10/27/2026
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This!!!!
Originally posted by Janet McLean
“🚨🐾 STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW
GOLDEN RETRIEVER EDITION 🦮💛
BECAUSE APPARENTLY SOME OF YOU THINK EVERY GOLDEN RETRIEVER IS BORN WITH A DISNEY CONTRACT, A THERAPY DOG CERTIFICATION, AND AN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR TODDLERS. 💀
GOOD AFTERNOON, YOU BEAUTIFUL, WELL INTENTIONED ANIMAL LOVERS.
Today, we’re talking about one of America’s most beloved dog breeds.
The Golden Retriever. 💛
The dog everyone assumes is genetically programmed to love children, retrieve tennis balls, tolerate absolutely everything, and happily let a toddler perform a full dental examination with a plastic dinosaur.
And while Golden Retrievers are absolutely incredible dogs, WE NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION ABOUT GENETICS, BREEDING, SOCIALIZATION, AND BEHAVIOR.
Because not every Golden Retriever came straight out of a Disney movie.
Some came out of a psychological thriller. 🙂
🦮 FIRST, WHERE DID GOLDEN RETRIEVERS COME FROM?
Golden Retrievers originated in Scotland during the 1800s, largely through the breeding efforts of Dudley Marjoribanks, also known as Lord Tweedmouth.
They were developed to retrieve downed game birds during hunts, particularly from water and difficult terrain.
THESE DOGS WERE BRED TO WORK.
They weren’t originally bred to lie on your sectional sofa wearing a Halloween costume while your children use them as emotional support furniture.
They were bred for:
🐾 Retrieving birds without damaging them.
🐾 Working closely with human handlers.
🐾 Swimming through water and navigating rough terrain.
🐾 Following directions and demonstrating trainability.
🐾 Having the stamina and intelligence to work for extended periods.
This is why many Goldens absolutely LOVE carrying things around in their mouths.
Shoes. Socks. Toys. Your underwear. An entire throw pillow.
RETRIEVING IS LITERALLY IN THEIR DNA.
And depending on their breeding lines, some Goldens have significantly stronger working drives than others.
💛 BUT AREN’T GOLDEN RETRIEVERS THE ULTIMATE FAMILY DOG?
YES.
Golden Retrievers have earned their reputation as wonderful family companions for good reason.
Well-bred, properly socialized Goldens are often affectionate, patient, intelligent, playful, and highly trainable.
Many absolutely adore children.
They’re often wonderful companions for active families because they generally enjoy participating in family activities.
BUT HERE’S WHERE PEOPLE START GETTING MISINFORMED .
BEING A FAMILY-FRIENDLY BREED DOES NOT MEAN EVERY INDIVIDUAL DOG IS AUTOMATICALLY SAFE WITH EVERY CHILD.
A Golden Retriever can be fearful.
A Golden Retriever can be reactive.
A Golden Retriever can bite.
A Golden Retriever can have severe anxiety.
And YES, a Golden Retriever can have serious aggression issues.
Your dog’s breed does not magically erase its individual temperament.
And children still need to learn how to respect a dog’s boundaries.
No climbing on dogs. No pulling ears. No bothering dogs while they’re eating or sleeping.
I don’t care if your Golden Retriever has tolerated it for eight years.
TOLERANCE IS NOT CONSENT, AND EVERY DOG HAS A BREAKING POINT.
🧬 NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT GENETICS, BECAUSE THEY REALLY MATTER...VERY MUCH
Temperament is influenced by genetics, early development, environment, learning, and life experiences.
If you’re purchasing a Golden Retriever from a breeder, PLEASE make sure you’re supporting an ethical, responsible breeder.
Not Jenny down the street who decided her two pretty Goldens should make babies because she wanted to experience the miracle of birth and make $12,000.
BREEDING DOGS IS NOT JUST ABOUT PRODUCING CUTE PUPPIES.
It’s about protecting the health, temperament, and future of the breed.
A responsible Golden Retriever breeder should be able to show you documented health clearances for BOTH parents.
And here’s what you should be asking for:
🩺 1. HIP EVALUATIONS
Golden Retrievers are predisposed to hip dysplasia.
Breeding dogs should have appropriate hip evaluations, generally through OFA or PennHIP.
🩺 2. ELBOW EVALUATIONS
Elbow dysplasia is another inherited orthopedic concern.
Ask for OFA elbow clearances.
🩺 3. CARDIAC EVALUATIONS
Golden Retrievers can develop inherited heart conditions, including subaortic stenosis.
Breeding dogs should have appropriate cardiac examinations performed by a veterinary cardiologist.
🩺 4. EYE EXAMINATIONS
Breeding dogs should receive regular eye examinations through a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, with current eye clearances.
🧬 5. GENETIC DNA SCREENING
Responsible breeders should understand the genetic diseases found within their lines and use appropriate DNA testing.
Some important conditions to ask about include:
🐾 Progressive Retinal Atrophy (including GR-PRA1, GR-PRA2, and prcd-PRA).
🐾 Ichthyosis (including relevant Golden Retriever variants).
🐾 Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL).
🐾 Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).
These DNA tests help breeders make informed decisions about genetic disease risk. Not every test is required for every breeding program, and a carrier result does not automatically make a dog unsuitable for breeding.
AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT A DNA PANEL DOES NOT REPLACE HIP, ELBOW, HEART, OR EYE CLEARANCES.
Also, Golden Retrievers have a significant predisposition to certain cancers. There is no single genetic test that can guarantee a puppy won’t develop cancer, so ask about cancer history and longevity within the family lines.
And here’s some additional information.
A VET SAYING A DOG IS HEALTHY IS NOT THE SAME AS DOCUMENTED BREEDING HEALTH CLEARANCES.
Ask for the actual results. Many OFA results can be verified through the public database.
🚨 AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS FLUFFY, MEET THE PARENTS.
At minimum, you should be able to meet the mother and observe her temperament. The father may live elsewhere, but the breeder should be able to provide information about his temperament, health, and behavior.
Are the parents confident?
Are they comfortable around unfamiliar people?
Do they recover appropriately from new situations?
Do they show excessive fearfulness, anxiety, or concerning aggression?
Because TEMPERAMENT HAS A HERITABLE COMPONENT.
A puppy from fearful or highly reactive parents may have a greater genetic predisposition toward those behaviors.
That doesn’t mean every puppy will inherit those traits, but genetics absolutely influence the starting point.
AND WHILE WE’RE HERE…
WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT ARE THESE DOGS LIVING IN?
Are the breeding dogs treated like beloved companions?
Are they receiving appropriate exercise, enrichment, and veterinary care?
Are the puppies being raised in a clean, safe environment with appropriate exposure to normal household experiences?
Are they being gently handled and introduced to different sounds, surfaces, people, and experiences in an age-appropriate way?
Or are they sitting in a kennel with minimal human interaction until someone shows up with a credit card?
Because those early experiences matter.
A LOT.
🐾 SOCIALIZATION DOES NOT END WHEN YOUR PUPPY TURNS SIX MONTHS OLD.
I genuinely do not know who started this idea that you socialize a puppy for a couple of months and then your job is finished.
Socialization and positive exposure should continue throughout a dog’s life.
The early puppy socialization period is especially important, generally occurring during the first three months of life.
But your dog should continue having appropriate, positive experiences with different environments, people, sounds, and situations as they mature.
And NO, socialization does not mean dragging your terrified dog into a crowded brewery and forcing 37 strangers to touch its face.
It means helping your dog develop confidence through safe, controlled, positive experiences.
THE GOAL IS NEUTRALITY AND CONFIDENCE, NOT FORCING YOUR DOG TO LOVE EVERY LIVING CREATURE ON THE PLANET.
I 5
🚨 NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS WHO DIDN’T READ THE DISNEY HANDBOOK.
RESOURCE GUARDING.
Yes, Golden Retrievers can have severe resource guarding.
And yes, it can become dangerous.
Resource guarding is when a dog displays behaviors intended to maintain possession of something it considers valuable.
Food.
Toys.
Bones.
Stolen objects.
A piece of garbage it found behind your refrigerator that has apparently become its most prized earthly possession.
And resource guarding can range from freezing or stiffening to growling, snapping, lunging, and biting.
GENETICS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO RESOURCE GUARDING.
Golden Retrievers are hunting retrievers, and selective breeding has influenced their interest in carrying and possessing objects. But that does NOT mean hunting genetics automatically cause aggression over resources.
Resource guarding is a complex behavior influenced by inherited predispositions, experiences, stress, learning, and environment.
Some dogs have a much stronger predisposition toward guarding than others.
And some Golden Retrievers can exhibit extremely severe guarding behaviors.
💛 LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MACGYVER.
When Amanda was growing up, she had a Golden Retriever named MacGyver.
And MacGyver was NOT the Golden Retriever you see in a dog food commercial.
MacGyver had SEVERE resource guarding.
If he was eating and someone approached him, he would attempt to attack.
If he got into the garbage and someone tried to intervene, he would attempt to attack.
This was a Golden Retriever.
Not a Rottweiler.
Not a Pit Bull.
Not a Cane Corso.
A GOLDEN RETRIEVER.
And that’s exactly why we tell people to stop judging a dog’s potential behavior based solely on its breed.
RESOURCE GUARDING IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ANY ONE BREED.
And if your dog is exhibiting severe resource guarding, please seek help from a qualified, professional or veterinary behaviorist.
Do not punish the growl, forcibly remove items, or repeatedly stick your hands in the dog’s food bowl to prove you’re the boss.
That’s how people get bitten.
🐾 SO WHAT’S THE POINT OF TODAY’S EDUCATIONAL RANT?
Golden Retrievers are phenomenal dogs.
They are intelligent, affectionate, versatile, and often absolutely incredible family companions.
BUT THEY ARE STILL DOGS.
Not stuffed animals.
Not babysitters.
Not genetically guaranteed bundles of sunshine.
🐾They require TRAINING
🐾They require ENRICHMENT.
🐾They require SOCIALIZATION
🐾They require BOUNDRIES
And they deserve families who understand that behavior is shaped by far more than a breed label.
IF YOU’RE GOING TO PURCHASE A DOG FROM A BREEDER, SUPPORT ETHICAL BREEDING.
And if you’re going to adopt, understand that a rescue Golden Retriever may have experienced neglect, trauma, inadequate socialization, or other circumstances that affect its behavior.
Give these dogs the patience, structure, and understanding they deserve.
Because at the end of the day, A GOLDEN RETRIEVER IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY A GOOD DOG JUST BECAUSE IT’S GOLDEN, AND A ROTTWEILER IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY A BAD DOG JUST BECAUSE IT’S A ROTTWEILER.
A world where we evaluate dogs as individuals instead of judging them by their appearance.”
Questan Golden Retrievers
