What's the most friendly dog? When I get asked this, I think of a Golden Retriever. I am a child of the 90s and when I think of golden retrievers, I think of the friendly Goldens from the movies Airbud, Homeward Bound, and also Comet from Full House.
Their reputation is earned through movies and in life. A friendly and intelligent breed, golden retrievers are one of the staple and popular breeds for guide dogs. They are so popular because people think of them as happy and easy going. I mean do I really need to ask? Why are Golden retrievers so awesome?
#1 Goldens are super friendly and Eager to please
Golden retrievers are a super friendly breed. According the American Kennel Club, "They take a joyous and playful approach to life and maintain this puppyish behavior into adulthood. These energetic, powerful gun-dogs enjoy outdoor play. " Large and lovable puppies, they love human companions and are an easy going dog that is eager to please their humans.
Just like we here on Golden Retriever Love are dog people, golden retrievers are people dogs. To a lot of golden owners, they seemingly have an attitude of unconditional and infinite capacity to love. Dogs love their families and love almost everyone they meet.
#2 Goldens are easy to train
Since they have the natural temperament to work with people and they are super smart, golden retrievers are known to be easy to train.
Golden retrievers were originally breed as hunting dog that help retrieve birds and small game. Being easy to train has given goldens a reputation as a great service dog.
A golden retriever's friendly demeanor means they are comfortable around people, which is important when guiding his owner around crowded situations.
They have a highly adaptive intelligence, meaning that when they make a mistake they learn from it. They are quicker than some other breeds in understanding cause and effect making them easier to train. Not only that they thrive in training classes and have a love of learning.
#3 Golden retrievers are very smart
According to renowned canine psychologist Stanley Coren, golden retrievers are the 4th smartest dog breed out of 138 breeds. Stanley Coren collected nearly 200 responses from North American obedience trial judges to determine dog's IQ.
In his tests, Coren determined that golden retrievers can learn a new command with less than 5 repetitions during training. This is compared to the average dog that needs 25-40 repetitions to understand and learn a new command.
Golden retrievers have a 95% success rate when obeying a command on the first try. This is compared to the 50% or higher success rate of obeying from the average dog in the study. This means when you teach your golden, they will do better at learning the command and following through when you initiate a command.
#4 They are a great family dog
Since Goldens are so smart, they are very adept at comprehending situations and their environment (another trait that makes them great guide dogs).
Their ability to comprehend and adapt to their environment means they are also great at getting along with other pets. With enough socialization, this trustworthy dog fit well in multi-pet households and is happy to share with other dogs and animals.
Their sweet temperament makes them a gentle dog that is great with children.
#5 They Are Very Affectionate
Goldens are not only popular in the service industry, but also as a therapy dog. Golden retrievers are great at sensing people’s moods. Golden retrievers are emphatic animals. They share your joy and comfort and cuddle when they sense that loved ones are sad. They’ll do what they can to make you feel better.
Their upbeat energy can lift your mood and their puppy like enthusiasm can be a highlight in any owner's day.
Can you think of other reasons Golden Retrievers are so friendly? Share it in the comments below!
