What To Know About Owning A Golden Retriever

Every time I share a photo of my dog, the beautiful Martha, I get countless comments about how much people would like to own a Golden Retriever. It is hard to believe that my beautiful dog is now almost 8 years old (yes, it does break my heart to think about). She is without a doubt one of the biggest blessings in my life and I thank my lucky stars every day that I picked her out of the little when she was just a pup.

However, owning a Golden Retriever isn’t for the faint hearted and I thought that I would round up all of my key pieces of information to know in this one handy place!

 

 

The frustrating early training.

This may be a generic thing, but I have never felt pain like trying to train my puppy Golden Retriever. Everybody used to tell me that they are the smartest dogs and would get the training almost instantly. However, I feel like because she was so clever, she knew how to manipulate me and twist her training. Honestly, simple things took so long because she pushed me at every given opportunity!

 

The social side of a Goldie.

There are two things that I really need to mention when it comes to Goldies. The first is that they want to socialise, and it is important that you do that. They are a very social breed, and they want to meet other people, animal and dogs on a regular basis. But then the opposite side of owning a Goldie is the amount of people that will want to come up and fuss your dog. I have literally had people run across a field to us, simply because they want to stroke my dog. It is sheer madness and at times, she can get overwhelmed. People truly go out of their way to fuss her.

 

The level of fluff.

Before I got my Goldie, people told me how much their fur malts. However, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer level of fur that would fall from her each and every day. My husband and I need a secondary mortgage, simply for the number of lint rollers that we burn through. Good grooming and regular baths help, but there is no getting away from the amount of fur that she sheds on a daily basis. I’ve had to say goodbye to the amount of black that I wear, because I am just doused in white hair every single day.

 

The exercise levels.

For me, I have found that the minute that I got my Goldie, it was hard to know how much exercise she needed. Some people said it depends on how old they are, and others said to take her out until she’s tired. The long and short of it is, no dogs follow a one size fits all kind of logic. These days, with my dog been classed as a ‘senior’, (enter heart breaking here), she tells me when she’s had enough and wants to go home. But as a pup I could walk her for hours each and every day. Just be prepared for a big walk.

 

The space that they need.

When we first got our Goldie, we lived in a very small house. It was essentially a two up, two down houses without much spare space. Looking back, I can see now that she was a little like a caged lion. Only when we moved into a much larger house did I realise that she finally had the space that she needed. Think about that before jumping into owning a Goldie. You don’t want them to be couped up and you want them to have freedom to play and roam as they see fit.

 

The constant need for attention.

I don’t know if anybody else has a Goldie, but my dog will essentially ‘Mooooo’, if she sits by me and I don’t touch her. She will start out by essentially whining and then if I continue to not touch her, she will go into a full teenage strop where she barks, runs around and does everything she can to finally get my attention. At times, it can be frustrating, but it is amazing to know that she loves me so much that she would go out of her way to get some attention. But it is a lot and every now and again you will just pray to god for them to have a chill minute.

 

The general health problems.

One thing that you cannot get away with when it comes to Golden Retrievers is the fact that they have general health issues. And I know that Marha most certainly has quite a few of them that have cost me a pretty penny at the vets surgery. Whether it is hip dysplasia, ear infections, bladder problems, skin issues and so much more. They are known for being a rather unwell animal and there is not getting away from the fact that in many instances, that is in fact the reality.

 

The love they give you.

Martha wasn’t my first dog, and I am sure that she won’t be my last. However, as I look back at the other dogs that I have owned, different breeds, it is easy to see that Goldies are without a doubt, the most loving breed that I have ever had the pleasure of owning. The way she snuggles with me, plays with me and yearns to be with me, completely warms my heart. It is truly incredible and she without a doubt puts a smile on my face every single day.

 

As always, I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this post and learning everything that there is to know about owning a Goldie. I don’t want to put anybody off getting a Golden Retriever. As I mentioned, she is without a doubt one of the best elements of my life. However, it hasn’t been easy, and I have had to make many sacrifices, spend hell of a lot of money and had to educate myself on so much to be a good dog mom.

I would love to hear from you guys in the comments below. What do you think about Goldies? Could you handle their needy and rather fluffy nature?