working and show type golden retrievers ?

[Bluebeeee]

I know that working golden retrievers are generally higher energy. But are there any other differences? Or is the temperament likely to be similar? Do working goldens still have a good off switch for chilling at home? We are a fairly active family and I don’t work so wouldn’t be intending to leave the dog at home much during the day. But I do want a dog which has a fairly chilled temperament around other dogs and with children. Is anyone better informed than me on this?

I have only had ‘show type’ goldens and to me they are the perfect family dog. Easy to train, eager to please, chilled in the house, great with kids. Will go all day out and about or sleep all day as required! I don’t think there will be a huge difference in working type re temperament but they may need more exercise and will generally be smaller in stature. I don’t know if they come with the issues other working breeds have with needing more stimulation and getting bored! Mine is currently snoring and farting at my feet!

Aw thanks 😊 . What you describe is exactly what I want! I didn’t realise until recently that there are two different “types” of golden retrievers. I can only find breeders of working type. Or some which seem to breed with working type dad and show type mum. And I am trying to work out if this will be what we want.

Looking at some of the breeder information they have disclaimers about how you need to know what you are getting in to taking on a high energy intelligent dog that needs lots of time. And it made me pause for thought a bit !

Look on Champdogs or Kennel Club for breeders, or any of the golden retriever rescues. Be prepared for a big hairy smelly leaner!

We have a show GR puppy and on walks regularly see a working GR. Our puppy has easily enough energy for our very active family and I can see that when he is older he will be able to walk and run for hours at a time.

The working GR we see out and about is a very very high energy dog - more like a spaniel. Obviously this is very anecdotal but I would approach with caution!

I don’t have a golden but I would always go for working in any breed where a split exists. Every time.
I can’t stand the obsession of breeding for looks which is what ‘show line’ is.
So what if they are more active?
It’s a working gundog breed!
It’s supposed to be active...

IME working line dogs share traits, whatever breed they are from. They're not just bred to have certain instincts accentuated (which differ by breed), they're also bred to have lots of energy and serious working drive. Their biggest aim in life is to fulfil those drives.

If you don't provide an outlet, they will find one. A working line GR could make a fab pet for a family willing to exercise it enough, and do some gundog training with it almost every day. If you want a nice gentle dog that won't demand half an hour of serious mental input each day, stick with the show line

Generally in the split between working and showing (I don’t know with GR in particular) it’s really only a slight difference in energy levels.

The big difference is that show line dogs tend to have lost the working instincts and are much more unfocused.

So it’s not always the case that show line dogs make for easier pets... if you’re going to exercise appropriately and do things that’ll channel their work drive, then actually working line dogs can be easier.

With working line dogs, it tends to be that you give them their “job” and walk them and they then switch off in down time. Show line dogs can just be bouncy goofballs that you can never tire out because they’re not actually focussed on their “jobs” that you give them.

I put jobs in inverted commas because obviously with a pet that word isn’t literal, that could be training, brain games, scentwork... whatever you like doing with a dog.

In my experience (I've had one of each) very similar energy levels.

However the working type one was very very anxious. Hated fireworks, the car,smoke alarms etc

The show line one is very laid back in the house even though he is young. A bit more loyal. Harder to train though

However the working type one was very very anxious. Hated fireworks
Just as well he was a pet then!
Sounds like he would have maybe been gunshy if worked.

If I am completely honest I had no idea that there were working retrievers till I met one

I could say I didn't get my dog for his looks - and that would be absolutely factually correct because we wanted a dog with a great temperament who would need a good deal of walking/training but not spaniel/collie amounts - but you would laugh at that claim if you saw him because he is easily the most beautiful dog on the planet.

Perhaps I am more superficial than I realise!

Thanks for the replies. Yes on champdogs the breeders which seem to be replying to me seem to most often have working golden retrievers. I guess perhaps they are less in demand?

Ours is incredible but I do worry she might be bored as is incredibly bright. I'm amazed at what she can do and understands.

Currently sleeping but I only need to move, close my iPad or say certain words and she'd be by the door, on my lap or waiting in the kitchen .

Sunshine cake, Do you have a working or show type ?

Just as well he was a pet then!
Sounds like he would have maybe been gunshy if worked.

I couldn't agree more

I have 2, one full working and the other half show, half working.

My full working lines boy would not make a great pet tbh, he needs the mental challenge of work to keep him sane and no amount of just physically exercising him would help. In fact it would probably have made him worse.......an extra fit nutcase! Using his brain is what keeps him calm and meets his needs.

My girl is perfect for an active family though, happy to go out and about for hours, competes at the very top level of her sport yet she is happy to curl up all day if nothing better is going on, even without the mental input

Both are loving, gentle and sensitive. Love mud, shed everywhere! Working lines dogs are quite hard to come by comparatively (smaller gene pool) and good breeders often won’t home them to a pet environment as many don’t feel they make good pets without the need to ‘work’ being addressed. It doesn’t have to be gun dog work specifically though, training (not competing unless you want to) any dog sport would serve the purpose

@Bluebeeee

Sunshine cake, Do you have a working or show type ?

I'm guessing show as we have we her crufts credentials.

First time dog owner .

hi @Bluebeeee, I've had show and working retrievers (Flatcoated and Golden) My current Golden girl is from full working stock, I was on a waiting list for a year to get her, and the breeder only let me have her because I said I wanted a dog that I could do obedience with. All of her siblings are working retrievers. Getting a well-bred working dog is, in my experience, harder than getting a show-bred one.

They look very different, most of the show-bred ones are thicker set and paler in colour, with more luxurious coats. They should have a level "top line" along the tail and back.

My girl is only 24Kg, slim, dark, easy to manage coat (not very practical for working dogs to have coats that need a lot of care) She's very keen to DO things, retrieve, play hide and seek. Before lockdown we reached the advanced obedience class and her scent work was brilliant (picking out the hanky I'd held from a whole load on the floor), we'd started on Agility - she's a total delight for me to live with - not that keen on children, but she's not had a lot of contact with them.

Working line GRs can also be kennel club registered, full KC papers etc - and so can be shown, but they are not bred to conform to the physical beauty standards that show judges are looking for. Bigger shows might have gamekeepers classes where working dogs are shown.

Remember dogs are individuals too - their breed characteristics and parentage affects who they are, but so does their upbringing and early experiences. So you have to get everything right.

Any breed that becomes popular, like Goldens, will end up being bred, by some, for profit with no regard for health or temperament - show as well as "working" (and you get a fair few fake "working" breeders ) so you really need to find a breeder you trust, whose dogs you like, who are friendly and approachable, health tested with good scores etc. Be prepared to wait for the right dog.

Thank you. I appreciate these responses a lot. I am starting to wonder if we would be up to the task really.

We have a working GR as our family pet. I can say, hand on heart, he is a perfect member of the family. He's such a softy but is also sharp as a tack and is so easy to train. He gets good walks every day (we always try and get him out for 2 hours) and we make a big effort to ensure he gets lots of stimulation on his walks (so not just physical exercise but also good sniffs and games with him while we're out). Then, when he's at home he's perfectly happy to chill out. He's great with our kids and really just a joy to be around (and I say that as someone who had to be convinced to get a dog in the first place!).

I think, if you're an active family and prepared to put a little thought into making sure you are stimulating your dog enough as well as providing enough exercise, you would love a working golden. We plan to do some agility training with him (he recently turned 2) but Covid has delayed that somewhat. But, even without that, he's a very happy dog 😊

Just to prove how gorgeous he is... 😍

I was reading this thread last night whilst my working GR was upside down snoring on the sofa - he is there a lot.

But like @IDrinkFromTheKegOfGlory (beautiful dog, mine is identical!) we give him a good walk and some games.

I was also worried about what I was getting into but he is perfect. Hard work as a puppy, like having a toddler again, but quickly out of that phase. Loves his walks but chilled at home. He likes being outside, watching the sky when there are fireworks so not a particularly nervous dog. (I did play Dog Trust fiework sounds when he was a puppy so he got used to it.) Easily trained - but does need that input from you, we are sometimes lazy on the training but as soon as we focus again, he is super attentive. I was also looking into agility or gun dog training pre covid - both are good to connect with the dog and for training.

He loves everyone and gets lots of compliments on manners (and looks).

Downsides - lots of hair and he loves the water and mud....

Ha! @shopsalot sounds like we might have the same dog!

Do you have kids shopalot?

Ah yes - the mud.

Just be aware that the GR owning crowd refer to GRs affectionately 🤣 as "swamp collies" 🤣. My first would engage in mud baths whenever possible - current girl doesn't - but I'm still planning a dog showering station in the garage!