Should we get a golden retriever?

[Anonymous]

Our golden is 9 and (knock wood) has never been to the vet other than for her annual physicals/shots and her spay.

She's been really healthy but I know that getting older might bring some health challenges. But that's true of any breed.

[Anonymous]

Not really. Hemangiosarcoma will happen in one out if every three Goldens. They are basically the poster dogs of this cancer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My golden also made it to 12, although had cancer at 8. It's pretty common for larger dogs (and really, all purebreds). A good breeder will give you health clearances -- you can definitely ask how old the parents are, how old the grandparents are (or how old at death), etc. You should also get hip clearances on the parents for any golden. (The AKC has a rule that a golden should not be bred unless its hip tightness is above-average for the breed -- that's to gradually increase the hip strength of the breed overall.)

Golden are pretty much the perfect dog, if you don't mind the shedding. But I'm dog allergic, and the shedding never bothered me, for whatever reason. Maybe it's a lot of hair but not a lot of dander?

If you want a rescue, check out grreat.org. They are basically the only golden-dedicated rescue in this area. The dogs that are good with kids and under the age of 10 go really fast. Not a lot of people give up goldens. (There was a bigger supply a couple of years ago, when the combination of the foreclosure crisis and the heavy foreign deployment of military meant that there were a lot of loving families that had to find new homes for dogs that they loved.)

You should do training early and often. Goldens are SUPER trainable -- they love to please and are usually A+ students in obedience classes. But if you don't train them, they pull on leashes, jump up on guests, chew on toys that don't belong to them, etc.

They would be the perfect dogs, except Labs took that spot

[Anonymous]

So, I'm the PP who posted about the cancer risk with this breed. I've had time to think since that posting. Dogs, in general, only live about 15 years in optimal projections- a little longer for some, a little less for some. We just lost ours due to a common heritable cancer frequent found in Goldens. So, we really didn't know about that and it was sudden and devastating. The loss was tremendous and there was also a great deal of medical intervention before that, so I can see where it would also be financially devastating to people. For us, I think we would have paid anything just to have a few more weeks.
That being said, it's been a few months, and even though we are still devastated, I think the whole situation speaks to the understanding that dogs do stay with us fewer years we would like. What would be the point of not loving a dog, taking him in as a part of the family, etc., just because you know his time here might be shorter by 5 years or so.
However, I would take a rescue, because they are here and ready for a home. Another poster mentioned the breeder being good in order to avoid this, but I've researched that this cancer strikes most Goldens no matter what, so that isn't an insurance policy. It's not as if you can breed it out really...it's very breed specific. It does strike other breeds, but Goldens are the prime target.
If you love a dog, you love a dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I'm the PP who posted about the cancer risk with this breed. I've had time to think since that posting. Dogs, in general, only live about 15 years in optimal projections- a little longer for some, a little less for some. We just lost ours due to a common heritable cancer frequent found in Goldens. So, we really didn't know about that and it was sudden and devastating. The loss was tremendous and there was also a great deal of medical intervention before that, so I can see where it would also be financially devastating to people. For us, I think we would have paid anything just to have a few more weeks.
That being said, it's been a few months, and even though we are still devastated, I think the whole situation speaks to the understanding that dogs do stay with us fewer years we would like. What would be the point of not loving a dog, taking him in as a part of the family, etc., just because you know his time here might be shorter by 5 years or so.
However, I would take a rescue, because they are here and ready for a home. Another poster mentioned the breeder being good in order to avoid this, but I've researched that this cancer strikes most Goldens no matter what, so that isn't an insurance policy. It's not as if you can breed it out really...it's very breed specific. It does strike other breeds, but Goldens are the prime target.
If you love a dog, you love a dog.

We lost our golden this past Monday to cancer, and I couldn't agree more. It was worth everything in the world to have had him as part of our family. Yes his death sucks but it wouldn't hurt so much if it hadn't been so amazing.

[Anonymous]

We had several goldens growing up and now I'm the only one in my family that DOESN'T have a golden (I have two rescue mutts). While I love my dogs, man am I jealous sometimes of my family members with goldens. They are really amazing dogs.

[Anonymous]

So, how bad is the shedding exactly?

[Anonymous]

Best dogs in the world!!!! If more people had the personality of a GR then the world would be a far better place!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best dogs in the world!!!! If more people had the personality of a GR then the world would be a far better place!

+1
so true!

[Anonymous]

OP again. Is the shedding bad enough to be a deterrent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Is the shedding bad enough to be a deterrent?

I adored my GR. If I could bring her back to life I would. But I won't have another because of the shedding. I had to give up black clothes when we had her, and I always worried that any food I made might have dog hair in it from a kitchen towel that picked it up in the laundry, etc. It was a real problem. The only time it wasn't a significant problem was when we had her shaved in the warmer months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Is the shedding bad enough to be a deterrent?

Depends on whether you'll allow the dog on the furniture (including your bed), how often you vacuum or can tolerate having to vacuum, and what kind of flooring you have. You will have to vacuum a couple times a week and it's so much easier if you have hardwoods or tiles in at least a large portion of your house. Keeping them off the furniture helps enormously as it really cuts down on the whole "sit down and your butt is immediately covered in fur" experience.

For me, it is absolutely not a deterrent. However, I'm a dog person and there isn't much that would deter me from having a dog. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

The hair wasn't a deterrent to us getting a second retriever puppy, 2 months after our first passed away at age 11. However, I regularly wish I could have the same dog without the shedding. It is ALOT of work vacuuming, brushing her, lint rolling, etc. Beds and couches are off limits to her. She's not allowed in bathrooms and can be in our room if she lays on her mat beside the bed. I have the vacuum out almost every day and still have hair floating around.

The other minor issue, both have been prone to ear infections because of the droppy ears stay wet and dirty. I have a cleaner from the vet that dries the ear canal to prevent infections.

They really are amazing, loving companions though!

[Anonymous]

droppy = droopy

(Getting tired)

[Anonymous]

I adore my Golden Retriever but I don't think I'll get another in the future. He is SO pretty and sweet and easy but the shedding is super annoying. I think we will go for a low shed breed when the time comes for our next dog.