[Sherush]

My husband and I and Jesse went to Petsmart to buy some new toys for him (that he can't chew to pieces) ran into our old trainer and standing their talking to her. A couple was coming up the isle with their adult Golden Retriever "Riley", they looked a little concerned at Jesse and I said he was fine he is a Golden Retriever in a GSD body and well socialized and trainer agreed. They were bringing up the Riley up to meet Jesse and all of a sudden Riley went into a viscous attack mode (didn't even get close enough to sniff) . Jesse stepped back and Riley's owners pulled back and their dog was still going crazy, snarling and growling and baring teeth and wanted to kill Jesse... Riley's owners looked shell shocked and confused and so did trainer and trainer said she knows this dog too and has never seen any of this kind of behaviour from Riley. The people walked away saying "Riley" was in trouble now... We stayed back to continue to talk to trainer - trainer said Goldens are the biggest attackers these days it seems. We were leaving the store and Riley and his owner were at the cash I had Jesse on a heal and not looking at this dog, and Riley lost it all over again. I felt bad for Riley's owners they looked like they wanted to faint and die right there.

I had an issue with a Golden Retriever with Jesse several months ago and I thought is was a rare thing, now I am hearing more and more about them being aggressive - over breeding I am sure.

Now my statement about Jesse will change to "he is a Burmese Mountain dog in GSD costume"

 

[onyx'girl]

Bernese mt. dogs can also be protective! But the ones I know are very nice after the first sniff and greet...In my area they are the ones bred often, breeders can't keep up with the demand.

 

[Amaruq]

I have seen more than my fair share of weak nerved, aggressive Goldens, but ya know they are a great family pet.

 

[Sherush]

Originally Posted By: onyx'girlBernese mt. dogs can also be protective! But the ones I know are very nice after the first sniff and greet...In my area they are the ones bred often, breeders can't keep up with the demand.

We have a few Burmese mt. dogs in my neighbourhood and at daycare and they are big goofy gentle loves and Jesse gets along with them so very very well and Jesse is a lot like them except maybe a little more aloof.

 

[DianaM]

Bernese Mtn Dogs are great dogs. Good ol' Berner Sennenhund- gorgeous sweeties. But I have to agree, I am seeing more and more odd goldens lately. I think that's because they're so commonly BYB and carelessly bred. I still feel a well bred golden is an excellent dog and they are still out there, but harder to find.

 

[SunCzarina]

Originally Posted By: AmaruqI have seen more than my fair share of weak nerved, aggressive Goldens, but ya know they are a great family pet.

Me too. I can only think of 2 I've met in recent years that look and act correct to their breed.

Morgan has a touch of breed racism towards them, she was attacked 2 times as a puppy by mean goldies.

 

[lcht2]

i will add to the golden aggression issues. my cousin got a golden pup about 3-4 months ago. i would take tyson over there while we were on our walks to play with "baxter"(my cousins golden pup) well it had been a while since we had visited and baxter was a little aggressive for such a young pup, growling and lungeing at tyson

 

[GunnerJones]

as soon as a breed becomes popular with the general public they are on the road to ruin

 

[Sherush]

Wow I just called my mother-in-law about it cause her and my father-in-law like Goldens and it is my father-in-law that has banned Jesse because he is a GSD (and thinks they are all mean aggressive dangerous beasts), well what do I hear the neighbor behind them who has a Golden Retriever (who my in-laws thought was wonderful) bit the family's 3 year old son in the face for no reason mother was present when it happened and child didn't do anything dog came up and just bite him and the child needed stitches, the child and dog has been raised together, dog is going to be put to sleep now....

 

[SunCzarina]

That's terrible. The poor little boy. He won't forget that and will probably always be afraid of dogs.

I have a 3 year old boy and a nearly 5 year old boy. What Morgan has put up with from those boys is a testament to how stable a german shepherd can be.

 

[GunnersMom]

Had to laugh - My Golden is named Riley, too. (It wasn't us, I swear! LOL.)

But yes, they can be pretty aggressive. I always get a kick out of the notion that they're just automatically very gentle, friendly dogs that are great for families, etc. Many are, but just as many aren't.

I'm not sure exactly what was meant by the comment that they're "weak nerved" and I don't want to misinterpret anything, but I'd probably have to disagree with that. From my own experience with Goldens, it's not that they're weak nerved, or fear-aggressive. It's simply that they can be big bullies and tend to have a fairly dominant streak in them. My GSD is five years old, Riley is almost a year old now and he's definitely the alpha dog in this house. Has been since the day we brought him home at 7 weeks of age. lol.

You're probably right about the overbreeding. They're a very popular dog, so that's bound to happen. It's sad. The combination of poor breeding and the misconceptions about their temperament is why so many of them end up in shelters or with rescue groups. People go out and get a nice cute little Golden, have no idea what they're really taking on and they freak out the first time it growls at their kid.

 

[Sherush]

Originally Posted By: GunnersMomHad to laugh - My Golden is named Riley, too. (It wasn't us, I swear! LOL.)

I believe you...

 

[Sean Rescue Mom]

There are a lot of goldens in our neighborhood, we even have a "golden" block, i.e. practically every other house has a golden living in it. Haven't run into any aggression issues but definitely a few hyper goldens. I can't really say anything negative about the breed, most of the goldens we know are involved in some type of therapy and are good natured.

 

[angelas]

Lucky was attacked twice in her life but Goldens. One by an grotesquely obese one named Riley.

When I was young and delivering papers there was one Golden on my route, "Peaches". Incredible case of barrier frustration, but once the door was gone, sweetest thing.

 

[derby98]

Our Diego (6 month GSD) was over at a friends house Monday night for a visit. Our friend has a 5 yr old Golden & a 4 yr old chocolate lab. The friend invite us over to allow the dogs to meet & interact. When we entered the backyard the 2 dogs started to sniff away at Diego. He did not mind them sticking their noses way in there. Diego sniffed the lab with no problem when he tried to sniff the Golden the Golden lashed out tackled Diego in an very aggressive manner. My friend quickly grabbed the Golden & put him inside the house. diego did not appear any worse for wear in fact when the Golden came back outside after 15 minutes Diego was chasing him around!
My friend remarked "That's the first time my Golden have ever lashed out"

 

[doggiedad]

tell me it ain't so Sherush, tell me it ain't so.

 

[shadow mum]

That's too bad Lauralie. How did Jesse take it? He's such a sweetie, he and Shadow get along so well together. Were you at the one on Steeles? We were there this morning, and someone heard Shadow barking and thought we had a monster in the next isle.

 

[Sherush]

Originally Posted By: Shadow MumThat's too bad Lauralie. How did Jesse take it? He's such a sweetie, he and Shadow get along so well together. Were you at the one on Steeles? We were there this morning, and someone heard Shadow barking and thought we had a monster in the next isle.

Nope Airport Road one. Jesse took it in stride with a look like "are you crazy???" look on his face. Wow Shadow barked in isle, Jesse in his million times at all three Petsmarts in Brampton hasn't said boo once inside the stores - actually hasn't said boo off his property. Jesse gets along with every dog if they want to get along with him, if they don't he leaves them alone. He is 8 months today.

 

[wolfstraum]

A friend of a friend has 2 Goldens - the first is a sunday paper BYB dark red female who has awesome temperament..the second a male from a "top show breeder". The male IS nervy, animal aggressive and the owner has no control over him anywhere although she has tried. He will kill any small animal he can get near, and has gotten quite a few cats belonging to neighbors! The female is super, very good in obedience, had LESS training/classes than the male. So it is not for lack of trying, the male is just nasty and dominates everyone around him, including the owner (and yes, he is neutered!).

It is not just BYB who "ruin" a breed - it is people who breed with only a portion of the standard as a concern - such as color, gait, coat - whatever.

Lee

 

[Sherush]

Originally Posted By: SherushMy husband and I and Jesse went to Petsmart to buy some new toys for him (that he can't chew to pieces)

Darn 1 of the 4 toys we bought that was suppose to be indestructable Jesse got chunks off it in less than 10 minutes and had to throw it out, cost us $14.99....