The Golden Retriever

One of the most instantly recognizable and beloved dog breeds, the Golden Retriever, is characterized by its gentleness, its patience, its intelligence, and its friendliness. These traits have made it one of the most popular family dog breeds in the world, but it is its intelligence and diligence that have made it one of the most successful working dog breeds, performing tasks ranging from retrieving game to search and rescue to drug enforcement to guiding the blind.

Behavior

Golden Retrievers are gentle and patient, which makes them such excellent family dogs. Unlike some breeds, they are equally friendly with both family members and strangers, always confident, happy, and eager to please. Because of their love of people both familiar and new, they do not make good guard dogs. But their patient good-natured demeanor makes them excellent with children.

Golden Retrievers are able to learn as many as 240 commands, words, or phrases, which, combined with their soft mouths and patience, makes them excellent hunting dogs, able to sit quietly in blinds for hours at a time.

Because they were bread to retrieve game in water, Golden Retrievers have a special love of the water and swimming.

Health

The average of lifespan for the Golden Retriever is between 10 to 12 years, and, like all breeds, there are certain health problems that are particularly common. These include hip dysplasia, which can lead to lameness, and cataracts are a common eye ailment. Golden Retrievers are also prone to joint diseases, heart diseases, and cancer.

Contact Us

For more information on veterinary care, breed-specific care, and other questions about pet care, contact your Austin Vet Clinic.