Adopting a dog means bringing a dog into your home and making the commitment to them being an integral part of your family. Providing them with a permanent home, for the rest of their life. You take on the responsibility of caring for all the dog’s needs, including but not limited to, food, medical care, exercise, mental enrichment, socialization, love and affection.
SIZE… Goldens are medium to large size dogs. The Golden standard is for a male to range from 23-24 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 65-75 pounds; females are 21½ to 22½ inches at the shoulder and weigh 55-65 pounds. They normally possess very active tails just at the height of a coffee table. Though that happy tail is one of their advantages, putting breakables up while the dog adjusts to its new home makes for happier owners.
EXERCISE… While most Goldens will adjust to a variety of lifestyles, ALL dogs need exercise, and some need more than others. While less active Goldens are happier and healthier with a good walk every day, more active dogs MUST have regular daily exercise to help them become the calm housepets most owners want and cut down on behavior problems. Fenced yards are a must; (See Why Do I Need A Fence?) however, most dogs will not exercise themselves just because they are outside - they need you to play with them and take them for walks.
SHEDDING… Goldens are a double-coated breed and they do shed, often profusely. Because of the coat, frequent brushing is to your advantage. If you don’t care for vacuuming, either don’t get a Golden or join the many Golden owners who have decided they are worth living with some dog hair in the house!
FINANCIAL...Good dog care in our area is expensive. Annual vet care, inoculations, parasite testing, monthly heartworm preventative, flea preventative (if needed), quality dog food, toys, miscellaneous equipment, grooming and other supplies can cost $2500 a year. This does not include any injuries, illnesses the dog may incur or boarding/kennel fees.
TRAINING… We highly recommend taking training classes for most of our dogs. The investment of taking classes with your new dog may be the difference between a happy and well-adjusted dog that becomes a satisfying companion versus a dog given up by their owner because “they don’t know how to manage the dog”.
GUARD DOG… As a protective guard dog, Goldens are LOUSY! Though they may bark and growl defensively, in a confrontation Goldens would rather kiss the intruder and show him the silver!
ADDICTIVE… Very few people own only one Golden. We simply find them habit forming. Contrary to popular belief, two (or more) CANNOT live as cheaply as one.
Are you committed to providing a safe, happy, healthy, loving home and make the dog a member of the family? The dog must be allowed to sleep inside and spend most of its time inside with the family. We are looking for homes with lots of love to give and time to spend with the dog. Please understand bringing a rescued dog into your home should be a commitment you are making about the dog’s needs being met and not about your own personal needs being met.
Are you committed to providing excellent care for the dog as a family member? This includes love, attention, shelter, good nutrition, appropriate vet care, monthly heartworm prevention, monthly flea/tick preventative, if needed, exercise, mental stimulation, training) for the next 10 or more years?
Are you committed to providing whatever the dog needs with loving patience and ample time to bring out the best in your new companion? While some of our dogs come from loving homes, all have been unexpectedly uprooted, and many come with needs for training, confidence-building and/or medical care needs.
Why do you want a dog? What will its primary function be? Adding another dog to teach/train your resident dog or to be their best friend is never a good idea. The new dog should be a companion for the family members first and foremost.
What size dog do you want? Goldens can range from 55-80 pounds.
Why do you want a Golden Retriever? What research have you done on the Golden Retriever breed? Is this breed truly the best fit for your lifestyle. Golden Retrievers are working dogs and need both physical and mental stimulation daily to live a happy and healthy life.
Do you have a private fenced yard with a minimum 4' fence attached to your home? Dogs need sufficient room to exercise and play. (Rare exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis and only for senior/golden oldie dogs deemed appropriate for the situation).
What are the schedules of your family members? Goldens are active dogs and need to run, play, exercise, potty and have mental stimulation at least every 4 hours. Puppies may need the same in 2-4 hour increments.
Do you mind grooming? A Golden Retriever sheds year-round. Some shedding can be managed with frequent brushing. Are you aware you will need to groom the dog monthly yourself or take to the groomer which costs on average $100 or more each time?
Have you ever owned dogs before? Did you train them or someone else? Have you or anyone else ever used aversive training methods such as shock collars, choke chains, prong collars or excessive use of force on your dogs? GRR supports the use of science-based positive reinforcement training. Dog training is an unregulated industry and there are many practices that can be harmful to your relationship with your new companion. If you are willing to find wonderful trainers, we can help you.
If you have other pets, do they get along with dogs? If your resident dogs have any behavioral challenges, it is likely the new dog will pick up on those and may end up exhibiting the same challenges. We do not expect all dogs to love each other at first sight but we do expect resident dogs to be able to fairly easily welcome a new dog into the home.
Do you have children over 8 years old (GRR does not adopt to families with children under 8 years old)? Children should never be left unsupervised with dogs or have full responsibility of the dog. Even children and puppies can be a disaster. Please read How to adopt for more information on our requirements about children and Goldens.
Are you willing to attend training classes with the dog? Training classes may be beneficial to all dogs (with the exception of most seniors). We strongly encourage all adopters to attend classes especially for puppies as this is essential for basic manners, confidence building and socialization.
Are you familiar with the use of crates in housebreaking and training? While having a crate trained dog is very beneficial, there are many ways to confine a dog for training and safety. Using baby gates and exercise (x-pen) pens is highly recommended in place of excessive crating.
Do you travel much and have you considered what arrangements you must make when you travel? This needs to be researched and planned out before you bring a new dog into your home. A new dog should not be left in the care of strangers or boarded within the first several weeks of being adopted.
How will the dog be exercised and by whom? Goldens need daily exercise to stay fit and healthy with a combination of running and playing as well as sniffing walks.
Have you discussed getting a dog with everyone in your family – especially the kids—and decided what will and will not be allowed and who will be directly responsible for the dogs care?
Have you given serious thought to the fact that the average lifetime of a Golden is 12+ years, and this means a long term commitment to this animal? Most of our dogs have already been uprooted once (maybe more). It is important to be fully committed when adopting a dog that you can provide many years of care and stability.
Have you investigated the cost of owning a dog? Good dog care in our area is expensive. Annual vet care, inoculations, parasite testing, monthly heartworm preventative, flea preventative (if needed), quality dog food, toys, miscellaneous equipment, grooming and other supplies can cost $2500 a year. This does not include any injuries, illnesses the dog may incur or boarding/kennel fees.
Surrendered by owner
Strays found by Good Samaritans
International rescue, when appropriate and available
Turned in by cooperating shelters
Read about our process steps to adoption. If you still feel a Golden is right for you, your next step is to read about our policies and eligibility criteria and fill out an application. If you have decided this is not the breed for you, we hope that you will consider your local shelter or other dog rescues.
