# Pros and cons of the breed.



## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I am undecided about what breed I would like to get in a yr. I have always had rescues but I have gotten into training and I would lie to compete in conformation, obedience and rally shows I really like tracking and I am interested in hunt too. 

So my question is what are the pros ands cons of this breed? 

I love the looks of a well bred Golden but I have not really been around the breed that much so I am unsure or their personality. I have a friend that breeds goldens but her dogs can be quite snappy with other dogs they make great therapy dogs tho. I would not buy from her as I do not think they fit the conformational standard of the golden.

I hope to have all you guys responed to this question I am interested in learning about this breed.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

General V said:


> I am undecided about what breed I would like to get in a yr. I have always had rescues but I have gotten into training and I would lie to compete in conformation, obedience and rally shows I really like tracking and I am interested in hunt too.
> 
> So my question is what are the pros ands cons of this breed?
> 
> ...


 
Beyond what you feel about your friend's dogs not fitting the standard as regards conformation, she is breeding dogs with incorrect temperament. Being "quite snappy with other dogs" is unacceptable.

I would suggest going to a dog show - if possibe a Golden Retriever specialty - and looking at dogs, speaking with breeders, and determining what style you like. You'll also have an opportunity to see many dogs and get a feel for what correct, sound temperaments should be.

For most, the only "cons" of the breed are shedding and grooming needs. Health issues must be considered and if looking at breeders one must make sure that they are doing all clearances - hips/elbows, cardiac and ANNUAL CERF eye exams - and that there is at LEAST 3 generations with the same.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I would also suggest going to hunt tests, agility trials and obedience/rally trials so you can see how a well trained golden is a complete joy to watch and be with  While most goldens never hit the breed rings, they should be alert, happy and attentive partners with their humans and their temperament and working abilities really shine when working. Most goldens never hit the performance rings either, but you can get a feel for what most of us find so very special about our goldens.

A link that can help locate Conformation and Performance events in the US is the AKC site 
American Kennel Club - Event and Awards Search

Pros: Their beauty, grace, endearing dogalities, love of life, love of their people, willingness to learn new things, willingness and joy to just hang out with you but turn on in an instant to work or play etc Most goldens adore water, swimming, being on boats etc 

Cons: If you do not give them a job to do (training) many will find their own jobs and chances are you will be less than thrilled at what they settle on (land scaping, digging, stealing etc). They need to be brushed regularly, their nails and feet should be neatened up often, ticks can be hard to find under their coats - oh and if not properly exercised they can often become truly obese. If you cannot exercise a golden, please consider another breed. They can be prone to allergies and hypothyroidism.

Goldens are retrievers, so love, actually need, to carry things in their mouths and need to be well exercised. 

Good luck with your search


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

I might be slightly biased but the pro's of a Golden far outweigh the cons.

Pro's
- Considered the most affable, friendly dog in existance.
- Very patient
- One of the top 5 intelligent dogs
- Eager to please
- Considerably the nicest looking dog.
- Very easy to train
- A well bred golden is great with other dogs.

Cons
- Shedding
- Mud stuck in fur
- Bad breeders


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> Pros: Most goldens adore water, swimming, being on boats etc


That is the true test of a Golden person, thinking a love of water and swimming to be a PRO.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Sunrise said:


> Cons: If you do not give them a job to do (training) many will find their own jobs and chances are you will be less than thrilled at what they settle on (land scaping, digging, stealing etc). They need to be brushed regularly, their nails and feet should be neatened up often, ticks can be hard to find under their coats - oh and if not properly exercised they can often become truly obese. If you cannot exercise a golden, please consider another breed. They can be prone to allergies and hypothyroidism.


This is so well put. Most of the cons are the flipside of the pros of a working retriever. They have exercise needs that range from moderate (two 1/2 hour walks a day) to high (you never really have a tired dog unless you're a hardcore hiker, competitor, or hunter). And they tend to be highly intelligent dogs who need to work. Other undesired jobs include chewing the wrong stuff, playing chase with children, jumping up on strangers, and bowling company over.

A well-bred Golden is an extraordinary dog, but he's not the right dog if you don't have time for training and _daily_ exercise. He's also not the right dog if you want your dog to be aloof from strangers or self-sufficient (i.e., not begging for attention) at home. He's also the wrong dog if you don't want to have a few chew toys around the house or if you hate brushing out a dog's coat regularly.

I have two sleeping GRs next to me right now for a lazy Sunday morning, but that's only because we went to the dog show yesterday and hiked before and after it. Afterwards, there was a quick brushing to avoid mats and a not-so-quick tick check. And one of those two sleeping GRs has found a way to doze off with his head resting against my ribcage.

All of the pros are more consistently found in a well bred dog whose breeder competes in conformation or dogsport. Health problems are drastically higher in carelessly bred dogs, and carelessly bred dogs may lack proper temperament. All dogs are at risk for the common health problems (joint issues, hypothyroid, etc.), but the risks are vastly lower if the breeding is carefully done. A good breeder can also give you a good idea of the puppy's future exercise needs.

Do not take a GR on if you're not prepared to train and exercise him. You should do a puppy class together in a training environment that relies mostly on positive reinforcement and plan to move on to basic family obedience as a bare minimum. An untrained, hyper Golden will be miserable and will cause your family lots of grief.


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## artbuc (Apr 12, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> ...undesired jobs include .... jumping up on strangers, and bowling company over.
> 
> An untrained, hyper Golden will be miserable and will cause your family lots of grief.


Truer words were never spoken. 

Absolutely nothing better in the world than a well-exercised Golden sleeping peacefully by your side or on top of your side.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

tippykayak said:


> A well-bred Golden is an extraordinary dog, but he's not the right dog if you don't have time for training and _daily_ exercise. He's also not the right dog if you want your dog to be aloof from strangers or self-sufficient (i.e., not begging for attention) at home. He's also the wrong dog if you don't want to have a few chew toys around the house or if you hate brushing out a dog's coat regularly.


Now, THIS is so well-put! Perfect.

When I saw the title to this thread, my instant reaction was, there are no cons. But when I made myself really think about it, the only thing I could come up with was shedding, because it's a natural thing you can't change (though regular grooming does make it much easier to deal with).

What some might consider "cons"of the breed (the need for lots of exercise, lots of attention and love, lots of training and work to their minds busy and active; a tendency for dirt to get tracked into the house; the appearance of golden furry dust bunnies every so often) might just be signals that a Golden is not the right breed for them. 

To me - there really are no cons. I love the breed and everything my dog brings to my life - even the need to get up an hour and a half earlier than necessary everyday to make sure she has time to run and play before I go to work - and the dirt on my duvet.


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## cprcheetah (Apr 26, 2009)

Pros: They are very active, usually very friendly and get along well with other dogs and people. Never a dull moment  Very agile, very adapt at doing multiple competetive events, make wonderful therapy dogs.

Cons: Prone to allergies, low thyroid and Cancer.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I don't have first hand experience with this since I rescued my guy when he was 9 months, but I think a con would the landshark phase most of the puppies go through. Because retrievers are, well, retrievers, they use their mouths a lot their entire lives. Puppyhood is spent teaching them what they can and can't use their mouths for. Another stage is the rebellious stage around 7-12 months but I think that's fairly common for all dog breeds.

This is a definite active breed of dog. Like others have said, they need a "job" to do and they need at least an hour's worth of physical activity a day plus some mental stimulation. A pro is that they are so intelligent and adaptable that they are suited to so many activies: agility, rally-o, obedience, etc so you have a ton of options. 

The other con I would say is the perception of the breed coming from the womb as a fully trained dog. Goldens are easy to train and sometimes people new to the breed see a well-trained golden and think it "just came like that"; they don't see the hours of time, energy, and money that was put into making the dog that way. Which means a lot of young, rambuctious goldens get surrendered when their owners are surprised they aren't "perfect" and get tired of coming home to a under-stimulated, under-exercised dog and yet another pair of chewed up shoes.


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## Ruby'smom (Feb 4, 2008)

pros........ 
lovable,
furry,
very velcro (need to be touching you if not on you) 
not smelly (as in dont really have a "doggy" smell) 
obedient (when trained) 
very people and children friendly 
love water 
very agile
inteligent
eager to please 
love to carry things in their mouths

cons ....... all the same as the pros really
loveable - dont have one if you need alone time 
furry - fur everywhere, never been able to wear anything black ever again, dust bunnies all around the house need grooming alot
velcro - where ever you go they will follow, that even means to the loo lol
not smelly - unless they find any poop ie fox poo, cow poo, horse poo the list is endless lol
obedient - can be very naughty if not trained 
people/children friendly - they can jump up, knock people over very easily as they dont know their own strength 
love water - and all that comes with it ie mud, mud and oh mud
agile - as in can jump from a standstill into a friends (honeysmum) raised pond system with no problems whatsoever lol
inteligent -so can wrap you around their little paws if your not too careful
eager to please - so you need ways to keep them happy all the time
love to carry stuff - so as well as having teddies everywhere around the house and garden, we find missing teatowels, socks, underwear everywhere too


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Ranger said:


> The other con I would say is the perception of the breed coming from the womb as a fully trained dog. Goldens are easy to train and sometimes people new to the breed see a well-trained golden and think it "just came like that"; they don't see the hours of time, energy, and money that was put into making the dog that way.


A really good point. Whenever people say to me, "she's so well behaved! She's so good!" I always say, "she didn't come out of the box that way!"

Ten years later, you tend to forget... but my pup was a mischievous little mouthy terror when she was first home. The best advice I got was from my breeder - and was so simple. He said, you have to remember she is nine weeks old, and she doesn't know anything yet. YOU have to teach her. 

Truer words were never said.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I don't see any cons but I am extremely biased. I have been very blessed to have had six easily trainable, sweet tempered goldens to share my life with.
The only con is they don't live forever. They are angels on earth.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'll put it this way -

1. Do a little research into the puppy threads here on GRF and check out how many new golden owners have typed in asking for advice about their "aggressive" puppies. Golden puppies are scrumptious until they are 10 weeks or so, and then they turn evil for a little while. 

2. Health. Check out all of the threads concerning allergies, thyroid, cancer, pano, hip dysplasia, eye problems (entropion, ectropion), ear infections.... everything from the most serious like cancer to the most piddly like their noses turning pink. 

3. Behavioral/Mindset. This is something I kinda noticed at class, but if you want a dynamo golden for obedience shows, you want to look for that in a puppy and mention it to the breeder. One breeder I talked recently said that any dog can excel in obedience and agility, and I know that is true... but some dogs are a LOT easier and a lot more fun to train than others. 


PROS

Limited grooming needs 

We have a collie who needs to be brushed twice a day to prevent mats and have things picked out of his coat every single time he goes outside. <- Compare that to goldens who need to be brushed maybe once a week. 

Companionship

By the time your dog is 2 (or so), you should have a golden who is willing to settle and keep you company while you are working on the computer or whatever else inside the house or outside. They don't need to be chewing or eating all the time to learn to be quiet, provided you train them the right way. <- When I'm home, my golden is with me every moment. He's my golden shadow. 

Beauty

My sister has always said the golden retriever is the perfect dog. They are just big enough to hug and slouch against without taking up too much room. Their full glistening golden coats are a pleasure to look at and so soft to touch. Their big heads were made to rest in your hands or lap and irresistible to kiss. You'll find yourself making a fool out of yourself just to get that glistening sparkle in their big dark eyes. And as much as we joke about the black mascara and lipstick, it is expertly applied. 

They are perfect dogs.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

General V said:


> I am undecided about what breed I would like to get in a yr. I have always had rescues but I have gotten into training and I would lie to compete in conformation, obedience and rally shows I really like tracking and I am interested in hunt too.
> 
> So my question is what are the pros ands cons of this breed?
> 
> ...


The huge pro of the Golden is that you can have a dog that you can successfully compete in conformation, obedience, tracking and also take that dog hunting. They are so versatile they can do it all with charm and enthusiasm. 

As Point Gold said, a Golden with a correct temperament is not snappy with other dogs. The standard says:



> _*
> Temperament *_-- friendly, reliable and trustworthy. Quarrelsomeness or hostility towards other dogs or people in normal situations, or an unwarranted show of timidity or nervousness, is not in keeping with Golden Retriever character. Such actions should be penalized according to their significance.


To find a puppy who will be successful at the venues you are interested in, look for a dog who is successful in them and speak to their breeder. There are numerous great breeders who breed for multi-talented dogs. 

Don't be afraid to ask the breeder how their dogs are with other dogs. This is a place where seeing a breeder's dogs at a competition event is helpful. If they have to be careful about walking their dog through a group of nonthreatening dogs you would want to look elsewhere to find a Golden that meets the standard as far as temperament.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Pros...you love them so much and want them to be with you forever
Cons...you love them so much and they cant be with you forever....


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Selli-Belle said:


> That is the true test of a Golden person, thinking a love of water and swimming to be a PRO.


Grins - should I also have mentioned their love of finding water saturating the very ground they walk on (aka MUD) so utterly delightful? And how all elegance aside, they are rollers extraordinaire?

That can be a con btw: if you like your dogs to stay clean, a golden may not be your best choice.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Thank you all for your posts.

I have my American Pit Bull Terrier so I know all to well about exercise and training. She came from a BYB so I can not show her but I love to train her. We do lots and lots of stuff together. So my new dog I want to do the same things only be able to compete. I will be sure to check out the other sections too. I just joined and have not had much time to search.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I think everyone covered the pros pretty well, but I want to add something to the cons.
Con...they're a very popular breed. Because of this, there are a lot of people breeding them just for money, with no thought to the end result. Therefore, you have to be really really careful where you get the dog or you may not get what you think you are getting in terms of temperament.


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## Rhapsody in Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I have three Goldens. One question I receive from just about everyone who meets them is "how do you deal with all that hair?" The truth is, the hair is not a problem. I keep them clean and they love to be groomed. So if there is shedding - well, it's clean so it's not the worst thing in the world. I just vacumn. I have three vacumns - one on each floor. I think Goldens are the most beautiful pups - and their coats just shine (like their personalities).

I have heard that field bred Goldens have more energy . If that is true, it explains alot for me. My field bred Golden, a male, was far more active as a puppy than my two girls that are from champion show lines. To be honest, he was something else to train and there were times when I just wanted to give up - but I always thought, if we don't do it, there is no one who will commit the time to him as we were. So I hung in there, and today he has very good manners - but I was dedicated - we all were in our house. 

My two girls from the show lines? A piece of cake. They have been the easiest dogs to work with - ever . I previously had a Collie and a German Shepherd. So I can make a comparison there as well. Goldens - win : )

You may want to check if others have noticed the difference between field bred and show line Goldens. You want to really check out the breeders - in person. Temperment and health in any pup, is so important.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Cons? I don't know but the unconditional love I get when I walk in the door makes up for all the bad habits!!! Hair dust bunnies are a problem!!


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## sophiesadiehannah's mom (Feb 11, 2007)

if shedding is a concern, just get your floors the color of the hair. hahahaha


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## Svan (Mar 2, 2011)

I'm biased but here goes;

Cons - pretty much the same as for any big breed. Choose carefully & do your homework. ( others gave sound advise on health & other issues so I won't repeat it). I spent 2 years at the shows & trials looking for a dog I liked the look & temperament of. It's important that you choose a dog only after getting to know as much as possible about it.*
Hair hair hair. If you hate doghair don't get one. They shed 24/7 365 days a year. They need regular brushing to control that shedding.
The coffee-table height tail, also an excellent height for smacking small kids in the face.
They are intelligent and you need to keep that in mind when training They*love to eat & can become obese - they need regular exercise

Just a note here in relation to something Marthysmom said: a GR should be an all-rounder, but there has been some
breeding that has resulted in a difference between show & working dogs in many countries. Not only can the look be different but some show dogs show little, if any interest in retrieving. You really need to know what you want to do before you start looking. And if you want an all-rounder then you need to check breeders who do both show & working (field or agility or such) with their dogs.

Pros - they are the best dogs in the world (I did say I was biased)
They are easy to train, intelligent & eager to please.
They are fantastic with cats, dogs, children & just any old thing, my first GR even lived in harmony with the rabbits
They love people, so don't leave them outside, they are not "kennel dogs", they are inside-with-people dogs
They are very funny & are real clowns, my dog makes me laugh daily
They love to play and will do almost anything with you, my dog hikes, kayaks & swims with me.*
They are not guard dogs but are big enough & can bark loud enough to sound pretty ferocious, offcourse should the thieves gain entry to your house your dog will probably fetch them the keys to your safe.

I love animals & grew up with various different breeds of dogs but ever since getting my first Golden Retriever 24 years ago I haven't even considered any other breed. My sons have grown up with the breed & the only thing my son wanted for a wedding present was his own Golden pup. The dogs are so much part of our family that the boys can't imagine having a family without that family including a Golden Retriever.

If you are willing to give it the exercise, grooming & love it needs. If you are willing to put up with the hair, you will not ever regret bringing a GR into your home & heart. Just beware, they are addictive & one is just never enough! I'm seriously buying a bigger property so I can have another GR


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## Svan (Mar 2, 2011)

sophie said:


> if shedding is a concern, just get your floors the color of the hair. hahahaha


Hahaha! I changed my wardrobe years ago. I still have some dark colours but mostly it's light. We also have those lint rollers everywhere, in the house, car, handbag, attaché case. It's just part of our daily grooming exercise to walk out the door (after having been seen off by Cody in the house), and grab the lint roller to remove hair before getting into the car each morning.

@Rubysmom - how funny is your comment about the loo! But true. My dog thinks there's only one reason anyone would sit down anywhere - to rub his ears. We are wise to his ways but visitors have been surprised and sometimes a bit startled to find the dog sneaking into the loo with them early mornings expecting a cuddle!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

^ This brush thingy has been my very best friend the last two weeks. Keep in mind this shedding is mild compared to what goldens go through when 12 months or so, but he is shedding right now. 

So every night I use the above brush on my pillows. Takes the dog hair right off. Means I'm not picking dog hair out of my eyelashes and mouth all night.


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## Svan (Mar 2, 2011)

Megora said:


> ^ This brush thingy has been my very best friend the last two weeks. Keep in mind this shedding is mild compared to what goldens go through when 12 months or so, but he is shedding right now.
> 
> So every night I use the above brush on my pillows. Takes the dog hair right off. Means I'm not picking dog hair out of my eyelashes and mouth all night.


ROFL! I can just see it


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I like the looks of the show GR's but like I stated I want to do thngs with my dog. Especially agility and flyball. I have both courses already set up in my acre fenced in yard. The hair doesnt bother me I have lived with animals my whole life we did rescue work for 30yrs its hair it will be there tomorrow so no sence worry about it today.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

We have a show bred golden and he is excelling at tracking and no doubt would at agility too. You can absolutely do those things with a properly bred show type.

If you're into flyball I would highly suggest a different breed. Goldens are prone to joint issues. Agility can already be hard on them.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Now see there is a con that peole have not addressed yet. I do need to look into health issues. I have joint issues too so maybe agility would not be for us but I do really enjoy trackng, flyball, freestyle dance, and hunt.


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## Dezpez (Sep 25, 2010)

Something I notice quite frequently when out with Sadie is that it's like being the parent of a minor celebrity. We get stopped constantly and asked about her, while she is petted, and cooed at and loved by strangers. It's great for her and could be pro/con depending on how much you like to stop and talk to people!


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Actually I dont care to have strangers petting my dogs. I dont like my dogs taking treats from strangers either unless it is doing therapy work which I like to do. I have not had a dog in therapy work since Mikado( APBT) he passed away 2yrs ago.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

General V said:


> Actually I dont care to have strangers petting my dogs. I dont like my dogs taking treats from strangers either unless it is doing therapy work which I like to do. I have not had a dog in therapy work since Mikado( APBT) he passed away 2yrs ago.


If you have a golden you pretty much have to be ready to be as social as they are. On an average walk I probably have at least 5 people try to pet him even when I don't welcome it because we're doing training or such. This was not the case with the black labs we had, probably because they were black and not, well, a golden. 

I recently ordered an "in-training" vest so people will leave him alone, haha.

Oh, and if you want to do therapy work I'd stick with show bred.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Well that is one area I dont have to worry about too much as I live 40miles from the main town I shop in. Yes I would be taking him to town to walk him around and socialize him but we would be doing alot of training with a dog club and on our own out here in the country. Would a field breed dog not make a good therapy dog?


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## caligal (Jul 28, 2010)

Not a leave-in-the-back-yard breed! These dogs love people and want to be around them as many hours of the day as possible. Many don't even like to be in a room alone, so they follow family members everywhere! Yes, the bathroom and once the shower!

People stop us constantly for pets on walks. Even though they are mouthy dogs (love to have something in their mouths) they are not very vocal dogs. My dog has only barked a few times on walks and a few more while trying to play with our cat. 

Easy, very easy to train. Love to please their owners.


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## LauraBella (Feb 9, 2010)

Cons:
Health concerns, like cancer/allergies/hip displasia (especially with poor breeders)
Shedding (it's pretty intense.

But there are SOOOOO may pros! Truly the best breed ever.

O! And even though they are "big dogs" they very much are INDOOR dogs.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

I'll let those with field types on here tell you about their dogs' therapy dog potential since I have not owned one but those I have known have not been good candidates. Also we were denied by a very well regarded field type breeder because we were interested in using our dog for therapy work.


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## Svan (Mar 2, 2011)

You might find that a bit hard then because Goldens attract attention everywhere they go, they really are like doggy celebrities with the whole world as their fan club. Whilst not many people will run up to a Pitt to give them cuddles 9/10 people will do that with a GR. 

I don't allow strangers to give my dog treats either, but preventing them from wanting to touch him or talk to him will be a whole other ball of wax. Lucky you live out of town a bit, that should give you some space.

@caligal, yep they sure love their people. Cody jumped into the bath with me once as a pup, he just was so intrigued by the water that he could not resist. It caused much hilarity and confusion as I was lying down & couldn't get enough space to move & get a grip to get upright with this excited, slippery dog falling on me as he joyfully tried to walk on me to reach my face & lick the soap off it. It did not help that I was helpless with laughter either, but I finally managed to crawl out & rescue us both. Needless to say he isn't allowed in while I bath anymore


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

jackie_hubert said:


> Goldens are prone to joint issues. Agility can already be hard on them.


I don't think there's hard data on this, but if you only looked at Goldens who came from strong clearance pedigrees, I bet you'd see that they're not at any elevated risk of joint problems relative to other breeds.

In fact, it's really hard to say which health problems in GRs are common because the breed is popular and so frequently bred by BYBs and puppy mills and which actually appear at higher rates even in well bred dogs.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

General V said:


> Now see there is a con that peole have not addressed yet. I do need to look into health issues. I have joint issues too so maybe agility would not be for us but I do really enjoy trackng, flyball, freestyle dance, and hunt.


I do agility with my goldens - if your golden is kept in good shape and is free of major joint problems, agility should not be a problem. Check out the numerous goldens running agility


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

General V said:


> Well that is one area I dont have to worry about too much as I live 40miles from the main town I shop in. Yes I would be taking him to town to walk him around and socialize him but we would be doing alot of training with a dog club and on our own out here in the country. Would a field breed dog not make a good therapy dog?


Talk to your breeder about whether their dogs make good therapy dogs. Some field dogs have an "off" switch if they're properly exercised and stimulated, and they're wonderful with children, the elderly, and the sick.

This is yet another upside of having a good breeder: they know their dogs and are honest about the kinds of work that are appropriate. Discuss your plans for the dogs when you talk to the breeder, and they can help you decide if their dogs are appropriate. This kind of thing varies even from litter to litter, and the breeder should know that too.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

jackie_hubert said:


> I'll let those with field types on here tell you about their dogs' therapy dog potential since I have not owned one but those I have known have not been good candidates. Also we were denied by a very well regarded field type breeder because we were interested in using our dog for therapy work.


I have combined field goldens with Therapy dogs; I no longer do because I feed raw but that is a different reason. Field line goldens can love and work as therapy dogs.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Tank you all fo rall the comments. Lots to think about and look into. Choosing a breed is not something I am willing to do lightly. I want a dog that is perfect for me and my houseold. The GR seems to be great dogs now to look into breeders.


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