There’s no doubt golden retrievers make wonderful pets, but what is it about them that has captured the hearts and minds of millions?

There are countless great things about goldens, but we’ve tried to distill the essence of their lovely personalities down to sixteen points. It’s challenging, sure, but we think we’ve got it just about covered.

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Although every dog is an individual with their own quirks that make them who they are, golden retrievers, like other dog breeds, tend to share a number of traits that make them the awesome animals they are.

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So, here are sixteen reasons golden retrievers make such great pets.

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1. They’re Simply Beautiful!

One of the top reasons for anybody choosing a particular breed of dog over others for a pet is their looks. And Golden Retrievers score very highly in the beauty stakes!  From their soulful, piercing brown eyes, to their wise looking but always friendly face. But of course more than anything, their flowing, strikingly golden coat. Nobody can deny the stand out beauty of golden retrievers. They look good on the arm of any human suitor!

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2. They Love Us No Matter What

Golden retrievers seem to have an almost infinite capacity for love.  There’s no doubt that your dog loves you, as they show it in everything they do, from greeting you at the door to sitting at your feet to cheering you up when you feel sad.  But, goldens don’t just show love for their own families, they’re happy to share out the love to anyone and everyone they meet.

 

3. They Give Us Comfort

Having a golden retriever is like having your own personal therapist on call 24 hours a day. These intuitive dogs seem to know when you’re upset and need a hairy hug.  They’re even better to talk to than a human friend (unless you need advice), because they won’t mind if you talk about your problems for hours on end.  There’s nothing more comforting than knowing that you’ve got a wonderful four-legged friend to come home to and share your troubles with.

 

4. They Are Easy To Train

One of the top 5 smartest dogs in the world, Golden retrievers are considered easy to train and can learn an awful lot of commands and tricks.  Of course you’ll want to master basic obedience together, but you can also impress your friends with all sorts of tricks such as: Learning the names of and fetching different items, putting away their toys, dancing and even bringing you a drink!  Of course, being such an intelligent breed it does mean you simply have to dedicate to regular training, otherwise those smarts can lead to mischief and misbehavior.

 

5. They Make Us Laugh

Non-dog people might think it strange when you say your dog is funny, but golden retrievers really do make their people laugh, and isn’t that the definition of being funny?  Of course, they’re not cracking jokes or making witty and astute political commentaries, but they bring fun and laughter into our lives, whether they’re zooming around the house like nobody’s business or trying desperately to fit five toys in their mouth in one go.

 

6. They Help Us Get Some Exercise

We all like to think that we’re disciplined enough to get regular exercise but, honestly, we probably wouldn’t go for long daily walks if it wasn’t for our dogs. Goldens need to walk for at least an hour a day, but can happily go much further, so they get us moving and keep us more fit and healthy.

 

7. They’re Brave

While goldens aren’t usually the top of the list when you think of brave dog breeds, they’re so loyal and loving to their humans they’ll go the extra mile to protect them from harm. You’ll find numerous tales of bravery from these dogs if you look for them. One such story is of a golden retriever named Figo who put himself between his blind owner and a school bus when it came hurtling toward the pair. Luckily, Figo came through the accident with just a broken leg.

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8. They Increase Our Lifespan

Various studies have suggested that people with dogs live longer on average than people who don’t own pets. There could be several reasons for this, one of the primary ones being that dog owners tend to get more exercise and have been found to have lower than average cholesterol levels. Whatever the reasons, if our canine companions help us to live longer, that’s another added bonus!

 

9. They’re The Most Enthusiastic People We Know

If humans acted like golden retrievers do, it would be a strange world indeed! Members of this breed are so enthusiastic about everyone they meet, everywhere they go, and everything they see and do that it would almost be annoying if it wasn’t so endearing. In fact, their enthusiasm for life, the universe and everything is contagious, so spend time with a golden and you’ll soon start to become one of those cheery glass-half-full people!

 

10. They Exude Confidence

Confidence can be a hard trait for humans to come by, but you can’t say the same for golden retrievers! In fact, these dogs are famed for their friendliness and easygoing personalities, which means they tend to be calm and confident in all kinds of situations.

 

11. They’re Always In The Action

One thing you’ll notice about golden retrievers is that they don’t like to be left out of the action one little bit. If you’re at home doing something, the chances are that your dog wants to be doing it, too. Even if the thing that you’re doing is trying to take a bathroom break, unfortunately. Out and about, they want to get involved with everything that’s going on, whether that means making a new dog pal or splashing their way through the muddiest puddles they can find. It is no wonder they are often refered to as 'velcro dogs'.

 

12. They’re Extremely Gentle

Golden retrievers are big dogs, and they’re certainly full of energy, but they also tend to be extremely gentle. These dogs are one of the few breeds to historically have been selectively bred for temperament over looks, and many breed standards include the fact that goldens should have a sweet and gentle temperament. As such, these pups are among the best family pets around.

 

13. They Love To Please

Anyone who has spent time with goldens will know that these dogs love to please their humans. Not only is this generally rewarding, but it ultimately means that they’re often much easier to train than many other breeds of dog. If you give them lots of love, fuss and praise when they do something right, they’ll learn in no time at all.

 

14. They Define Loyalty

Although golden retrievers are friends to everyone (and, let’s face it, you wouldn’t have it any other way), they’re still amazingly loyal to their families, and will always put you first. There’s nothing that your four-legged friend wouldn’t do for you. You just can’t buy that kind of loyalty.

 

15. They’re Great as Friends

They say a man’s (or woman’s) best friend is their dog, and this is undoubtedly true with a golden retriever. No other friend is available to you whenever you want to hang out, always wants to do whatever you’re doing, never mocks you or tells you that thing you’re excited about is a bad idea. Who needs human friends when you’ve got a dog on your side?!

 

16. They Fit Well Into Multi-Pet Households

Many dog breeds just don’t ‘play nicely’ when it comes to other pets. Be that cats, rabbits, or sometimes even other dogs. But Golden Retrievers, as long as they’ve been given sufficient socialization, are more than happy to share their home with other dogs and animals of other species. Having a dog who’s trustworthy around your other pets brings peace of mind and a harmonious household, not least for those other pets!