So you’re considering adding a Golden Retriever to your family? Here is a snapshot to help you determine if it’s the right breed for your lifestyle.
- The Golden Retriever is an active and energetic breed of dog.
- They have a strong drive to please their owners but need early socialization and obedience training to make them a positive family member.
- The correct breed temperament is lovable and outgoing; they are not a guard dog.
- A hunting and retrieving dog they require a lot of daily exercise. Ideally they should have a fenced yard and be taken for regular leashed walks or runs to release their energy, but should not run free due to hunting instinct. Puppies must not be exposed to extreme exercise until their bone growth is complete around two years of age.
- Goldens can adjust to apartment living with their family but will need regular daily exercise to counter a confined living space.
- Well-taught children and Goldens can thrive together but as a large, active dog they can easily knock toddlers over.
- Their coat sheds year round so they will need monthly grooming.
- This breed’s average life span is 10 to 12 years of age. Responsible breeders screen their dogs for orthopedic and genetic diseases before breeding them. Genetic defects found in some dogs of this breed include: hip dysplasia, heart defects and progressive retinal atrophy.
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