Living with Golden Retrievers

Golden Retriever – 10 Reasons Why You Should Have One

Golden Retriever – 10 Reasons Why You Should Have One


Golden Retrievers are charming, lovable, and intelligent dogs. Their personality and gentle demeanor make them wonderful pets, or to many pet owners, the perfect family dog. They consider humans as their pack, so they crave for attention and social interaction.


Although they may be some slight differences in individual dogs, in general, Goldens share traits that are characteristic of the breed. To educate prospective owners, we have compiled 10 reasons why you should have a Golden Retriever.





  1. They are simply beautiful.


Golden Retrievers will draw admiration and loving pats from almost everyone they meet. These dogs are famous for their shiny, golden coat. If you are familiar with the breed, you know that other colors exist besides gold. You can find Golden Retrievers with cream, white, red, mahogany, even black coats (although if you want to compete in dog shows, the judges will be looking for a golden coat).


Their smiling faces and beautiful sun-kissed coats are perfect for making movies about dogs. In fact, the Golden had starring roles in two “Homeward Bound” movies. When it comes to charm and good looks, a Golden Retriever will occupy the top spot. Of course, owners of other dogs such as the Maltese, Shih Tzu, Labrador, Siberian Husky (and the list goes on) will probably disagree. However, there is a saying, “to each his own,” so there’s enough room for everybody.


  1. They are very gentle.


Despite being a large dog breed, the Golden Retriever is well-known for being extremely gentle. Goldens are kind, people-oriented, and eager to please their owners. These are the reasons why they are one of the most popular family dogs in the United States.



  1. They love kids.


One of the reasons why Goldens are popular as family dogs is because they are great with kids. They are very docile and comfortable with the presence of children. It is highly unlikely that a Golden will hurt a young child intentionally. However, because of their big size and playfulness, they might accidentally throw your kids off-balanced if they try to jump or cuddle with their young playmates.


To avoid this, you must train them how to behave around children by controlling their excitement. Also, just to be sure, you must supervise interactions between the dog and the children, especially during the first few times (to evaluate how the dog will behave around small kids).


  1. They are playful.


If you are the kind of pet owner who constantly wants to play with your canine companion, then a Golden Retriever is a perfect match for you. Active, sporty, and playful, a Golden would love to play a game of fetch with you. After all, it is a “retriever,” right?


In the early days, Golden Retrievers were used to help hunters retrieve ducks and other game. Hunters liked them because they can control the force of their bite, so the birds did not bear bite marks. Fast forward to the modern era, of course, you won’t expect your Golden to bring you ducks. Playing with balls is more fun anyway!


  1. They get along well with other pets.


Some dogs don’t get along very well with other dogs. But not the Golden Retriever. They are friendly, not only to humans but to other dogs as well. If you have other animals in the house, such as cats or rabbits, they will probably get along with them too (with proper training and socialization). Any pet owner would surely love that – peace and harmony inside the house.


  1. They are good swimmers.


If you are an individual who likes to have some fun in the water, then, you may want a dog that enjoys water activities as much as you do. Most dogs can swim, but only a few are natural-born swimmers.


Golden Retrievers are good swimmers because they were originally intended as sporting dogs, retrieving game birds from ponds, lakes, and streams. That’s good news for people who have swimming pools in their homes. Your Golden can be your swimming companion. And, if you want to go to a beach, your pet can also accompany you while you go surfing or bring him along a relaxing cruise.


  1. They are excellent working dogs.


Because of their gentle disposition, Golden Retrievers are often used as therapy and disability assistance dogs (guide dogs for blind and deaf people). They can also be trained as hunting dogs, detection dogs (drug and bomb sniffing), and search and rescue dogs.


  1. They are intelligent.


The Golden is one of the smartest dogs when it comes to command trainability and obedience. It is recognized as one of the top 5 most intelligent dogs in the world (ranked fourth). So teach them some basic commands and a few dog tricks.


  1. They are sporty.


If you want to showcase the talents and skills of your Golden Retriever, you can compete in dog sports such as obedience, agility, dock jumping, flyball, and field trials. Let’s briefly discuss each one:


  • Obedience – Dogs are trained to follow basic commands such as sit, stay, down, and come. High-level competition within clubs involves additional commands, where performance and accuracy are scored and judged.


  • Agility – The handler guides the dog through an obstacle course in a race for time and accuracy.


  • Dock jumping – Also called dock diving, this is a canine sport wherein dogs jump from a dock to a body of water in a competition for distance or height.


  • Flyball – In this relay sport, teams of four dogs race against each other from the start line, over a series of hurdles, to a box that ejects a tennis ball when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad. They should retrieve the ball, and go back to their handlers while carrying the ball.


  • Field trials – A field trial is a competition in which hunting dogs compete against each other in a test of retrieving skills.


  1. A Golden Retriever is “man’s best friend.”


There are only a few dogs that come close to the Golden Retriever when it comes to being friendly, loyal, gentle, and loving. When you feel down, they will cheer you up with their mere presence. A Golden has an easygoing personality, perfect if you want a pet to hang around with and cuddle. When we speak of the saying “a dog is man’s best friend,” the first thing that comes to mind of many pet owners is a Golden Retriever.




Golden Retrievers are wonderful family pets. They are gentle, friendly, and very sociable. They are so friendly to a fault that they will welcome strangers to your home (so don’t use them as guard dogs). The solution to that predicament is to make sure that all the doors are locked whenever you leave the house.


That aspect notwithstanding, there are so many things to love about the Golden Retriever – their personality, friendly demeanor, and love for humans. After discussing the 10 reasons why you should have a Golden Retriever, you will surely have a better appreciation for this amazing dog breed.








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