Why Golden Retrievers Make The Best Family Dogs

Are you considering bringing a new puppy into your family? If you have children you are going to want a breed that will interact well with them and vice versa. While there are many dog breeds that are great with children, we believe that Golden Retrievers make the best family dogs. 

If you are thinking about welcoming a Golden Retriever into your home, we invite you to read further and discover the multitude of reasons why this breed will be a great addition to your family. 

Golden Retrievers Have A Gentle Personality 

Many young children who are unsteady on their feet can easily be knocked down by a jumping puppy. This in turn can cause them to fear the dog. However, Golden Retrievers are known for their gentle personality, particularly around children. Golden Retrievers are less likely to jump on people or to make sudden or startling movements. They are even-tempered and incredibly affectionate.

Young children are often still learning how to be gentle while interacting with animals. Thus, it is a major plus that Golden Retrievers are very patient and sweet and that they are not known to pounce. Golden Retrievers are also famous for their very soft mouth grip. In fact, some Golden Retriever owners have tested this grip by allowing their dog to carry an egg in its mouth. Remarkably, the dog treated the egg with great gentleness and did not let it break. 

Perhaps most importantly when it comes to small children, Golden Retrievers are not known for biting and are one of the safest dog breeds to be around. Because they are so gentle, Golden Retrievers are a great choice if you have a child that is hesitant or timid around dogs. 

Golden Retrievers Are Easy To Train 

Golden Retrievers are an extremely intelligent breed and thus are known to be very easy to train. In fact, they rank as the fourth smartest dog breed all around. The advantage of this is that you can have fun continuing to teach them new games and tricks. Even your children can take part in training the puppy some basic commands. This will allow the children and the puppy to become lifelong friends and create memories that will last a lifetime. This will also ensure the dog’s mind is challenged and that he is healthy. 

They Are Very Active

Golden Retrievers make the best family dogs because of how much energy they have and exercise they are capable of. They particularly enjoy swimming and a good game of fetch. Take your Golden Retriever puppy along with you for family walks in the park, trips to the lake, camping trips and other activities. Golden Retrievers love taking part in the fun and will have no trouble keeping up with you. Because they are so active, they will help you and your family stay active as well. 

You can teach your child to have a greater sense of responsibility by giving them the task of taking the puppy on a daily walk or putting in an hour of fetch in the backyard. With childhood obesity on the rise in the United States, developing healthy exercise habits at an early age will pay off later in life. Not to mention that your puppy will also live a happier and healthier life with regular activity. 

Golden Retrievers Never Lose Their Puppy-Like Fun Personality 

Have you ever dreamed of a dog that stays a puppy forever? A Golden Retriever may grow in size and in years but it will never lose its fun loving personality that some breeds tend to only have during their younger years. Golden Retrievers are very playful and will definitely keep you on your toes. They like attention and will play with you and your children for hours without tiring out. Even older Golden’s tend to enjoy a good play session. 

Golden Retrievers Make The Best Family Dogs Because They Are Good With Other Pets And Strangers

Golden Retrievers tend to not only get along with other dogs, but other types of pets as well. Do you already have other pets in your home? Not to worry as this breed is gentle around animals. Thus, if you decide you want to bring another pet into your home later down the line, that will still be an option for your family. 

Golden Retrievers are known to be one of the friendliest dog breeds, even around strangers. You won’t have to worry about bringing guests into your home and the dog being unwelcoming. It’s also very unlikely that your Golden will get into an altercation with another dog while out on walks or in the park. 

Their friendliness makes them less likely to exhibit annoying behaviors that more introverted dog breeds may possess such as barking at cars or people passing by your home. Remember, it is still a good idea to socialize your puppy early on so it becomes comfortable with external stimuli like pets and strangers.

They Are Eager To Please 

A Golden Retriever’s greatest desire in life is quite simply to make their owners happy. Their deep desire to please contributes to their ability to quickly learn new tricks and makes training very easy. By using plenty of praise and a few treats, you can easily reinforce positive behaviors and quickly dissipate any destructive or annoying habits.

Your puppy will enjoy the learning process and take pride in the fact that he is behaving in a way that pleases you. Consistent enthusiastic praise is a great way to convey to your dog that he is behaving well and this will cause him to be more likely to continue the good behavior. 

Golden Retrievers Are The Perfect Size

Golden’s are a larger dog breed ranging anywhere from 55 to 75 pounds if healthy and full grown. Because of their size, Golden Retrievers are less likely to be tripped over or stepped on. They can also handle some playful roughhousing with your children without being irritated or injured. 

Some pet owners teach their Golden’s to retrieve objects for them, open the fridge, close doors or even ring a bell when they need to go to the restroom. Your children will have a great time teaching these useful tricks to your puppy. Golden Retrievers can even be trained to take part in sports and other activities. 

Luckily, Golden’s are not quite so large that they’ll crush your little ones while cuddling on the couch together, and can lie across your lap without causing discomfort, another reason why we feel Golden Retrievers make the best family dogs. 

There Will Never Be Any Food Waste In Your Home

Golden Retrievers are more than happy to finish off any leftover scraps that you might not want at dinner time. Do you have a picky child who didn’t like what you cooked for dinner? Golden’s are anything but picky. They will be more than happy to clean the plate for you so you don’t have to throw out the food and waste money. Your puppy will also be sure to slurp up any messes that may fall to the floor during meal times. 

Just be sure to do your research and educate yourself on what foods dogs can and cannot have in order to prevent your puppy from consuming something that may make him sick. Healthy food such as lightly seasoned or unseasoned meat or fish as well as many fruits and vegetables are typically the best for your dog. The American Kennel Club offers a lot of resources on food safety. If you end up with scraps while cooking, consider refrigerating them and keeping them around as treats to use while training! 

Golden Retrievers Are Loyal

Out of the many positive traits Golden Retrievers are known for, they are perhaps best known for their loyalty. If you welcome a Golden Retriever puppy into your home, your children will have a best friend by their side for most likely more than a decade. 

If your child is struggling to make friends or having a tough time at school, they can still count on the dog eagerly waiting by the door for them the second they come home and giving them the unwavering loyal support they need. This sense of loyalty and affection can help a child become more confident in themselves and develop a greater sense of self worth. If a child tends to struggle with anxiety or other mental problems, the dog can help ground them and offer a sense of comfort. 

Golden Retrievers Are Great Service Dogs

Due to their high intelligence and good temperament, Golden Retrievers are often trained to be service dogs and to assist people with special needs. This could include everything from helping their owner get around to bringing them their medicine and getting help in the case of a medical crisis. Golden Retrievers can even be taught to perform helpful tasks that the owner may be unable to physically do such as fetching the newspaper or helping with the laundry.

If one of your children has physical or emotional challenges you should consider adopting a Golden Retriever puppy into your home and having it professionally trained as a service animal. The Golden Retriever's impressive intelligence, intense focus on a task at hand, and constant patience contributes to its effectiveness as a useful service animal. 

Golden Retrievers Make the Best Family Dogs Because of Their Long Life Spans 

Imagine how devastating it would be for your children to become attached to a new puppy only for it to pass away within a couple years. Unfortunately this is often the case with dog breeds that are known for being more susceptible to cancer, heart disease and other ailments. Luckily, Golden Retrievers are known to most often live long and healthy lives. In fact, their lifespan is typically between 10-13 years. Thus, your Golden Retriever will provide years of happiness and companionship for your family as well as many beautiful memories.

Golden Retrievers Are Obedient 

Parents with young children already have a lot of responsibilities on their plate. The last thing they need is a challenging dog that is headstrong and difficult to train. A disobedient dog will only add to the chaos and create additional stress for everyone. It is because of this that you will greatly appreciate the Golden Retriever’s devotion and obedience. Because they are so eager to please, they are less likely to misbehave. 

With children, safety is always a priority. The Golden Retriever’s obedience will allow you to be comfortable trusting them around your children. In fact, this breed is so good at being obedient that they are frequently awarded the AKC Obedience Champion title! 

Golden Retrievers Do Not Bark Frequently 

If you have infants or other young children at home, you know how essential nap times are for both the child and the parent. It would be incredibly frustrating if your child’s nap (and your own!) were frequently interrupted by your dog’s barking. You’ll be able to trust your Golden to be calm and quiet when necessary and not to bark frequently. They are known to be relatively quiet in comparison to other yappier breeds, which is just another reason why Golden Retrievers make the perfect family dogs!

We Have The Perfect Golden Retriever Puppy For You!

We hope that if you were on the fence about bringing a Golden Retriever into your home, you are now convinced that this breed would be a great addition to your family. Due to their sweet, gentle and fun loving personalities, Golden Retrievers can make a fantastic pet for years to come. Be sure to check out our adorable available puppies, here! We have Golden Retrievers for sale in our Miami, Aventura, Kendall and Pembroke Pines locations. Contact us today and we will be happy to set you up with the Golden Retriever puppy of your dreams!