Golden retriever personality but smaller

[Chipshopninja]

So I'm being (hopefully!) premature thinking about this but my Golden Retriever is the best dog I've ever had and I have had dogs all my life.

He is only 6 but I've found myself wondering about what I will do once he goes.

I couldn't have another Golden after him. I would always be comparing.

Plus as much as I love him I would like something smaller next time.

When I Google for this it comes up with Cocker Spaniel but they may be too crazy for me and recall is an issue in my experience.

So is there any dog with a Goldie personality but smaller?

If not rhen what medium dogs would you recommend? All I know is gundogs

I have considered a Sheltie but don't know enough about them

Toller? Beagle?

Following out of interest. I really want a golden retriever but they seem like huge dogs and might be too big for my household.

You won’t ever have a dog to replace the golden that you have now, but there are many lovely goldens who through no fault of their own need to be rehomed and would repay you with love and loyalty.

I heard that beagles, unlike golden retrievers, are much harder to train. Idk if true but I saw a thread here where others were like beagles have a high hunting instinct and aren’t great with recall

Duck Tolling Retriever.

Ahhh the perfect dog. Been looking for out this for years now... goldies just are the best, but so big.

Apparently there are “mini” golden retrievers ie golden retrievers bred with smaller breeds.

Flatcoated Retriever? Only very slightly smaller, similar type of dog personality wise.

This. Or a labrador (they are a little bit smaller but so loving). Love my sweet black good boy 🐾

Entlebucher

Try a lovely Toller

I think if you want a goldie-type personality, you need to stick with retrievers - unfortunately they all tend to be on the large side. Tollers are a bit smaller, but make sure you're ok with the 'toller scream'. Personally I love flatties, but they're not much smaller than a goldie and I THINK there's a higher-than-ideal incidence of cancer in the breed.

Beagles, spaniels etc are lovely in their own right, but they won't have a goldie-type personality.

Bitches can be considerably smaller than male dogs in this breed I’ve noticed. So maybe consider getting a girl puppy next time?

Some of the true working golden retrievers can be on the smaller side, more so if girls.
You might need to investigate breeders when the time comes and see the size of the parents to get an idea of what size puppies they might have. If you're lucky you might end up with a dog around 25kgs, which is not that big, even if they are classed as large dogs, they're not big dogs in reality.
But in all honesty you will not find the Goldie temperament and behaviour in any other breed.
I wouldn't recommend goldie crosses because you would most likely end up with a completely different creature. The only crosses I've personally met were all goldendoodles. Lovely dogs but large in size and absolutely totally bonkers, almost comically so, nothing like a real goldie whatsoever.

Some goldie crosses can be lovely @Branster

I’m a puppy raiser for Guide dogs for the Blind & currently have a golden crossed with a Lab. He is beautiful and a lovely temperament too. He’s big though so that particular cross probably wouldn’t fit the criteria of @Chipshopninja

@TillyandFlorence I have a Toller and she doesn't scream. She is nuts though! She's 15kg and males tend to be about 20kg.

They are the smallest retriever breed but a cross between a retriever, spaniel, collie and red setter. Also, they are a working breed so do like a job (although I do know a number who are just pets). We do agility, scentwork and mantrailing and she loves all these. Equally she'll come for a cuddle on the sofa in the evening.

They’re mongrels.

They’re ‘mini-Goldies’ in the same way a cockerpoo isn a cocker spaniel I.e they’re not. Completely different in every aspect.

Sure, not all will, but it's still a breed trait to be aware of, surely? Someone looking at getting a toller should be aware that it's a possibility and factor that into their decision. I love tollers and don't have an issue with it but some people might.

Several friends have goldie/show cocker crosses. They look like little goldies, a bit bigger than a show cocker, and that part of their inheritance seems to have smoothed out the cocker looniness. But obviously it depends on what they inherit!

Cavaliers have the sweetness - a pity their health is so terrible

Yes we had a yellow Lab cross. Literally the most beautiful, nicest dog ever but also the best working dog. He was the size of a big Lab ( fabulous huge lion paws)

We've had a couple of lab/spaniel crosses. Both looked like smaller labs. The springer cross is completely springer personality! The cocker cross was very loyal, faithful, friendly, gentle, easy going, tolerant of small children. Both were very intelligent and dream to train.

edited for typos

Agree that a Labrador/spaniel cross is the way to go!! We have a springer/lab cross, she looks like a small lab but is definitely spaniel in temperament, very lovable, motivated by hugs, bouncing balls and food!!

I have a GR/lab/ poodle and she has the temperament of a GR (despite dna testing proving she's genetically more poodle!). She's huge though so it may well be that her size is a factor in her calm nature. Standard poodles are more laid back than miniatures I believe.

These threads are so weird!

"I would like a goldie ok get a Beagle!" Especially as the OP mentions recall. What Beagles have you met?

Beagles are scent hounds will have their noses to the ground, hard to recall and have very different priorities to a Goldie.

Spaniel yep a gundog but like a goldie on speed not a replacement for a similar dog to a goldie.

Tollers may be small and ginger but their energy levels will be way above the goldie. Their day will look very different from a goldies day.

Labrador Springer mix is a mega gamble. Many are as high as kites. The temperament will never be anything like the Goldie.

Op get another Goldie. As mentioned bitches are smaller. You wont compare you will just be familiar with some of the goof traits that you love.