Why Are Golden Retrievers So Friendly?

Golden retrievers have everything that makes a great family dog – love for people, loyalty, intelligence, affection, and empathy. They are genuinely happy dogs that want to share their happiness with everyone.

One would argue that we can’t generalize, and every dog is unique. That’s true – a dog’s breed isn’t the only factor defining its personality. Still, bloodlines inevitably leave a mark on a dog’s temperament.

Golden retrievers are recognized as the friendliest dogs by American Kennel Club, and they didn’t earn this title by accident.

The Breed Origin

Friendliness is deeply rooted in golden retriever genetics. Although every dog is unique, some temperament traits are inherent to particular breeds more than to others because of their origin and selective breeding.

Golden retrievers were bred in late 19th-century Scotland by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, who was passionate about hunting. The primary purpose of golden retrievers was to retrieve objects and fowl from the water, thus the name.

Golden retriever ancestry includes several hunting breeds, including flat-coated retrievers, nowadays extinct water spaniels, St. John’s water dogs, Irish setters, and bloodhounds.

Consequently, golden retrievers inherited personality traits that make a perfect hunting dog – intelligence, high stamina, obedience, self-control, empathy, a natural ability to communicate, and friendliness.

An aggressive, stubborn, or dumb dog would be a terrible hunting companion. Sir Marjoribanks and his descendants placed great importance on the temperament of dogs they selected for breeding.

One of the reasons golden retrievers appear so friendly to strangers is that they don’t bark often, and this trait was also inherited from their ancestors. A barking dog would scare away all the birds and ruin the hunting.

Confidence

Numerous studies have linked aggression in dogs with fear and anxiety. Think of the barkiest dog breeds. Many of them, such as chihuahuas and Pomeranians, are tiny and constantly afraid of other dogs and strangers.

A scared dog barks to intimidate the opponent, preventing it from approaching. But golden retrievers are confident and don’t need to intimidate anyone. They know that they can defend themselves and their owner if necessary.

A hunting dog is supposed to be fearless and confident, so golden retrievers are born with these personality traits. They are friendly giants that aren’t afraid of new people and other animals, so they don’t strive to appear dominant.

Golden retrievers are perfect dogs for extroverts because they confidently approach strangers and trust them instantly. Some dogs prefer to hide in their carte because of anxiety whenever guests come, but not goldens.

Intelligence

According to American Kennel Club, golden retrievers are the fourth most intelligent dog breed, following poodles, German shepherds, and border collies. The relation of intelligence to friendliness may not be apparent, so understanding how canine intelligence is measured may help.

Researchers evaluate a dog’s intelligence based on how quickly it learns commands, how frequently it responds to the owner’s orders, how well it understands human body language and tone of voice, and how well it communicates its own needs and emotions.

The more obedient a dog, the less likely it is to behave aggressively towards strangers and other dogs. A golden retriever will never initiate a confrontation first and will always obey the owner’s commands.

Empathy directly affects a dog’s behavior. Dogs that fail to interpret human facial expressions, body language, and voice tone correctly may react inappropriately, barking, growling, or running away from people who don’t mean any harm.

When a dog behaves aggressively or fears us, we perceive it as unfriendly, even if the reaction is caused by poor communication skills rather than inherited unkindness.

Golden retrievers are always open about their emotions, smiling widely, panting, and wagging their tail when they are excited. In contrast, some dogs are pretty reserved and don’t express their happiness.

Obedience

Golden retrievers are among the most obedient dog breeds. They are eager to please the owner, constantly seeking approval, and will do anything their favorite human orders them.

Golden retriever obedience is directly linked with their intellect and origin. Hunting dogs are bound to be trainable and loyal because a stubborn, free-minded dog is a major inconvenience for a hunter.

For this reason, golden retrievers make perfect service dogs. They can safely attend public places, never posing a threat to people and other animals. These dogs are social and have excellent self-control.

Obedience makes any dog appear friendly. Even if a dog doesn’t genuinely like anyone but its owner, it won’t behave poorly towards strangers if the owner trains it to be nice.

Golden retrievers regularly win American Kennel Clun obedience championships, proving their right for the title of the best trainable dogs.

Empathy

The more intelligent a dog, the better it understands human emotions and body language. And since golden retrievers are bright, they have a fine-tuned empathy, enabling them to detect when someone feels sad, anxious, or terrified.

Not only do golden retrievers understand how people feel, but they also genuinely want to help. A golden retriever will make anything to improve their favorite human’s emotional well-being.

Golden retrievers often serve as therapy dogs due to their inherited empathy, providing emotional support to anyone in need. The primary reason for this golden retriever personality trait is their genetics.

Effective communication between the dog and the owner is key to hunting success, so golden retrievers had to learn to respond to human emotions and needs.

Studies have shown that golden retrievers have an empathy level equivalent to that of a toddler. While they can’t interpret the entire spectrum of human feelings, they are genuinely interested in human emotions and always ready to comfort their loved ones.

Affection

Golden retrievers top the list of the most affectionate dogs. They love to cuddle with their owner on the couch, sleep in the bed, or sit by the owner’s side as they’re dining.

Golden retrievers often lick their owner’s hands, kiss, put paws on the owner’s knees, and otherwise express their love. A high need for affection is another reason golden retrievers are the best therapy dogs.

Golden retrievers understand when their favorite human needs a hug, but it isn’t the only reason they like to cuddle. Cuddles are equally necessary for golden retrievers as for their owners to relieve stress and feel content.

These dogs have a strong bond with their owners and genuinely suffer when left alone. Whenever the owner arrives home from work, a golden happily runs towards them, wagging the tail.

And since golden retrievers are outgoing and confident, they are equally affectionate with strangers. These dogs have enough love for everyone.

Effort of Breeders

Golden retriever personality traits inherited from their ancestors were emphasized by decades of selective breeding. Dog lovers worldwide invested a lot of effort and love into creating golden retrievers as we know them today.

Responsible breeders place equally great importance on their puppy temperament as on the appearance, constantly improving the breed. Furthermore, temperament plays a crucial role in dog shows, so a stubborn, unfriendly dog will never become a champion.

Socialization is another factor affecting a dog’s temperament. Reputable golden retriever breeders spend a lot of time socializing their puppies, ensuring they will easily integrate into a new environment and will be nice to people and other animals.

Proper socialization creates a happy, outgoing, confident dog. If a dog is under-socialized, it may grow up shy, aggressive, and feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar environments.

Of course, golden retrievers aren’t the only dogs that need socialization. But breeders invest extra effort into socializing goldens because they know that temperament is the primary reason these dogs are so sought-after.

Individual Dog’s Personality

Any dog breeder can confirm that no puppy is the same. Although all golden retriever puppies share specific inherited personality traits, each puppy as an individual is unique. Some characteristics may be more evident in one puppy than in another.

Furthermore, every puppy has its negative traits. For example, one golden retriever puppy may be smart but slightly stubborn, while another one affectionate but shy.

So, if your golden retriever is friendly, don’t take it for granted but consider yourself lucky. Your dog is one-of-a-kind, and its temperament forms not from genetics alone.

Are All Golden Retrievers So Friendly?

Since every puppy has its unique personality, a logical question arises – are all golden retrievers so friendly, or are there exceptions? Breeders, veterinarians, and dog lovers would say that 99.9% of goldens are loving, nice dogs – but everything has an exception.

The dog’s puppyhood, life experiences, and living environment play a crucial role in forming its personality. An under-socialized golden retriever that has never met a stranger or another dog before is unlikely to be confident and outgoing.

If a dog was previously abused by humans, it may have trust issues and behave poorly towards people. That’s a common problem among rescue dogs. However, even goldens that were previously abused typically quickly regain trust and love for humans.

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