Working golden retrievers

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I’m potentially thinking of adding a second/third dog to my house. I currently have a lab and my oh has a cocker spaniel (We each had our dogs before we met). New dog would be ‘my’ dog but we obviously look after/help with each others.

I train my lab as a gundog and he’s worked this last season and done working tests etc. I would like to do this with a second dog too.

I’ve read up on golden retrievers but I’m after some real life reviews so to speak. Does anyone have a working golden retriever? How do you feel they differ from labs? For some reason goldens have really caught my eye!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Havnt had one but a friend who trains gundogs has and he is absolutely beautiful. He fairly recently won a trial, blew the others out the water.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Havnt had one but a friend who trains gundogs has and he is absolutely beautiful. He fairly recently won a trial, blew the others out the water.

Thank you, I’m torn between sticking with what I know and getting a lab or a golden although my sample size of training labs is 1!

 

[CorvusCorax]

There's one that does IGP obedience and tracking at my club. Smart dog, very forgiving

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

There's one that does IGP obedience and tracking at my club. Smart dog, very forgiving

Forgiving is certainly what I need!

 

[Clodagh]

There has been discussion about them on here before but I can never search anything and find it!
I know 2, one superb and one absolutely useless.
Friend who used to walk guide dog pups said the goldies were easy and more trainable than the labs. But you’ll want a kennel, have you seen how much mud those coats can suck up!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

There has been discussion about them on here before but I can never search anything and find it!
I know 2, one superb and one absolutely useless.
Friend who used to walk guide dog pups said the goldies were easy and more trainable than the labs. But you’ll want a kennel, have you seen how much mud those coats can suck up!

Good point about mud! I did do a search but couldn’t find anything.

Interesting that your guide dog walker friend said they were easier than labs

 

[druid]

I train my Springers with a group of FT retrievers weekly (you'll win with a spaniel on your hunting, lose on your retrieving..). We have a good representatione of minority breeds including Goldies, Curly Coats, Flatties and Chesapeakes. The Goldies tend to be highly strung and stubborn. I'd have a Flattie before I'd have a Goldie....but I'd swap any of them for a lab!

 

[blodwyn1]

They are very full on. My boy was a nightmare till he was two very wilfull but very trainable. We loved him to bits and lost him last November at twelve and a half.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I train my Springers with a group of FT retrievers weekly (you'll win with a spaniel on your hunting, lose on your retrieving..). We have a good representatione of minority breeds including Goldies, Curly Coats, Flatties and Chesapeakes. The Goldies tend to be highly strung and stubborn. I'd have a Flattie before I'd have a Goldie....but I'd swap any of them for a lab!

Interesting how some see them easier then a lab and some see them harder

Im not sure if I should stick with a lab but my sample size of training is n=1. I know all the top trialing people mainly have labs and a few have goldies. My dog (and new one would be) is mainly a family pet then a working dog if that makes sense

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

They are very full on. My boy was a nightmare till he was two very wilfull but very trainable. We loved him to bits and lost him last November at twelve and a half.

He looks a lovely boy. I grew up next door to a goldie he use to come for sleepovers if his owner was away he was a great dog I think that’s what’s drawing me to them

 

[Clodagh]

There’s a reason labs are the most seen breed both shooting and trialling.

ETA bar spaniels!

 

[druid]

Interesting how some see them easier then a lab and some see them harder

Im not sure if I should stick with a lab but my sample size of training is n=1. I know all the top trialing people mainly have labs and a few have goldies. My dog (and new one would be) is mainly a family pet then a working dog if that makes sense

How much time do you have to put into training? Do you have a good trainer you work with if the wheels fall off if the Goldie wasn't straightforward? Are you aiming to trial or just want a nice working dog?

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

There’s a reason labs are the most seen breed both shooting and trialling.

ETA bar spaniels!

Haha true I love my lab but I wouldn’t have one like him again, he’s got a nervy temperament which is a PITA, he was born at the start of lockdown which probably didn’t help. But he has taught me a lot!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

How much time do you have to put into training? Do you have a good trainer you work with if the wheels fall off if the Goldie wasn't straightforward? Are you aiming to trial or just want a nice working dog?

Yeah I take my lab at least weekly in the summer, usually twice a week, to club training and a private trainer. My private trainer has a goldie and use to work for pip Williams who’s into her goldies. Deffo not aiming to trial although I think my lab maybe could have if he didn’t have me as a handicap. I really just want a nice ‘working pet’, I am fairly serious about our training and enjoy picking up and working tests but I also enjoy doing ‘pet’ things like walking up mountains and trips out to nice places if that makes sense

 

[blodwyn1]

My first working Goldie was a more instinctive gun dog but we lost him at seven to kidney failure. They are quite restricted in bloodlines as Indi and Rossi shared relatives despite coming from opposite ends of the country. Both of them were not keen on children and we had to watch them as kids would just run up to them expecting them to be ok.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

My first working Goldie was a more instinctive gun dog but we lost him at seven to kidney failure. They are quite restricted in bloodlines as Indi and Rossi shared relatives despite coming from opposite ends of the country. Both of them were not keen on children and we had to watch them as kids would just run up to them expecting them to be ok.

Did you work your goldens? I know nothing is ever guaranteed but I’d like to be as sure as possible the dog I got was good with children, I don’t have any but not written them out of my future and a few friends have children

 

[maisie06]

There’s a reason labs are the most seen breed both shooting and trialling.

ETA bar spaniels!

I have spaniels - wish I had a Lab!!! Saying that middle ESS is more like a lab than a spanner - lives to retrieve will hunt but not very flashy or driven about it but such a reliable worker, Youngest ESS absolute whirling dervish so much drive - you would loathe him - never stops moving and has no clue about retrieving just want to hunt and hunt!!!! The Cocker I would rather not discuss - lol

 

[Moobli]

I asked about them recently (can’t find the thread at the moment) but almost all replies I had were positive. I know a couple irl and they’re lovely characters.

 

[druid]

Sounds like you're well setup for any hiccups along the way. As long as you're happy with potentially less drive than a FT Lab I'd go for it. Think Twice kennel are my prefered type but there's some good uk based kennels. Do look for health tests and ask about any history of cancer in the lines

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I asked about them recently (can’t find the thread at the moment) but almost all replies I had were positive. I know a couple irl and they’re lovely characters.

I did manage to find your thread on next breed are they worked the ones you know irl?

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Sounds like you're well setup for any hiccups along the way. As long as you're happy with potentially less drive than a FT Lab I'd go for it. Think Twice kennel are my prefered type but there's some good uk based kennels. Do look for health tests and ask about any history of cancer in the lines

That’s my main issue I don’t want to be disappointed if a goldie is not as ‘good’ as my lab. I love my labs drive but just not his nerves. I suppose I could look at completely different lines of labs too…

 

[spacefaer]

We have a friend who has a team of working goldens. She picks up on the same shoot as my partner.
They're lovely natured dogs, although slower than our trial -bred labs!
She also does man trailing with them (and runs courses in it as well)

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

We have a friend who has a team of working goldens. She picks up on the same shoot as my partner.
They're lovely natured dogs, although slower than our trial -bred labs!
She also does man trailing with them (and runs courses in it as well)

When you say slower do you mean as in learning new things etc or do you literally mean not as fast when running

 

[spacefaer]

When you say slower do you mean as in learning new things etc or do you literally mean not as fast when running

I meant mph, but yes, they're not as bright!
But our trial bred labs are faster and brighter than pet bred labs. Not alwa an advantage

 

[vannersrus]

Just to say ensure you make sure they are working goldies.
Ours is supposed to be mixed working/show and is the most stubborn and opinionated dog I’ve ever had
Beautiful and sweet natured yes but unfortunately difficult to train .
Good job we love her !

 

[J&T]

I have a golden not working line and I've never had a pure working line but all mine have been very easy to train and I find them more empathetic than labs but that's based on my experience around labs and owning Goldens.

Thery are mud magnets just checkout the video I posted on @Moobli post about the swamp dog , they love there mud baths I always say they are the hippos of the dog world.

I am biased and think they are the best breed but they really are wonderful dogs to own and I could never own any other breed.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Just to say ensure you make sure they are working goldies.
Ours is supposed to be mixed working/show and is the most stubborn and opinionated dog I’ve ever had
Beautiful and sweet natured yes but unfortunately difficult to train .
Good job we love her !

Oh dear I suppose a dog of any breed could be like that!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I have a golden not working line and I've never had a pure working line but all mine have been very easy to train and I find them more empathetic than labs but that's based on my experience around labs and owning Goldens.

Thery are mud magnets just checkout the video I posted on @Moobli post about the swamp dog , they love there mud baths I always say they are the hippos of the dog world.

I am biased and think they are the best breed but they really are wonderful dogs to own and I could never own any other breed.

I did see the video! your goldens sound lovely

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Another question- bitch or dog?

My current dog is a dog but do you find a difference with working bitches compared to dogs? Still not set on breed, and would have absolutely no plans to breed either way (unless by some miracle they were outstanding!)