimes.

But all in all, I would say it's worth it. My parents have had goldens for 30 years and they are in love.

P.S.- They do tend to live long healthy lives if well taken care of too. Our first golden lived 17 years.

 

[cellososweet]

Date: 7/13/2009 8:47:03 AM
Author: justginger
I grew up with golden retriever sisters and they were fantastic. Great family dogs, they kept each other exercised, and they were always gentle and tolerant of the silly things I would do to them as a child (putting them in nightgowns seemed like a brilliant idea at the time!

). I agree with the shedding though - we didn''t keep our''s well groomed (I would give them a brush maybe twice a week and a haircut when, as a child, I thought it would a good idea), but thankfully they weren''t prone to getting mats. They''d just shed, and yes in spring it would come out in clumps (actually made it easier to clean up though!).

Lovely creatures. I should get some of my old photos scanned in, as I don''t have any on my computer to share.

Oh God! I completely agree. Goldens are fantastic with kids! We used to put a t-shirt and boxer shorts on our golden as a kid. Haha. What a trooper she was.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Just to add to what has already been said - health problems, including hip dysplasia, can be a huge factor in limiting a Golden''s health and longevity. Also of concern is the rage disorder that has been bred into some of them by irresponsible over-breeding because of their popularity.

I can post more detailed information later if you''d like it D2B, but for now, bottom line is: don''t get a golden (or any other very popular breed) unless you can either rescue (save a life - there are always TONS of nice goldens and golden mixes in rescue, and they will have had full evaluations usually) or go through a VERY reputable breeder, otherwise the health and temperament risks are just too great, especially with a child in the house. Otherwise you may forgo all of the wonderful benefits that come with a golden.

 

[Bia]

Only drawback, in my opinion, is the shedding. With my allergies, there is no way.

But, I love golden retrievers and they make the CUTEST puppies ever.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Having just spent the weekend with 6 wonderful goldens, I have to say that I absolutely LOOOOVE them!

Great family dogs, minimal maintenance (compared to my newfoundlands), just such sweethearts.

The biggest problem, I would say, is the fact that they are so popular, which means there are a LOT of bad breeders. Three of the goldens we spent the weekend with came from a Golden Rescue. Two were being fostered and one was a permanent rescue and the owners have spent over $10K in surgeries because of the terrible breeding of the golden. The dog was afflicted with a genetic bone disease that was very hard to overcome, though she''s happy and healthy now. As with any popular breed, you have to be very, very diligent in choosing the breeder, including extensive research and interviews. Golden rescues, from what I know, are very well-organized and popular, so that might be a great avenue as well!

 

[D2B]

Thank you all so much for your replies. The puppy stage whilst cute is a bit of a worry for me - all that energy by the sounds of it!!!!!

Definatley would only want to go with a reputable breeder. looks like lots more research,

AmberGretchen any more info or links would be much appreciated. I have always been a cat person and altough I live the concept of a dog have never had one, so in usual PS style need to research before I feel comfortable.

thanks again

db

excuse the bad typing I have my kitten trying to help me

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

Just wanted to mention that we have a Curly Coated Retriever. She has the personality and lovability of a golden without all the fur to contend it. She has very tight curly black hair. Twice a year she blows her coat which does result in a good amount of fur laying about but almost as quickly as I notice it, she is done sheading.

I am not sure if Curly''s are bred as frequently as golden''s are so I am unaware if there is a high potential for bad breeding due to demand. We adopted ours from a co-worker who bought her from a breeder. The breeder made us go through the same screening process as if we were adopting a puppy - she just didn''t accept payment for Stella. The breeder has kept in contact with us making sure Stella adjusted to her new home and her new parents - so I think we got lucky in that regard. She''s a great dog and her coat is VERY low maintenance - she even dries out quickly.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 7/13/2009 5:11:48 PM
Author: D2B
Thank you all so much for your replies. The puppy stage whilst cute is a bit of a worry for me - all that energy by the sounds of it!!!!!


Definatley would only want to go with a reputable breeder. looks like lots more research,


AmberGretchen any more info or links would be much appreciated. I have always been a cat person and altough I live the concept of a dog have never had one, so in usual PS style need to research before I feel comfortable.


thanks again

db


excuse the bad typing I have my kitten trying to help me

D2B - I think its WONDERFUL that you are trying to educate yourself and be responsible. Goldens are known to have a lot of health issues, and I think you''ll be so glad you did your research before making a decision.

A good place to start would be the Golden Retriever Club of America''s Health Section - this is a good article to get you started, but it looks like they have a TON of good info on that website about Golden-specific health issues.

Another really valuable resource is this website - it has really excellent information about all aspects of dog ownership. I''ve found that the section on choosing the right dog is a fantastic resource - it can really help you think through the pros and cons of getting dogs different ways, and also give you a good idea of what to expect from a good breeder or a good rescue.

Finally, once you''ve decided whether a Golden would be right for you and your family, and whether you want a rescue or one from a reputable breeder (I''d be happy to review any breeders you''re considering, if you want a second opinion), you''ll also want to be prepared for training before you bring the new dog or puppy home. Training is CRUCIAL to the successful introduction and integration of any dog or puppy into your household. So important, I can''t emphasize it enough. Here are some good trainers/websites/resources - its really important to be prepared on this before you bring the new family member home:

Ian Dunbar - FANTASTIC, pioneer of the modern positive reinforcement training model, methods for dealing with common training issues

Patricia McConnell - anotehr pioneer in dog training, really great information - books, pamphlets, etc...all really goodAnd Jean Donaldson - another highly respected trainer, who has some fantastic resources and info on her site

And finally, a link for a good article on why positive dog training is so important (vs. forceful training a la Cesar Milan)

 

[goldenstar]

Date: 7/13/2009 10:16:39 AM
Author: neatfreak
Even when they were clean their 'natural musk' was just really bad. And the shedding-oy vey.

DITTO. I don't think its a good breed for people with allergies. I'm constantly fighting the hair and the doggy smell.

I don't know if its just our golden, but he EATS EVERYTHING! Cleaning rags, socks, balls of string, paper....the list goes on. Most of the time it passes but sometimes he gets really sick and once he had to have a major surgery. This might just be a quirk though.

Its all worth it because he is a total sweetheart.

 

[D2B]

Amber Gretchen thank you so much for your links, will look at them over the next week or so.

A big thank you for everyones replies and personal experiences with golden retrievers, PS is a great website and i appreciate the time feedback everyone has provided.

db