Golden Retrievers: Feared or Loved?

[dream_dog1234]

I don't see how anyone could fear a Golden... they are the sweetest dogs on earth.

[The Cat Factory]

I love Goldens! I used to have one named Buddy, but he passed away in July.

[Alysser]

I Love goldens!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Glacier]

I like Goldens, but I can see why some people would fear them. I've had serious dog bites three times in the last few years--dog bites that required medical care. Every single one of them was inflicted by a Golden. The vast majority of Goldens are lovely dogs, but overbreeding & just plain bad breeding has done the Goldie temperment no favors.

[WolvesRawk]

Goldies are great but like any dog, they can have behavoir problems if they are not raised right.

[Vela]

Goldies are great but like any dog, they can have behavoir problems if they are not raised right.

I would agree with that. I have never been bitten by one but I have been chased and had the life scared out of me by two guard dobies before, I think that's the closest I came to getting bit. Goldens are wonderful dogs when bred right and raised right. Any dog can be aggressive when raised badly or bred badly. I am not breed "racist" to any breed, but I'm extra partial to Boxers myself hehe. I had a golden once as a kid and she was a great dog.

[CagneyDog]

I like them but I've met many that have had some dog agression issues. I think i recall reading somewhere that this is common in female Golden, though?

[Suki Wingy]

I can easily see how they, like labs, could be feared. They are being bred by people who just don't care and/or just don't know what they are doing too much nowadays

[lv4dogs]

I like them, which wasn't an option. Since I don't fear them I voted for love em'.

I like Goldens, but I can see why some people would fear them. I've had serious dog bites three times in the last few years--dog bites that required medical care. Every single one of them was inflicted by a Golden. The vast majority of Goldens are lovely dogs, but overbreeding & just plain bad breeding has done the Goldie temperment no favors.

You sound like me & yellow labs.

[Husky_mom]

this is like the thing with sharks, most if not everyone fears them but cows kill more people in a year than sharks and we dont fear cows do we?? (well some might do, but for a mayority thing) and i dont blame dogs or anything nor i am a breed banner i love every breed, but as for pits people fear them and goldens bite more people than them (as exemple) for goldens being more of a sweet dog people approaches them and they might bite.....

but as said before any breed fear looking or sweet looking, big or small, has a tendency to be agressive, some few some a lot, maybe out of fear, or bad training or BAD OWNERSHIP but we love them all.

P.S. please dont get me wrong

and for answer i do like goldens, but i wouldnt pick one to own, my devotion goes to huskies as for my username

[bella123]

I have 1 Goldens, Stewie was a year old, we had to put him down he had bone cancer, but he was the kindest dog. But we also have Charlie and he is 4 months. He is very sweet. Aside from getting him to go outside to pee, he is awesome.

[Allecto]

I love goldens, but I fear they have been over-bred to the point where many seem to be nothing at all like the breed...

[IRescue452]

I treat them like every dog. I need to know their personality before I trust them completely. Any dog can bite and people who are afraid could have been bitten by a golden. I helped catch a stray lab the other week and had to use a catchpole since the dog was very scared. Saying all goldens are friendly is like saying all pitties are vicious.

[CathyBogart]

I was bitten once by a poorly bred, poorly socialized golden retriever. *shrug* That was that dog, and I dpn't fear them becuase of her. Heck, I don't even hold it against her, it's not her fault her owners were st00pid.

The only breed I have had repeated bad experiences with enough to make me really leery of them is Dals, but I'm still willing to give a well-socialized one a chance.

[cocker_luva]

i didnt vote, because im not scared of them. but i definately dont like them. kind of like glacier said, i get bitten or lunged at my more goldens and labs then any other dog. so im kinda biased.