What are the advantages of having a Golden?

It’s hard not to know a Golden Retriever. Due to their excellent qualities, specimens of this breed are highly appreciated worldwide and hold a special place in our homes.

It’s not just because of their size or good looks; it’s because of their extraordinary and well-balanced personalities, as well as their great intelligence.

In this article, we explain all the advantages of having a Golden Retriever as a family companion. So, if you’re thinking about adopting a dog of this breed or a mix, whether a puppy, adult, or senior, here’s why you should.

If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you’ll also find out if it’s better to adopt another dog with different characteristics. Remember, the most important thing is always to ensure that we take care of animals with the care they deserve.

The first step to discovering the advantages of owning a Golden Retriever is to understand their basic characteristics, as they can give us an idea of what to expect from a dog.

Originating in England in the 19th century, they are waterfowl hunting dogs, although they serve many functions, such as companionship and assistance. By 1908, the first Golden Retrievers were exhibited in shows.

They are calm, gentle, non-aggressive, and especially good with children, tolerant and patient with them. They have adapted to life in the big city and have been equally happy in the countryside.

On the other hand, they are very good learners of both basic and more complex commands. Additionally, they can establish good relationships with other dogs and often with other animal species.

Regarding their appearance, their coat comes in striking colors, ranging from cream to golden. The hair tends to lighten with age. Moreover, they have a dense, waterproof inner layer. For a dog of their size, they have a relatively long lifespan of up to 15 years.

The other essential data is weight, between 27 and 36 kg, although they tend to be overweight, and the measurements at the withers range from 51 to 61 cm.

The advantages of owning a Golden Retriever

The mentioned characteristics already give us clues about the possible advantages of living with that breed or mixed-breed dog. Below, we will show the main reasons why you should have a Golden Retriever.

• Their personality is well-balanced:
  The first advantage of owning a Golden Retriever that we can highlight is the well-balanced personality displayed by specimens of the breed. Nowhere is this more evident than in their work as assistance dogs, participating in therapies or facilitating the lives of people with special needs. Of course, there may be exceptions, but we are referring to dogs of this breed. They are docile dogs, which makes education and coexistence much easier. Moreover, they tend to be affectionate, although it should be considered that this affection is a two-way street – they also have a great need to receive affection, something to consider before adopting. Keep in mind that these indications are not valid only for purebred dogs. Adopting Golden hybrids is another favorable option. On the other hand, we always recommend adopting an adult dog. Among the advantages of this option, we can include that they already have a personality, so we know what kind of dog we are bringing home. There is nothing as oppressive or burdensome as taking care of a puppy.
• They are very adaptable:
  If the greatest advantage of owning a Golden Retriever is their great personality, their great adaptability is equally important. This means that, regardless of our family’s appearance, we can keep the golden one happy. They will be happy in a home with children or with singles with sedentary and active habits. Similarly, they can fully adapt to living in an apartment, as long as their basic needs are met, of course. They will also be happy to live in a house with a patio, garden, or yard. Furthermore, the adaptability they display helps them settle into their new home when adopted. Therefore, we can consider choosing an older specimen with total confidence. Even if there are other animals at home or they come later, coexistence usually does not pose problems, be they other dogs or animals of different species. They are not aggressive, quarrelsome, or prone to biting.
• They have great intelligence:
  In the 1990s, psychologist Stanley Coren compiled a list that ranked the intelligence of many dog breeds from highest to lowest. It is worth noting that, by intelligence, he means intelligence related to the ability to learn commands and obey. Golden Retrievers ranked fourth out of a total of 79. Thus, we can say that specimens of this breed easily learn commands, with very few repetitions, and obey commands a high percentage of the time they are asked. Their outstanding intelligence counts as one of the advantages of having a Golden Retriever and makes training them easier, but it also implies the need to provide them with good mental stimulation so that they do not get bored. A bored dog can manifest behavior problems.
• They are the best company for children:
  As we mentioned when talking about their basic characteristics, one of the advantages of having a Golden Retriever is that they develop strong bonds with the little ones in the family. Besides having children at home, this advantage also means that there is no problem visiting children or meeting them when you are away from home. In any case, it is necessary to teach the little ones to respect and take care of the dogs, in addition to supervising their interactions, as a precaution.
• They have a reasonable size:
  The last advantage of owning a Golden Retriever that we can point out is their size. They are large dogs, but not enough to overwhelm most caregivers. This allows us to live with them in an apartment or house and have the opportunity to travel and go places with them. On the other hand, it is not necessary to dismiss the possibility of adopting large dogs, such as Golden Retrievers, just because of their size, as it is also important to evaluate the above-mentioned characteristics that favor coexistence, regardless of size.