Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by Lori Powell
As one of the most beloved and popular breeds in the country, the Golden Retriever is a long-time family favorite that’s known for its fantastic temperament and agreeable personality. Here’s what you need to know about these lovable dogs and what to expect when training them.
What to Know About Golden Retrievers
Golden Retrievers are medium- to large-sized canines with beautiful, long coats that can be any shade of dark to light gold and every shade in between. Male Goldens can grow up to 24 inches in height, while the females of the breed usually only get about 22.5 inches by comparison. Following the trend in size difference, female Golden Retrievers also tend to fall in the 55- to 65-lb. range, and the males tend to be larger by about 10 lbs. Falling in the middle range of most dog breeds, you can also expect a Golden to live between 10 to 12 years on average, giving you plenty of time to enjoy their wonderful personalities and endless amounts of affection.
In great news, this breed is relatively healthy as well, although you’ll need to stay on top of veterinary care and checkups to catch any potential problems with hip and elbow issues (dysplasia), eye problems, and cardiac concerns. To no one’s surprise, grooming is also something you’ll need to stay on top of with Goldens since they’re prone to shedding and need a good brushing session once to twice per week to avoid matting and any other such issues.
When shedding season arrives, though, you can be sure that daily brushing sessions will become very, very necessary to keep some semblance of control over the amount of Golden fluff all over your home.
A Golden Temperament
These dogs are fantastic with families and children, and they’re commonly chosen as the perfect family dog thanks to their gentleness and friendly demeanor. They tend to be very trusting and agreeable, making them great as companions but not very ideal for any sort of protection.
However, their pleasant and interactive personalities serve them well when it comes to being a highly trainable breed. This has led them to become a popular choice for working service dogs, considering their friendliness and high level of intelligence. Goldens are incredibly smart and also quite active, so providing them with either a job or enough stimulation and activity at home is essential to preventing them from getting into any mischief.
Exercising Your Golden
Golden Retrievers may be some of the most friendly and loving dogs around, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still get into trouble if their exercise and mental stimulation needs aren’t being met. This breed tends to do well in active families that can provide plenty of daily physical activity, such as walking, running, swimming, or simply going outdoors for a family adventure. Goldens love being out and about and exploring the world with their favorite family members, whether you’re going for a hike, playing at the park, or simply bringing your furry companion out to your local dog-friendly store.
Aside from getting in those daily walks and other various forms of exercise, training is also a great way to help your Golden use their sharp mind and engage in a variety of fun learning activities to keep them mentally stimulated and happy to be doing something interactive with you. Here’s what you need to know about training your Golden Retriever.
Why Training is an Important Part of Exercising Your Golden
No matter what breed of dog you’ve decided to adopt, one of the most important parts of their care is training them. Not only will training your Golden (or any other breed) help to teach your dog the commands you may one day need to keep them safe—such as stopping them from running out into danger—but it also helps you to form a strong bond between you and your furry companion.
Training your dog also allows you to communicate more effectively with your pup and helps you to establish clear rules and boundaries in the home, in public, and in general during your day-to-day lives together. This is incredibly helpful for helping your Golden feel secure and confident in his or her environment and maintain that lovely demeanor without any mishaps.
Along with those benefits, training is also great for providing a regular source of mental stimulation to keep your Golden happy and not feeling very restless or destructive. It’s a wonderful way to harness their energy and intelligence in a way that benefits you, your dog, and anyone else that may end up interacting with your close companion. Training is how you take an already wonderful Golden Retriever and make it even better!
How to Train a Golden Retriever
So, how do you do it? You’ll need to start with getting the right equipment. Some dogs may require different tactics depending on their personalities and individual life experiences, but in general, you simply need a good collar or harness, a leash, some training treats, and usually a clicker as well. There is plenty more gear you can incorporate into training your Golden, but those tend to be the very basics.
When first training your beautiful Retriever, you’ll want to be sure you cover the basics before anything else. This means making sure that you teach them proper leash etiquette as well as the commands “sit,” “stay,” “come,” “down,” “heel,” “off,” and “no.” By focusing on these basic commands, you will then be able to easily build upon them for more complex training, but you’ll also have all of the verbal commands you need in your arsenal if your pup were to ever be in a precarious situation and need your verbal guidance to ensure their safety.
When it comes to this fantastic breed, it’s honestly hard to place many limitations on them when it comes to training. They’re highly intelligent and highly social, hence why many become service dogs, so your Golden can very likely learn highly complex instructions as well as many commands and behaviors the average dog simply might not be capable of pulling off.
Many pet parents feel quite comfortable teaching these basics in the comfort of their own home, but for new dog parents who maybe haven’t ever trained a canine before or for those who simply want some extra help, there are a variety of training options out there to suit your individual needs. Some dogs do best with one-on-one private training sessions, others do better in group settings, and some may do well with at-home training with the help of a professional available via phone or app.
Here at Pawsitive K9 Solutions, we offer all of these services as well as consultations to help determine your individual needs. Puppy daycare, such as our Puppy Day School program, is a wonderful option for those with young pups that need some training as well as proper socialization to become confident, friendly, and comfortable around other dogs (and also people). Additionally, for those who want an active hand in their dog’s training, the Home-Based Board and Train program is a convenient option to have a trainer in your pocket while at home while also allowing your dog to have the benefits of boarding and training sessions combined to basically serve as a “doggy boot camp” to get you the results you’re looking for in your pup.
Bringing Your Golden Home
Bringing home a new canine companion is always an exciting time in a pet parent’s life, but it’s essential to make sure you know what to prepare for and to ensure that you can meet your new pup’s needs. One of the most important parts of pet care is the training involved to help you build a strong way to connect to and communicate with your new friend, and Golden Retrievers may be intelligent and friendly, but they aren’t exempt from these training needs as well as taking care of their basic health requirements on a daily basis.
For pet parents in Los Angeles and other areas close by, Pawsitive K9 Solutions offers a variety of classes and opportunities for dog training in Brentwood, Venice, Mar Vista, Culver City, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Ladera Heights, Westchester, Long Beach, Lakewood, and more to make sure that your canine pal of any age, breed, or temperament can get the training help it needs to feel safe, confident, and secure. To find out more about us, you can check out our website or simply schedule your first training consultation today.
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