Are Golden Retrievers Good Family Pets?

Yes, Golden Retrievers enjoy a long reputation as excellent family pets. But it might not fit in with every family lifestyle. Owning a Golden Retriever is a delightful experience, almost like getting addicted to them. The nature of each family plays a significant role in determining whether a Golden Retriever is a good family pet.

To some, they can feel like a cute and affectionate dog, while others may find it as a lousy guard dog. Therefore, before getting a Golden home, examine your family’s lifestyle, needs, and wants first to see if it’s the right dog for you.

Golden Retriever Dog Breed Facts:

Height

Male:               23 to 24 inches

Female:           21.5 to 22.5 inches

Weight

Male:                65 to 75 pounds

Female:           55 to 65 pounds

Lifespan

10 – 12 years

Temperament

Intelligent, Friendly, Reliable, Kind, Trustworthy, Confident

Colors

Cream, Light Golden, Dark Golden, Golden

Exercise Needs

The Golden Retriever dog is a sporting dog breed. Its puppies need a lot of exercise and activity. You can take it for a daily jog or follow a consistent exercise routine daily 20-30 minutes twice a day. Kids can enjoy hours of playtime with them, playing fetch or frisbee or running around the backyard.

Grooming Needs

You can adequately groom them at home every six weeks. They shed all year long – moderately in summer and winter and profusely in spring and fall. Its grooming needs include

• Brushing a couple of times a week
• Bathing
• Trimming hair from the pads of the feet, on ears, tails, and back legs if necessary
• Clipping nails every 2 to 4 weeks
• Brushing teeth once or twice a week

Health Needs

A Golden Retriever is a healthy dog breed, but you must get a proper health checkup before getting it from a breeder. Its common inherited disease are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, various eye problems, and heart disease. Additionally, 80% of them suffer from dental problems and are prone to allergies.

Therefore, before bringing a Golden Retriever home, you must consider the annual veterinary cost and dog health care needs like dog supplements, heartworm, and topical flea preventative medications.

Read More: Most Common Health Problems in Golden Retrievers

Care Needs

Getting any dog home means expanding your family budget in terms of dog care. If you want to keep your pet healthy and happy, you have to spend money on its care needs like

• High-quality Dog food
• Medications
• Routine veterinary checkup costs
• Dog health insurance to cover charges of surgeries and health checkups
• Other expenses such as toys, collars and leashes, brushes, shampoos, and soft, cozy beds

Read More: 10 Dog Care Facts Every Golden Retriever Dog’s Owner Needs to Know

Golden Retriever Puppy Cost

A Golden Retriever puppy can cost between INR 5,000 to INR 20,000 depending on where you buy this dog.

Why Golden Retrievers Are the Best Family Dog?

1. If you are looking for a dog for your family, here are some reasons why a Golden Retriever makes a good family pet.
2. They enjoy human company. They can follow you from room to room. They can be your faithful companions that enjoy petting anytime.
3. They have gentle and playful nature. They can be your children’s playtime buddies. However, a Golden Retriever puppy has strong energy. So if you have kids 6-months to two years of age, you must not leave them alone.
4. They adjust well with other pets and tend to get along with strangers quickly.
5. They are well-mannered dogs, easy to train, and can be housebroken fast.
6. They do not require extensive maintenance and grooming. So, if you have a busy family, it fits in well.
7. They don’t bark much, so they are good for apartment living. But not suitable as a guard dog.

Read Also: 6 Ways to Train a Golden Retriever Puppy

Conclusion

A Golden Retriever dog can become your best buddy in the whole world, as they stay loyal to your family forever. They are good family pets that want your love and care.