I love goldens and am so biased toward the breed it's not even funny, but I'll try to be fair and objective and come up with both pros and cons. Though, there are some amazing breeders and knowledgeable people here that can probably give you even better information.

Pros - They're incredibly smart and willing to please, making them very easy to train/housebreak/etc. A well-bred golden is friendly and should not be aggressive or fearful. They're beautiful, always a plus! Once you've gotten through the landshark puppy phase, they're very gentle dogs with very soft mouths. They're very expressive and there's just something about them that's far more endearing, loving and special than any other breed I've ever known. It's something you can't really explain, you have to own one to know what I mean.

Cons - Shedding! If you don't like having to clean up fur, a golden might not be for you. They definitely shed. As puppies, they can be very very mouthy. My last golden Spiffy wasn't mouthy but my current golden Huck is a little landshark and it's taken us a lot of work to get him to where he doesn't just try to chew all over your hands. Good alert dogs (Mine always barked if they heard something outside), poor guard dogs, if that's anything you're interested in having at all. Risks for certain health issues, especially cancer. We lose 60% of our golden babies to cancer.

If I think up other stuff I'll make sure to post it!

 

This is hard, because what one person likes about a breed, another person might not.

The biggest con of all, is the fur and the shedding. If you don't mind having fur on your clothes, in your house, sometimes even in your food, then this won't be a problem. A good vacuum is necessary.

The first year is a struggle. Goldens are very mouthy - read some of the links here. They are very hyper as puppies, need lots of exercise and stimulation.

The pros are they are beautiful, comedians. Mine make me laugh all the time. They always want to be with their family, and most love all other animals and people. They can be big lap dogs and are very easy to train. I often think of a golden as having the best of everything. They are a medium size dog, so they travel in a car well or sit in your lap well.

They mostly are not good watch dogs ( but personally I think if they needed to protect you they would ).

There are a lot more pros and cons - lets see what others have to say.

 

They mostly are not good watch dogs ( but personally I think if they needed to protect you they would ).

LOL .... Mazlon would maybe protect me from a dastardly adult squirrel or maybe a leaf .... but other than that .... For example, at one point I was trying to sell my house. I came home early one day and took a little nap with Mazlon by my side. I woke to discover a relator's card and a little note. Apparently she came by and went around the house ... saw me sleeping with Mazlon just watching her while next to me and decided to leave (she forgot to call ahead of time). Did Maz make a peep? Nope. Apparently just watched her with soft brown eyes and a wagging tail not even lifting her head.

OTH, whenever we took my little nephews to the local climbing gym, she would get highly upset if she couldn't see them and wouldn't let any dogs near the playground if they were on it.

 

Okay...

Pros - these are easy to find. People either dismiss goldens as being "too easy" or "not a challenge" (I assume they are comparing them to border collies who are OCD). Or you have people who rave about their loyal angels... ahem.

But it's very important that you fully consider the cons first.

When they are puppies and adolescents - they are mouthy, prone to chewing on everything, barky, hyper, are not happy unless they are jumping on people to show their love, think everything they can carry in their mouth is a toy.

That beautiful coat needs grooming. Not as much as other breeds - you won't have to clip anything off if you don't want to. But every week or so, you need to sit down and brush your dog's coat out. Some goldens with overabundant or faulty coats need to be brushed out every day to prevent matts and "clumps" (loose/dead hair getting caught under the top coat).

They have health issues, some of the very basic being eye infections and ear infections. You also may have a dog who licks their skin raw because of boredom or from "referred pain" (if their hips or elbows hurt, they lick their paws or side).

Some may be over independent and be constantly likely to run away every time they get a chance. Some may be overly dependant and be likely to develop anxiety if they don't have you there to reassure them.

Some may not be easy to train at all because of their independance or problem-solving intelligence.

They are not perfect ideal family pets without careful handling and training.

Those are all the bad things (there are probably more that I'm not thinking of) that you and your family need to think about before bringing a golden retriever home.

They are ideal family pets.... once you've survived the first 3 or 4 years. And part of the reason why I'm throwing all of this in here is because there was a recent thread where somebody had a puppy that went from cuddly puppy to monster at 10+ weeks. That poor puppy was doing everything wrong from accidents to resource guarding (growling and snapping over bones or toys) to mouthing and chewing on everything. That person has not come back after their last post in which he said they were returning the puppy to the breeder after it went after the baby. I don't care what people say, that behavior WILL happen if you have a smart puppy in an inexperienced home. Because every time the owner makes a mistake and lets something happen, the puppy is learning what works. And the flip side of that is a stressed puppy will develop aggressive or reactive behaviors as well.

 

They are prone to allergies, hot spots and ear infections, but usually a change in food will resolve those issues.

I have one that had those issues, and another that has never had any.

 

Can't really add to what has been said other than you might consider adopting an adult Golden (or other breed or mix) that needs a home. You get what you see.

 

The first six months or so they will take up all your time almost 24 hours a day, between housebreaking and teaching them house manners - but it is so worth it. They do become your best friend.

 

others have already said a lot.

i would like to say, if you have patience and lots of energy (it should last for 1 yr) then get a golden pup. also be ready for some play-biting. golden pups are furballs filled with lots of energy and mischief they can drive you crazy sometimes. after they have grown up they are the bestest best friend anyone can ever ask. but you have to do a lot of work for it.

if not adopt an older golden or other breed.

 

How old are you and your sister? Just wondering.

Go to the Golden Retriever Club of America - AKC National Breed Club website. This is the golden retriever club of america's website they have lots if information on the breed including test to see if the golden is the right breed for you (Golden Retriever Club of America - All About Goldens). They should be able to answer most of your questions.

If you yell at them they take it to heart and don't even think of physically correcting them (I mean hitting them). My uncle did not understand this and mistreated Buddy.

My previous golden, Lucky, had very sensitive skin. He was highly allergic ticks. 1 tick bite and he would loss all the hair in the area if it was not immediately treated. He also hcad chronic ear infections- Ended up needing surgery to open up his ear canal.

Buddy is highly allergic to fleas. Due to his previous abuse he has separation anxiety and self mutilated himself. Basically he chews his own feet and legs raw. Any raised voice sends him into hiding.

 

There is a downside to the size. You won't have the luxury of letting the puppy get away with stuff that the toy dogs do. For example, if a pomeranian pulls on the lead or jumps, people hardly notice. If your 5-month-old 40-pound golden puppy does that, somebody will be on the ground. On the plus side, they are very easy to train, but you have to keep ahead of the size. Otherwise you end up with a dog that can't go on a walk or gets locked up when people come to visit. Larger dogs can be a little more expensive - food, medication, kennel fees - but not so much that I think it really matters.

Hair. Since my last dog was a collie, I think goldens are very easy to groom.

People. Goldens (as a generalization) love people and especially kids. While they can be pretty rambunctious around kids, they are also (as a generalization) very tolerant of kid play - squealing, running and chasing, hugging, poking, flapping, etc. If you bring home a golden puppy, everyone in your neighborhood will know your dog's name in about a week.

 

If your 5-month-old 40-pound golden puppy does that, somebody will be on the ground.

i have been on the ground once face down...thanks to Sweetie (1 yr old golden i was dog-sitting) when i took her on a walk.

 

They're wonderful dogs, they have a willingness to please, make terrific family dogs, love to play with people, kids and other dogs, can be very sensitive, learn very fast, they need to be around people, can be used for hunting, fishing, just about any outdoor activity, can be very gentle and loving, they are one of the top dogs used as guide dogs for the blind, used for search & rescue, they love all forms of water, moving, still, frozen, snow anything wet, their look with the feathering, color and body build is nothing short of stunning, they have a very soft mouth, they can be couch potatoes or run you into the ground, they love curling up in front of the fire, they're great in boats and have a real love for life which one can't help but appreciate.

It's hard to beat the choice of a golden as a family companion - they'er simply wonderful dogs!

Pete

 

Everyone's posted the pros, so I'll go with some of the cons that made me tear my hair out for the first few months:

Biting, biting and more biting. There were weeks on end that I just went through the motions of taking care of him because his biting was driving me to my wits end. You couldn't touch him without him using your hand as a chew toy. You couldn't walk around the house without him nipping your butt or pulling on your pant leg.

They are STRONG! Harvey's only 5 months now and it takes all my energy to walk him on a leash. He pulls and pulls, he jumps up on me and strangers (and knocks smaller children to the ground) and I get angry with the situation and don't find pleasure in walking him. He's slowly learning, but it takes a LOT of hard work and teachings to get them to stop pulling on walks. The strength they have from an early age is phenomenal.

They don't like to be left alone. While Harvey has slept in his crate alone every night from 7weeks until 20 weeks (he occasionally sleeps out of there now) he hates being left alone when I leave for work. He calms down after a bit but he wants attention and company. 3 hours on his own is all he can handle, if that. You really need to have someone who is home the majority of the day if you are going to get a Golden, they are not the type of dog that are happy to stay at home alone a lot. Even around the house, they love to follow you around, sit next to you while you're cooking, lay next to you while you're watching TV, bring you their toys when they want to play.

They love EVERYONE! People, dogs, other animals...Harvey doesn't seem to understand that not everyone appreciates him jumping up on them and kissing them, not all dogs want to play with him, some smaller animals are scared of him and he can hurt them without realising his own strength. This is an ongoing issue as I am trying SO hard to train him but it's a long, hard road.

They are inquisitive. Oh my god, are they inquisitive. He needs to investigate everything, sniff everything, lick/eat everything, hear everything, watch everything. Sounds cute but when you can't put a glass down without him wanting to "have a go" it gets tiring. Again, training issue but a tough one.

Sock obsessed: After having him home for nearly 4 months, I officially have no matching socks left. I constantly find underwear and socks of mine hidden in his bed, blankets, under the couch, even partially buried in the garden!

But you know what? Those traits make up this wonderful breed! And yes, I'm biased, but a annoying as some of them can be (are) I wouldn't change this monster for the world

 

I cannot think of any cons.

All dogs shed. Big and small dogs all have issues. Goldens are in the middle actually for size.

They are the most loving, sweet, obedient, easily trained , loyal dogs I have ever known.

Some here have mentioned that they are rambunctious and don't calm down till they are at least three. We have not found this to be true at all. Our goldens as pups have been sweet and obedient because we do obedience training with them!! We play with them, do retireves and they settle when we tell them too. Sasha is one and is not hyper at all. He is still mouthy but has a very soft mouth and no problem. He does not bite at all.
I don't really understand your parents concerns. It's all about training. An untrained dog of any breed is an irritant!

 

The previous posts are all dead on and very good. I would add to look hard at GR health issues. Somebody mentioned 60% are lost to cancer. That is something to keep in mind. It's a horrible thing. But, all breeds have their issues too.

I don't mean to sound like a 'Debbie Downer', but you need to be aware of all the possible GR health issues.

We've had 4 GR's. Two have died to due to cancer; bone cancer and lymphoma. One just turned 14 and the other just turned 3.

Our 14 year old just lost her eye sight to GRU (Golden Retriever pigmentary Uveitis). Our 3 year old is a nut although he is just now starting to calm down a little...

GR's, in my opinion, need lots of exercise. Both mental and physical. The more the better. However, that said, they all have different personalities. Some are laid back and some are nuts!

If you can't give your GR puppy LOTS of attention (meaning training, exercise and so on), you might want to consider another breed.

If you do go with a GR, find a local GR club. Talk with breeders and let them know what you are looking for in a GR. Find out if the pups they breed fit into what you think and/or fit into your life style. You probably don't want to go to a breeder that primarily breeds high energy field dogs for example. A good breeder will interview you to see if their puppies are a good match for you or not as well as other things.

Expenses are another thing to consider.

Just random thoughts and things to consider. Good luck with what ever you decide on.

I can't imagine, even with all the health issues of GR's, having another breed!

Our friend/breeder has puppies due in a few weeks...

 

GR's, in my opinion, need lots of exercise. Both mental and physical. The more the better. However, that said, they all have different personalities. Some are laid back and some are nuts!

If you can't give your GR puppy LOTS of attention (meaning training, exercise and so on), you might want to consider another breed.

Me and my sister alone can get the dog all the excercise it needs, it's just that my parents thinks of all the things with a "worst case scenario" mindset and thinks that maybe it's too big, or too much work in the excersise department. EVEN if we got a huge lawn with a forest just over the street and a ton of energy to spare ourselves.

By the way. Im going to show this thread to em by the end of the week so they can see it for themselves

 

Some here have mentioned that they are rambunctious and don't calm down till they are at least three. We have not found this to be true at all. Our goldens as pups have been sweet and obedient because we do obedience training with them!! We play with them, do retireves and they settle when we tell them too. Sasha is one and is not hyper at all. He is still mouthy but has a very soft mouth and no problem. He does not bite at all.

We did competition obedience training with all except our first golden (he was a puppy class dropout who taught us more than we taught him).

Jacks was the only one who settled down reasonably by 6 months and completely by 2 years. Through those first two years, I was a little embarrassed about wearing shorts because of all the bruises on my legs from him. And he was the easiest and sweetest puppy ever.

Our other goldens were high energy, independant, stubborn, bratty, and too smart for their own good until they were 4 or 5. Barking obnoxious fools.

Obedience training does help a LOT, but a good portion of raising a golden is waiting for them to mature.

One awesome person (she's a very petite and soft spoken woman who I suspect is older than she looks) I know has a golden who while well-trained and flashy always has a little too much exuberance. The first time I met her, her dog was 2 years old and almost too much for her. And this woman definitely is not a raw beginner type trainer.

 

I have both 'types', the blond beauty queen (big, big shedder) and the rambuncious red 'field' retreiver (small, not a big shedder but more energetic). They both have the wonderful golden personality ... they NEED PEOPLE and ATTENTION; always! The red is very athletic and as I said, not a big shedder at all. The blonde sheds as she walks....

I think what I've read so far on the replies are all right on so no need to get into any of that except, it may benefit to get a rescue who is between 1 - 3 years of age. You still enjoy that puppyhood (they really never stop playing) but miss the terrible 8week old shark attack pooping machine puppy. It could be a good compromise with your parents and a good rescue will also match the dog's personality with your family.

Please let us know how it goes and what you get!

K

 

IF you have hardwood floors, it can be easier. (or put rugs down over your carpet). IF you and your sister promise to vacumn every other day..... (read this mom!!!)....

IF you realize having a big yard means nothing....YOU need to be in that big yard with the dog playing, training, exercising.... IF you have puppy training classes you could possibly go to.... IF you are truly committed...

Then a golden is the perfect FAMILY dog. I can't think of a better breed for loving, listening, playing, protecting and becoming one of the family itself. Your lives will be enriched forever. I hope you get one; either a puppy or a young rescue...K

 

Lots of work, training, patience and love. Wyatt was not my first rodeo and I had moments even I broke down and wondered if I made the right choice. If it wasn't for that cute face lol! I totally blocked out my memory of puppyhood. It's alot of work that first year and everyone needs to be onboard.

Just remember that those well behaved loving adult goldens you meet on the streets were not born like that... as my neighbors think

Good luck!

 

It makes me ::wince:: when I hear that one or more adults in the family had to be forced to "give in" to the idea of getting a family dog. Its my opinion that unless the primary caregiver in the family is ready for the dog to be their SOLE responsibility then there should be no dog in the family.
Someone in the family has to be responsible, hell-or-high-water, for the day-to-day care and well being of the animal. 99% of the time it is not the children in the family....Most children don't have the financial resources or the time...they are too busy being children - which is every bit as important!

Dogs (of any breed) are a HUGE commitment of time & money...
They change the way you live...where you go...what you do.. where & when you vacation.. what kind of car you buy.....how you spend your nearly all of your free-time. For most families...these conscious choices and decisions are made by parents.

 

They change the way you live...where you go...what you do.. where & when you vacation.. what kind of car you buy.....how you spend your nearly all of your free-time.

Whoa. That is 100% dead on.
What the heck is a vacation?

 

No cons here. I looooovvvveeee Goldens. I would never want to be without one.
Yes, they shed, so do other dogs. Yes, they are large dogs, not medium at all in my book.
They love you, they love everybody, they love all critters, they are easily trained. They are NOT a dog to put in a yard or a kennel and forget about them. They need to be in the house with their people! That is when they are the happiest. Goldens are lovable, huggable clowns! Not a mean bone in their body. At least none of mine ever did. They do not make good guard dogs, they might lick somebody to death though, lol.
Health problems, yeah, but so many other breeds have health problems also. And the way I think is: They are sooooooooooooo worth it. They are the picture of unconditional love!
I don't ever want somebody to buy one on a whim and then they don't know what to do with them, mistreat them and take them to the shelter or worse.
Like LibertyMe, it kind of makes me wince also. I am not sure you guys are really ready to commit to a dog.

 

A big pro about getting a golden retriever is that you are now a member of the golden retriever forum. This is the biggest breed forum on the internet and is a great source when learning, raising and owning a golden. There are people here from around the world, from all walks of life, that have experienced almost everything possible in the golden world.


As for size of dog, I think a lot of people are afraid of getting a larger dog. I used to be that way, now I prefer them. I find them to have better temperments, easier to train and actually cleaner than a lot of smaller dogs.

 

Before you decide on ANY type of dog, I think you need to assess the dog's living situation and what responsibilites will fall on which family members.

For instance: your parents must be COMPLETELY on board with this because the puppy/dog will have vet bills for routine care. And there may be injuries or illnes that requires even more vet care. Your parents have to be willing to pay for this.

Your puppy will need obedience classes. Somebody has to pay for that. And even if you and your sister do the training, your parents have to be available to drive you.

Somebody needs to be home during the day at first. Preferably all day, but at least a few times during the day. A puppy can not be crated for more than an hour or so at first. Somebody has to let the puppy out to go potty and stretch his little legs. If your parents work all day and you are in school for 6 hours or so, you will need to hire somebody to walk your puppy.

Your puppy needs a place to play. You don't have to have a yard of your own but you do need to be willing to walk your puppy EVERYDAY regardless of the weather. Puppies don't know that it's cold or snowy or rainy. They still need to get out and play and exercise.

Some puppies have a hard time finding just the right food for them. They might have allergies so you may not be able to buy whatever they have at the store.

Having a puppy/dog is something that the WHOLE FAMILY must take on. Just as if there were another child in the family. Because it is another child...a furkid!!

 

Erhmm, seems like my "gave in" comment was a bad choice of words, they are both really looking forward to getting a dog too, not just me! I'm just here to help us decide what kind of dog would be best for a starter family (with dogs that is).
Anyways, thanks for all the responses so far!

 

You will probably do just fine. My husband was not so gung ho to get another one after our Cody passed last year......you should see him now! I think he loves Wyatt more than me now I certainly was not going to wait for him to be 100% ok with it.....if I did, Wyatt probably wouldn't be in our life right now.

 

Pros: Easy to train and willing to learn, they are loyal and affectionate
Cons: If you like a Marths Stewart clean house, they are not the dog for you. They shed unbelievably and if there is mud, they will find it...

Some require a lot of exercise, mine are pretty content to sleep on the couch all day.

 

I can not think of a better breed of dog to own. Of course if you go to any breed specific forum they will tell you the same thing.....only we are the correct ones..LOL.

I've also had miniature poodles and muts through out my life and loved them all. After owning a Golden Retriever I can say I am hooked.

As mentioned.... dogs shed hair, puppy's need lots of attention and training, they are as dependent on their humans as a child is upon their parents. If you fulfill this you will be rewarded greatly.

Please make sure you check out the puppy buyers fact checker before purchasing from a breeder.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...om/choosing-golden-retriever-breeder-puppy/22440-puppy-buyers-fact-checker.html

 

Our puppy is 4 months old and he is our first Golden. I can tell you the pros FAR outweigh any cons, at least for us...
the cons- he is a biter and a jumper...but he IS a puppy and I think that is expected for any puppy, especially a larger breed dog. Alot of people dont realize what they are getting themselves into with a puppy!
He likes to "steal" our stuff...he finds it highly entertaining to take my kitchen matt and drag it to his bed, or ANYTHING else he finds lying around, lol! He is easily excitable, which with small kids sometimes doesnt make for a good time.
The PROS- He is the sweetest, lovable dog Ive ever had, already at only 4 months old, we are totally in love!
He is SMART as a whip, He was incrediably easy to potty train and he is the funniest thing on the planet. The shedding isnt really all that bad, maybe because I expected more? I love him to pieces and cant wait for him to grow up with our kids and my husband and I!