[Hazyjill]

Hello!
I’m looking into possibly getting a Golden in the future. I grew up with a Rottweiler and labs. We currently have a Lab mix. For our next dog I really don’t want another lab or a dog who has a oily coat like a lab. I want a dog who has a similar personality to a lab but with out the smell/ oily feel to the fur. I know goldens have oily coats (a lot of breeds do) but I feel because they have long hair it doesn’t have that natural oily feel like a lab? Also, what is the life expectancy of Goldens? I’ve read conflicting things from 7-9 years and 10-14? I just met a Golden yesterday at the lake. He was the sweetest thing! He was all wet so I couldn’t tell if he had that oily coat. 😆 thank you all!

 

[Megora]

Don't get a golden retriever.

 

[puddles everywhere]

I understand the smell... my labs could get a bath and 30 min. later it smelled like a locker room. Turned out they had a thyroid condition so might have this checked. Once this was under control the order wasn't an issue for me.
Breeding determines the age and quality of the coat. My well bred golden is working on 12 yrs with zero health issues her entire life. One of the blessings you get when you take the time and spend the bucks to find a quality breeder.
But agree with Megora, maybe any dog with a double coat should be removed from your selection choices. A single coated dog will not have this problem.

 

[Hazyjill]

Bummer! I may still get a Golden if I can’t find another breed that fits the personality I want. Any suggestions?
Looking for:
-about medium size 30-65lbs
-good with people/kids (I have young children)
-good with other animals (I have a cat)
-willingness to please
-somewhat easy to train
-can learn good recall
-somewhat active. We go on hikes a lot and I do run about 3 miles but not everyday. I like Vizsla but I’m worried I may not be active enough for one!

 

[Tagrenine]

What about a Standard poodle? Or a smooth collie?

 

[Emmdenn]

My golden doesn't really smell. I keep him clean and brushed. I don't notice that he has an "oily" coat. It can start to feel waxy when its time for a bath, but if you keep your dogs clean and well taken care of they shouldn't get that stinky dog smell.

 

[Megora]

If you keep the dogs inside, don't neuter/spay, bathe frequently, blow dry, etc.... dogs will smell just fine. Mine usually smell like my lotions (I have dry skin and typically lather up my hands and arms and rub the remainder on the nearest dog head).

Issue is that every golden that I've met who is owned by the average pet owner their coats are terrible. This is because they were neutered too early, are kept outside any prolonged amount of time, sleep in damp mud room, and are rarely to never bathed and groomed.

Their coats will smell funky when they have been outside - wet dog smell, even if they're not wet. That will fade away a few minutes after they've been inside.

In general - any dog will have a doggy smell. Most retriever breeds absolutely. But it won't be the really gross smell or feel of a dog that needs a lot of TLC.

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

My son has 2 labs and I have 2 Golden's. I occasionally have them all. I do not notice a difference in the smell of a Golden vs. a Lab. They are all on the same diet, same exercise, same care. I will say that I find the labs shedding to be more annoying. I'm not sure they shed more, but the hair sticks in everything.

I don't think you want a golden if your looking for 30 - 65 lbs. My youngest Golden Moe is 63 lbs and with most people he would be a little heavier. He's field bred; thin, long legs, dark coat. Duke is a field/conformation cross and at 9 years old weighs 73 lbs. In his prime with muscle he was 78 - 80 lbs and working everyday. I'm a stickler for not allowing them to be overweight. For the record my sons labs weights are 92 lbs for his male and 55 lbs for his female. His 92 lbs male is not overweight for his build but he is a beast of a dog. His tail will clear everything from a coffee table.

I should add that I bathe and groom regularly. I have a dog blow dryer that helps and I brush everyday.

 

[puddles everywhere]

Bummer! I may still get a Golden if I can’t find another breed that fits the personality I want. Any suggestions?
Looking for:
-about medium size 30-65lbs
-good with people/kids (I have young children)
-good with other animals (I have a cat)
-willingness to please
-somewhat easy to train
-can learn good recall
-somewhat active. We go on hikes a lot and I do run about 3 miles but not everyday. I like Vizsla but I’m worried I may not be active enough for one!

You might consider rescue. This is more about the dog than the just the breed. There are thousands of dogs in kill shelters and have found some of my best dogs at the shelters. The plus for rescues is you get to pick the one that fits your life, size and comes with shots & spay/neuter. They come in all sizes and personalities. I had a client that rescued an airedale/golden mix and the personality was all golden. Just something to consider... there are golden rescues too.

 

[Ffcmm]

If my dogs have missed a bath for about 2-3 weeks they start getting the doggy smell, usually they smell rather nice!! I'd think a very 'smelly' golden would have a yeast imbalance? I wouldn't describe their coat as oily either. if you pet a dog and feel residue on your hands, the dog is probably very dirty!!!

One thing for sure I think intact males have a stronger smell to them, due to their discharge... it's pretty easy to manage I just wipe if i see its excessive.

Life expectancy really varies ): the breed is very very cancer prone.

Goldens are larger than 30lbs for sure, if you are looking for one that is max, 65lbs, you should eliminate male goldens from your search as they can get alot bigger than that based on breed standard.

 

[gdgli]

If you keep the dogs inside, don't neuter/spay, bathe frequently, blow dry, etc.... dogs will smell just fine. Mine usually smell like my lotions (I have dry skin and typically lather up my hands and arms and rub the remainder on the nearest dog head).

Issue is that every golden that I've met who is owned by the average pet owner their coats are terrible. This is because they were neutered too early, are kept outside any prolonged amount of time, sleep in damp mud room, and are rarely to never bathed and groomed.

Their coats will smell funky when they have been outside - wet dog smell, even if they're not wet. That will fade away a few minutes after they've been inside.

In general - any dog will have a doggy smell. Most retriever breeds absolutely. But it won't be the really gross smell or feel of a dog that needs a lot of TLC.

1. I got used to any smell.
2. A wet dog always smells.
3. I like the smell of the dog, always did. It lets me know he is "there".

 

[cwag]

Golden puppies with young children can take a huge amount of management. They can be very mouthy/nippy. Read through some threads on the puppy section here. Mine sometimes get an outdoorsy smell but a brushing gets rid of it. I am one who does not want a doggy smell when I walk in my house and it has not been a problem with my .Goldens

 

[Hazyjill]

Thanks all! My current lab mix is 75lb female. She is NOT overweight. I’m not sure what she is mixed with but she looks like a taller black lab. She does have allergies which the vet and I are constantly working on. She gets a bath every two weeks. Any more and she itches more and any less she has worse skin as well. She seems to be at a good balance as far as frequency of baths. When I first adopted her she had constant ear infections but she has gone two years without one now! She is a indoor dog. I’m a stay at home mom so she is inside all day with us when not going potty or walks/hikes. As far as size I was just stating I don’t want a dog smaller than 30lbs. I understand Goldens typically get larger than 65lbs. I’d probably get a female so it would be on the ‘smaller’ size. Their personality is just so perfect for our family and lifestyle. Still highly considering one

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

Thanks all! My current lab mix is 75lb female. She is NOT overweight. I’m not sure what she is mixed with but she looks like a taller black lab. She does have allergies which the vet and I are constantly working on. She gets a bath every two weeks. Any more and she itches more and any less she has worse skin as well. She seems to be at a good balance as far as frequency of baths. When I first adopted her she had constant ear infections but she has gone two years without one now! She is a indoor dog. I’m a stay at home mom so she is inside all day with us when not going potty or walks/hikes. As far as size I was just stating I don’t want a dog smaller than 30lbs. I understand Goldens typically get larger than 65lbs. I’d probably get a female so it would be on the ‘smaller’ size. Their personality is just so perfect for our family and lifestyle. Still highly considering one

Their personalities can't be beat. I do caution people that most of the ones you see out and fall in love with have probably had more training then you could imagine. I get compliments on mine all the time and I appreciate it, but I never tell them how many hours I spend working with them or exercising them. I also am always praying Moe doesn't nibble on their watch or bracelet while they pet him. (It's a thing no matter what I do) Golden's and Labs both require a lot of work and exercise, some more then others, but a lot compared to some other breeds.

Best of luck in whatever you decide. If you go with a Golden make sure you have the core 4 clearances (hips, elbows, eyes, heart) and hopefully DNA tests available for review. From my own personal experience Golden's have a better off switch then labs, but keep in mind my sons labs are from FC AFC lines and my goldens also both have hunt and field titles behind their pedigrees. I love them both but my Golden's are just special. My son admits they are too but labs are easier to find for what he does with them.

 

[pawsnpaca]

I've owned 6 Goldens in my lifetime. The only one I remember being a bit smelly was the one I had as a kid, who only got a bath about once a year! Otherwise, none of my dogs have been particularly smelly unless it's been awhile since they last had a bath. I find I can go about 6-8 weeks with my spayed female before she starts smelling really doggy, and about 4 weeks with my intact male. I've never let my Goldens go without a bath long enough for them to get to the point where you feel like you need to go wash your hands after you pet them, and I don't think a clean (or even "clean-ish") Golden coat feels oily/greasy. Of course, a lot depends on the life they lead. Mine are primarily house dogs. If yours will be spending a lot of its time wet and muddy, then all bets are off! Either way, if you commit to bathing or having your dog groomed every 6 weeks or so, I doubt you'll find any smell they have concerning.

As far as how long they live... If cancer doesn't get them, most Goldens I know make it to at least 13 (and I have known some that have made it to 16-18!). Unfortunately, the statistic I see is about 60% of Goldens will acquire some form of cancer in their lifetimes, and sometimes it takes them very young (6-10), which is why you see such a range of average ages.

 

[Abeille]

Goldens do have a smell. It's not the same as lab smell. A golden puppy would be hard to manage with small children. I get compliments on mine quite often. The only time I tell people about the hours and hours of training I put is when they ask how I got them to behave so well. I always encourage obedience class for any breed.

 

[Maggie'sVoice]

Hello!
I’m looking into possibly getting a Golden in the future. I grew up with a Rottweiler and labs. We currently have a Lab mix. For our next dog I really don’t want another lab or a dog who has a oily coat like a lab. I want a dog who has a similar personality to a lab but with out the smell/ oily feel to the fur. I know goldens have oily coats (a lot of breeds do) but I feel because they have long hair it doesn’t have that natural oily feel like a lab? Also, what is the life expectancy of Goldens? I’ve read conflicting things from 7-9 years and 10-14? I just met a Golden yesterday at the lake. He was the sweetest thing! He was all wet so I couldn’t tell if he had that oily coat. 😆 thank you all!

All water retrieving dogs will have a oily skin but that doesn't mean they will smell just because of that. A correct food with the correct Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids ( a 4:1 ratio of 6's to 3's) will have a correct skin and coat.

Dogs that get too much Omega 3's to Omega 6's that makes that ratio more like a 2:1 or 3:1 will get an oilier skin. But generally the oder comes from low quality food with low quality fats and dyes. It just a dirt dog. Bathing every couple weeks will be enough to keep them from smelling bad.

The average age for a golden is 10-12 years with the oldest living around 14-16

 

[Megora]

1. I got used to any smell.
2. A wet dog always smells.
3. I like the smell of the dog, always did. It lets me know he is "there".

Some people get so used to stink and feel of sebborhea it sometimes leads to nonstop hotspots (which they notice). Or stud tail - which they also notice.

That kinda stink is not healthy for the coat and left untended will get worse.

A lot of people don't take proper care of their dogs.

Will never forget this one person whose dog practically lived outside and was in and out of ponds throughout the day. This was a shortcoated husky (not the fluffy kind you see at shows) so no you could not blame the stink on oily coat.

That dog smelled like halitosis. The owner had no idea and you could not say anything to be polite, but her dog seriously smelled like vomit.

Owner only did something about it when the dog started developing hotspots.

 

[Prism Goldens]

I dislike the smell of a Lab too. To my nose (which is pretty particular as noses go) given a Golden and a Lab, both freshly bathed and dried w the same products the Lab is still going to offend me. I also dislike their hair - Goldens shed more but Lab hair avoids removal! I kept a pal's two Labs about 4 years ago and I found that hair 6 months later even though I vacuum daily and mop at least every other day. It's like their hair went under the baseboards, slipped back out and presented itself to me on a daily basis. Since they were black I could tell whose hair was whose (and I have plenty of yellow hair here from my own dogs but it's a different consistency. Also, one time I actually got a Lab hair in the bottom of my foot no joke like a splinter. Crazy!

 

[Hazyjill]

I dislike the smell of a Lab too. To my nose (which is pretty particular as noses go) given a Golden and a Lab, both freshly bathed and dried w the same products the Lab is still going to offend me. I also dislike their hair - Goldens shed more but Lab hair avoids removal! I kept a pal's two Labs about 4 years ago and I found that hair 6 months later even though I vacuum daily and mop at least every other day. It's like their hair went under the baseboards, slipped back out and presented itself to me on a daily basis. Since they were black I could tell whose hair was whose (and I have plenty of yellow hair here from my own dogs but it's a different consistency. Also, one time I actually got a Lab hair in the bottom of my foot no joke like a splinter. Crazy!

I get lab hair splinters constantly in my feet! I thought I was the only one! Haha. I’m glad some people are saying they find labs to have a stronger smell. I feel i will probably end up getting a golden puppy from a reputable breeder. One with health tested parents and without skin issues. My lab is a rescue and when we got her she didn’t seem to have bad skin at the time. We have it under control for the most part but I do feel it’s probably where she gets a bit of that extra doggy smell from.

I understand how much training is needed to have a well behaved dog. I’ve taken all my dogs to obedience classes and constantly work with them. I too get compliments on how well behaved my lab is. I’ve taught my 5year old how to clicker train. She loves helping with obedience. I don’t plan on getting a puppy for 2years or more. So my youngest would be 4. I’ve raised a puppy before and understand what comes with it. I actually prefer a puppy so I can be in charge of their socialization and feel the dogs I had as puppies in the past were much much easier to train than the current lab we adopted at age 5. She came with leash aggression issues and never walked on a leash. Imagine a 75lb dog acting like a puppy pulling and biting and rolling with a leash on! It was ‘fun’ 🙄. She’s a amazingly behaved dog now! Lot of patience and work. And I had a 6months old baby at the time!! 😬