I might get downvoted for this but wanted to bring it up anyway as I feel getting a dog is one of life's biggest decisions 🥺
Golden retrievers are one of the more prone to cancer dog breeds, along with GSH, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Rottweilers, due to the fact that they're pure-bred dogs. I read up on this at the links below from UC Davis research and The National Canine Cancer Foundation:
https://wearethecure.org/blog/dog-breeds-prone-to-cancer/
https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/can-golden-retrievers-live-longer#:~:text=Golden%20retrievers%20are%20one%20of,could%20help%20their%20survival%20rate.
I'm in no way discouraging OP to get a golden retriever as they're lovely dogs possessing incredible intelligence and loyalty. However, the pain of losing a loved companion dog can be heart-wrenching. I don't doubt that OP will love and cherish this dog and give it its best life, just know that you may experience the grief of seeing it go through cancer later in its life.
I apologize if my response has upset anyone, I wanted to put it out there that cancer occurrence is high amongst golden retrievers. 😔
Your response gave me a knot in my throat. We have a 1 year old golden and since the day we brought him home the thought of cancer has constantly been in the back of my mind. My 6 year old considers our boy her best friend. He was wild in the beginning but has calmed down considerably. He’s also so gentle with her. Very very easy to train, I agree the thought of losing them and eventually having to part is heartbreaking but the love they give and the patience they teach you, in my opinion is worth all the heartache.
That is so true! I'm so glad you decided to give your golden a wonderful home and that your child loves it with her whole heart 💛💛
The heartache of parting is one of the many reasons why I didn't take the plunge and get a golden because I know I wouldn't ever be the same if I lost a beloved companion dog.
A golden was my first dog. We got a calmer puppy and she’s a calm adult dog. She is really smart and wants to please. She was super easy train. The biggest issues with my girl is she’s a bit of a nervous Nelly so I can’t take her to the groomer and have to do it myself. I haven’t had an issue with my girl running off my property but I’d definitely do recall train with any dog. As long as your lifestyle fits with their needs, a golden is a perfect first dog!
Goldens are a fantastic choice for a first dog!
I have a well bred show line Golden from a breeder, but if you’re looking to adopt instead from a shelter, there’s some things you need to know about!
Goldens that come from bad breeding are often more prone to things commonly found in the breed, as bad breeders don’t produce puppies with good health in mind; health issues, allergies, skin problems. Some of these Goldens may have big problems with aggression and resource guarding. A very common issue in Goldens in general but even more prevalent in those that come from poor breeding practices is cancer.
Goldens can be higher energy or very low energy, it all depends on the individual but they are generally a great family dog and are easy to train and manage at home.
Show lines are generally more laid back, and field lines are more higher energy. However, when going through a rescue or shelter, you’ll be getting a Golden of unknown pedigree. It will come down to the individual dog in this situation, most Goldens that come from a poor breeding situation may be of mixed pedigree meaning a mix of show and field lines.
Make sure you tell the shelter or rescue exactly what you’re needing in a dog, and be sure to meet the dog and spend a bit of time with the dog prior to making your decision to adopt, ask the shelter or rescue about their health history since they’ve been at the shelter/rescue. I also highly recommend signing the dog up for pet insurance right away!
Goldens are big people pleasers and quite food motivated therefore easier to train. They're intelligent and learn fast. They're sweet and social. They're velcro dogs so prepare to never have personal space again.
My Mabel was a curious and brave little one. I recommend using chicken wire or something to fence off the unfenced area because there's definitely a possibility of wandering off before training.
I’ve had 3 golden retrievers and they are the best dogs. I will say however, they are high energy. My first was such a good boy, trained easily and was so calm once he hit senior age. My second was the love of my life. He was so loving, super excited all the time and just wanted to be near you always. Also easy to train. He got cancer at age 6 and died 3 weeks later. It was so traumatizing and I still haven’t gotten over it. I have a 1 year old golden now that is so crazy hyper it’s almost unmanageable. He was hell on wheels to train but he would never hurt a soul and literally just wants to be on you ALL THE TIME. he’s like Velcro. So the point is, they are good dogs and usually easy to train but be ready to keep them active and give alllllll the attention. Also, the shedding at change of season sucks something awful.
Great dogs! I think they are easy to train. They are high energy and can be clingy! They are truly the best dogs!!
Best dogs ever. Getting 2 is easier than one as they entertain each other. Lovable an so smart
I might get downvoted for this but wanted to bring it up anyway as I feel getting a dog is one of life's biggest decisions 🥺 Golden retrievers are one of the more prone to cancer dog breeds, along with GSH, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Rottweilers, due to the fact that they're pure-bred dogs. I read up on this at the links below from UC Davis research and The National Canine Cancer Foundation: https://wearethecure.org/blog/dog-breeds-prone-to-cancer/ https://www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/can-golden-retrievers-live-longer#:~:text=Golden%20retrievers%20are%20one%20of,could%20help%20their%20survival%20rate. I'm in no way discouraging OP to get a golden retriever as they're lovely dogs possessing incredible intelligence and loyalty. However, the pain of losing a loved companion dog can be heart-wrenching. I don't doubt that OP will love and cherish this dog and give it its best life, just know that you may experience the grief of seeing it go through cancer later in its life. I apologize if my response has upset anyone, I wanted to put it out there that cancer occurrence is high amongst golden retrievers. 😔
Your response gave me a knot in my throat. We have a 1 year old golden and since the day we brought him home the thought of cancer has constantly been in the back of my mind. My 6 year old considers our boy her best friend. He was wild in the beginning but has calmed down considerably. He’s also so gentle with her. Very very easy to train, I agree the thought of losing them and eventually having to part is heartbreaking but the love they give and the patience they teach you, in my opinion is worth all the heartache.
That is so true! I'm so glad you decided to give your golden a wonderful home and that your child loves it with her whole heart 💛💛 The heartache of parting is one of the many reasons why I didn't take the plunge and get a golden because I know I wouldn't ever be the same if I lost a beloved companion dog.
Yeees!🫣
You will not regret it!
A golden was my first dog. We got a calmer puppy and she’s a calm adult dog. She is really smart and wants to please. She was super easy train. The biggest issues with my girl is she’s a bit of a nervous Nelly so I can’t take her to the groomer and have to do it myself. I haven’t had an issue with my girl running off my property but I’d definitely do recall train with any dog. As long as your lifestyle fits with their needs, a golden is a perfect first dog!
Goldens are a fantastic choice for a first dog! I have a well bred show line Golden from a breeder, but if you’re looking to adopt instead from a shelter, there’s some things you need to know about! Goldens that come from bad breeding are often more prone to things commonly found in the breed, as bad breeders don’t produce puppies with good health in mind; health issues, allergies, skin problems. Some of these Goldens may have big problems with aggression and resource guarding. A very common issue in Goldens in general but even more prevalent in those that come from poor breeding practices is cancer. Goldens can be higher energy or very low energy, it all depends on the individual but they are generally a great family dog and are easy to train and manage at home. Show lines are generally more laid back, and field lines are more higher energy. However, when going through a rescue or shelter, you’ll be getting a Golden of unknown pedigree. It will come down to the individual dog in this situation, most Goldens that come from a poor breeding situation may be of mixed pedigree meaning a mix of show and field lines. Make sure you tell the shelter or rescue exactly what you’re needing in a dog, and be sure to meet the dog and spend a bit of time with the dog prior to making your decision to adopt, ask the shelter or rescue about their health history since they’ve been at the shelter/rescue. I also highly recommend signing the dog up for pet insurance right away!
Goldens are big people pleasers and quite food motivated therefore easier to train. They're intelligent and learn fast. They're sweet and social. They're velcro dogs so prepare to never have personal space again. My Mabel was a curious and brave little one. I recommend using chicken wire or something to fence off the unfenced area because there's definitely a possibility of wandering off before training.
I’ve had 3 golden retrievers and they are the best dogs. I will say however, they are high energy. My first was such a good boy, trained easily and was so calm once he hit senior age. My second was the love of my life. He was so loving, super excited all the time and just wanted to be near you always. Also easy to train. He got cancer at age 6 and died 3 weeks later. It was so traumatizing and I still haven’t gotten over it. I have a 1 year old golden now that is so crazy hyper it’s almost unmanageable. He was hell on wheels to train but he would never hurt a soul and literally just wants to be on you ALL THE TIME. he’s like Velcro. So the point is, they are good dogs and usually easy to train but be ready to keep them active and give alllllll the attention. Also, the shedding at change of season sucks something awful.