What are Golden Retrievers like? An owner reveals all

So, a Golden Retriever may be the pup for you, and you've read all the professional advice and opinions from dog breed experts. But have you actually listened to a real Golden Retriever owner?

Are any of the Golden Retriever traits and characteristics actually true? What do real owners experience? Well, we sat down with one to find out what the reality is for owning a Golden.

(Spoiler: it turns out you'll be in for a lifetime of golden moments with one.)

So, meet Bertie and his owner Della - who reveals what it's really like to own a Golden, from exercise habits to trainability.

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A Golden Retriever's personality - the ins and outs

Yes, they’re easy to train

You’ve probably heard Goldens are a dream to train and, well, you’re right. Their loving nature and eagerness to please make them ideal pupils.

“He's just very easy to train! All we've trained in the past were Spaniels. Spaniels are often tricky to train, but Retrievers are much easier and calmer" says Della.

You can thank a Golden Retriever’s gundog background for this, meaning they have a long lineage of making intelligent decisions and listening attentively to their owners.

In fact, Goldens are one of the smartest dog breeds you can get. But you still should invest in basic dog training according to Della, and brush up on a few general training guides and methods.

That way, your Golden will be at its well-behaved best when you need it.

They’re "food-motivated". Not greedy!

Goldens are prone to obesity because they really do love to eat. It makes positive reinforcement training a breeze, but over time, it can cause issues. In fact, obesity is one of the most common health issues in Golden Retrievers.

But Della is keen to state that Goldens aren’t greedy, they just love food, and can be a gourmand when they want.

“[Bertie's] not greedy. Okay, you know he's got his favourite treats, he loves cheese, he loves chicken, and loves his little favourite biscuits...

"But he will refuse a cheaper brand. Yes, he's a bit choosy - he likes his good quality food. Put something cheap and jolly under his nose, or a cheap treat. He'll go: 'Not today, Mum, not today'."

Pet nutrition is complex, but with Goldens, they could end up turning you into a bit of a chef along the way.

They love exercise but don’t expect a Spaniel-like experience

It's true that Golden Retrievers love exercise. They'll need their daily walk, and we do class them as high-energy, active dogs.

But don't expect to exercise them as much as, say, a Springer Spaniel. In fact, Della says Bertie is laidback more than anything else.

“[Golden Retrievers] are so laid back - so chilled. Even right now - he's lying down in front of me! I know he's thinking: 'I know it's raining outside but I'm happy just lounging'."

"We wanted [a dog] that fitted around our lifestyle as well. They're great with families - very loving. He'll come up to you in the face and say: 'Come on, give me a tummy rub, give me a kiss!'"

"So that's another reason why we chose a Golden Retriever over another Spaniel. We were also too old to walk 20 miles a day with a Spaniel these days! A Golden Retriever just fits in just so beautifully with our lifestyle."

So, Goldens are ideal if you want someone who gets you out of the house. But maybe not if you need a personal trainer of a dog...

They’re a bit obsessed with feet, apparently. No, seriously!

Yes, dogs can get a little too into chewing. Yes, they can sometimes do odd things. And yes, this may not be true for every Golden Retriever, but they can get a little obsessed with socks and feet!

“He chewed a pair of my husband's slippers - and the laces on my trainers, which were my favourite."

"Now you mention it, at one point he had a fascination with stealing the insoles out of our very shoes! We had to get replacement insoles at one point. We even joked that he'd got a foot fetish."

"He also likes to smell socks. Yes - he'll walk around with a sock in his mouth! He's clearly got this thing about smelly, smelly socks and smelly shoes!”

It's worth knowing what to do to prevent chewing behaviours like this, but Goldens typically aren’t as bad as other dogs for this behaviour. As for the foot-obsession, well, maybe that's just a Bertie thing!

They’re chilled, lovable dogs

You'll be pleased to know that the reputation around a Golden Retriever's temperament is pretty much true: they're loving, friendly dogs, and Bertie is no different!

"They're great with families. And yes, they are big dogs. But I think you can sacrifice half of your bed or the sofa for them, because he's just so loving."

They love to get muddy

Golden Retrievers love to exercise, but that also means one thing: they love to get muddy as well.

"He loves water, he loves mud. He roams a lot, and he's very energetic in general. He's always dirty from exploring! I mean, it's just constant hose downs. constantly you're muddy again."

But that can lead to issues, like grass seed problems, which sadly Bertie suffered from:

"He liked the long grass - that's how he got a grass seed stuck in the back of his eye."

"The farmer had cut the long grass around by us, if I remember correctly. I took him for a walk in the evening - came back, went to bed. Then the following morning, Bertie was ready for his first walk... but he greeted me with one eye open and one eye closed. I thought: 'Oh, there's something wrong here'."

"I rang the vets, and they said since eyes are classed as an emergency, we should bring him straight in. Got straight to the vets - they could see at the back of his eye a very sharp, large grass seed that had wedged at the back."

"They sedated him, took the grass seed out, and within a few hours he was my typical Bertie boy again, bouncing about."

Inquisitive dogs are fond of surprises, and sometimes, they aren't the good kind. Thankfully, staying prepared, and knowing your way around things like how to avoid grass seeds can help.

Personality? Well, they’ll be your mirror

Golden Retrievers are well-known for being affectionate, friendly dogs, which Della agrees with. But there’s more to it than that: they can truly be your mirror, which is why Bertie is as excitable as he is:

“If you also show excitement, it rubs off onto the dog as well. So if you suddenly start dancing in the kitchen - which I can do quite often - he thinks: 'this is great'. So he jumps up with his front legs onto me, and we do a little bit of a dance."

"If you're excited, the dog is also excited. It depends on the energy they're picking up."

So if you want a dog that'll match your energy, it seems that a Golden is a very fine choice.

What are Golden Retriever puppies like? Della's advice

Della shares her advice on getting a Golden Retriever puppy:

"Do your research. We spent a long time researching which breeders to run with."

"Do see the mother and father if you can as well - I'd say that is a must. We managed to see the mother, father and the auntie; it was the whole clan! It was marvellous."

"They said: 'come at any time, as many times as you like'. We did quite a few times - even though the trip away was quite a distance. It really helped put our minds at ease, so I'd definitely recommend that if you're able to."

"Lastly on breeders - don't hand over the deposit until you're 100% certain that's the dog that you want."

What Della says is true: choosing a responsible breeder is important, and don't rush into things. The decision needs to be right for you and the pup!

Della also had some advice for getting your home ready for a beautiful Golden puppy.

"When it comes to getting all the different things you need - a crate, a bed, bowls, travel gear - try and borrow it, or get something that's secondhand. Why? It's all quite costly."

"I'd say from experience that you shouldn't invest in cheap collars; it's just not worth it. Get something hard-wearing."

"Invest in a really good harness, a good, sturdy lead, and focus on some basic training."

Arming yourself with knowledge, some high-quality accessories and knowing how to prepare your home in advance are all good puppy-owning tips.

Our Golden Retriever fact file is a good place to start, by the way.

Be prepared for all of life’s moments 

All in all, every dog is different, but as you can see from Bertie and Della, some Golden Retriever characteristics can ring true, but others may not.

Despite everything, good training, preparation and having someone to rely on is important for all dog owners. That’s where good dog insurance comes in.

In fact, Della said we were there for her when she needed it most. She said: "ManyPets were fantastic. The vets were great. All we had to do was just walk away from the vets, and ManyPets just took over. It was marvellous."

We’ll be there when you need us, and if you don’t, you’ll have your exclusive ManyPets Perks to fall back on too. Lucky you.

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