Is The Golden Retriever Dog Right For You?
When the kids start begging for a dog they don’t really think about all of the things that need to be considered before deciding on the ideal addition to your family.
Choosing the right dog can help ensure that it becomes a wonderful family experience instead of a dreadful nightmare. Therefore, before you make your decision, consider the following to help determine if a Golden Retriever Dog is the right dog for your family.
Size/Space Requirements
Golden Retrievers are good medium-sized dogs. They don’t do well as a lap dog, although you might have a hard time trying to convince some Golden Retrievers of that as many will want to be as close to you as possible!
Due to their size, they are more suited to living in a house, as opposed to a mobile home or apartment. And you will not only need to ensure they have a large enough living space; you must also remember that Golden Retriever dogs will be running around the house incessantly wagging their tails, so take this into consideration and guard against accidental breakage of household items.
Exercise
Golden Retrievers are moderate energy dogs that require large amounts of attention and stimulation.
They love the outdoors and are just as happy swimming and hiking with their owners as they are playing chase in the backyard with the kids.
When Golden Retrievers feel that they are being neglected or that their activity requirements are unfulfilled, they can resort to destructive behavior. If your dog is going to be left alone for several hours each day or will have its activity level restricted, then you would be better off choosing a different breed.
However, if your family has the time and energy to devote to your new pet, it is hard to go wrong with a Golden Retriever. You may even consider something to occupy your Golden Retriever’s time like a doggie treadmill!
Golden Retrievers and Children
Golden Retrievers do very well in households with children of all ages. They are friendly and gentle, with great patience for small children. With many smaller breeds, children can unintentionally harm the dog by pulling on an ear or their tail or stepping on their feet, which may result in the dog instinctively biting the child or barking excitedly.
Golden Retrievers are exceptionally resilient, reducing the chance of accidental injury to your pet or child. However, make sure that you take the time to properly socialize your dog with children, and if adopting an older dog, check that they are used to children.
Training
Due to the Golden Retriever’s intelligence, you’ll also want to make sure that you get a head start with some dog training – so you’ll need to allow the time and money for this.
Golden Retriever Dogs rank high among the easily trainable breeds, making obedience training a fun and effective family activity. For this reason, as well, Golden Retrievers are regularly chosen to be service dogs for people with disabilities.
Budget
Remember to keep in mind the costs associated with a Golden Retriever dog or puppy. Larger dogs will result in higher expenses for things like food, supplies, toys and medical care. Be sure to consider this as well when examining your potential choices.
With the right amount of planning and consideration to ensure the proper atmosphere for your pet, a Golden Retriever can make a wonderful and loving companion for your family.