Looks can be deceiving. Don't miss out on a great friend and companion
just because of preconceived notions. Boy or girl, long hair or short,
or even red, gold or blond. I even heard someone say once that they
wanted a dog that would look good with them when they were out walking.
What a tragedy. It's the personality that counts! Look into their eyes
and forget the equipment.
We have had boy dogs (all by chance) since I was a kid. The great dog of
my childhood was a funny little boy that was half golden retriever and
half basset hound. Short legged, knock kneed, long with a fluffy tail
and beautiful brown eyes. Nobody's idea of perfect, but the best family
dog around. We have two boys right now and they are both exceptional. As
my daughter and I say, girls still rule, but boys are cool too.
Heidi, Bryan, Katy, Harry and Riley
A neutered male is the absolute BEST for a family pet!!! In my opinion they are the perfect companion! They are even more affectionate than an intact male, if that is possible. My husband's "hunting partner" is neutered and there has never been a problem with his birdiness, etc.
Or, another way to put it: Both dogs are going away from you. You call them. The male turns and comes to you......the female turns, looks at you, and says, "Okay, I'll be there in a minute!"
TIMBERLINE GOLDENS
Bend, Oregon
Hi,
Well you asked soooooooooooo--I'm on golden #4, and all males--why--cause
they are the best. I love the way they behave, none ever fight or get
cranky like some older gals. I've had them all from babies and up till age
16--all healthy--none of those female problems-and no yellow spots on my
grass either!!
Beverly Karitis
Golden Bond Rescue
I think one girl and eveyone has been extremely happy with their adoption
and never returned one--and had them till they were old.
loving, affectionate and over all great family dogs. People have told me
that male dogs wonder more and do not show affection as much as females but
we have had no trouble keeping our neutered males home and they are always
waiting at the door for us to come out and play.
Currently we have two neutered male goldens, one of them is an eight year
old rescue dog, the other is a two year old that I got as a puppy. When I
first brought the puppy home I was concerned that the older dog would not
like him but as soon as the older dog realized that we still loved him, he
was glad to have the puppy to play with. Toby, our rescue dog, never showed
aggression toward the puppy or toward any one else. Both of our male goldens
are the sweetest, kindest and most loving of dogs. They are part of our
family and we will likely always get male goldens even after the sad day
comes that we no longer have Toby and Wiley. I would recommend a male golden to any family that wanted another family member.
Quite a few years ago, before our house was filled with little people and
lots of 4 legged ones too, I experienced several miscarriages. I was taking
it pretty hard, and was beginning to think we would never have a baby. I
came home from a trip to find a small, tan bundle of fur in my living room.
My husband, wisely knowing that I needed something to mother, and that I had
always wanted a Golden Retriever, went out and got me a puppy! We named him Casey, and he won my heart in about 3 minutes. He was the last one left from his litter. The breeder said she thought it was because he followed her
everywhere and was always in the kitchen with her, so people never even saw
him when they came to look at the puppies!
Casey was the perfect dog, the dog I had always wanted. He was well
mannered, loyal, talkative...in short, he was the best friend I could ever
have asked for. His fur absorbed alot of my tears and he was always willing
to listen. He saw me through the births of all three of my kids. He was
always the kitchen dog! As the kids grew, he was the fielder when they
played ball. He would sit behind the pitcher (Dad) and would field all the
balls that were hit and return them to the pitcher.
When Casey was diagnosed with lymphoma at age 7, we were devastated. I knew when my slightly chubby counter surfer refused to eat his dinner, that
something was radically wrong. We fought the lymphoma for 8 months with chemotherapy, herbs and homeopathy, but we lost our Golden boy at age 8. Not a day goes by that I don't miss his gentle spirit and happy wagging tail. Casey is the reason that I got involved with Golden Bond. I want to give something back to these wonderful dogs for my Casey, who gave me so much.
Hope this helps! I can't imagine not wanting a boy!
Nan Link
Sincerely,
Phyllis Novack
Here's my experience ....
My 13-year-old Golden retriever, Brendan, truly illustrates the "best dog in
the whole wide world." He cares about all living beings and even rescued an
ill crow that fluttered down into our yard. He protected a new kitten in our
home from a jealous older cat by placing his body between them, comforting
the new one and showing friendship to the older one. Our cats greet him
before us. He adores little children and instinctively knows not to bounce
around them, or around my elderly mother-in-law. He is gentle, loving and
happy, with the biggest Golden smile.
We have fostered only females, not be design but by happenstance. Brendan
has been welcoming to all. Our most recent foster girl (Shelby) had many
fears and was sent to us because of Brendan's calming influence ... and he
worked his magic. Brendan gets along with every dog in the neighborhood.
From the little white powder puff down the road, to old arthritic Moose, and
even a gnarly, scarred ol' fighter come out to the street to see Brendan on
our walks.
The young boys can be lively, and folks should be prepared to provide them
exercise. Brendan certainly was a lively one. But as he's aged, I miss those
days when he ran and bounced forever.
