Dino the Golden Retriever
A Golden Biography
Many of you have asked me for my own personal views about this breed. This document is my fulfillment of that request. Do not consider my comments to be the final answer to your Golden Retriever questions. Please seek out other Golden owners and get their input as well. The purpose of this page is to offer some candid observations that are specific to the Golden Retriever breed. Please note that our intention is not to encourage you to purchase a Golden. Nor is it our intention to discourage you from breed ownership. If you are considering the purchase of this breed (or any dog breed for that matter), we make the following suggestions:
Before we begin, I would like to point out that some behavioral and breed-specific traits that I will discuss here, may vary slightly with some lines of Goldens. Also, please be aware that no dog is born already trained. Just because a Golden does "this and that" real well, does not imply that the animal will never need training or some form of correction to it's behavior. Whew, I'm glad that's over with...Now on with the show. 
Introduction. Bred in 19th century Scotland, the Golden Retriever was originally used as a hunting dog. 
Even today, some people still consider them to be excellent hunting or "gun dogs".
Some Goldens are also used in police work, border patrols (for the purpose of seeking out contraband),
they are even used as therapeutic dogs for the sick and elderly, handicap service dogs, search and rescue, and the list goes on and on.
And lets not forget just plain old companionship.
Hence, they are a highly social, versatile and loving breed. And they are fantastic family dogs.
Not all Goldens are gold: At some point in the goldens evolution, they were
crossed with a few selected hunting breeds like, Irish Setter, Bloodhounds, and
Labradors. The blonde or light-gold goldens are usually considered to be in the
"show-dog" class, while the darker color goldens (like Dino) are considered to be in
the working or "hunting class". There is also a white Golden Retriever that you don't generally see to much of in the USA. But please keep in mind that color does not dictate the capabilities or temperament of the dog. You can visit all different types of Golden Retrievers at Top Golden Retriever Sites.
The Golden Puppy. 
Yea, yea, yea...I know they're adorable! But in fairness to us humans, a Golden puppy can be a real challenge to raise (not to mention expensive). For example, they have tremendous amounts of energy and will chew almost anything; including, but not limited to, WALLS and TV REMOTES (especially remotes that have those sleeper timers on them...Golden puppies find those especially tasty, trust me). But seriously...while we are on the subject of tv remotes, one of the things that you will need to be very vigilant about is what your puppy puts in it's mouth. Golden puppies just love to put small objects in their mouth and swallow it. They are also very fast at doing this. Needless to say, this can be fatal, not only for the dog, but also for you personally and $$$ wise. Also, don't forget that the first few years of the puppies life are critical to it's development. You will need to see your VET for puppy vaccines and a general examination. And assuming that your dog is healthy, it will need at least a yearly VET visit during adulthood. Well, that was some bad news. So what's the good news? Well, if you can tolerate the first few years of the Goldens life, you will be richly rewarded with the sweetest, most intelligent dog that you could ever want to own. They are excellent companions and family dogs. And they maintain their playfulness well into adulthood. For more detailed information about Golden puppies, please read the links on Dino's homepage. They are all quite good and well worth reading. A Sporting Dog. 
Bottom Line: Goldens are players! They love to participate in everything! If running, walking, playing ball, swimming, frisbee, etc., is your game, then the Golden is for you! Not only does this breed crave these activities, but they enjoy doing them with their owners. And once again, they are GREAT family dogs. Remember: Do not allow a puppy to do a strenuous workout until it is fully grown; you could injure it's joints. And for all you couch potatoes out there, the Golden will also accommodate you, and they love to stretch out on any floor and take a snooze. Ahhhhhh. 
Guard Dog.
While they are NOT known to be good watch/guard dogs, make no mistake, the Golden will protect their territory usually by barking. This is there way of notifying you that "something is up". I don't mean to suggest that this breed will never ever bite, they are after all, dogs. But generally speaking, this particular breed is not bred to be aggressive or display "attack dog" manners. Goldens and Children. 
Bottom Line: Goldens are great with children (and people in general). Oh, but here I go again. I must tell you to be careful when you put small children around Goldens. Why? Because some Goldens can become very "excitable" and could knock a small child down to the ground in the blink of an eye...and all in the name of play. When I say that the Golden could knock a child down, I do not mean to suggest that the dog is exhibiting anger or aggressiveness, but rather "PLAY" is the name of the game for the Golden, and they do it with gusto! TIP: You can adjust your Golden's behavior by making sure that you socialize your puppy with people and other dogs. Also, a Golden that gets sufficient exercise will be less likely to play "rough". Grooming. 
Bottom Line: Goldens Shed a lot! If someone in your home is allergic to dog hair, then a Golden may not be a good choice for a pet. Brushing and combing your dog at least on a weekly basis, is an absolute must. If you don't groom, your house will float away on a big wade of dog hair. TIP: To help control shedding, fleas and ticks, I use a pet spray conditioner on Dino whenever I groom him. Some of these conditioners are made from natural extracts from flowers. And guess what? Fleas and ticks hate the stuff! (Note: if you would like to know the name of the conditioner that we use, just send us an e-mail requesting it.) And speaking of fleas & ticks... You will need to check for these pests during the grooming process. If these pests are a problem where you live, ask your VET for possible solutions. Also, a Goldens ears and teeth must be cleaned on a regular basis. Once again, ask your VET to recommend products for these types of jobs. Never use "human" ear-wash or tooth paste on a dog. 
Is my Golden Ill?
Bottom Line: Know your dog! If your dog vomits, this does not necessarily signal a problem. It could be that the dog ate grass (which does not agree with some dogs) or it could be that the dog had some form of physical activity not long after eating a meal. If you suspect that your dog is ill, here are some very basic things that you should watch for: What are your Goldens eating habits? For example, has he stopped eating entirely? Or has eating slowed down considerably? Warning: If the dog is eating but is vomiting continuously and is unable to pass stools. Please take the dog to a VET immediately! There could be some form of blockage in the dog's digestive track. Here are some other signs of potential illness: Has he stopped drinking water? Or does he drink entirely to much water for no apparent reason? Is the animal bleeding? Also, watch out for their activity. Have they suddenly become lazy or has walking become difficult? Examine the inside of your Goldens ears. Have they turned black or a black/red color? Or is there a waxy substance? If yes, it could be an ear infection. Especially if you are already doing a good job at cleaning their ears. Unfortunately, theres lots more, but I think you get it...Know your dog and watch his/her habits. (Note: The potential medical problems that I mentioned above, are NOT necessarily unique to Goldens.) If you think your dog has a problem and you are not sure what's going on, the safe thing to do is to at least call your VET and ask for advice.
Leaving your Golden home alone.
Bottom Line: Goldens love your company and hate to be left alone! Young goldens will exhibit anxiety problems whenever they are left by themselves for long periods of time. For example, the dog may chew things, dump over trash cans, destroy furniture, poop any old place, and many other "destructive" behaviors. When your golden is at least two years of age, you can begin leaving him alone for very small periods of time. You should then gradually increase the time your golden is left by himself. I would not give a golden retriever that is younger than two years of age, the "complete" run of your house when you are not there; there is no telling what you will find (or won't find) when you return home. But seriously, here are a few key points for your consideration, during this potentially difficult training process. 1). A key point to keep in mind is that you should NOT make a big deal out of the process of coming and going from your home. Why? Because you do not want to excite the dog. Remember: You want your dog to consider your coming and going to be a non-event. Do not acknowledge the dog or make gestures to him just before you leave the house. When you return home, see if you can wait at least 5 minutes before you pet and say hi. 2). If you come home and find certain items damaged by your dog, do NOT hit or punish the animal. Why? Because the dog does not know what you are punishing him for! The only thing that that will accomplish is mistrust, and if the dog does not trust you, training will become all the more difficult. In order for any type of "correction" to be affective, you must catch the dog in the act. In Closing:. 
Well, that's all for now. If I said that this is all you need to know about Golden ownership, I would be doing both you and Goldens a disservice. Need more information? There are several links on Dino's homepage that are specific to Golden Retriever ownership, and they are all quite good. There are also many good books in the market place. Also, don't forget your free public library. And get feedback from other long-time Golden owners. There are also forums on Dino's homepage where you can post questions, comments and stories about Golden Retrievers. I'm sure there are a lot of Golden experts out there that would love to give their input. If there is a topic that you would like us to add to this page, don't hesitate to let us know. In closing, I will tell you that overall, Goldens have the most incredible mixture of dignity, love and intelligence, and they have a very friendly and forgiving disposition. They are slow to anger, quick to forgive. Gee, maybe us humans can learn something from the Golden Retriever? Perhaps. And who says you can't teach a human being new tricks? Now on with the picture show!
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