# Are Golden Retrievers hyper?



## Alice Childress (Nov 14, 2010)

Me again  Sorry about bombarding you all with questions but...

As some of you might now have noticed, I am looking into getting a dog in the next year or so and doing a lot of research now to make sure I am as prepared as I can be. 

Anyway, up until the last hour or so of research, I was pretty sure that a Golden retriever was for me as everything I've read about them says how gentle and calm and well behaved they are (when trained properly and no longer in that puppy stage of course) and how they are great with kids and cats. However, I've just come across two different articles which described them as extremely energetic. 

When they say energetic, do they mean that they need a lot of exercise? Or are they saying the dog has a hyper character? 

It's very important to me that the breed of dog I eventually home is a relaxed soul - or at least, grows into being one. I'm all for lots of walks and exercise if that's what he/she needs but not hyper...

Obviously every dog is an individual and nothing is a certainty, but I'd like to make sure I try and find a breed which in theory will suit my lifestyle.


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

Depends on the breeding  ours are like door mats !!!!!!!!!!! always falling over them in the house cos they DONT move :lol:


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2011)

I've had several both show and working breeding and not one has been hyper.
Do agree with Tashi though, there are the odd breedlines that even I wouldn't touch. Not because they are bad but because they have been bred for field triails and are therefore HOT


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## jamie1977 (Jan 17, 2011)

The ones I know/have known would make good door mats lol.


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## Alice Childress (Nov 14, 2010)

Fabulous, door mats, that's exactly what I'm looking for


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2011)

See both Rona and Tashi have replied! guess they are ones that have the answers!
But the ones I know are ALL rock steady and pretty laid back! not that I know many !  only three!


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

All the goldens I've met while obviously needing walked every day are happy to lie around the rest of the time although they've all been show bred apart from one show/working bred dog. If they can be with their humans at the same time all the better. I'd say the show lines would be more mellow than the working but I'm sure you get some hyper show bred dogs and calm working lines


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## tashi (Dec 5, 2007)

this is how hyper ours are lol

Diggerbeth - Pet Photo Gallery - Upload & Share Pet Photos

Bobsbeth - Pet Photo Gallery - Upload & Share Pet Photos


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Those are really sweet pictures


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## Kinjilabs (Apr 15, 2009)

Ive only ever had two Goldens but cant praise them enough, even tho Im a Lab person through and through
and can only say the two Ive had and still just about have one were great


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## Jasper's Bloke (Oct 30, 2009)

I don't believe there is such a thing as a naturally hyper dog, some breeds are very 'busy' like many spaniels and collies yes, but not necessarily hyper. Hyper dogs tend to he out of balance, they are either getting too much or too little of something, usually too much poor food and too little exercise. My dog is a black lab/springer mix and that is exactly how he was when he came to me at 6 months old, under exercised and fed on Bakers rocket fuel.

Get the balance right and you will soon see why they call it a dogs life. They get to go out and play, get fed and then go to sleep, lol. Now mine has a more sensible diet and is properly exercised he will sleep all night while I am at work, run around the woods for an hour in the morning and then sleep with me for the rest of the day. I want his life I really do.


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## Alice Childress (Nov 14, 2010)

tashi said:


> this is how hyper ours are lol
> 
> Diggerbeth - Pet Photo Gallery - Upload & Share Pet Photos
> 
> Bobsbeth - Pet Photo Gallery - Upload & Share Pet Photos


Oh those photos! My chest actually aches at seeing those gorgeous dogs! I have to stop getting so excited, a year or two is a long time to be this excited for :001_cool:


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## madmaddie (Jan 21, 2009)

We have had several goldies in our classes.

Some have been relaxed..........bomb proof members.
Some have been a little giddy
Some have been naughty, naughty, NIGHTMARES..................

I can recall EVERY SINGLE owner.
The goldies we have had at our training classes have GENERALLY been relaxed/bomb proof members..............but there have been the mad owners who have created giddy and naughty nightmares.


It has ALSO been my maxim that ...............you reap what you sow !!!!!

MM


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

I know lots - I've trained lots and judged lots. Most have been the field trials breeding because you need attitude for competition obedience but I don't recall any of them being manic or uncontrollably hyper.

Hope this helps.


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## DaisytheTT (Jan 20, 2011)

IMO they are a beautiful breed. 

As much as I love my gorgeous TT, and I've also had GSD and Border Terriers in my life, our golden retriever was the best boy ever. He was so laid back you could use him as a pillow :lol:

He went to Rainbow Bridge nearly 17 years ago and I still miss him, that's how great he was. I was looking at some photos of him the other day and it bought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.

Can't recommend this breed highly enough :thumbup:


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

I don't think they are as door mattish as you can be lead to believe. I got the impression all they would do is kip all day but they are quite good and will do a bit of whatever you fancy. Rupert is quite patchy at the minute think he's not quite right but he will happily sleep most of the day or happily be on the go all day but if just left to it he will mind his own business.

They can be rather exuberant as puppies though  Comparing our labrador and golden retriever there is no way the golden is or was any more chilled out than the lab, people lead me to believe labs were crazy hyper beings and goldens cool as a cucumber but I think it works both ways and varies.


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## Liquidsunshine (Jan 24, 2011)

When we went to look at our puppy, we also saw their golden retrievers which they show, and their daughter has a 5 month old puppy that she is planning to show. She was lovely. Really bouncy and playful, loved having a bit of attention, tugging at my cardigan to get some attention. I could have stolen her  We also met her mum, who was lovely and relaxed, very friendly, loved attention etc. Not hyper at all.
Although you can't say all dogs of the breed are the exact same, I don't think I've seen a thread on here since I've joined about crazy retrievers


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## beltabout (Dec 11, 2010)

rona said:


> I've had several both show and working breeding and not one has been hyper.
> Do agree with Tashi though, there are the odd breedlines that even I wouldn't touch. Not because they are bad but because they have been bred for field triails and are therefore HOT


I wish I knew which lines then my field trailers might win some thing!!:thumbup:

Mine as working dogs are like muddy door mats they attract dirt like no other breed.


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## xhuskyloverx (May 5, 2010)

Ours isn't hyper. In fact he's laid next to me right now. He's happy to be out walking in the fields for hours or just having a quick trot round the block, so quite chilled out really. He does get excited when people come over but that's just cause he loves everyone!!


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## RobD-BCactive (Jul 1, 2010)

beltabout said:


> Mine as working dogs are like muddy door mats they attract dirt like no other breed.


Heheheh, my dogs best pal is a 3/4 GR x 1/4 Collie; but he looks just like a lean streamline Golden, his love of water and even better really muddy water means he ends up being hosed down after every trip out 

Here's him leading our dog astray Puppy Bathtime


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## beltabout (Dec 11, 2010)

RobD-BCactive said:


> Heheheh, my dogs best pal is a 3/4 GR x 1/4 Collie; but he looks just like a lean streamline Golden, his love of water and even better really muddy water means he ends up being hosed down after every trip out
> 
> Here's him leading our dog astray Puppy Bathtime


Great video Just what I meant. Mine often look like they are black legged retrievers as they have a dirty tide mark right across the middle.


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## haeveymolly (Mar 7, 2009)

Dont know a lot about goldens but the oned ive seen always seem quite calm and sedate but also given the opportunity quite playfull and energetic, the term "hyper" i try to avoid as i believe "hyper activity" is "created, not a normal characteristic of any breed. Love Goldies


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

I had the honour of owning a golden retriever for nearly fourteen years and he was a very laid back, gentle dog. They may need a fair bit of exercise, but hyper? Never heard of such a thing.


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Having spent 5 hours yesterday with a golden retriever lying over my feet most of it I'd say not so hyper lol.


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## angelblue (Aug 4, 2009)

a gr is all dogs to all people rolled into one.
perfect breed for almost any situation.

very clever, very biddable, gentle, loving.

funny as heck.

would never have another breed.


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## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Got 1 4 year old who is sooo laid back but also loves and good play if they can:thumbup:

Got 1 9month old pup who is very playful and energetic and can have her moments..............but this is the same for any pup:lol:

Remember when we first got Amber(4 year old)..........having being used to a westie and it being a bit excitable.......had to phone the breeder cos she just lay there when I put the hoover on and I thought she must be deaf:lol:
Turned out she is just very laid back:thumbup:


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## eider (Feb 26, 2011)

I think this is a great breed, we've a 4 year old male and he's just lovely, and i know some other goldens and they're lovely too. U have to screw it big time in their trainning to have a bad dog of this breed. Though i'm not an expert.

They have a high energy, they can swim for hours, they can go mountain all the morning, they like to run after a ball... but they can relax everywhere, they can sleep everywhere and some of them even are lazy to even go for a walk... i'm talking bout the ones i know.... I think it's a great breed for a first dog.

We even say that we'll always have a golden to reming why we love so much dogs... (this is coz we have a hyperactive boxer)


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