Retrievers

[Autumnpumpkin]

Labradors and Golden retrievers as adults, how much exercise do they really need? We are a family who have owned a dog before but sometime in the future we would like to add another dog in to our family.
I'd really like to be 100% sure we would be able to give the dog enough physical exercise. I mean out of the house walking across fields, is it 1.5/2hrs daily and longer at weekend? Does that sound about right or in reality do they need more?

I have a lab, apparently he’s a show dog the jury is out. I’d say you have it about right in your original post.
My lab is incredibly hairy, always has been even groomers have commented on the amount of hair he has! 20 mins a day needed (that doesn’t happen!)

My golden retriever was a couch potato. He loved his daily walks but not if it was raining. He just wouldnt go. Generally had a 45 minute - 1hr walk for his main walk and then 15 or so minutes once or twice throughout the day. He also pottered in the garden a lot too. He was a solid boy and struggled with his hips and had a heart and kidney condition so as he got older he was happier with shorter walks - 30 minutes and then as it got closer to the end 10-15 minutes just slow walking was all he could manage.

@EnglishRain I adore Shadow....so do my children!
I'm definitely not going to write off a goldie but I will look closely at his other suggestions and try to convince him a goldie is better!

and try to convince him a goldie is better!

they are!

They are the best dog ever.

Does it have to be a pedigree?

Ahh shadow...

I already had a golden by the time I saw homeward bound (as a child) but that film made me want a dog that was MY DOG!

Don't get me wrong, my last golden was wonderful, a real family dog. But this one...hes mine

My boy is all mine, he's been my best friend for over 12 years. Going to use this as a blatant excuse to spam now. Here he is with his annoying little sister, and he is her world too 🥰

@EnglishRain what a beautiful picture!

@Honeyroar No not particularly. We were leaning more towards one but our old girl is a cross.

@Autumnpumpkin We were debating a cocker too. Mainly because I know of a breeder who is having a litter this summer and she's promised me one of the pups if we want. Whereas I'm having NO luck with finding a goldie breeder. (If anyone knows of a reputable one who is planning to breed this year, I'd be so pleased to hear from them!)

BUT after doing lots of research, and size being a big worry (we camp too), I'm still massively erring towards a goldie, even if it means an interminable wait! For me it's the temperament. There are so many threads on this board about difficult cockers but barely any (well, I haven't found one if there is!) about difficult goldies.

EnglishRain What a beautiful pair!

Onlythewileones we are the same. Have considered a cocker as met some really lovely ones. But have my heart set on a golden retriever and struggling to find any breeders who don’t have massive waiting lists

@onlythewildones I have literally just had the same conversation with my husband. I've just been to the local pet store and there was a cocker getting a harness fitted, dont get me wrong he was cute but my goodness he seemed like a handful! I just dont think we would be a good fit for a cocker.
I think if I could give solutions to where a goldie would sit in the car when we go camping etc my husband would feel more relaxed..I think he secretly he would love one but is just worried about the size and practicality of a bigger dog.

I've considered a Cocker, due mainly to the fact that they seem like a proper dog but small. However, there's one that lives close to us and boy does it bark! They have a cat as well and the dog sticks it's head through the cat flap and barks and barks. The owners are to blame of course but Golden Retrievers don't bark much at all, neither does my brother's Labrador. It just doesn't seem to be their thing.

Yes we have gone round in circles all lockdown wondering which dog breed to get and keep coming back to a golden retriever

I'm glad it's not just us that go around and around on a dog breed! I feel like everytime we settle, we talk ourselves out of it again! I guess we just want to get it right for the dog and us.

I think Golden Retrievers are perfect, apart from their size, their fur, their love of mud/fox poo/water etc., but then there is no such thing as a perfect dog.

@druidlookingidiot the size is what worries my husband and the fur is my little worry...I vaccum pretty much every day now, if not then every other day.

It’s a big decision as it’s a part of your family for the next 15 years. Sometimes the decision feels a bit too big when you think of it like that. I have found someone with a golden Retrivers litter but only the parents are kc reg. not the pups. And I am trying to work out how much that matters?

@bluebeeee that's a tricky one. I guess I would question why they would chose not to if both parents are? Could it be due to the age of the mother? How many litters she has had in the year? I'm not that clued up but I'm sure someone will have more knowledge on here that could give you more advice. Good luck!

KC reg is quite a basic tick box usually, id be a bit dubious if somebody isn't registering a litter unfortunately.

I'd be inclined to contact some breeders you like the look of and just enquire about their plans. We may look to get another in 2-3 years and I will probably contact some breeders this year just to get a feel for them and to ask if we can go on a list for when they next breed as maybe. Decent goldens are definitely not easy to come by short notice!

Do you think there is a big difference between Goldens temperament? From one breeders dogs to another? Or do you think all Goldens are lovely pretty much ?

We have an 8 month old lab.

He has an hour of walking every day (30 min morning, 30 min evening) and we are slowly building the time up as he gets older. His weekday walks are on tarmac and this makes me more cautious than I would be if he was walking in a field.

At the weekends, we go on hikes and he has an hour the woods/fields/heathland, and then only a ten minute walk in the evening (sometimes no evening walk).

Eventually, he will have an hour in the evening and in the mornings (so total of 2 hrs a day).

It’s worth bearing in mind your dogs temperament and how you plan to train too. Ours gets at least an hour (split up into fifteen minutes sections) a day with me.

He’d be happy with one walk a day, but his behaviour is much less mischievous if he has two

Our lab will have a quick 10-15 min off lead walk in morning and a 45-60 min off lead walk in the evening in winter and 60-90 mins, in the summer with longer daylight hours, if we can take her out for a midday walk all the better, she will keep going but is equally happy to chill if time or weather mean shorter walks, she doesn't get particularly stir crazy, unlike my springer cross who definitely does!
She sheds hair everywhere but is very biddable and easy to train, hard to keep weight off thou as even though she has same exercise and food as my springer cross she is twice his width