Golden Retriever Puppy

[JazzTheDog]

Do any wise people who have done puppyhood with a Golden Retriever have a preference for male versus female?

We have been talking about getting another dog for some time (our last rescue greyhound passed in 2016). A change of job for me at the start of the year meaning I no longer do 12.5 hour shifts and DH working from home in the long term now meant that we contacted a couple of local(ish) breeders to be added to waiting lists. As the owners of 4 cats and multiple poultry we decided that a GR would be the best breed to add to the family. We live rurally on a farm (but not farmers).

We have now been contacted by a breeder who has a litter and is giving us a choice. I don't think I have a particular preference but all my dogs so far have been female.

Any voices of experience out there? I hope to commence training via the breeder for the dog to develop as a therapy dog as well as being a much loved family pet.

I am slightly stressing at the responsibility of naming a puppy and keep swaying towards a girl simply to use unused baby names (my kids are boys!)

We’ve got a 9 month old female GR and she’s great. Our last dog was a male Labrador. We’ve noticed that she has calmed down quicker than him, but that might not be anything to do with gender. She is also much more petite so far easier for the kids to handle. He was very muscly and wilful! He also could be aggressive towards other dogs which often seemed like he was “protecting” us. She, on the other hand, adores everybody and every dog! The only downside we have found so far is that she is midway through her first season. Even that though hasn’t been as bad as we’d feared (she did forget all of her training for a week but has remembered it again now- glad she had a reason for regressing to be honest!!)
Not sure if any of these factors are due to the male/female thing or just temperament. Either way they are adorable dogs! Good luck!!

I've only had a female dog once the rest of my dogs have been male.
The only off putting thing I found was the phantom pregnancy she had. She was so upset for what felt like forever.
Both male dogs since then have been a joy.
I don't think really it makes that much difference though, more down to the personality of each dog.

We have a male golden retriever he is so easy calm and has such a lovely nature. Everyone loves him.

Only ever had boy dogs. So I can't compare. Both (lab cross then GR) have been bouncy and high energy. But that suits us!

We have a female golden who has been the most chilled dog I've ever known, right from being a puppy. I've only ever had female dogs (which is why I chose a girl this time) but in comparison to friends and family with males it seems that a lot of the time they are more excitable and energetic, but of course that may not be the case for everyone! The thing I have noticed about GRs is that the girls are a fair bit smaller than the boys, which again works well for me and my family. Good luck either way, GRs are the best breed ever ☺️

I've only had male goldies and both have been lovely, great natured and fabulous family dogs. My current dog is coming up for two years old and has calmed down a lot during the last year. As a little pup he was chewy and boisterous but as long as he gets two decent walks a day is generally pretty chilled with only the odd zoomie occasion or tantrum now!

It’s more nature than gender I think. I have had 3 boys and 1 girl
The girl was a bit more aloof and took longer to train but it could have been just how she was
The leg cocking is annoying but the not coming into season thing is better

I’ve had a boy who passed in May @ 11 and have a 12 week old puppy boy - naming is hard but something easy to call and say is good as you repeat it a lot, I’d go with boys as I am more familiar with male dogs a girl didn’t really occur to me I’m not sure why. I have 4 sons so perhaps lean towards male animals - cats are Girls however.

I’m sure whichever you choose you’ll have a wonderful pet and companion @ therapy dog in a gr - our boy was guide dog who didn’t make it and was unofficially my youngest sons therapy pup he was amazing, calm, gentle and always there for cuddles and love it was a beautiful relationship.

Gender makes very little difference personality wise.

Spaying needs to be costed in and living with a bitch that will have a couple of seasons may be an issue for some but not really a big deal.

Females may be a bit smaller but depends on breeding so not always the case.

Both genders love mud

Your reason to use your girls name is probably as good a reason as any

I have male and female Golden's. The female was a nippy puppy but grew into a very easy dog. Never bothered about other dogs or people but happy for a fuss. Loved everything we tried, obedience and agility. Likes to have things her way though!

My boy....he's a bit different! Not nippy, never chewed anything he shouldn't. Proving hard to recall train around other dogs. Thinks everyone is his friend.

But I don't think it's down to dog or bitch. I think it's just who they are.

We've pretty much decided that we have no preference for boy or girl so will wait until we meet them and go by personality. We're hoping the breeder can have us for a visit this weekend (socially distanced!)

I've had both, last count 5 males and 4 females over the last 30 yrs or so (we usually have more than one!).

The males have all been very devoted to me, our first bitch ADORED dh - she liked me well enough but she chose him, second bitch was all mine (her choice)

I've loved all of them but have a preference for the bitches as they have tended to be a bit less needy, didn't follow me to the loo etc.

We bred our current girl goldie from her mum. She had 6 beautiful puppies 3 boy 3 girls. All as bouncy as each other all as greedy all as cuddly. Ours has a sister in our village, the others around various places nearby. Her sister is as calm as ours, saw her brother recently he’s huge but a gentle boy. We kept her as she was always the one doing daft things, falling over her siblings interested in everything would fall asleep head in food bowl bounce like a cat.

A word of caution, see the mum look out for a clean kennel/house, check the mums hip and eye score, puppy should have clear eyes look in its ears.
Invest in an outside hot & cold mixer tap to wash them in winter, they love mud mud mud.

Re the cocking leg thing. We have a bitch because I didn't want a dog that cocked its leg to pee. Yep, you've guessed it, from the age of 6 months our girl has always cocked her leg. People often think mistake her for a male dog for that reason!

We have a girl for two reasons, firstly they are usually smaller than the boys and secondly, we have a girl cat and I read somewhere that dogs and cats are more likely to get on where the dog is the same gender as the existing cat (whether or not that’s true is another matter!).

We're getting a wee boy 😁

He's so soft and fluffy and a bit lighter than his siblings. There was one more red who has been taken. They were all so cute!

We need to pick a name for him and he doesn't have his registration name yet so we're trying to think of a formal name that can be shortened for every day use. It will be a B name. My current fave is Buddy but I can't think of a formal. In close second is Benny (Benedict).

I'm not sure how to attach a picture?

How exciting.

Click on choose file below the message box then link to photo (Not that I am desperate of anything to have a puppy fix)

Hopefully this should be 2 pics of the wee man!

great news @JazzTheDog

Make sure it's a name you feel happy calling across the park! Buddy is quite a common one around here ATM - I've met a few recently. Ben is lovely - used to be popular but I haven't met one for a while.

How about...

Bracken
Bandit
Beech
Bojangle
Benson
Byron

Oh my @Jazzthedog thank you that has made my day . He is stunning

@PollyRoulson

Oh my *@Jazzthedog* thank you that has made my day . He is stunning

My pleasure, I had such a lovely couple of hours picking 'the one'. DH was keen for the one with a Harry potter style white bit on its forehead but I overruled it!

@catsrus

great news *@JazzTheDog*

Make sure it's a name you feel happy calling across the park! Buddy is quite a common one around here ATM - I've met a few recently. Ben is lovely - used to be popular but I haven't met one for a while.

How about...

Bracken
Bandit
Beech
Bojangle
Benson
Byron

I just can't get a feel for the right name. Buddy seems popular, I quite like Benny as then he could be Benedict on his registration.

I'm pondering about Brodie. The kids and DH are being annoying lol

He is adorable!

How many weeks is he? When can you bring him home?

Brodie is one of my 'unused' names. I love it.

I like Bracken too.

School friends have a GR called Buddy.

Now you've worked the photo thing out, feel free to post (many) more!

He'll be 8 weeks on the 24th so we'll probably pick him up that weekend.

I feel like I have so much to do all of a sudden to prepare. Thankfully we already have a crate but I need to sort out a stair gate so that he can't get to the cat food or our the cat flap! Tomorrow will be a day of making lists for the new arrival!

He's gorgeous!

How about Barney (Barnabus)?