A big dog with the personality of a golden retriever?

[FancyThatForABagOfChips]

I’d love a golden retriever but DH likes big dogs and says he wants something bigger.

Are there any big breeds with the personality of a golden?

your husband needs some dog education! A male Labrador would also be that kind of size.

Goldens are nowhere near spaniel sized 😂 I'm involved with guide dogs and the male retrievers weigh roughly the same as the German shepherds.

Your husband doesn't know what he is talking about.

Get the GR.

He seems to think they’re spaniel sized.

On the basis of this:

• he doesn't get to choose
• he should attend your future dog's training classes

My Golden is massive - 43 kilos massive.

I have owned a GR and currently have a Newfoundland. Both fantastic in nature but GR easier to train. Both she's a LOT of hair and the Newfie brings dirt into the house on another level. The grooming time required (and expense) for the Newfie is also vast. Currently £40 every six weeks. Bernese have a big genetic problem with cancer so I ruled them out and as mentioned previously life expectancy can be as little as 7 years. Id go with the GR. Your husband appears to be going for a guarding breed. Whatever you end up with, it'll be a good few years before your kids can walk any dog. Good luck-oh and go to the Golden Retriever Club of GB to start researching breeders. Don't hand over a penny unless they health test both mum and dad.

there's a LOT of hair

Tell him yoive found some giant mega retrievers, then just get a normal GR

My make golden is massive, 40kg. I wouldn't want any bigger

If youre doing the work and the care, why is he being odd about it being big? Its not like youve told him you only want a pomeranian or a chihuahua.
Why on earth should he get to say you can have a dog but it needs to be a giant?
He wont be picking up its giant shits will he

Your dog your choice. Golden Retreivers are as big as German Shepherds or Doberman, but for some reason they ‘seem’ smaller - probably because of their family dog and guide dog image, I reckon. Actually they’re massive hairy lumps. Lovely lumps. But hairy.

Anyway, ignore your DH. If he’s not doing the care or training his casting vote is similarly sized.

I'd love a Goldie

By "bigger", does he perhaps mean "more macho looking"? Because bugger that for a lark if so.

Get a Goldie. I would if we had room (we don't, so have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel).

Show goldens are pretty big. I love Spinones. I don't know a whole lot about them but have met a few dogs and their owners and they seem gentle and loving dogs.

Nothing is biddable like a golden retriever.

Your dh shouldn't get a vote until he informs himself. I don't think he's choosing for the right reasons. He should be thinking What dog's needs he is best placed to meet. A retriever it's forgiving and it's unlikely to go too wrong. Dogs bred for protection are quite different.

You aren't going to win prizes for obedience like you would a German Shepherd, but the basics of sit, stay and recall were fairly easy. We clicker train ours from day 1 and Newfies love a snack.

Ours was a very lively and large pup but definitely calmed down at around 2-3 years old. She was friendly with everyone and a bit of a pushover with our small dogs. Like others have said grooming is needed regularly and isn't cheap - we tried ourselves but could never get her looking as good as the groomer did. She was obsessed with water, puddles, ponds, streams, rivers - if she could see it, she wanted to be in it.

If that's the case you get to choose the dog. If you want one. Do you?

@FancyThatForABagOfChips sounds like he wants a bit of a status dog to make him look all masculine 😂😂

be careful of breeding if you go the Doberman route,lots will be bred for working as guard dogs, not necessarily the temperament you need in a family dog, though can be lovely, clever dogs. Need a lot of experienced training. Same for GSDs, which I adore. I’ve got male labs, one of them is ENORMOUS! Big wuss too. How about a Goldendoodle? Massive, non shedding if you get lucky and goofy!

I mean JUST LOOK AT THIS 😍😍😍

How come your DH gets to put his order in for a giant dog which you then have to train and excercise?

He sounds fairly confusd about dogs, has he had one before? Goldens and GSD and dobermans are all similar weight range, are you sure he's not looking for macho points?

If you're training it and walking it, because let's face it that 5% input from him isn't going to materialise on cold rainy dark February mornings, it's your dog, your decision.

Joint problems, slobbering. Just why anyone would choose to support the continued breeding of severe health problems is beyond me.

Some people we know recently had to let their Newfie go. He was only 5/6 years old. I know he was a worst case scenario type of dog, but the pain and suffering he went through for their desire to have a big breed dog still angers me. I absolutely judge them.

Flat coated retrievers are slightly taller and incredibly loving and affectionate

Oh get a retriever or a labrador! They are big, loving, easy to train (although boisterous when they are puppies). Our two year old black lab is our world. He makes me smile every day. He is definitely not spaniel sized - he grew like a weed within weeks!

Spaniel size?! Has he even been up close to a Golden Retriever?! 😄
Our lovely boy was 44kg and the same height as a Bernese Mountain Dog bitch we met on a walk. He was the most loving, cuddly boy - an absolute sweetheart - but God the hair and grooming. Tumbleweed made up of fur everywhere and constant hoovering.