Golden retrievers have a way of making you fall in love with them. They are not only a stable breed, they are eager to please, and they are gentle - actually they have a reputation of being a great family dog. They make both great companions and pet, but can just as easily make great service dogs.
But how do you know if it's the dog for you? Whenever you want to get a dog into your household or home, you must make sure that it will fit in with the rest of the family (if there is one) and that the conditions in the home are right for it. You must also make sure that it will be able to adapt to your lifestyle pretty easily, making the hurdles for it to settle down less and less.
Retrievers are devoted, they are loving, they are mild and love attention. They are also full of energy and can be very playful. They love human closeness and companionship, and as such, if you are planning on getting a retriever, you must be prepared to spend some quality playful time with it.
You must be ready to exercise it - that's part of the care a retriever has to get. They need to have enough room and time to play too. And when we talk space, we mean enough to throw a frisbee around, to chase after a ball or after sticks.
They love to socialize with other dogs too - and not necessarily of the same breed. The best way to get your retriever to do this is through daily walks; he'll get some outside time, he'll meet other dogs and of course he will get some exercise.
Retrievers are fun dogs in so many ways - they love to swim, hike, jog and bike with you. They need to be challenged with mental exercise too - it gets them out of their comfort zone and makes them that much more smart and fun to hang around. You can play interesting games too, and since they are people pleasers, you can keep them busy for a long time. Make sure to show your appreciation one way or another after that - they love to be praised too.
Retrievers are good children dogs, and strangers and pets don't upset them too. This though, is where their most widely known weakness comes in - they make poor watchdogs because they tend to love everyone. If you are looking for a watchdog, a retriever is definitely not it.
On the other hand, since they are such fast learners, and really intelligent, they are easy to train. An inexperienced owner will have an easy time with them. Farmers use them all the time to round up sheep and this from just a couple of weeks of training.
They love to eat though, so be ready for a dog food budget. They easily become obese - maybe it's their easygoingness about life that makes them big eaters also. A retriever will welcome a treat any time. A younger one may not have real obesity issues, but as they grow older, they may start to pile on the pounds. Watch their diet and make exercise a daily routine.
There's lots to be said for golden retrievers, but they really are the perfect family dog, especially for kids to grow up with, or if you live in the suburbs and are an outdoors kind of person.
It would not be fair to mention that they love to chew, so unless you want to find your cushions in a mess, get them enough chewy toys. Grooming them is easy; just brush their coats once or twice a week, or more if they are shedding a lot. They may need a trim once in a while just to get the matts and tangles out. Pay attention to the bottom as well - this is just to make sure that they remain hygienic and if there is a problem you can catch it on time. The ears need cleaning out too - all floppy eared dogs need this.
One last thing: they are heavy shedders and can give people with allergies lots of problems. If you have allergies and want a dog, you may have to search quite carefully for one that does not shed much hair.
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