Things You'll Need:
- Dog Brushes
- Dog Carriers
- Dog Collars
- Dog Dishes
- Dog Food
- Dog Leashes
- Hand Vacuum Cleaners
- Nail Clippers For Dogs
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Step 1
Choose a golden retriever if you want an affectionate, loyal and friendly companion. They are not aggressive and make poor watchdogs because of their friendly dispositions. This, however, makes them good family dogs. They are excellent with children of any age.
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Step 2
Don't worry about adopting a retriever if you have other pets. They do equally well with dogs and cats.
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Step 3
Expect your golden retriever to reach a height of 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weigh around 55 to 65 pounds.
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Step 4
Anticipate paying between $200 and $750 for a good-quality dog.
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Step 5
Consider adopting from a rescue group. Many of these dogs are already housebroken and finished with the chewing stage. There is usually nothing wrong with the dog; the owners didn't research the breed and later discovered that they and the dog were incompatible.
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Step 6
Remember that goldens try very hard to please and can be trained fairly easily as long as you are consistent and patient with them.
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Step 7
Note that this breed sheds a lot. The main reason people give up their goldens is because they shed too much. (The second reason is that they got bigger than expected.)
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Step 8
Provide this breed with a large, secure yard. Keep your retriever inside if at all possible. This is an extremely social dog, and it will be very unhappy if left alone outside while its family is together in the house.
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Step 9
Be prepared to enjoy a full 10 to 14 years with your retriever, as this is the average life expectancy of a golden retriever.
Comments
Soulsearcher83 said
on 12/1/2008 I just adopted a golden retriever. He is such a good dog. I'm not sure about how he gets along with other dogs though. Sometimes he acts aggressive and other times he's calm. I still say use caution when introducing dogs.
gunda said
on 10/9/2008 I love our golden! We have had to move overseas for 3 years and will be returning home soon. The dog has been taken care of by a good family. I wonder if it is OK for my husband and I to take her back when we get home....or would that be cruel to take her away from a family. We really do miss her and have a great house and yard for her to run in, and a cat too.
LindaMicro said
on 9/24/2008 We had to put down a dog and it broke our hearts. We asked 3 different vets what the "best" dog for a family was and each said, "Golden Retriever." They shed a lot and seem to love to find dark colored rugs, clothes, chairs, etc. to sit on to show off their beautiful coloring. They are intelligent, but have a great sense of humor. If you don't want two dogs, a golden and an cat make a great combination. They play together. The cat normally "bosses" the golden. God made the perfect dog and it was a Golden. Then she decided it was too perfect and gave it sensitive skin!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 If you're going to leave a Golden Retriever alone for long periods, such as going out to work, then get two of them. They will be happier while you're away and twice the fun when you get home.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Goldens require attention, they are very human oriented dogs and need their families. They require quite a bit of exercise, as well as training. Goldens can be runners, their sporting drive is very strong. Training should begin very early. They are loving, gentle dogs that need gentle handling, not yelling or roughness, as they will shy away from this.