Owners of Golden Retrievers

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007Equestrian

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Any pros/cons/tips/advice? I'm considering getting a pup in the future but want to be well educated beforehand. It would be our first dog but we have both grown up around them.
 
Not an expert, got my first goldie this year-he's from working lines. Have to say I am smitten (after having setters, collies, various mixes over the years and growing up with GSDs). He's really trainable, tries so hard all the time, isn't neurotic or clingy, is up for anything and is can also be a right clown. Was told he'd top out at about 28kg but he's 26kg alreaday at 7-8 months. My husband works long hours and dog is great company. We're on the lookout for a second dog next year and I can't actually think of a reason to look at another breed tbh when I take into account availabilty etc.

he's amazingly food oriented-probably not as bad as the beagle cross staffy we had but still up there as the most food oriented dog I've had. Not a bad thing but a thing (there is a video of a GSD and a Goldie being faced with a bowl of spaghetti-the goldie downs it in 1.5s. Wrong because of the pasta but still quite funny and indicative of how they can wolf something down lol-including dead animals..).

I met his mother, who is a delightful dog-she works but also lives in the house, his father is a successful field trial dog. His breeder works ESS and the retriever is also a house dog, his only house dog. he was so taken with his bitches father's temperament that he waited three years for a pup. So check out parents temperament and look at the health tests-hips and elbows being important as ever.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
Not an expert, got my first goldie this year-he's from working lines. Have to say I am smitten (after having setters, collies, various mixes over the years and growing up with GSDs). He's really trainable, tries so hard all the time, isn't neurotic or clingy, is up for anything and is can also be a right clown. Was told he'd top out at about 28kg but he's 26kg alreaday at 7-8 months. My husband works long hours and dog is great company. We're on the lookout for a second dog next year and I can't actually think of a reason to look at another breed tbh when I take into account availabilty etc.

he's amazingly food oriented-probably not as bad as the beagle cross staffy we had but still up there as the most food oriented dog I've had. Not a bad thing but a thing (there is a video of a GSD and a Goldie being faced with a bowl of spaghetti-the goldie downs it in 1.5s. Wrong because of the pasta but still quite funny and indicative of how they can wolf something down lol-including dead animals..).

I met his mother, who is a delightful dog-she works but also lives in the house, his father is a successful field trial dog. His breeder works ESS and the retriever is also a house dog, his only house dog. he was so taken with his bitches father's temperament that he waited three years for a pup. So check out parents temperament and look at the health tests-hips and elbows being important as ever.
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Thanks for the info! I was also wondering if they are maybe too heavy set for agility/flyball work? Now I'm not talking about Crufts level, just fun things to do for training. Would be nice to be competitive at local/regional level but that's where my ambitions end haha. More just fun things to do with my dog to keep us both busy. Field trials interest me but I have zero experience in them! (I actually thought they were the same as sheepdog trials until not so long ago...)
 
Go for a pup from several generations of low hip and elbow scores.
Working ability/temperament and health are not mutually exclusive and the price of health testing for a breeding animal is less than the price of one well bred pup - I think it is important to reward a breeder who is doing things right.
 
TRCequestrian said:
Thanks for the info! I was also wondering if they are maybe too heavy set for agility/flyball work? Now I'm not talking about Crufts level, just fun things to do for training. Would be nice to be competitive at local/regional level but that's where my ambitions end haha. More just fun things to do with my dog to keep us both busy. Field trials interest me but I have zero experience in them! (I actually thought they were the same as sheepdog trials until not so long ago...)
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There are two retrievers in my flyball club and another pup in training - they also do agility work! All working lines and I understand pretty good at agility and nice solid dogs for flyball - rarely miss a ball, rarely run out of the lane.
 
Karran said:
There are two retrievers in my flyball club and another pup in training - they also do agility work! All working lines and I understand pretty good at agility and nice solid dogs for flyball - rarely miss a ball, rarely run out of the lane.
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Aw this sounds perfect! Do the working lines have similar calm temperaments or do they require the same amount of mental stimulation as collies for example? I have no problem spending lots of outside time with my dog but couldn't handle one which destroyed the house if left alone for 2-4 hours...
 
From what I understand from speaking to their owner, they need more entertainment than a show line but nowhere near as stressy as a collie - they are happy to go to their agility and flyball and then just hang out being pets the rest of the time.
 
I don't think they (the workeing type) need any more stimulation than a working type lab. I don't think a show bred one would do agility or flyball with any gusto, but I am assuming that from looking at them.
There was one out shooting on Tuesday, he was lovely and a gorgeous colour, but OMG the MUD!
 
TRCequestrian said:
Thanks for the info! I was also wondering if they are maybe too heavy set for agility/flyball work? Now I'm not talking about Crufts level, just fun things to do for training. Would be nice to be competitive at local/regional level but that's where my ambitions end haha. More just fun things to do with my dog to keep us both busy. Field trials interest me but I have zero experience in them! (I actually thought they were the same as sheepdog trials until not so long ago...)
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working lines would do agility, I have pictures of my ones dad jumping fences etc and mine is very athletic-I hadnt planned on doing agility tbh but am thinking about training towards working trials-have no interest in field trials personally. Mine is excelling at scentwork which is a growing canine sport/hobby. We go walking with a show bred bitch of roughly the same age-she's stunning, a lot heavier and while not as athletic, speed-wise she holds her own.

I was able to check out the hips and elbows for several generations on both sides.

He's still young so not doing hours and hours of exercise but having had setters and collies, he's nowhere near as manic. He's been a completely uncomplicated young dog although with the caveat that he's just coming into teenagedom and I might be eating my words in a month or two! He will entertain himself with two balls for hours in the house. He was quite car sick for a few months but has grown out of it and is now fine and apart from trying to put himself in spaces that he's now too big for, we've no issues :D
 
we got one off a retriever rescue and he is absolutely gorgeous. he loves tricks and agility, a complete sweetheart. he was two and a half when we got him and had been rehomed a few times, apparently they can be very boisterous as young dogs.
 
my friend has 2 golden retrievers both from working lines (half sisters) parents passed all tests and had good hip scores etc. they're great dogs
they are similar and very different at the same time. her 2 year old is very fast and bouncy (I tell her she has a bit of spaniel injected into her!) her 4 year old is more solid and has a laid back nature (and always has) she is fast through when she gets going.
I'd advise not spaying/castrating too soon as one of hers has ligament issues and there are some suggestions of links to early spaying and growth hormones etc (in general not just retrievers) she was done before her 1st season and has had one operation for one leg, looks like the other leg will need doing as well.
oh and they are both water mad! be prepared for muddy wet walks :)
 
My friend has a working line Goldie as well as working line GSDs and he is her "dead easy" dog :D Really trainable (she trained him for working trials), athletic, biddable and very social without being OTT. Beautiful looking dog too.
 
Are they heavy shedders? have been thinking of trying to get a rescue as they seem to have such nice temperaments. Im going to hold back for a bit though to make sure I don't rush into something simply because of missing my Clumber.
 
Lovely dogs, second best to Flatcoated Retrievers! Sorry only joking! I was going to get a Goldie until I discovered flatcoats.
Now 30 years later I have just adopted a rescue Goldie, he is lovely too.
Look out for a rescue one Snuffles!
 
Snuffles said:
Are they heavy shedders? have been thinking of trying to get a rescue as they seem to have such nice temperaments. Im going to hold back for a bit though to make sure I don't rush into something simply because of missing my Clumber.
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My friend's was a failed field trial dog (I think) so might be worth contacting some breeders to see if they have any older dogs. Her boy is from http://www.gortonsgoldenretrievers.co.uk/
 
I have 2 goldies, one working bred one show bred. Whilst the working bred one loves his walks he is equaly happy asleep upside down on the sofa and if its cold and wet outside you can forget about that walk as he is a job and a half to get him to go outside at all!

He would easily do flyball and be competative! Very food orientated and thus easy to train (mind you my 3rd dog is a beagle and anything is easy conpared to him)

Very very water orientated to the point that when we walk him round the local lakes he has a tendency to swim out and follow the local kyakers! Weve even had to get one of them to paddle up to the shore to bring him back to us! We have also had him swim out and bring us back a duck! He brought it into the kitchen and dumped it at my dads feet, alive and unharmed! As you can imagine it caused pandemonium and when the duck escaped we got filthy looks from him!

Lovely lovely dogs!

The show bred one is actually a failed guide dog, a bit to excitable for a guide dog but tbh just absolutely desperate to please! Compared to other dogs it is extremly minor!
 
S.E .Rescue have none needing homes, they are the local branch. Did slightly breathe a sigh of relief and still in two minds. My old lad is revelling in being the only one again.
 
Have had many over the years one of which was a rescue. They are lovely dogs and very easy to train and look after. The rescue one had been put on GR rescue as she was living on a huge estate and spent her time going off hunting (for herself), I only have house with a smallish enclosed garden so it was ok. She would catch rabbits, moles, rats, mice etc even pigeons sometimes as she was very patient and would wait without a sound for as long as necessary. Most odd behaviour, none of the non rescue ones have behaved like this. Be careful also of allergies, my first one had the most awful skin problems and had to be so careful of what he ate. None of them have had hip or eye problems. They are lovely lovely dogs but beware hair and mud!!!
 
Clodagh said:
I don't think they (the workeing type) need any more stimulation than a working type lab. I don't think a show bred one would do agility or flyball with any gusto, but I am assuming that from looking at them.
There was one out shooting on Tuesday, he was lovely and a gorgeous colour, but OMG the MUD!
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I have a working GR who I have trained myself, she comes out shooting at does pick up, she's still quite puppy like in her bounding about but she does work well and her recall is amazing to me, having come from a history of ESS!

I concur regarding the mud, and I think that is the reason you don't see many of them out shooting - absolute nightmare!
 
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