Did You Get a Golden Retriever Puppy for Christmas, Too?

You get this every year. TV commercials show a little golden retriever puppy hanging in a Christmas stocking and everybody goes “Awwww! I wanna do that for my kids!” Why not basset hound or doberman puppies? They’re cute, too. They always use golden retrievers. Especially the white golden retriever puppies. The white ones look blond when they’re young, which makes them seem even cuter, apparently. Or instead of the stocking display, they’ll have the gingham-covered basket with the pile of golden retriever puppies sleeping in front of a fireplace.

If somebody else just gave your kid a gift of this variety, the first thing you have to understand is that a golden retriever puppy will get large. Golden retrievers generally get to stand about three feet high and weigh around 65 pounds fully grown. There are no miniature golden retriever puppies. So, hang in there mom and dad, you might get through this yet. And isn’t it always the grandma who lives three cities away who thinks of doing this? Whoever it is, rest assured that they knew that they weren’t going to be the ones stuck cleaning up after it.

If you’re still not sure what they look like, think of the TV commercial for Bush’s Baked Beans. “Roll that beautiful bean footage!” Yes, that dog! Golden retrievers are in fact routinely used in TV and movies because they are so easy to train.

We might as well tell you the good news: golden retrievers are one of the most agreeable pet breeds you could ever ask for. They are hardy and smart, so they’re fairly easy to train and relatively low on health maintenance. They have a naturally sociable disposition; I’ve never heard of a golden retriever turning out mean. In fact, you’ll have a hard time with them if you have to leave them alone, because they will whine and bark if they’re lonely. In fact, they are so friendly that they are notoriously poor guard dogs; they’ll greet the burglar with a happy face-licking.

In training golden retriever puppies, positive reinforcement works best of all; most of the time a word of praise and a cuddle is enough, as this is one breed that is usually eager to please. They’re pretty easy to train overall, but one thing you cannot expect of them is to stay cooped up in an apartment with no place to run and nobody to keep them company. This is an extremely active dog, and ideally needs to be taken for a run around the city park daily.

With all that activity comes a hearty appetite. If you’re wondering about golden retriever puppies and feeding amounts, they’re usually best with about two cups of dry kibble per day. They seem to do better on a quality brand of dry kibble food, rather than wet canned dog food. By the time they’re adult, you can supplement the dry kibble with the canned meat dog food.

Like the name suggests, golden retrievers retrieve. They’re great for playing fetch with just about anything you throw. Sticks, balls, frisbees, your underwear, they don’t care. They’re happy to be active and feel useful. They also make good assistance dogs for the elderly and handicapped if well-trained. They are noted for their intelligence and can learn dozens of commands. They also love the water, perhaps the most of any dog breed, so they make good “beach dogs”.

If you need a motivator for an exercise regimen for yourself, a golden retriever puppy just might do it. Just like you, they can actually become obese if not given exercise. Don’t worry, they’ll come to get you every morning at six AM sharp, leash in mouth, eager to get you up and started on your morning jog. This is not the dog for the grumpy introvert!

One word of caution: because this is such a hugely popular breed, they are the victims of sloppy breeding practices in the puppy mills. While they are hardy in their early years, they tend to develop health problems later on, and these are usually the result of genetic problems.

And if you actually got the golden retriever puppies in Christmas stockings, get the picture quick and get them out of there before they make a mess!