Nice choice! But please, DO research more on the breed before you make your final decision.

Like Dixieland Dancer said, Golden's coats aren't really that difficult to maintain. I usually brush Daisy once a day, but I've been busy and lazy about it lately so right now I've been brushing her about once every two or three days and she still looks pretty good. Her heavy shedding comes around twice a year, during summer and after winter.

How much time can you devote to exercising a dog? Goldens are not dogs you can keep locked up in a yard all day. They need physical activity whether that's going on walks each day, playing a few rounds of fetch, training, etc. I play fetch with Daisy for 30-45 minutes each day, and we usually train everyday as well. Remember, a tired Golden is a happy Golden!

And yes, they are excellent dogs in my biased opinion. They're naturals at learning and are very eager to learn and please.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!