The GOLDEN RETRIEVER is really a wonderful dog.  An excellent hunting dog endowed with great intelligence and a fine nose, the Golden Retriever is unaffected by bad weather and – like all retrievers – a passionate swimmer; it is also an obedient pet, responsive to training, affable, patient with children, and happy to live together with whatever other pets exist in the household.  This is not a one-man dog, but a dog for the entire family.  It likes all humans, and is therefore no good as a guard dog.

 Its beauty and its pleasant, gentle nature have made the Golden Retriever very popular as a companion dog, and that has become something of a problem.  Although the Golden can adapt to living in the city (it adapts to any situation as long as it can be with its people), it is really an outdoor dog that needs a lot of exercise – at least two hours a day in any weather.  If given tasks to perform, the Golden Retriever develops quite amazing abilities, which is why it is such a good seeing-eye dog and narcotics detective.

 Unfortunately, the huge popularity of the Golden Retriever has led many dealers and breeders to doubtful ethics to become interested in this breed, with the result that nowadays one not infrequently runs into defective and rather stupid representatives of the breed.  There are even Golden Retrievers that fight with other dogs and bite, which used to be unheard of.  It is important to seek out a reputable breeder if you want to buy a Golden Retriever.