# Golden Retrievers and Children



## HRose (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi everybody, 

SO I heard something interesting today. One of my co-workers was looking at pictures of Nala and told me that he loves Golden Retrievers, but that he never got one because they aren't good with children. I was instantly surprised. I told him that everything that I've read about them states that they're one of the best family dogs you can own. Our vet even made the comment that they are "The best of the best." 

Please let me know how your golden retrievers are with your children. Have you all had good experiences?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I feel Golden Retrievers and children are a perfect match.

My son was 7 when I got Taz, I wanted my son to have a buddy to grow up with. They were inseparable, they were each other's best friend. 

Any dog should be supervised closely whenever children are present, especially young ones. 

Having a dog with children is a great opportunity for children to learn how to treat animals, respect them, how to care for them, the responsibility that comes with having an animal. Most importantly children experience the love and special bond you develop with a dog.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

It isn't recommended that people with small children get golden puppies, simply because they _can_ be little tyrants. They are smart, mouthy, hyper, and generally are too busy for your average young parents with young children. You have a lot of people who have a puppy for 6 months and can't deal with it anymore and turn the puppy over to rescue or back to the breeder.

Adult goldens are the best family dogs. Puppies and untrained young dogs are not. 

I know plenty of people who simply will not sell puppies to people with young children. Rescue is the same way.

^^^ And I'm saying all that simply because people who have never owned a dog before sometimes go to the breeder thinking that they are bringing home a well-behaved and perfect dog. And then they go into shell-shock and start posting comments on forums like this one about their "aggressive" puppies. They are not aggressive or "bad" with kids. They are a lot of work for the adults in the house.


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

perhaps it stems from the fact that as young dogs they can jump up and run down a child when playing. In fact I adopted Lola from a lady with a six year old son who she said Lola had too much pent up energy and would knock the little boy down. One of the reasons she gave Lola up. I know Lola could and can do this as she occasionally will jump up on me now and at 70 plus pounds it is not good.... and she knows she should not do this- but she is still young and learning. The woman who sold me Lola did not have time to work with Lola- thus a very wild child.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Megora said:


> It isn't recommended that people with small children get golden puppies, simply because they _can_ be little tyrants. They are smart, mouthy, hyper, and generally are too busy for your average young parents with young children. You have a lot of people who have a puppy for 6 months and can't deal with it anymore and turn the puppy over to rescue or back to the breeder.
> 
> Adult goldens are the best family dogs. Puppies and untrained young dogs are not.
> 
> ...


I totally agree puppies are a lot of work and are like having another child in your home. If you are caring for several young children, the puppy probably won't get the training it needs. 

Some rescues will not adopt pups and dogs to families that have children under 6, but it all depends on the Rescue. Many GR Rescues base their decisions case by case, it depends on the pup/dog, and the family's situation and life style. The group I use to help frequently made exceptions......


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Jack & Andie Grace are inseperable(sp?) When he was real little he did mouth her & ripped some sleeves.But I can't imagine anybody saying Goldens aren't good with kids.I will say children are the only ones I can't seem to teach Jack not to jump up on.I just watch him closely when new kids come in range


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## baumgartml16 (Jun 19, 2011)

I could understand the puppy suggestion...they are tons of work and I can see that it would be a lot of work trying to deal with young children and a puppy. We got Koda because of the fact they are good with children. Our intent all along was to get her first, train her and let her grow up/mature and then have kids so our kids could grow up with her around! People with young kids can make it work though, just takes lots of time and patience.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Before we got Brady, we had two GSD's and a Great Pyrenees who all went to the bridge. I had these dogs as puppies without children, so I was in for a rude awakening when I got Brady and had three young children. It is the landshark in them that makes it difficult to raise them with children. Everybody must be watched at all times. The puppies treat the children as littermates.

As adults, they are the best family pet one can ask for. It is so hard to explain, unless you have lived through it.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Megora said it perfectly. A Golden puppy is a mouthy, needle-toothed handful, and a young Golden is often too energetic for a family with babies or toddlers. _Grown_ Goldens are often amazing with infants and little children, though.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Capt Jack said:


> Jack & Andie Grace are inseperable(sp?) When he was real little he did mouth her & ripped some sleeves.But I can't imagine anybody saying Goldens aren't good with kids.I will say children are the only ones I can't seem to teach Jack not to jump up on.I just watch him closely when new kids come in range


Funny thing is that Brady would only act that way with my children. If we were at a park and saw a toddler, he would put himself flat on the ground and stay perfectly still so the baby could climb on him. He does the same thing with our cat and when he meets toy sized dogs.

My kids hands looked like hamburg, their clothes were ripped, and many toys were destroyed. It was mostly the training of my kids not to squeal that was the hardest. The squealing and running from a landshark puppy just encourages the behavior.


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## ozzy'smom (Jun 18, 2011)

We also got our first Golden exactly because they ARE good with children. We figured we'd train her and let her mature a bit before we had our first child. Lucy was an adult by the time we had my daughter and was incredible with our daughter when she was little. However, they didn't really bond like I had hoped. We got Ozzy almost a year ago when my daughter turned 10. There were a few ugly moments when Ozzy would get really nippy but we kept a close eye on things, worked on training Ozzy, and taught my daughter how to behave with the dog. Now, they are BEST buddies. Everyday when the school bus pulls up Ozzy wakes up and runs to the door. Yesterday I picked my daughter up from school and brought Ozzy with and his tail was thumping like crazy the minute he saw her. My daughter, who was a cat person prior to getting Ozzy, now LOVES dogs. 

I think ALL puppies are a challenge when little and need close supervision with kids. The kids also need to know the rules (i.e. my daughter does NOT bother Ozzy when he's eating something). But, I think Goldens who are trained typically grow up to be loving and gentle which in my opinion is a perfect family pet.


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## HRose (Feb 29, 2012)

Thank you for the input! We don't have any children yet, other than our two-year old dachshund. Surprisingly, our dachshund is amazing with family babies and other animals, and we wanted a dog that we knew would eventually match her in that regard. Shorty (the dachshund) loves Nala, and she's helping us train her in a way that a mother would, I think. Nala is a typical puppy, but we knew what we were in for when we got her. We wanted her to be well-trained before we had children. I agree... most puppies are a handful, regardless of the breed. But I have definitely experience Nala's little teeth quite a few times! I definitely think she was the perfect addition to our little family and am hoping that when we have children in about 4 years, she'll be the perfect age to enjoy them and they her. 
That's the dream, anyway. Ha.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

cubbysan said:


> As adults, they are the best family pet one can ask for. It is so hard to explain, unless you have lived through it.


That about sums it up


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## Laurie Falter (Sep 26, 2011)

I have a 3 year old son and a 6-month old pup from field lines. They have done great together, really no problems. 

That being said, I have many years of dog experience. I knew what to expect and how to handle a high energy puppy and make it fit into our household and lifestyle. I can see how the average family would be overwhelmed and disconcerted by a Golden's puppyhood!


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## momof2boys and one dog (Jan 20, 2012)

Our golden retriever is 5 months old and I have two kids, 12 and 3. We are dealing with normal puppy things right now, its a bit harder because he is much bigger than any other dog weve had even as a puppy and he is mouthy and he likes to jump but we are working on training him...that being said, he is otherwise FANTASTIC with our kids. Its like he knows he has to be careful with our three year old...I of course have to be extra cautious and I never let them play alone but he really is a big goof ball and SOOO patient with him. I dont think I can really rate how great he is with kids while he is just a puppy though but I really cant wait for them all to grow up together, its the sweetest thing to see


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## HRose (Feb 29, 2012)

Haha... I completely agree. I've been raised with lab puppies, so her puppyhood seems very normal to me. Labs have more energy, if possible. Great dogs as well, but I'm super excited about my goldie! We have typical problems with her, but nothing that we didn't expect. The MAIN issue that we have that was unexpected was her playing in her feces. The vet assured as that while it is a very bad habit, it IS normal. So that made me feel a bit better. 





Nala this morning asking for a treat


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> If you are caring for several young children, the puppy probably won't get the training it needs.


Aw, I don't know if "probably" is a fair generalization . I have known many, many childless people who have given up on puppies or have ended up with untrained adult dogs. I think it is more a personality thing on the part of the owner and whether they are willing to put in what they have to to get the dog out of it they expect. It is really not THAT time consuming to train a puppy, but you have to have the desire and motivation... not having kids isn't going to give you that.

On the flipside, I have found it easier to train and socialize a puppy with 3 little kids in the house, as opposed to without the kids. Zeke is used to being handled by kids from day 1 with us, so when we meet & greet other small kids, he knows how to behave. Every moment with the kids is a training opportunity; we have had to be vigilant from the start on his behavior (and the kids'!). When we do our "official" training sessions, I don't have to invent distractions - they are everywhere. IMO if you don't have children in your home, your puppy would benefit from some trips to a local park or bus stops, to let kids pet him and to watch kids play. Puppies react differently to kids than they do adults, and even to kids of different sizes. 

I have been around a few goldens who were not great with kids. They were not socialized with children properly, not taught to respect their own size, etc... maybe this person who said they weren't good with kids had been around or heard about goldens like that.


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

I have owned a golden continuously for twenty two years. My boys are just about 20 and 18 respectively. When the oldest was born, we had 1 1/2 year old perfect Sally and my rescue beagle. I was working full time (our work weeks are four days) and still put a CDX on Sally. Two years later, my second son was born... The beagle was gone, but we still had Sally. When one child was 2 years 9 months old and the other was 9 months old, I got Laney. I don't remember her being particularly mouthy. But she was a ball freak and if you threw the ball, she would plow thru anything child or adult to get it. She adored my children. She was the outfield if they played baseball, she was the lacrosse ball retriever... Cookie came when Laney was five, Sally was ten. Again, she wasn't particularly nippy. But, I remember saying to the kids, that if they ran, Cookie would "bite" them. That kept them calm!!! They were five and seven when we got Cookie. Cookie's pups Georgie and Mantha are now almost ten. They weren't very bitey,either. Then along came Cookie's daughter 7.5 year old Tiki. She was very bitey. Particularly with my younger son, ten years when she was born. I armed him with breath spray and it worked for the biting. The remaining three are not memorable as my kids were significantly mature and could handle puppyhood. 

Sally, the original was great with my kids, but I think she was more bonded to the adults. All of the rest have been raised with the kids and they are bonded. Georgie is in tune with my learning disabled son...Georgie just adores him. I will say that when I got Laney and my kids were quite young, it was a huge commitment on my part. She came from strong working lines and was quite confident and not at all dependent on humans. She was a handful... But I got her into training classes and eventually got a UD title on her. Once I started working with her, she was an awesome pet.... It wasn't easy with two kids under the age of three, a full time job, and did a mention a horse I had to take care of everyday??
It was a huge leap of faith for Laney's breeder to sell her to me. The first year that I owned her, I joked that anyone else would have had an advertisement in the paper that said," Free golden to good country home. Needs room to run...". It can be done, but it wasn't easy...


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## HRose (Feb 29, 2012)

That's actually great advice. Thank you- We'll definitely be scheduling play-dates with my cousin's / friend's children. We definitely want her to be good with children.


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## nofate (Jan 27, 2012)

My grand daughter climbs all over Stella and Stella seems to enjoy it. There has never been a problem. I agree about not letting a puppy play with toddlers... too energetic, sharp teeth and claws.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Nala is gorgeous!

I want to emphasize that not all golden puppies are mouthy. I just kept a 3 month old golden puppy at my house for a week and not once did she mouth me. She was a very sweet, very calm puppy. 

I have had several foster puppies who weren't really mouthy either, but I have had some that I would never have adopted to a family with small children because they were SO mouthy.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

toliva said:


> Aw, I don't know if "probably" is a fair generalization . I have known many, many childless people who have given up on puppies or have ended up with untrained adult dogs. I think it is more a personality thing on the part of the owner and whether they are willing to put in what they have to to get the dog out of it they expect. It is really not THAT time consuming to train a puppy, but you have to have the desire and motivation... not having kids isn't going to give you that.
> 
> On the flipside, I have found it easier to train and socialize a puppy with 3 little kids in the house, as opposed to without the kids. Zeke is used to being handled by kids from day 1 with us, so when we meet & greet other small kids, he knows how to behave. Every moment with the kids is a training opportunity; we have had to be vigilant from the start on his behavior (and the kids'!). When we do our "official" training sessions, I don't have to invent distractions - they are everywhere. IMO if you don't have children in your home, your puppy would benefit from some trips to a local park or bus stops, to let kids pet him and to watch kids play. Puppies react differently to kids than they do adults, and even to kids of different sizes.
> 
> I have been around a few goldens who were not great with kids. They were not socialized with children properly, not taught to respect their own size, etc... maybe this person who said they weren't good with kids had been around or heard about goldens like that.


I should have said _*might not*_ get the training it needs. Some people don't realize the amount of work, time it goes into taking care of a puppy. I've been around dogs all my life-while growing up and as an adult. IMO having a pup is alot like raising a child, it takes a lot of time, love, patience and discipline.

I think children benefit greatly from growing up with animals, my son definitely did.


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I think children benefit greatly from growing up with animals, my son definitely did.


Yes, I agree! I sure did, as a child. There are too many benefits to name 

We took our 3-year old daughter to puppy training class last week. We are helping her work through her fear of all 4-legged furry creatures (from cats to dogs and even sometimes stuffed animals). During the socialization exercise, she petted almost every dog with help! Having a dog here at home has really helped her fears. And all 3 of my girls have learned, and are still learning, how to respect Zeke, and how he should be treated. We have always had a cat, but it wasn't the same. He just runs away from them, and never shows any unconditional love.


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## Calistar (Dec 13, 2011)

Puppies of any breed of size must have their interface with young children managed. Neither the puppy nor the children understand boundaries and must be taught. But to single out goldens is in my opinion way off base. As a matter of fact, even if small dogs, the interface must be managed because they frequently feel threatened by unmanaged children and are quick to bite. To have small children and puppies is simply another thing to teach both and that must be managed. People need to realize this and decide if they want to add that job to their plate.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

nofate your grandbaby and Stella are precious, but the picture gives me the freaks! 
That is exactly how & why I was bitten as young child - just about your granddaughter's age... 

At some point old dogs get achy and sore....I hate to see your grand baby live with a scar forever from a dog she clearly loves.


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## cory (Aug 23, 2010)

We got Dakota as a puppy and my children were 5 and 6 at the time. I am a Stay at Home Mom but got Dakota in the beginning of September just as my daughter was going into kindergarten and my son was going to school 3 days a week. This gave me a lot of time to work with Dakota. We had to train both Dakota and our children. There were some things that we started training immediately...no jumping and no biting. These were not tolerated at all. Dakota is fantastic with children, toddlers and babies. However, it was work to get her that way. We have a friend who got a Golden at the same time with kids the same age and she is a disaster and my kdis are afraid of her dog because she still jumps and nips.


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## Vanfull (Jan 20, 2012)

I have 7 children ages 1-17. We had collies in the past and I never thought I would find a better companion for children. From the minute I got my golden girls I knew I was wrong. My goldens are better than I ever imagined a dog could be. Not only do they tolerate the kids they LOVE them. If the kids walk away the dogs follow with their tails a waggin. . If I am missing a child or a dog they are generally curled up somewhere snuggling. Even our friends golden who is 1 1/2 and was not raised with a small children loves the kids. it is amazing to see her nudging against their hands to get them to play. Over the weekend my 3 year old daughter was laying on thr couch sick. I came into the room to see a dog doing her best to lay alongside my little girl and make her feel better. So sweet!


I will say too that we were very lucky with our puppies. Neither one of my girls is mouthy or jumps up but I have worked very hard with training from day one. I take my job of caring for my puppies seriously. I am lucky in the fact that I also have 3 childre who are junior high and high school age to assist. My daughter is actually very focused on training for passing the CGC test and possibly doing therapy because she plans to pursue a career in the medical field down the road. I look at our classes and training time as a good bonding for not only the dogs but also mother daughter time well spent.


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Another side - our pups aren't around little children too often although we take them with us almost everywhere we possible can. We allow kids to interact with them whenever we can, but its not the same as when they are around them 24/7. When our daughter brought her 9 month old around for the first time it was an adjustment. The male would sit right next to her and watch her intently, not wanting anything else to get too close. Jazz would pretty much ignore her. The second time she visited, they were curious but still unsure especially when she shreiked or made other sounds. And when she cried and screamed, they seriously wanted someone to take care of the thing that was making the noise! But since they aren't around kids all the time, they are unsure how to react to the noise, erratic movements, etc. 

I think they have to be socialized to be comfortable around kids, its not just a given because they are a certain breed although that might make it easier.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> Megora said it perfectly. A Golden puppy is a mouthy, needle-toothed handful, and a young Golden is often too energetic for a family with babies or toddlers. _Grown_ Goldens are often amazing with infants and little children, though.


I second (or is it third?) this. We've had Goldens with children & grandchildren and they are wonderful pets...after about 1 year. But Golden puppies mean no harm and their energy can be managed. My granddaughter was 4 y.o. when we got Hank, they are best buddies! Poor Hank has worn earring, jewelry, shoes  and crowns..and loved every minute of it!


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## OnMyWay2MyDreams (Feb 13, 2011)

toliva said:


> Aw, I don't know if "probably" is a fair generalization . I have known many, many childless people who have given up on puppies or have ended up with untrained adult dogs. I think it is more a personality thing on the part of the owner and whether they are willing to put in what they have to to get the dog out of it they expect. It is really not THAT time consuming to train a puppy, but you have to have the desire and motivation... not having kids isn't going to give you that.
> 
> On the flipside, I have found it easier to train and socialize a puppy with 3 little kids in the house, as opposed to without the kids. Zeke is used to being handled by kids from day 1 with us, so when we meet & greet other small kids, he knows how to behave. Every moment with the kids is a training opportunity; we have had to be vigilant from the start on his behavior (and the kids'!). When we do our "official" training sessions, I don't have to invent distractions - they are everywhere. IMO if you don't have children in your home, your puppy would benefit from some trips to a local park or bus stops, to let kids pet him and to watch kids play. Puppies react differently to kids than they do adults, and even to kids of different sizes.
> 
> I have been around a few goldens who were not great with kids. They were not socialized with children properly, not taught to respect their own size, etc... maybe this person who said they weren't good with kids had been around or heard about goldens like that.


Agree with all of this! My golden is my 1 st dog I am doing really intense training with and I have kids now! It's all a matter of time and doing the work. I have been super lucky with Lilly. She never was really mouthy and she does great with kids. She does like to steal my sons toy hes 2 but not my daughter she's 4 almost 5. I think she views him as a litter mate.i think raising my kids with dogs and puppies will make them appreciate them and learn how to interact with them a lot better than not having them.


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## AmyG (Jan 21, 2012)

I know Oakley is still a pup but I have little children so I guess maybe my input to this post would be ok (sorry not sure if I'm allowed on this board as Oakley is still a puppy??)

So far we've had no problems with our Golden pup and our children. Oakley is now about 12 weeks and we have two boys, nearly three and five years old. So far this has been an extremely positive experience for all involved!

Oakley doesn't 'mouth' or bite anything really, very very rarely the children. The only time when he is tempted is when they decide to play dressing up and come downstairs as dinosaurs or monsters with big long tails dragging behind them - it would take a very very strong willed pup to ignore that!

Both children are very much involved with his training. Our eldest (5 years) will often walk up to him and toss out a 'sit' and he'll always obey. The boys have both got the hang of 'trade' where if Oakley does pick up a toy they get him a treat out the pot and offer it for a trade. This approach is working brilliantly. Involving the children in the training in my opinion shows the dog right from the start that the children are also to be respected and listened to, as appose to playmates for rolling around on the floor with!

So so far I would have to disagree that having young children and a young Golden is hard work (or no more hard work than it was before Oakley came along anyway!) As someone else said the distractions are already there for Oakley to train around and the children are what is normal to him and to be honest most of the time the children do their thing and Oakley does his thing.

Having young children and a puppy to me is a blessing and most of the time a joy. So for me OP having a golden pup and young children has (so far) been a very good experience but like getting any puppy you need to be vigilant, involve the children in the training and give everyone a safe space to go to when they need a break - be it the children or the puppy.


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## Mr.X (Dec 6, 2011)

My golden pup is fine with children. When he was 3 months old my little cousin, about 1 years old, tried to ride him like he would do with my aunt's huskies and my golden pup just laid down and ignored him while my little cousin just kinda laid against his back. When my pup meets random kids with their parents he licks their face and outstretched hands, doesn't ever mouth them. Only little problem he had once was when he pawed at a little kid and knocked him off balance. He also gets a little too excited when a kid has a stick in his hand and so my pup tries to grab the stick. Outside of that he never had any issue with little kids. My pup is 6 months old now.


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## aerolor (May 27, 2011)

I have had an excellent experience with my golden retriever pup and children. We have 3 grandchildren who are under 5 and they are often at our house because I childmind while their parents work. There is always a lot of activity and Bonnie, who is now 11 months old, adores the grandchildren. When she was younger the mouthing needed careful management, but now that is not a problem and things are great, even though she is still not much more than a puppy, I can honestly say that she is the most tolerant of dogs around the children. It is obvious to anyone who watches the interaction that she really enjoys their company and she loves having them around. She is unphased by all the noise and running around and they play very well together. I think Bonnie regards herself as another child when they are here. I think as long as everyone is sensible and there is good adult supervison to check boisterous behaviour (on both sides) then a golden retriever with a typically golden temperament can be an excellent choice of dog to have with children around. Just extra work and muck that's all  - Although I treat Bonnie as a dog should be treated, I consider she is like an extra child to sort out and keep happy.


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## Casey and Samson's Mom (Sep 24, 2011)

From experience when my grown children were 3 and 1 respectively, I would not recommend getting any kind of a puppy at that age...it is overwhelming...like having another baby! An adult dog who is already in the home may adapt and even be a help, but trying to housebreak a dog, potty train a baby, chase them all around is a huge task---one that I foolishly tried to take on 30 years ago! Maxie survived (not one of the puppies "rehomed" at a young age, but it was very difficult. My children did get very attached to her...she was like a sibling to them and grew to be very protective, but it was the only time in my life I've had fantasies about just driving the dog off into the country to find a new home (can't believe that now of my younger self!) I would suggest either an adult, housebroken dog or to wait until your children are fairly self sufficient and can hold their own with any dog.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

I have a 4.5yo and a 2yo and just got a 6mo golden. The breeder had given her a fair amount of training already but it really is a constant struggle in the house. She's always has one of the kids toys in her mouth and she is bigger than both of them, so when she gets excited she can easily knock them over while trying to play. She's a big clumsy goofball. Before getting her I knew what I was getting into, and I'm loving our new life with our pup. For all the aggravation she creates she pays us back tenfold with love. 
When she gets overly excited I put her on a leash and walk around the house with her or I just put her in her crate for a little bit. And the toy situation is almost a blessing in disguise because I'm hyper-diligent about keeping toys off of the floor as much as possible. The only part of my day that is really hard is the evening, because the kids are always tired and cranky and wild, and the dog just adds to the mayhem. But I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. She's awesome with the kids and really has bonded with both of them equally.


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## Helios (Feb 14, 2012)

Helios was about 2.5 yrs old when my girl was born. He was never jealous of the baby, in fact, he seems to want to join in everything. 

While my girl was growing up, he tolerated her pulling his fur, attempting to eat his tail and toes, and hitting him with her toys (of course we stopped that). Now my girl's 3.5 yrs old and they are best friends. Sometimes she still 'bullies' him by pulling his tail and ears, but he actually just stood there and let her have her evil way although he could have easily walked away. But I think he loves her best when she's eating her cookies.

She sleeps and rolls on him, and will 'protect' him if strangers come up and tell her (jokingly) if they can bring her dog home.

But I do agree that when they play, they can be boisterous, even when my dog is now 5 years old. Just last month, they ran head long into each other while chasing bubbles and his teeth poked her forehead, which bled a little. My girl cried and was upset with him for knocking into her. But later that night, she went up to apologize to my dog for banging into him as well after I explained that both was at fault for not looking where they were running.


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## Tucker's mommy (Nov 9, 2011)

As the mom of three young kids (2, 6 and 7) and a 10 month golden pup, I will agree with everyone here that it is a TON of work. BUT - it was my idea, and I knew what I was signing up for. So far, things are going well overall, but with many ups and downs. I AM a stay-at-home mom. I never would have signed up for this if my hubby and I both worked! The bond Tucker has with our kids is very noticeable - especially when the boys come home from school and he lays at their feet while they do homework. So cute. BUT - he does go absolutely ballistic outside, so until we have a well behaved grown-up golden on our hands, most of Tucker's outside play is with me only, when the boys are at school and my daughter is napping. He walks like a champ, though - and me and my daughter are out with him on a daily basis for very long walks. So, to make a long rambling story short - it's working for us. But it's CONSTANT work. :bowl: I spend time working with Tucker and training him everyday, both inside and out, and we've gone through two training classes already. I'm sure there will be more, as well! As long as parents have a clear picture about the challenges, I think it can work. Also - a definite must is having places in the house for the kids and dog to be separate when they want to, so no one feels overwhelmed.


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## Tucker's mommy (Nov 9, 2011)

Forgot to add - we do play structured games together as a family outside with Tucker - one of his favorites is "go find it" when we put him in a long sit/stay and hide a treat that he searches for when we release him. Loads of fun to watch the kids interact with him in a positive way. My oldest (age 7) has taken a real interest in the training - and he and Tucker have a tight bond.


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## Ash120 (Jan 29, 2012)

cubbysan said:


> Before we got Brady, we had two GSD's and a Great Pyrenees who all went to the bridge. I had these dogs as puppies without children, so I was in for a rude awakening when I got Brady and had three young children. It is the landshark in them that makes it difficult to raise them with children. Everybody must be watched at all times. The puppies treat the children as littermates.
> 
> As adults, they are the best family pet one can ask for. It is so hard to explain, unless you have lived through it.


 
Thanks for this info.. we have been trying to figure out why my now 14 week old is more nippy and somewhat aggressive towards my youngest..(she is 6) he must think if her as a litter mate. Any of us can take a bone or toys away from him, but when she does it? he growls at her, and he is always nipping/ripping a few sleeves..lol but yes i would agree if you dont know what your getting into then you would think they are not good with kids if you are experiencing them for the first time as puppies with small children around..im totally new to this but i would reccommed these dogs to anyone


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

I agree with earlier posters that said adult Goldens often are the best with children. My rescue dog was surrendered by 2 families with small children because he was too boisterous for the kids. He loved them but constantly knocked them over because he was a "bull in a china shop". And the first 2 families didn't bother to train or exercise him adequately. We are his 3rd and definitely his "forever home". He and my 13 year old son are great friends and they play the most ridiculous games - two peas in a pod! 

For experienced and committed dog owners, young kids and goldens can work too.


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## attagirl (Aug 11, 2011)

My children are 13, 11, 8 & 16 months. Bentley is six months and I am amazed how good he is with my little one. I was prepared for all the difficulties a lot of people have with young goldens. We have had little to no problems. Sometimes my 16 month old and Bentley take toys from each other. More like brother and sisters do! He's like an old soul in a puppy body. We are so fortunate to have him. 

All of my kids have been raised with all types of dogs. When my older boys were smaller we had a Border Collie puppy. It takes consistant and constant patience and effort. It's not for everyone but if you love dogs...


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## khrios (May 5, 2010)

My experience of a golden and wee little ones has been very positive. I had a 3 year old and was pregnant when I brought my first golden, Woody, home. He was an excellent companion to my sons. Even when our baby was born, baby would lay on a blanket, on the floor, and Woody would lay next to him...so gently. Woody was just a year old. 

When that baby was two years old, and Woody, just 3, baby figured out how to open the front door, and went walking, by himself...while the rest of the family thought baby was napping. Soon we noticed no Woody, no baby, front door wide open. Panic. Searched all over, called 911. 1/2 hour later, we saw Woody in front of a house...and right next to him was baby. Woody never left him!


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## canine_mommy (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't have kids of my own, so I don't know how Austin would have reacted when around kids 24hrs. But he met the neighbor's kids often and even as a puppy before I started training him on how to greet, he would lie down to meet young kids. He still does that with children and with smaller dogs. I don't know how he knew not to jump. He does at times get over-excited when he meets adults he knows and jumps, even older people, unless I tell him to sit for a greeting (training continues), but never on kids. 

But I do agree that in general, raising puppies and young children together can be a whole of work, with constant supervision.


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

As a parent of a child on the ASD spectrum, I would say that this breed couldn't be more perfect for children. They are best buddies and Max lets Leif do whatever he wants to him - use him as a pillow, lean on him, etc - and Leif thrives under Max's loving care, attention, and accepting nature.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

I have raised children and now grandchildren around goldens. My grown son has a golden, along with a 20-month-old son. The golden is incredibly tolerant around the baby, although they're doing a wonderful job of teaching the baby how to be gentle and kind to Casco. Even if babies get knocked over, they're resilient and just get back up and come back for more Here's one of my grandkiddos at about six months....and both goldens were wrestling with the baby in the room!


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## cofam (Aug 12, 2011)

We have a Beagle (4yrs) and a Golden (10 months). Our Daughters are 7yrs and 4yrs. When we got our Beagle, the breeder was more concerned about our 6 month old daughter. They actually kept her a little longer (until Molly, the Beagle, was 16 weeks). As far as Beagles go... she's perfect. Never once has she nipped, growled or hurt either child. 

The breeder for our Golden, was concerned, but not as much. She warned us, gave us some advice and that was it. Rosie is great. She's such a great puppy, but she is a tad hyper. Our 4yr old goes up to Molly and kisses her, thought she'd do the same with Rosie, and got a puppy teeth snip right on the nose. She does have a tiny, tiny scar on the bridge of her nose as a reminder. 

That was the ONLY time Rosie has snapped at our daughter. I said a firm NO, but I think she already knew she did something wrong because licking wouldn't stop, haha. If we were to do it over again, we may have waited. Golden puppies are a lot of work (not that Beagles aren't) but when you have a rambunctious 4 year old and a very active, growing, happy go lucky Golden Puppy... let's just say, it can get trying.


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## Jingers mom (Feb 10, 2012)

We have no young children at home anymore but we have friends with children ranging in age from 6mo to 15 years. Jinger is great with all the kids and she loves the baby. I have friends with goldens and they are all great with kids.


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

i personally dont have any kids but both my goldens are around my cousins kids every week (they are 2 yrs and 1 year) for the most part my dogs are excellent with them (the odd time the kids get knocked down when the dogs walk by).
from my experience with my cousins i would say any child growing up with any breed is a major plus in my books. my one cousin has a dog (black lab) the other one doesnt have a dog at all and i would have to say the 1 year old (who has the lab) knows already to be gentle with dogs and to respect their space, my other cousin is a little rough with the dogs and doesnt know boundaries when it comes to the dogs (in this case my dogs just walk away and go to a quiet area when they dont want to be bothered).
long story short dogs and children is a great combo. (especially if that dog is a golden )


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## GingersMommy (Feb 24, 2012)

:doh:I have two daughers almost 8 and almost 4. We also have a 12 week Golden puppy. We were going to go the adult rescue route but everyone (I was vetoed) wanted a puppy. I have never owned a dog before. The breeder gave her to us at 6 weeks (not good). I will have to say that this is pretty hellish. The puppy is a major biter/nipper/mouther. The 8 year old is afraid of her and screams whenever Ginger has her mouth anywhere near her. The 4 year old is not so much afraid but she makes it very hard to train Ginger because she is always yelling, running, jumping, and instigating. I most definitly cannot leave them alone for a second. I try to do training but seems to never have a moment to do it. We are starting with a private trainer next week so hopefully it gets better. We chose this breed because of their rep with children. Lucky us got psycho puppy.:doh:


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

Goldens are fabulous with children... I can't wait to have my own (children- already have two goldens, haha). 

This past summer we were at a friend's house. We traveled and were planning to stay the night so we brought Samantha and Mulligan. Several other people also brought their dogs (probably 6 dogs total). We had just gotten Mulligan about two months prior and had never had him around children... we'd had Samantha around older children (5+) which she did great with. Unknowingly another person was there with their 18 month old baby. 

She let her baby walk around without any concern for the dogs. I was immediately on guard... esp. watching our dogs, but they did great! Not only did they not knock her over but she actually dropped a cookie and Mulligan didn't eat it. I was very impressed with their behavior. It's as if they seemed to know it was a baby and they had to be nice.


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## kwiland (Aug 27, 2009)

Goldens are the best for children!

Winnie was a year old when I had my daughter, Colleen. He started to treat me differently while I was pregnant (uber Momma goddess), and was over-joyed when Colleen was actually born. My husband took home a blanket that had both my and my daughter's scent from the hospital. So that Winnie knew about her before she came home. When he saw Colleen for the first time, he was VERY excited, but VERY gentle.

As a baby, Colleen did obnoxious things to Winnie, which he took in stride. She learned to stand by pulling up on his tail, and she nabbed him many times in the eyes. With any other dog, I'd not allow this. But Winnie loved the prodding and poking. I joked that he thought Colleen was his baby, and that he was the daddy. He was equally sweet when we introduced our rescue puppy, and our kitty, into our family. Our kitty will bite, scratch, and try to kill all of us. Except Winnie. He's her snuggle pal. He's the only one that the kitty doesn't want to beat up.

So, yes! Goldens are great with kids! You do have to watch them, as any responsible parent will do. And they are really mouthy -- Winnie is still mouthy to this day. But with supervision, they are absolutely wonderful with kids.


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## wmag (Mar 17, 2011)

GingersMommy said:


> :doh:I have two daughers almost 8 and almost 4. We also have a 12 week Golden puppy. We were going to go the adult rescue route but everyone (I was vetoed) wanted a puppy. I have never owned a dog before. The breeder gave her to us at 6 weeks (not good). I will have to say that this is pretty hellish. The puppy is a major biter/nipper/mouther. The 8 year old is afraid of her and screams whenever Ginger has her mouth anywhere near her. The 4 year old is not so much afraid but she makes it very hard to train Ginger because she is always yelling, running, jumping, and instigating. I most definitly cannot leave them alone for a second. I try to do training but seems to never have a moment to do it. We are starting with a private trainer next week so hopefully it gets better. We chose this breed because of their rep with children. Lucky us got psycho puppy.:doh:


Kasey was a psycho pup too! My daughter turned 3 two months after we brought Kasey home. Wow what a NIGHTMARE! My daugher just had to walk into the room and Kasey was ready to attack! We kept them apart for awile. It was a really rough couple months! I never thought it would but it does get better! Kasey is wonderful with my daugher now! I can't keep them apart. Kasey never bites or jumps on her anymore! Some times my daughter will get knocked down but it is usually because she will turn around really fast and Kasey doesn't have time to stop! I am still nervous and make sure I am with them at all times but Kasey has been great!


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

I know this is an old thread but I just want to say how envious I am of those of you with naturally gentle Goldens!

My puppy is 5 months and no way is he more gentle with my young children. He has his good days and bad-- still no pattern I can identify to repeat the good! If my 3 y.o. is wearing a hoodie, he will always go after it. When my 5 year old wore a dress yesterday, he grabbed the dress and got some skin as wel from her legs (no puncture). Today he has been nipping at me a lot again, clothes and wrists. Some days he will barely nip, and other days he gets that look in his eyes way too often. 

On the plus side, nothing the kids do phases him. Loud noises, swings, etc., he is always right in the action. Just am looking forward to the nipping to end!


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Chloe does the same thing with my three yearold niece. She is still small and chloes bigger so she grabs her hair. The other day she was riding her four wheeler out back. My mom told her to stay on it while she went to get the dog leash and they would take her for a walk. Well she didn't listen and got off and guess what happened. She started crying and yelling for grandma. My six yearold nephew she does well with.


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## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

Steven has literally been a 'mommy-dog" since puppyhood! I've got pics somewhere I'll have to dig up, of him as a 6 or 8 month old (who was absolutely a crazy-energetic pup btw) laying beside my nephew who was just sitting up on his own, rolling a ball to him with his nose. My nephew would grab the ball, wave it around, and kind of drop/throw it, and little Stevie would get it and roll it back to him ever so gently. He never had to be taught to tone it down and be gentle with kids. He was born to raise a people-puppy lol. 

Sonny found children overwhelming and after politely greeting them, would retreat to solitude. One little girl followed him around trying to get him to fetch, and he ignored her until she dropped the toy, them promptly pee'd on it. Enough said. 

Fuzzy. Oh Fuzzy. So much enthusiasm, with no real natural sense of delicacy or personal space.... He has to be watched around kids so that he doesn't jump up, stick his tongue in their mouths (ugh!!), knock them over, or high-five them in the face. He loves them. He loves the sooooooo muuuuch.....he's considerably better at tempering that love with some respect and discipline but it's taken supervision and work in hubby and I's part. 

I'm not sure which of my three golden-child experiences constitutes 'normal ' or 'average ' behaviour. They all need supervision though, for the dogs safety if not the child's, lol


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## Keleigh (Feb 23, 2015)

Anele said:


> I know this is an old thread but I just want to say how envious I am of those of you with naturally gentle Goldens!
> 
> My puppy is 5 months and no way is he more gentle with my young children. He has his good days and bad-- still no pattern I can identify to repeat the good! If my 3 y.o. is wearing a hoodie, he will always go after it. When my 5 year old wore a dress yesterday, he grabbed the dress and got some skin as wel from her legs (no puncture). Today he has been nipping at me a lot again, clothes and wrists. Some days he will barely nip, and other days he gets that look in his eyes way too often.
> 
> On the plus side, nothing the kids do phases him. Loud noises, swings, etc., he is always right in the action. Just am looking forward to the nipping to end!


At 5 months, he's still a pup... and also teething...and also about to hit his teenage phase. 

As the older posts in this thread suggest, pups are a handful but once they reach adulthood (and properly trained), everything changes.

Regarding clothes, I have learned that certain pants I wear, long sleeves, and long dresses got Obi overly excited and he wanted to bite them (which usually resulted in the bite also hitting skin underneath.) As mentioned in another post, I worked on Leave it + treat to get his focus away from what I was wearing and then followed that with a quick learning session so that the second I'd start walking, he wouldn't refocus on what I was trying to tell him to leave alone (which is what he did if I just did one "leave it" + treat and started walking). He's gotten much better in regards to the pants/long sleeves.

Long dresses and "flowy" things can look fun and constantly be enticing for pups so I stopped wearing them for now. I didn't want to set Obi up to fail so we'll slowly introduce dresses back into my attire a later date. 

And, in general, the quick movements of children can be enticing to pups too. When Obi was first in the presence of my 6 year old niece, he'd go to lick or sniff her hand or arm and she'd quickly whip it away from him which would start getting him excited and he would also try to nip thinking it's a toy and she's trying to play keep away. We not only had to train Obi, but also "train" my niece not to make quick movements like that. After she stopped, he's a lot more calm around her (That is when she's calm). She also has a tendency to raise her voice when she's trying to get Obi to do a command, so instead of "sit" it's "SIT!!!!!!!" SIT OBI!!! SIT!!!!" which Obi does not respond to because screaming at him only excites him. :bowl:

I don't have children, but I cannot imagine raising any child under 10 while raising a puppy. Training and keeping an eye on a pup is enough... having to "train" and watch children too? :doh: :no:

I've met a lot of Golden owners and all of them have told me "it gets better" and "the trials of puppyhood are totally worth it".

Obi is our first Golden and I definitely have faced trials but I also see improvements in him everyday. He's not perfect and certainly not free of all bad behavior, but to expect him to be at this point is foolish. It's a matter of being consistent with training and working through it.

Be strong and hang in there. We can do this!


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## LUCKYme (Mar 29, 2015)

My Golden is fantastic with children and has been since he was a puppy. I think the most important thing to remember is Goldens are "dogs" before they are a "breed". All dogs and puppies should be supervised in the presence of children especially initially. Not all goldens are good with kids and not all kids are good with goldens. It would be unfair to generalize as most of the time, the tolerance or fondness of children comes by experience.


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## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

I have seen a huge improvement in my dog's comfort level with strange children in the past year. He was initially worried to pick up my kids at school, so I'd give him five minutes at my side on a tight leash with treats and then pop him in the car for his own comfort. Now he plops into a down stay and accepts the many stick offerings that the kindergarten ers bring him. They are very curious about him and will touch his feet, ears, and tail, and he ignores them.

We have done a lot of work together to get him to be okay with this - lots of treating and training - and it is so beautiful to see it paying off.

Now, if next winter rolls around and he doesn't knock over my small boys and steal their hats, I'll know we're really getting somewhere!


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## Macs#1 (Oct 1, 2010)

The absolute hardest thing I ever had to do in my adult life was to put down my 13 year old son's best friend, Beck. Memories still flood back to me of him learning how to walk by pulling himself up on Beck and watching them in tandem walk/tilt across the kitchen floor. Beck being concious of JC holding on to her tightly as they moved slowly toward his intended spot. When his friends would visit she would place herself between them initially until she sensed that they represented no threat to his well-being. They later became couch buddies as they grew up together. Cannot imagine another breed being more todler aware than our Goldens. All rambunctious puppies require supervision but IMHO the bumps and falls are just part of growing up with dogs in the house.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Cpc1972, I can guess what happened! At least she is good with your 6 y.o.! Our pup just has his moments, doesn't matter who is around! 

Dancer, Steven and Fuzzy sound so sweet! Sonny is hilarious! I would love to meet them!

Keleigh, I do think the teething factor is HUGE! I know from experience with my children that some kids go through the teething stage without much ado, while others really suffer. Yesterday we noticed some blood on a toy and that was the day he was especially nippy. Today he was much, much better.

My kids have been taught from day #1 to be quiet and still/ignore/turn their back when he starts to nip. Even my 3 y.o. is good at it. When he was younger, my puppy would still continue to pull on clothing (he has never been too bad about skin) with all of us . . . now he will generally give up but I don't want my kids to have to go through that (too close to their face for my comfort-- I see no signs of aggression but he is a puppy!) so I have started putting him in a sit. That has helped.

Yes, it is very trying to supervise them together sometimes! Very trying! On the plus side, he is really good with them in many ways. My 3 y.o. likes to pet him the way 3 year olds do (not tugging or hurting, just sort of annoying) and he does not show any calming signals when she does it. He just sits there, not walking away. (No one is allowed to follow him if he walks away-- that means he is done!)We have done a lot of work with him re: petting since the day we brought him home! (Treats for all sorts of handling.)Even my 3 y.o. is getting more involved in training, which helps, too!

I absolutely agree that we can do this and it will definitely be worth it. I am getting more and more glimpses of what life will be like when he's older and it is really a joy to see, but at the same time, am sad that time is passing so quickly!

LUCKYme, I absolutely agree about both points. My dog does like kids, for sure, thankfully . . .it's just his puppyhood we have to get through safely!

Lise123, awww, that is really a wonderful improvement! And I hear you about the hats . . .oh my gosh . . .we got our puppy in the dead of winter and that was not fun. My dog STILL gets too excited (bitey) when I wear my winter coat sometimes. Ugh! He is an equal opportunity nipper when it comes to those things! I am trying to get the kids to put on a crazy fashion show so that we clicker-training him to be ready for Halloween. We definitely want to have him with us for Trick or Treating, but want to make sure he is ready!

DixieJim, that is just heartbreaking. I can just visualize them together. RIP, Beck.


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## Taraann (Jan 5, 2015)

at what age would a golden be considered "grown"? My husband and I are planning to try to conceive in a few months. Kovu is currently 6 months old right now, so he'll be over a year once the baby finally arrives. Is over a year considered old enough to work well with children?


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## ladyjay (Apr 16, 2015)

I raised my first golden Maddie with a toddler son and Maddie was very loving with her. Never had any issues with her being mouthy with him. She was mouthy with me though for a while. She allowed my son to jump and be rambunctious with her and stayed calm.


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## golden addict (Apr 19, 2015)

I have raised 2 golden puppies with small children aged 2 and 4. It was like having another baby. The first 18-24 months were challenging. But my now 22 year old told me that he couldn't imagine his life without a golden in it. 
I do think that an older golden with small children would be better. But you can't get a better family pet. Goldens don't play favorites. They love everyone! They are kind and loyal. They are sturdy enough to play and keep up with kids. (Teach kindness to both species.)
I also want to emphasize that all puppies are mouthy. All puppies have needle like puppy teeth. All puppies need to be offered other items to chew on as this drive to discover the world by mouth (much like children) is so strong . Also, well exercised dogs are happier, better adjusted dogs. And not just letting dog into the back yard. Supervise all interactions with children period- any breed. Basic obedience training goes a long way. 
My third golden puppy didn't grow up with any children in the house. Instinctively from puppyhood, she lays down when we encounter any small children and is very patient with them leading us to do therapy work.


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## Loukia (Sep 20, 2014)

Taraann said:


> at what age would a golden be considered "grown"? My husband and I are planning to try to conceive in a few months. Kovu is currently 6 months old right now, so he'll be over a year once the baby finally arrives. Is over a year considered old enough to work well with children?


Goldens are usually considered "grown" when they are 2 or 3 years old, depending on the dog. If you've been working with your dog and diligent about training, I'm sure your dog will be fine when the baby comes home. Be sure to read up on tips for what to do to help acclimate the dog to the baby. In the end, you should never leave your dog alone with the baby and all interactions should be supervised... this holds true whether your dog is still in the puppy stage or well into adulthood. The good thing about having a younger dog is that he'll grow with your baby and come to accept it as part of the routine, as opposed to a 7 or 8 year old who has to suddenly adjust to a very different lifestyle.

Particularly when babies or kids are involved, consistent training and exercise will aid in good doggy behavior. My daughter was 5 and my son 8 when we brought our puppy home. The teething phase was a challenge, but now, at the 9 month mark, things are running smoothly (though I still don't leave the kids alone with the dog because if Comet gets over-excited he still gets mouthy).


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## Soonerlaw (Mar 19, 2015)

Our golden girl was about a year old when our son was born. She would sit next to his rocking seat and watch over him. As he got older, she would hover around his high chair for any cheerios that might fall. Other than making his toys her chew toys every once in awhile, she was great around him. As they grew up together, they would play fetch. It was the greatest fun raising our two "kids" side by side. We specifically got a golden with the anticipation of having kids one day, and it was a great decision.


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## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

I agree that they are a lot of work as puppies, and rambunctious. This can be scary to parents of young kids and unintentional injury can occur if supervision is not tight. 
Having said that, Thor adores kids. This was the reason he needed to be tightly managed around them as his exuberant excitement was a little much for very young ones. Now he's just fine with kids: doesn't really jump on them even though he still occasionally jumps on people. Maybe because they are short? Doesn't feel the need? 

My brother who lives abroad has three goldens in the house one of which grew up with his little girl. She is now 6 and all three dogs are her most adoring fans. 

The first golden I ever met also grew up with a baby. I hear he was a handful as a puppy but with good management he matured very nicely. Both were around 2 when I met them and best buddies. So yeah, they are good with kids, but as stated above, they don't come trained.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Taraann said:


> at what age would a golden be considered "grown"? My husband and I are planning to try to conceive in a few months. Kovu is currently 6 months old right now, so he'll be over a year once the baby finally arrives. Is over a year considered old enough to work well with children?


The sooner you can get your puppy around children of all ages, the better! Newborns are different from crawling babies, who are different from toddlers, etc. The more exposure your dog has from an early age to all of the strange movements and sounds children make, the less your dog will fear and react to them.


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