Golden Retrievers are supposed to be calm, stable, well mannered dogs. Unfortunately these days we are seeing more and more Golden's with aggression issues, ranging from reactivity to other dogs and people to resource guarding. Unscrupulous breeders that don't health or temperament test their dogs are partly to blame, but so too are many Golden owners. Similar to the Labrador, too many owners see the Golden Retriever as an 'easy option' - a dog that doesn't need socialisation or training, but will still wind up being a gently, easygoing dog. This is not true... Combined my two dogs have been attacked on SEVEN different ocassions by Golden Retrievers, and this is a breed we don't encounter often at all! These incidents range from my Staffy being surrounded by off lead Golden's as they bark and growl, act rude and intimidate her; to a Golden chasing my Collie cross whilst snarling, and eventually pinning him and biting his neck. Fantastic. We were also called to walk a Golden Retriever a while back (we are dog walkers) and were told she was a 'little nervous' - when we arrived the dog hid in a corner behind furniture and wet itself. We made five follow up visits and tried to put the dog at ease; we threw the dog calming signals, sat on the ground as far away from her as possible, didn't look at her and threw her hot liver treats. She was so scared she wet herself every visit, trembled, and panted the entire time. Turns out her owners didn't socialise her at all as a puppy. Every dog needs positive, force free training. Every dog needs exposure to the world. Golden Retrievers are no different.

In my opinion this is the best breed out there if you are looking for a loving family dog. They are so gentle with children, and they aim to please you in everything they do. Golden Retrievers are great to take out for walks, and when you come back they like to go to sleep! This breed is simply fantastic. There is no better breed out there!

Golden Retrievers are an amazing and loyal house pet.

I just love my Golden Retriever, definitely one of my favourite dogs due to it's stamina and lust for life. The Retriever is a special dog that I hold close to my heart and I enjoy taking it on walks and camping trips. Truly a mans best friend.

Wonderful dogs. Very tolerate with children. They love everyone, which makes them poor watchdogs. They are also very energetic their first 3-4 years and require a lot of exercise to keep them out of mischief. Mine is 11 yrs old and her health is declining, but I wouldn't hesitate to get another

I have a 3 year old Golden Retriever and she has just been the best dog ever. We got her when we had a 9 month old baby and she has just been wonderful with the kids. I've had another baby since then and I had no problem just laying the baby on the floor when the dog was in the house because the she is just so gentle with kids. She just had puppies and they are just as awesome as our sweet little Honey.

I just got a Golden Retriever Pup before Christmas 2005.
He is now 3 months old and a DREAM!!! He needs lots of attention and loves to be loved.
I considered 2 other breeds and with many hours of research decided that a Golden is the best dog for homes with children.
He is a wonderful puppy - already housetrained - and I know will be a wonderful addition to our family. I am already thinking of another Golden next year.

Well I have 5 Goldens all pure breed. I started with a girl then a boy and you can imagine how I got 3 more. They are so wonderful to have. They do take a while to calm down and stop jumping on people because they are so loving. Other than that they are the best dogs I had. People think "Wow you have 5 dogs", but the main thing I point out is, they are Golden Retrievers and once they reach around 1-2 years in age its no hassle at all because they are so smart.
Bad hips are a common problem in this breed along with arthritis. But with most larger dogs arthritis is a problem. Best is to meet a breeder like me and visit the mom and dad and check them out. And keep your dog healthy and don't let it get too fat or heavy. These dogs are extremely smart and can fetch, rollover, and bring you things. Thats why a lot of retrievers are seeing eye dogs. There size does not bother me at all. I still pick them up and hold them like a baby. They are also great with kids and other dogs. A great all around dog. And golden pups are the cutest.

Golden Retriever - I have had Beauty (Jessica the Just) for 7 weeks now and she is absolutely fantastic. I have grown up with dogs and have always had a dog, but I have to say Golden Retrievers are the best!!
Beauty is a champagne colour, she has the longest lashes I have ever seen, she loves the kids. But most of all she is very loyal, someone to cuddle and take all the worries away, she certainly keeps your mind busy.. Oh and she loves water whether it is clean or muddy, baths well she jumps in!!
If anyone is looking for a dog that has character, but also that is a family dog this is the right choice

I have had Golden Retrievers since I was age 12 and now have just gotten my fifth golden. Our entire family has two Golden Retrievers so I think I know the breed very well.

They are wonderful, intelligent, and very friendly dogs who can be the best companions you could ever wish for. Goldens are playful but can also be content to just lay at your feet or next to you and although they really enjoy being with people, they are also content just being by themselves. Goldens do want to please and so training them is fairly easy as they respond very well in their desire to please the owners. My Goldens seem to sense when I am not feeling well or am sad and will come up to me and seem to actually "comfort" me. I have never known a well bred Golden to ever bite another person out of aggression. They are absolutely wonderful with children and they need to be supervised because of their size but are very gentle and loving.

The only drawback is that the breed became so popular that they were over-bred, and so finding a reputable breeder is very important. They will dig in and want to keep busy as puppies and so obedience training can be important. However, they are wonderful and intelligent dogs and can be trained easily.

I would highly recommend a well bred Golden Retriever for true dog lovers who want a "member of the family" that will pay attention to you and that you also want by your side. If you just want a pet to pay attention to whenever you feel like it, get something else. They are wonderful companions for their entire life.