Do Golden Retrievers Make Good House Pets? Everything To Know About Their Temperament

Written by Mitchelle Morgan
Published: March 24, 2023
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Golden retrievers are one of the most adored dog breeds in the world. They are renowned for their amiable and devoted personalities. How they wag their tails and look up at you with those big puppy-dog eyes is the closest thing you can ever get to pure love.

The golden’s cutest trait is how they carry objects in their mouths. These adorable puppies can’t help but feel the urge to grab hold of something with their gentle jaws. Then move it around wherever they go, whether it’s a favorite toy, a stick, or even a shoe.

Reasons Why Their Temperament Is Perfect For A House Pet

They Are The Perfect Cuddle Buddies

If you want to come home to snuggle after a long day of work, goldens are your best bet. These beautiful puppies give the warmest and best cuddles you can ever think of. They are the ideal companions if all you want to do is hunker down in peaceful solitude, as they can sense when you are troubled or need a much-needed cuddle.

The only downside to this trait is that goldens require hands-on attention, which sometimes may appear needy. You can’t leave them alone for long hours or stay without petting them since they will become distressed and throw tantrums.

Cuddling with a golden retriever

Golden retrievers love to cuddle.

©iStock.com/Irina Kashaeva

They Love Pleasing Their Pet Parents

Goldens love their parents so much that they will do anything to please them. They will be very docile once you shower them with love, affection, and attention.

Whether you want to play fetch or stroll by the beach with them, just say it, and they’ll get to it.

They Are Easy to Train and Educate

Goldens are one of the most intelligent dog breeds. Training them becomes a breeze when their intelligence is coupled with their desire to please their owners.

Sometimes, you just need to show them a trick once. For example, ask them to put away their toys when they’re done playing with them, and they will have already grasped that concept.

They Are Gentle

Due to their size, golden retrievers possess a great deal of energy, but surprisingly, they are also quite gentle.

Their loveable and sensitive disposition makes them excellent family pets, therapy dogs, and service dogs. Some people often call them perfect angels.

They Don’t Bark Alot

One of the primary concerns people look out for when they want to get a pup for their home is the barking trait. No one wants to come home to a noisy house with irritating barking that even neighbors complain about.

Luckily, despite being large and athletic, the golden is subdued and laid-back. Every so often, they may bark to alert their owners of something unusual, such as a visitor at the door or strange noise, but that’s as far as it goes.

However, their personality, training, and environment can influence a pup’s barking behavior. A golden retriever that needs to be properly trained or socialized may bark excessively in certain situations.

Golden retriever

Golden retrievers tend to be subdued and laid-back, not barking a lot unless for good reason.

©iStock.com/LucBrousseau

They Are Not Aggressive

If you’re looking for a guard dog, you may want to look into other options. The golden retriever is a friendly, cheerful, calm, and smiling dog. If your home is being vandalized, the most the retriever can do is bark. I’m inclined to think when the English men said, ‘a barking dog that doesn’t bite,’ they were probably referring to a golden.

However, there will be times when your golden retriever acts aggressively. But, given the rarity of this occurrence, you may want to look into what will have caused this.

Aggression in golden retrievers is almost always caused by poor breeding or irresponsible dog ownership. Also, it may be caused by inadequate training and a lack of socialization, including cruelty, abuse, and neglect.

They Are The Perfect Size

The best part about a Golden Retriever is that they are easy to carry around since they’re not heavy. They have the ideal size to even play with small kids

Male golden retrievers typically weigh between 65 to 76 pounds and are approximately 22 to 24 inches tall. Conversely, the females grow to about 20 to 22 inches and weigh between 55 to 65 pounds.

However, it’s worth noting that each dog is unique. Factors such as malnutrition, stunted growth, overfeeding, and excessive growth all impact the size of your pup.

A golden retriever puppy will traverse a range of growth stages during the first twelve weeks. They will start to look less puppy-like and more like adults between 12 and 16 weeks.

Between three and six months, the golden will develop so rapidly that they may change daily. This period of rapid growth will end by the time they reach six months of age.

Golden retriever puppy

A golden retriever puppy will traverse a range of growth stages during the first twelve weeks.

©Orientgold/Shutterstock.com

Are Golden Retrievers Suitable as Home Pets?

Absolutely. No dog breed is comparable to how sweet goldens are. Retrievers welcome their owners when they get home, with their tails wagging, jumping up and down with excitement. They’ll make you feel so much love, and you always look forward to going home just to hang out with them.

There are different types of retrievers to choose from. Each with their own unique look despite being the same breed.

  1. American Golden Retriever- This is the tallest and lankiest of the group. They have a lighter-colored coat and a longer muzzle.
  2. British Golden Retriever– This breed has a stockier build, a broader head with a shorter muzzle, and a thicker and darker coat.
  3. Canadian Golden Retriever- This breed is similar to the American type but with a slightly heavier build and a darker coat.
Golden retriever dog breed

Golden retrievers are one of the most adored dog breeds in the world.

©Burin P/Shutterstock.com

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Joop Snijder Photography/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Mitchelle is a content writer who loves nature. She loves writing about animals and plants. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and going for nature walks.

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