What is a Golden Retriever's temperament like?

What is a Golden's personality like?

A Golden should be eager, alert and self-confident, with a kind expression. It should never be quarrelsome or hostile toward other dogs or people in everyday life, and it shouldn't be timid or nervous without a reason.

Goldens were bred as hunting dogs from Scotland, and they still work hard in the field, as guide dogs for people who are blind and in search and rescue, with a big love of life when they aren't working. They're playful and need things to keep their minds busy, so a Golden wants something to do. Our Golden and Lab comparison sets the Golden's temperament beside the Lab's.

Are Golden Retrievers good with kids?

Most Goldens are good with children when the parents put in the time and energy to raise them well. Goldens are known for being very good with young children, though any dog should be watched around young children and around children of any age who haven't spent much time with dogs.

A puppy and small children can be a hard mix at first. A new puppy asks about as much time and attention as a toddler, and puppies naturally chase, jump and nip the way they did with their littermates, which the sounds and movements of children can stir up. A puppy and a child get along well almost entirely because the parents are watching, and a puppy short on exercise and training tends to be kept away from the family more and more as it grows, so its manners never get the chance to improve.

Do Golden Retrievers bark, and will one guard the house?

Goldens bark very little, mostly to let you know something is going on. Grown Goldens notice what happens around them and some will bark at activity outside, which may put off an intruder, but the typical Golden would sooner offer to carry the intruder's flashlight than guard the house.

A Golden kept away from its family is another story. Goldens want to be where their people are, indoors or out, and a Golden left in a yard, shut in a garage or tied outside gets bored and stressed and turns to barking, chewing, digging and running wild.

How much energy does a Golden have, and when do they calm down?

Expect plenty of energy for the first two years, because a Golden needs the most exercise through puppyhood, which lasts up to about two years of age. A young Golden without an outlet may turn destructive and seem hyperactive, while most Goldens settle into a quieter life once they are grown and trained. Grown Goldens still do best with regular, brisk exercise to stay lean and fit.

Good outlets include brisk walks on a leash, swimming, chasing a ball in a safe fenced space, play dates with dogs you know are friendly, and training for obedience, agility, tracking or the field. Hold off on jogging or biking with a Golden until it is at least 12 months old, and check with your vet first even then. A fenced yard won't cover a Golden's exercise on its own, because Goldens don't exercise themselves and want their people along.

How do you train a Golden puppy?

Start early, because 2 to 4 months of age is the stage when good socializing and training lay the groundwork for a calm, well-mannered dog. A Golden puppy's first two years grow up fast, roughly a month of the puppy's life for a year of a child's, so a puppy coming home at 8 weeks has about the abilities and needs of a two-year-old toddler. Get your puppy used to car rides, visitors at home, walks around the neighborhood, loud and unfamiliar places, and baths and grooming, including nail trims and ear cleaning, and sign up for a puppy kindergarten class.

Goldens take to training very well, and Goldens were the first dogs of any breed to earn the top obedience title in the United States, once it was offered in 1977.

Crate or gate off a puppy whenever no adult can watch it. A tired, well-exercised puppy can nap through about 1 to 4 hours in a crate but can't be crated for a whole workday, so plan on a dog walker or day care if a young puppy would be alone for more than half a day. Families here choose their Golden at 4 to 5 weeks and bring it home at 8 weeks, and our guides to picking a puppy and bringing a puppy home walk through those first weeks.