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Golden retrievers are one of the most popular breeds for good reason. They’re beautiful, loyal, playful, the list goes on. But are they good with kids?
When you have kids (or are about to in the near future) and are thinking about adding a dog to your family, the most important thing to look for is whether they’re good with kids or not.
Are Golden Retrievers Good With Kids:
According to 380 different golden retriever owners who are also parents, golden retrievers are good with kids. When asked if golden retrievers were good family dogs, 100% of the 380 people said yes they were. They’re loving, calm, smart and gentle with young children.
In this post you’ll discover:
- What real golden retriever owners had to say about how their pup behaves around kids
- 6 reasons why golden retrievers are good with kids
- 4 tips to help make sure your golden retriever is good with kids (Tip #1 is the most important!)
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Real Owners Experiences Having Kids & A Golden Retriever
The only real way to know if golden retrievers are good with kids is to ask a bunch of people who own one while also having kids.
If one golden retriever is good with kids that doesn’t necessarily mean all golden retrievers are good with them.
So, I found a survey from IHeartDogs that got people to share their experience owning a golden retriever while also having kids.
In total, 380 people weighed in on the discussion of whether golden retrievers are good family dogs or not.
People only had two options.
Yes or no.
Then, they were given the opportunity to share more about why they gave the answer they did.
Here were the results:
100% of people said yes, golden retrievers are good family dogs.
Not a single person out of 380 people said their golden retriever wasn’t a good family dog.
A few people gave detailed answers I felt were very helpful that you can find below.
Susan said: “I happen to have had the privilege of having four Goldens and knowing more. I have my own kids, and I now care for my grandchildren. My Goldens LOVE people–little ones, they are SO patient and loving…. My grandchildren lay on them and love them. They want to please.”
Diane said: “They have such a sweet nature to them. My Golden, Cezar would follow my granddaughter wherever she went. Took good care of her.”
Andrea said: “We now have our 3rd Golden Retriever. They are sweet, loving, smart, extremely easy to train, energetic and fabulous with other dogs, adults, children, etc.”
Debbie said: “They are very loving gentle dogs. She loves my grandkids best I think. 🙂”
Kimberly said: “She is so loving, loyal and grew up with my kids & was around for the first 2 grand kids. She was very protective & a good “nanny dog” with the little ones-so brilliantly intelligent! So patient, gentle but tons of energy too & always well mannered. Very perceptive & quick learner! She’s a beloved member of the family!”
My Take On The Survey:
Based on the many experiences I’ve had with golden retrievers, the results of the survey don’t surprise me at all.
Golden retrievers are extremely friendly and loving to all members of their pack/family.
The only time when a golden retriever wouldn’t be good for families with kids is if they had a traumatic past where they were abused.
Even in this situation it’s not impossible for them to be good with kids.
So, all in all, according to many different golden retriever owners, they are very good with kids.
As with all breeds, they need training and socialization with kids to ensure they’re on their best behavior.
But this is more on the owners part to make sure they learn from a young age how to properly behave around kids.
The more positive experiences they have with kids the better behaved they’ll be around them.
6 Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Are Good With Kids
1) Extremely Loyal
One of the reasons why golden retrievers are good with kids is their loyalty.
Golden retrievers have a natural instinct to protect their pack, and this extends to the family members they live with.
They’ll go out of their way to make sure everyone in the family is safe and happy.
In fact, golden retrievers are often used as therapy dogs because of their calming presence and ability to provide comfort.
For families with young children, a golden retriever can be an extremely valuable family member, providing both security and companionship.
2) Generally Quiet
Golden retrievers aren’t a very vocal breed, which is another positive if you have young children.
The last thing you want to do is add another member to your family that keeps your kids awake by barking into the night.
Being quiet comes natural to them because of what they were bred to do.
They needed to be quiet when they were hunting with their owner.
If they weren’t, they’d scare off whatever they were tracking and make their owner upset.
Which is the last thing they want to do.
They definitely will bark if they feel there is something important that needs to be communicated, but typically they’re content to enjoy life quietly.
Related Reading: Do Golden Retrievers Bark A Lot? (100+ Owners Asked!)
3) Eager To Please
As I touched on in the last point, because of a golden retriever’s background, they’re eager to please.
Since they accompanied hunters, it’s instinctive for them to want to please their owner.
This is a trait that makes them very easy to train.
And when you have kids, it’s a huge bonus to have a dog that’s easy to obedience train.
The last thing parents want is a stubborn doggo in their home when they also have to worry about kids.
4) Great For Helping Teach Kids Responsibility
Another reason golden retrievers are great in homes with children is because of how they help teach responsibility to kids.
From a young age they’ll learn that they need to (and want to) take care of something other than themselves.
This is a valuable lesson they will carry with them into adulthood.
It can be tough for kids to learn how to take care of something and be responsible for it, but with a golden retriever in the home it becomes second nature.
And as your kid gets older, they can help train and care for the dog more and more.
This is a connection that can last a lifetime and bring both the dog and your child lots of happiness.
Related Reading: Do Golden Retrievers Shed? 100+ Owners Asked + Tips
5) Playful
Golden retrievers are also known for being playful and fun-loving.
They love to run around and play fetch, tug-of-war or just have a good romp in the yard.
This is another great trait for kids as they need constant stimulation and something to tire them out.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a golden retriever denying an opportunity to play.
Whether it’s cuddle time or run around outside time, golden retrievers are up for it all.
Some breeds that are more low energy aren’t well suited for life with kids.
But goldens have a nice balance of always being up for playtime while not being hyperactive.
6) Gentle
Golden retrievers are also very gentle dogs, which is great when you have kids.
In fact, they’re known for being one of the most gentle dog breeds out there.
In the survey many owners mentioned how gentle their golden retriever was with their kids or grandkids.
They were happy to let the kids lay on them and were careful when around them making sure not to knock them over.
They’re very aware of their surroundings. Much more so than other breeds.
This is another great trait for parents withs kids as it minimizes the chances of accidental injuries when playing with their pup.
4 Tips To Help Golden Retrievers Be Great With Kids
1) Teach Both Kids & Golden How To Play Nicely
One of the best things you can do to ensure a good relationship between your golden retriever and kids is teach them both how to play nicely.
Kids need to learn how to be gentle with animals and not just expect the animal to be tolerant of everything they do.
This means no grabbing their tail, ears, fur, etc. and no poking, hitting or jumping/stepping on them.
And for golden retrievers, it’s important that they know how to act around kids too.
No one wants a dog that jumps all over kids or isn’t gentle when playing.
Making sure both sides know how to behave will help keep things running smoothly.
2) Plenty Of Early Socialization
Golden retrievers are naturally inclined to want to please their owners and get along well with others, including kids.
But it’s still important for them to have plenty of early socialization.
Taking them to the park, introducing them to other dogs/people, and letting them see kids in all sorts of environments will help them become comfortable in all kinds of different situations.
The more interactions they have with kids when young the better behaved they’ll be around kids the rest of their life.
3) Lots Of Exercise
While golden retrievers are naturally pretty good at knowing how to be gentle around kids, if they have too much energy it’ll only make it more challenging for them.
Golden retrievers are one of the more high energy breeds which means they need plenty of exercise to keep them from misbehaving.
Without a good two or three walks a day with some playtime in between it’ll be more difficult for them to want to listen and behave.
As the saying goes, a tired doggo is a well behaved doggo.
4) Lots Of Mental Activities
In addition to plenty of exercise, golden retrievers also are on their best behavior when they get lots of mental stimulation.
This can be done by giving puzzle toys, spending time training them or giving them a job to do like retrieving things from the yard.
Anything that gives their brain a good workout will help keep them out of trouble.
Pair plenty of exercise with lots of mental activities and your golden retriever will surely be on their best behavior around your kids.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Do Golden Retrievers Shed? 100+ Owners Asked + Tips
Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? (100+ Owners Asked!)
Do Golden Retrievers Bark A Lot? (100+ Owners Asked!)