me and my wife are looking at adopting at golden retriever from the local dog shelter, its a 2 year old dog that is supposed to be trained. is this is a good breed for first time dog owners, we live in a large 2 bed room apartment
golden retriever
- Thread starter kalster
- Start date
secretanchitman
Diamond Member
- Apr 11, 2001
- 9,352
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golden retrievers are one the nicer breeds of dogs. they aren't aggresive and are very smart. why not? seems like a good first choise.
fustercluck
Diamond Member
- Dec 29, 2002
- 7,402
- 0
- 71
i had one and she was great. The only problem is that she is very fat (100 lbs or something). I miss her a lot.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Excellent breed. One note: they *will* over eat if they have the opportunity. Watch their diets closely. (And, they're smart. Ours used to steal loaves of bread from the grocery bags when my wife and I got home. We'd just look at each other wondering if we left a bag at the store. A while later, we'd see the empty bread wrappers elsewhere in the house or in the back yard. We never caught him in the act - he was good at it.)
*sigh* I miss him though; had to put him to sleep a couple months ago due to cancer.
*sigh* I miss him though; had to put him to sleep a couple months ago due to cancer.
Goldens can be excellent dogs.....provided you understand what you are getting.
My wife and her parents bred Goldens for decades for show.......and I finally convinced her to let us get one for ourselves. After we've now had Ginger for four months, I know why she was semi-reluctant to allow her into the house. It's not that she's a bad dog or anything....just has a lot of typical Golden traits that can be quite annoying if you aren't ready for them or willing to endure them for life.
Goldens, first and foremost, are retrievers. Of course you knew that. But are you prepared for your new Golden retrieving anything and everything he or she can get its mouth on? I'm still missing a couple of screwdrivers, a wrench, a 120mm fan, and who knows what I haven't missed yet but Ginger has retrieved into her little hidden stashes of goodies. Yep...they'll retrieve what suits them and hide them hither and yon in little stash piles you most likely won't find.......but don't worry, the items usually turn back up in a couple of weeks. Ginger, our Golden puppy, deposits her treasures she's tired of hiding in the middle of the living room floor during the night. So, a few times a week, we get stuff returned to us that usually we didn't know we were missing until they land back in the living room.
Goldens are one breed of dog that will pick up metal objects in addition to most anything else. Almost every dog will avoid metal in their mouths.....they generally don't like the hardness and feel of the metal. But not Goldens. My wife had one that would liberate tools her brother or father were using and bury them in the yard somewhere. Say you were working on your car and had a few wrenches, sockets, etc., around. The dog would pick one you weren't currently using and take it. Quietly, stealthly. Then it'd get buried. Sometimes the tool would be found by accident...mowing, etc. But most times it was weeks, months before the dog would remember it had buried this or that and dig it back up.
Something else that Goldens seem to universally love to "play" with....and I mean shred....is tissue paper and paper towels. Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels....anything paper like that will and does end up in their mouths and turn into confetti. They will browse table tops looking for stuff like that. I've watched ours sit on the couch, lean over the arm and browse the end table until she finds something that interests her. Then she takes it, plops down and begins to "investigate" it with her mouth.....until it's in pieces or, if a more solid object, has her endearing tooth prints all over it. Lately, Ginger has had a fetish with chewing up Coke cans.....chewing them up until they resemble something that went through a garbage disposal. First dog I've ever seen that'd chew up an aluminum can. She also likes chewing up ANY can she is able to get ahold of. Again, metal doesn't seem to phase her at all....or almost all of this breed from what I've heard.
Goldens are water dogs. So, be prepared to watch your Golden pup splish, splash, play with, sit in, and generally do anything it can with its water bowl. They've been known to sit in a full bowl of water and splash all the water out of the bowl with their paws until it's empty......big fun!!!
Also remember Goldens are buddy dogs. So you will have this dog next to you almost all the time....whether you want it underfoot, and I mean UNDERFOOT, or not. They do get a bit better as they become adults with their demand for attention and how close they have to be to you.....I guess they finally understand they cannot get inside you through your skin......but that two years of puppyhood can seem to be a looooong time.
But, they are beautiful dogs.....smart, loyal, friendly to a fault (they are everyone's buddy!), good natured, highly trainable. You'll love one....as long as you do remember every breed of puppy has its traits, and Goldens have theirs. Oh, and please be aware Goldens are said to be a "soft" dog.....meaning its feelings can be quite hurt if your discipline is too harsh. But it'll always come back to love you, even if it's treated not-so-well. And I'm not speaking just of physical discipline, because Goldens are so soft that harsh tones of words can hurt their feelings quite a bit. That's right, Goldens are very attuned to the tone of your speaking and can be quite "hurt" by harsh-toned words....even though they aren't the fastest to learn English.
As far as some of the other breeds......Labs. I've heard from too many breeders of them that the best way to train a Lab is to keep a 2X4 handy. And that comment is almost not made in jest. It seems Labs just have an attention problem........they like to look over there and there and there.....all the while you're calling and calling and calling them to come to you. Takes a LOT of patience with a Lab to put up with what appears to be a dog that refuses to learn.....and all the while the dog is just in its own world and on its own schedule.
But, if you're considering a Golden, another breed, quite similar but not as destructive, is a Flat Coated Retriever. I've been told by someone who trained and showed a lot of the various Retriever breeds in the AKC show circuit, like the AKC Dog Show at Madison Square Gardens in NY, that Flatties are just a bit sharper as far as training, less chewing-destructive compared to Goldens, have fewer skin problems, and are at least as good a family dog as Goldens if not better. Worth a look into them....if you can find a good breeder.
As far as breeders, look into ONLY AKC breeders. Those other "certification" and "papering" organizations, like CKC, are completely bogus. Only with an AKC pup are you assured that the dog is actually what is represented and does indeed have the family lineage that is shown. Most, if not all AKC breeders, will welcome a potential owner to come and inspect the facilities the pups are being raised in and most times the parents will be there to see, too.
I'd avoid buying from: pet stores, newspaper adverts, etc. My suggestion would be either find a reliable breeder by talking with others who have the same breed and find out where they got theirs, or go to AKC.org and look up breeders by breed. The breeders listed there are very careful not to overbreed a female (if the female is having more than two litters per year, the dog is being overbred and you have a puppy mill in action).
Also, most quality breeders will give you some time after buying the puppy to have it examined by your own vet for potential problems, like hip dysplagia, and offer a return policy.....usually a few days to a week.
When you look at a puppy, look for clear eyes, alertness, playfulness, and good bone. By that last item, I mean the legs and other bones in the pup look "big", something you will learn to differentiate as you look at a few pups. The more bone a pup has early on, the fewer problems in the skeletal area you probably will face. This doesn't mean the dog is going to be huge, just means the bone structure is not spindly or thin. Thicker bone structure in a dog means the joints are better able to absorb repeated impact.....running, jumping, etc. Just like in a human......thin bones can lead to future problems......heavier bone structure typically means the associated parts (joints, etc.) are also being developed a bit "heavier" than a thinner-structured person or animal.
If you have any other questions, just PM me. I can give a little more insight to them and a few other breeds. We've, and I mean me, my wife and her parents, have been around dogs "forever" and her family has raised a LOT of show dogs over the decades. Surprising what one can learn from experience......and what looks like a cute thing, like carrying around paper, can turn into frustration down the road. As long as you are prepared for it, it'll be a much easier time getting through the puppy years.
Cheers!
My wife and her parents bred Goldens for decades for show.......and I finally convinced her to let us get one for ourselves. After we've now had Ginger for four months, I know why she was semi-reluctant to allow her into the house. It's not that she's a bad dog or anything....just has a lot of typical Golden traits that can be quite annoying if you aren't ready for them or willing to endure them for life.
Goldens, first and foremost, are retrievers. Of course you knew that. But are you prepared for your new Golden retrieving anything and everything he or she can get its mouth on? I'm still missing a couple of screwdrivers, a wrench, a 120mm fan, and who knows what I haven't missed yet but Ginger has retrieved into her little hidden stashes of goodies. Yep...they'll retrieve what suits them and hide them hither and yon in little stash piles you most likely won't find.......but don't worry, the items usually turn back up in a couple of weeks. Ginger, our Golden puppy, deposits her treasures she's tired of hiding in the middle of the living room floor during the night. So, a few times a week, we get stuff returned to us that usually we didn't know we were missing until they land back in the living room.
Goldens are one breed of dog that will pick up metal objects in addition to most anything else. Almost every dog will avoid metal in their mouths.....they generally don't like the hardness and feel of the metal. But not Goldens. My wife had one that would liberate tools her brother or father were using and bury them in the yard somewhere. Say you were working on your car and had a few wrenches, sockets, etc., around. The dog would pick one you weren't currently using and take it. Quietly, stealthly. Then it'd get buried. Sometimes the tool would be found by accident...mowing, etc. But most times it was weeks, months before the dog would remember it had buried this or that and dig it back up.
Something else that Goldens seem to universally love to "play" with....and I mean shred....is tissue paper and paper towels. Kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels....anything paper like that will and does end up in their mouths and turn into confetti. They will browse table tops looking for stuff like that. I've watched ours sit on the couch, lean over the arm and browse the end table until she finds something that interests her. Then she takes it, plops down and begins to "investigate" it with her mouth.....until it's in pieces or, if a more solid object, has her endearing tooth prints all over it. Lately, Ginger has had a fetish with chewing up Coke cans.....chewing them up until they resemble something that went through a garbage disposal. First dog I've ever seen that'd chew up an aluminum can. She also likes chewing up ANY can she is able to get ahold of. Again, metal doesn't seem to phase her at all....or almost all of this breed from what I've heard.
Goldens are water dogs. So, be prepared to watch your Golden pup splish, splash, play with, sit in, and generally do anything it can with its water bowl. They've been known to sit in a full bowl of water and splash all the water out of the bowl with their paws until it's empty......big fun!!!
Also remember Goldens are buddy dogs. So you will have this dog next to you almost all the time....whether you want it underfoot, and I mean UNDERFOOT, or not. They do get a bit better as they become adults with their demand for attention and how close they have to be to you.....I guess they finally understand they cannot get inside you through your skin......but that two years of puppyhood can seem to be a looooong time.
But, they are beautiful dogs.....smart, loyal, friendly to a fault (they are everyone's buddy!), good natured, highly trainable. You'll love one....as long as you do remember every breed of puppy has its traits, and Goldens have theirs. Oh, and please be aware Goldens are said to be a "soft" dog.....meaning its feelings can be quite hurt if your discipline is too harsh. But it'll always come back to love you, even if it's treated not-so-well. And I'm not speaking just of physical discipline, because Goldens are so soft that harsh tones of words can hurt their feelings quite a bit. That's right, Goldens are very attuned to the tone of your speaking and can be quite "hurt" by harsh-toned words....even though they aren't the fastest to learn English.
As far as some of the other breeds......Labs. I've heard from too many breeders of them that the best way to train a Lab is to keep a 2X4 handy. And that comment is almost not made in jest. It seems Labs just have an attention problem........they like to look over there and there and there.....all the while you're calling and calling and calling them to come to you. Takes a LOT of patience with a Lab to put up with what appears to be a dog that refuses to learn.....and all the while the dog is just in its own world and on its own schedule.
But, if you're considering a Golden, another breed, quite similar but not as destructive, is a Flat Coated Retriever. I've been told by someone who trained and showed a lot of the various Retriever breeds in the AKC show circuit, like the AKC Dog Show at Madison Square Gardens in NY, that Flatties are just a bit sharper as far as training, less chewing-destructive compared to Goldens, have fewer skin problems, and are at least as good a family dog as Goldens if not better. Worth a look into them....if you can find a good breeder.
As far as breeders, look into ONLY AKC breeders. Those other "certification" and "papering" organizations, like CKC, are completely bogus. Only with an AKC pup are you assured that the dog is actually what is represented and does indeed have the family lineage that is shown. Most, if not all AKC breeders, will welcome a potential owner to come and inspect the facilities the pups are being raised in and most times the parents will be there to see, too.
I'd avoid buying from: pet stores, newspaper adverts, etc. My suggestion would be either find a reliable breeder by talking with others who have the same breed and find out where they got theirs, or go to AKC.org and look up breeders by breed. The breeders listed there are very careful not to overbreed a female (if the female is having more than two litters per year, the dog is being overbred and you have a puppy mill in action).
Also, most quality breeders will give you some time after buying the puppy to have it examined by your own vet for potential problems, like hip dysplagia, and offer a return policy.....usually a few days to a week.
When you look at a puppy, look for clear eyes, alertness, playfulness, and good bone. By that last item, I mean the legs and other bones in the pup look "big", something you will learn to differentiate as you look at a few pups. The more bone a pup has early on, the fewer problems in the skeletal area you probably will face. This doesn't mean the dog is going to be huge, just means the bone structure is not spindly or thin. Thicker bone structure in a dog means the joints are better able to absorb repeated impact.....running, jumping, etc. Just like in a human......thin bones can lead to future problems......heavier bone structure typically means the associated parts (joints, etc.) are also being developed a bit "heavier" than a thinner-structured person or animal.
If you have any other questions, just PM me. I can give a little more insight to them and a few other breeds. We've, and I mean me, my wife and her parents, have been around dogs "forever" and her family has raised a LOT of show dogs over the decades. Surprising what one can learn from experience......and what looks like a cute thing, like carrying around paper, can turn into frustration down the road. As long as you are prepared for it, it'll be a much easier time getting through the puppy years.
Cheers!
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Hair too long, but yes great dogs. I'd personally take a Yellow Lab.
I'd take a Lab, too, as long as it came with it's own attention-getter, like the proverbial 2 x 4. Labs aren't exactly the best at paying attention to what you want it to.....it'd rather pay attention to what it wants to, to the complete exclusion of you calling, yelling, standing next to it and saying its name........
The joke among breeders and trainers about Labs is they're great with a 2 x 4.....and the 2 x 4 is to get its attention back to you. Then you can work with it.
Remember, it's a joke, but not very far removed from the truth.
As Willie mentioned, retrievers have the 'grab and hide' problem. They are wonderful, friendly, intelligent dogs... just sometimes they're too darn smart. You really have to pay excellent attention to everything that's in the dog's reach, especially candy jars. Sugar-high retrievers = nightmare (Thanks Uncle Donald for bringing your friggin peppermint candies over. Scooter wouldn't eat for two days! To top it off, that was the last two days I was dogsitting him). Don't be surprised when small objects wander off. They also will gorge themselves. Besides those two things, there rarely are problems, so long as you treat them right (give lots of attention and feed the dog regularly with the right amount of food).
Speaking specifically, a two year old trained retriever will probably be wonderful. He's still young enough to get over the adjustment quickly, and friendly enough to like you from day one. The first few weeks though... watch out. He'll be twice as lightfingered (lightpawed?) as normal. He'll also be mega-inquisitive, meaning he'll find a way to sneak in the room while you're dropping a deuce or pitching a tent.
Speaking specifically, a two year old trained retriever will probably be wonderful. He's still young enough to get over the adjustment quickly, and friendly enough to like you from day one. The first few weeks though... watch out. He'll be twice as lightfingered (lightpawed?) as normal. He'll also be mega-inquisitive, meaning he'll find a way to sneak in the room while you're dropping a deuce or pitching a tent.
I love my golden retreiver... I'll warn you, though, they're total attention whores when I'm in the house, my dog normally won't leave my side... but he also hates it when I go on the computer. hah. he's mastered the art of nuzzling between my arm and my mouse to interrupt my gaming.
oh god, I thought I was the only one :laugh: somehow, my dog always manages to snag the fabric softener paper from the laundry basket every time.
when I'm in the house, my dog normally won't leave my side... but he also hates it when I go on the computer. hah. he's mastered the art of nuzzling between my arm and my mouse to interrupt my gaming.oh god, I thought I was the only one :laugh: somehow, my dog always manages to snag the fabric softener paper from the laundry basket every time.
had to add... one tennis ball can easily keep a retriever entertained for hours
my dog will pick up a tennis ball, drop it, and then chase after it like a madman when it bounces away... and pretty much do that over and over again until I take it away. but god help us all if it rolls under a couch
my dog will pick up a tennis ball, drop it, and then chase after it like a madman when it bounces away... and pretty much do that over and over again until I take it away. but god help us all if it rolls under a couch
The OP said he lives in an apt. Is a dog as big as a golden retriever suited for that? I guess apartments vary in size, but I've always known these dogs to be associated with houses that have yards for them to roam around in. Of course, the dog's in the pound now, so an apt with a good owner is a good home.
Pretty much everything I was going to say is covered by other posters.
I just wanted to give a :thumbsup: for adopting. :beer:
I just wanted to give a :thumbsup: for adopting. :beer:
My Golden is now almost 13 and is named...Willie Sadly he is losing weight and due to what the Vet thinks is testicular cancer, is not a candidate for surgery :|
Sadly he is losing weight and due to what the Vet thinks is testicular cancer, is not a candidate for surgery :|The dog's living at the pound now. I think an apartment with a good family is a better alternative than that.
middlehead
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
- 4,573
- 2
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My brother's got one, he's obviously picking up hip problems and the vet's saying to bring him in for regular checkups in case of cancer, but he's the definition of a 'gentle giant.' When my nephews were small enough to still be crawling, they'd go stick their hands in his dish while he was eating; he'd back up and whimper.
- Oct 28, 1999
- 62,484
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I'll just chime in with the consensus that they are great family dogs, but can be INCREDIBLY destructive when left alone or not given enough attention.
An old boss of mine had two of them that single handidly destroyed her house. They chewed the wooden railings off the deck. Chewed off the supply hoses on her gas grill. Ate siding off the house. Dug craters in her back yard.
She was never home, and rarely took them for walks, so I can't blame them. But I've known of others to do similar things (just not on that scale) when left alone too.
An old boss of mine had two of them that single handidly destroyed her house. They chewed the wooden railings off the deck. Chewed off the supply hoses on her gas grill. Ate siding off the house. Dug craters in her back yard.
She was never home, and rarely took them for walks, so I can't blame them. But I've known of others to do similar things (just not on that scale) when left alone too.
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