Do I really want an English Golden Retriever?

I got my first dog at age 23.  I had the greatest childhood in the world except that my Dad would never let us own a dog.  My brother and I begged him but he wouldn't budge.  When I finally bought my own place, my Dad finally did buy me a dog, a dalmatian puppy.  We named him Pongo and he was the best dog.  He was friendly, loving, and very smart.  He could also be extremely stubborn, but that's another story.    What my Dad didn't know was that I had always wanted a Golden Retriever.  I finally got my first one from a rescue shelter.   He was the best dog.  But I always wanted to raise one from puppyhood.  Twenty years and three sons later, enter Emma, the English Golden Retriever.  She reminds me so much of Pongo.  She's intelligent, beautiful and the sweetest thing!  But she's also got a stubborn streak.  And she LOVES to chew.  I used to have a garden in my backyard.  All of my plants are now dead and it's not because of lack of water.  It's because Emma loves to chew my plants.  Even at a year old she still digs and chews.  

But she’s a lot of fun too.  She loves to play fetch, she LOVES being in the water and she just adores my children.  She’s the first dog to greet visitors and if you’re not careful she might lick you to death.   For the most part, Emma is a very laid back, friendly, insanely smart girl.  She completed her Star Obedience Puppy class at five months and could do all the basic commands even without food treats.  That’s saying something!!

 Let me give you the pros and cons of owning an English Golden...

Pros
They are great with kids....extremely patient.
They are very smart and easy to train.
They are a lot of fun to play with.  Playing fetch is a favorite!
They are people dogs so they need human interaction and in return provide unconditional love.
They don't need a lot of room.
They are very laid back.

Cons
They are diggers.
They are chewers.
They sometimes think they are people and can be rather stubborn.
They need attention and a lot of it!
Exercise is good for them.   If it's not something you enjoy (ie. walking your dog) these dogs might not be for you!

Notice the picture at the top of this page.  See what I mean about having a mind of their own?  This is Emma (above) who decided she wanted to get in the water with my five year old during bath time!   And myson thought this was the greatest thing!   He loved it!  This is what I mean about them thinking they are humans.

These are not the types of dogs to lock up in a yard alone all day while you work.  These dogs are extremely loyal and want nothing more than to please you and BE WITH YOU!   If you don't have the time for a dog, this is definitely not the one for you.    But if you have time, energy, and a lot of love to give an animal, an English Golden Retriever will give you so much joy in return!