Hmm Tommy has never really been a digger... actually I don't think I've ever seen him dig a hole in the dirt outside, but I don't know if he's just atypical or not, as he's the first golden I have had. But he is mouthy! He puts everything in his mouth! From coins he finds to sticks to clothing to logs he can barely get his mouth around. He loves to always be carrying something around.

If you love to cuddle with a dog, goldens LOVE to cuddle and be cuddled. I have never had a dog that loved constant physical contact the way Tommy does. If I lay on the floor, he lays as close as possible to me. If I move, he moves too. He is in heaven just getting pets and scratches, staring off into space with a look of pure bliss there. He loves to always be able to see where his people are, which means if you are moving around the house, he's following into every room. He will even try to follow me to the bathroom .

I'd say they have a similar nature to collies in that they love to please and love to learn. Probably a bit more emotionally stable. Tommy doesn't get depressed for an hour if I scold him for something, but he will try to do whatever needs to be done to please me.

I'm not sure if all goldens are this way, but Tommy is a clown too. He loves doing silly things to make me laugh. If he hears me laugh it's like getting a treat for something, he connects the behavior and will keep doing it to get more laughter.

I think the breed is very loving and devoted, not best for people who have to be away from home constantly. Goldens thrive on being with their people. If you like your personal space without a dog right there laying on your feet or resting their head on your leg etc., I'd not recommend them. They seem like very touchy feely types. I love that in Tommy personally I think that is a reason they can be so great with kids too, because they don't mind a child hugging and hanging on them, they delight in it

Like Julie said, they do great with other dogs and pets. They aren't territorial at all that I have seen, never minding to share their space with someone else.

Tommy is vocal when he plays, and barks a bit if he hears the doorbell, but otherwise isn't a big barker. My collies were much more into barking than either Tasha or Tommy has been. Tommy is really easy to groom, but does tend to shed rather heavily. He enjoys the attention and contact of being brushed.

I think the biggest "con" that I have experienced with Tommy has been his chewing. He has never chewed on furniture, cords and the like. He seems to prefer to chew on cloth, as in his blankets/bedding, laundry, etc. I used to could not give him any toy except hard ones that couldn't be destroyed in an hour, but I've been able to actually teach him not to chew certain toys by only letting him play with it supervised, and then when he begins to chew I say "don't chew" and hand him a Nylabone or something. He quickly came to understand what "don't chew" meant and once he gets used to not chewing a toy he naturally will play with it and when he's ready to settle down to chew, set that toy down and pick up an acceptable chew toy. I've always been impressed with how quickly he learns.

Well, I didn't mean to write a book here. Most of this is based off of my own experience with Tommy, but also some of talking with other golden owners.