Are Golden Retrievers the coolest dogs?

[Kalish]

You never hear of them attacking people, and they are great around kids, truly gentle and patient and loving.

The one awesome Golden I lived with was still a watchdog though and would bark a deep ominous bark at night if he was concerned, but still very friendly towards all strangers. Yet, if someone broke in he may have attacked, he seemed that smart, able to tell the difference, uncannily intelligent in reading situations.

They love to play and run and are emotionally smart, able to read your emotions as well as your commands.

I just love Goldens.

I used to flyfish with that Golden all over the state of Montana.

[GOPNotForMe]

1. I love them, but Aussie Shepards at the coolest :-P nt

[BikeWriter]

24. Aussies are one of the most loyal and smartest dogs extant...

along with the Border Collie. :-)

[Midlodemocrat]

2. Actually, a friend of mine had a golden that DID attack

Tore a little girl's face absolutely to pieces. The child was sitting on the picnic bench with the dog's owner, another child and the dog jumped up on the bench and bit her right in the face.

It was awful. They had to medivac her to the hospital and she will need years of plastic surgery.

[Kalish]

4. I guess

there are always exceptions to a rule.

You don't hear about them attacking often though, at least not me, I've never heard of it.

[Blue-Jay]

9. That certainly was a thread-pisser.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Why, thank you. I try.

And, BTW, I love your squirrel pic.

[Blue-Jay]

19. In a recently conducted poll, it was found that

my sig pic was more beloved than me by the DU Lounge. I can't say that I was really surprised, but I was a little bit hurt. :cry:

[Midlodemocrat]

30. I was left out of that poll. I would have voted for you.

But that picture is so damned funny, it makes me chuckle every time I see it.

[Kraklen]

3. golden retrievers can and will attack.

It doesn't make for good media though.

Kind of like blond girls getting kidnapped.

[Kalish]

6. When Goldens attack

tonight on Fox.

Somehow I think they'd have a harder time filling up that time than for other breeds.

[Kraklen]

10. Well yeah, if you watch Fox.

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/OtherBreedBites/AllDogsBite.htm

[tridim]

5. I'm biased, but Boston Terriers are the coolest dogs

Lots of strangers I meet on walks agree.

[Kalish]

7. are they neurotic?

boston terriers? I've never lived with one, they are cute though.

[BikeWriter]

16. An exe's Aunt had a pair of Boston Terriers, she later added...

a Poodle to her animals. She got home the next day just as the Boston Terriers were eating the last scraps of Poodle.

[tridim]

23. Poodles are good eatin'

Are you serious?

I've met some Bostons that are neurotic because their owners ignore them. I should qualify, well adjusted Bostons are the coolest dogs ever.

[BikeWriter]

Very serious. Those two little brutes were vicious as sharks.

:(

[BikeWriter]

26. Hungry, too!

:(

[KatyaR]

36. Yes, they are!

I've had three and they've all been absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't give up my Maggie girl for anything!

[LisaM]

8. I have cocker golden mixes

they look like small goldens - in between 33 and 40 pounds.

[yewberry]

12. Goldens are lovely

but they are being overbred.

They're becoming shorter-lived and all kinds of aggressive behavior trends are appearing in the breed.

Be wary if you're looking for a golden of your own; they are susceptible to cancers, heart conditions, epilepsy, hip displasia and serious eye problems.

Damned shame, too.

[TreasonousBastard]

32. ALL pedigreed dogs are being overbred and inbred...

and it's becoming a real problem.

My parents had to have both a Lhasa Apso and a miniature poodle put down because they went bad and attacked without reason or warning. Vets and trainers agreed that it was the intensive breeding that brought out a certain madness that they had been seeing a lot more often.

the Lhasa was bad enough-- it would viciously attack when startled, but the poodle was really scary. She would be happily playing, but then would get a certain look in her eye and snap at anyone nearby. Almost got me a couple of times even when I was feeding her. My mother was living alone by then, and I pushed her to have the dog put down since you never knew if it could go at her throat when she was sleeping. Couldn't possibly give the dog to anyone, especially if there were children around.

Both were the sweetest, most affectionate and fun dogs you could imagine when they were acting normal.

[emulatorloo]

43. responsible breeders are responsible -- irresponsible ones arent

check your breeder out thouroughly. . .

there are some real good responsible breeders and there are some people just out to cash in.

I spent a year looking for a breeder the last purebred dog I got.

[maxsolomon]

13. everyone knows its the xolo!

Xoloitzcuintle, to be specific!

[Kalish]

17. looks like an hyena

[maxsolomon]

22. you are mean

waaa! don't pick on the xolo!

[Kalish]

27. I think it looks cool though

is it your dog? what kind?

[maxsolomon]

42. no way!

i live in seattle. dogs need weatherproof coats here. i have a wheaten terrier.

but the CONCEPT of the xolo is awesome. i've seen only one here, and it is freaky deaky. it is macho & absurdly weak at the same time.

[Kalish]

45. macho and absurdely weak

hmmm...

kinda like Commander Codpiece.

but still that dog is sweet looking, different for sure.

[Old_Fart]

14. Chinese crested have an advantage over Goldens

n/t

[Bunny]

15. Do you like Chinese Cresteds? I've considered getting one of

those because they appear to match my lifestyle. And, the hairless ones look just way too cool!

[Old_Fart]

21. "No hair no heat"

Because of my allergies I would like to get a hairless cat and a chinese crested dog. I love the way that they look.

[Bunny]

33. They get sunburned too, so if you have them outside you have to

put sunscreen on them!

[Old_Fart]

40. That reminds me

I am going to check petfinder and the rescue groups and see if they have any that need a home.

[Bunny]

44. Good for you! If you get one, can you let me know how it turns out?

Thanks!

[Old_Fart]

47. I will give you the link if I find one

n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. Well I like Yorkies myself.

No fear of them attacking people, in fact my Yorkie loves people. The worst she will do is attack you with Yorkie kisses.
But yes Golden Retrievers are great dog along with Labs especially Chocolate Labs.

[TreasonousBastard]

20. The coolest dog is...

the one you own and love.

Goldens are great, but do they ever need exercise, play time with people, and a pool. All the goldens I've ever known just won't leave you alone.

Don't get one if you can't spend the time with it.

[Midlodemocrat]

48. Amen. TB. Amen.

We have a mini Dachschund and she is just a delight. A real people dog. Loves everyone. Even my 3yo niece who tried to pick her up by her tail!

Sleeps with hubby and me and is just the sweetest thing on the planet. I only wish she would not piddle on the new carpet, but *sigh* a small price to pay I guess. You can replace carpet, but you can't buy adoration like that.

[LisaL]

25. They have a lot of health issues due to inbreeding, so you got

to watch out if you actually decide to get one.

[Blue-Jay]

29. That's true of nearly every "pure bred" dog.

I blame the AKC.

[Dastard Stepchild]

28. Having worked as a groomer...

I feel that I can safely say that Goldens can be nasty little buggers. They became very popular pooches to live with, which generally results in bad breeding. When backyard breeders catch the whiff of a "popular breed" with money-making potential, they can exploit the situation, which leads to "bad" dogs.
This happened to Cocker Spaniels in the 70s and 80s. The cocker spaniel breed, as a whole, is still a touch unreliable, though it is bouncing back.

Overall though... a wonderful dog if acquired from a responsible breeder.

Course, I'm most partial to my little mixed breed wondermutt. :)

[Kalish]

34. so what breed is best as far as temperment and other good qualities?

in your opinion.

or is there such a thing. does it all come down to the individual dog and its owners?

[Dastard Stepchild]

38. Great question...

I think there is something to the reliability of the Labs and the Goldens. Overall, they are a stable breed, but their popularity seems to be resulting in some bad breeding. They're energetic by nature, but bad breeding can lead to nippiness, hyperactivity, restlessness and aggression - in addition to more incidents of hip dysplasia and whatnot. Breeding dogs responsibly is not profitable, and these breeders take great pains to weed out problems in their lines. But bad breeders just want to churn out the pups, and have little concern for the temperament, stability and health of the pups.

That said, any dog breed has the chance to have some "bad dogs" that water down the integrity of the breed.

I think a great Golden is just that... a great Golden. :)
They can make excellent companions with the right combination of good breeding, good homelife and good training.

I suppose the best temperament and best qualities varies by the needs of the people wanting to live with the pooches. Stable temperament can best be acheived by quality breeding and a stable home environment. But, a dog with a great temperament might still have qualities that a pet guardian isn't looking for, such as being very active. I've met many a stable dalmation that was also so active that the family felt they couldn't keep up.

I could go on and on about this. I love dogs. :)

[Kalish]

39. interesting...how about

what breeds just naturally tend towards the rougher side of the equation? not that there can't be great dogs in those breeds too.

[skygazer]

31. No, Boxers are

They are excellent with children, loyal and watchful but will not automatically bite a stranger - instead, they will place themselves between you and the person and look intimidating (there is nothing intimidating about a Golden Retriever).

They are very intelligent, thinking dogs. They have a sense of humor. They are versatile, doing as well in a small apartment as they do on a hundred acre farm.

I love dogs and I love many breeds (including Goldens) but my heart belongs to Boxers.



This is Dixie, the best Boxer ever. :loveya:

[Kalish]

35. cute doog

are they fighting dogs? are they aggresive at all?

[skygazer]

41. What do you mean by fighting dogs?

They are not particularly agressive dogs, no. An unneutered male may be agressive towards other male dogs but that's true of any breed. Boxers tend to have very nice dispositions, they socialize well and I've kept them with all manner of other creatures, ranging from rabbits and birds to cows and horses, and everything in between.

Here is what the AKC says about the character and temperament of Boxers -

Character and Temperament
These are of paramount importance in the Boxer. Instinctively a hearing guard dog, his bearing is alert, dignified, and self-assured. In the show ring his behavior should exhibit constrained animation. With family and friends, his temperament is fundamentally playful, yet patient and stoical with children. Deliberate and wary with strangers, he will exhibit curiosity, but, most importantly, fearless courage if threatened. However, he responds promptly to friendly overtures honestly rendered. His intelligence, loyal affection, and tractability to discipline make him a highly desirable companion. Any evidence of shyness, or lack of dignity or alertness, should be severely penalized.

[undeterred]

37. they are the honda accord of dogs

if everyone had to agree on only one kind of dog, a golden retriever would be it

[TheCentepedeShoes]

46. We love our standard poodle !!

He's protective (barks at anyone walking, jogging down the street) and very sensitive to what's going on and people's moods. Was really mopey when Mr. 'pede was in the hospital (all fine now).

[Squatch]

49. They're Hippie Labrador retrievers.

Get a haircut, you damned hippie dog.

[Kalish]

50. that's true

lol...

[Elidor]

51. The only Golden I know is spoiled ROTTEN & willful as all hell

She is a bad dog. No doggie treat.

She's great at killing rabbits, if that's your thing.

[ikojo]

52. Why, yes they are...I LOOOOOVE

Goldens! If I ever got a dog I'd like for it to be a Golden. They are cute as puppies and as dogs.