I dearly love Golden Retrievers. They’re about as family-friendly a breed as one could wish, and willing to play at the drop of a hat (and drop it themselves if no-one will do so for them). Nevertheless, I have to admit that when it comes to ‘serious’ dog work, they’re not necessarily the best choice. They’re easily distracted by anything edible or play-able (“Ooh! Shiny!”). Proper and intensive training can overcome that, but it’s more difficult with them than with other ‘working breeds’, in my experience. Miss D. calls them (with great affection) ‘the ditz of the dog world’, and I’m forced to agree with her concerning most of the Golden Retrievers I’ve met.
The Lonely Libertarian put up this video clip of a dog obedience competition that had me rolling in the aisles. I couldn’t resist re-embedding it here.
The ditz of the dog world, indeed!
Peter
LOL! That dog just gained three pounds right there!
I had a Golden once, and his big vice was water: if he saw it, he was in it, ice or current be damned, and if it meant jumping off a pier with no easy way back out…well that was just my problem to solve, wasn't it?
I always thought that the Irish (Red) Setter was the ditz of the dog world.
A neighbour bred them when I was a boy. She would take them out, let them off the leash and then watch in amazement as they 'gallumped' about, literally, running into things.
I'd say it had something to do with the 'red hair' but I'm not 'that' suicidal – I like my soul left uneaten.
Attention span of fruit flies !! 😉
Semper Fi'
DM
Ditz? Really?
It looks to me like he was the only one that got the goodies.
for 20+ years, I owned only Samoyeds, then I got a couple of rescue Goldens. they may not have been Einsteins admittedly, but they were great dogs–fanatics on getting into any water or swamp within a kilometer, chasing moose or caribou, 80-lb lap dogs. I must have done 5K to 7K miles backpacking with them in the Alaska backcountry. they swam the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, Cook Inlet, many nameless lakes, etc.
I'd say it's a tie between them and Irish Setters… sigh…
Yellow labs rank pretty high on the ditz list till their about two.
They need to feed that golden before the next test.
Gerry
We've had two rescue Goldens. The first was a smart one. He got locked in the back yard and forgotten about by a sitter, he broke through the fence to the front yard and scratched at the front door to get let in.
Our second one, who is still with us, is a red headed version of the one in the video.
Wouldn't trade either for anything.
He's not stupid he got loads of treats to eat thats why we always call Goldens Dustbin Dogs if its eatable they will eat it.
There's a reason they are blondes. LOL That said, my basset would give that dog a run for its money.
Pretty smart…
he didn't miss a treat !
Well…as stated, they are "blondes", y'know…really nice dogs, just not too strong in the "Time-On-Task" Department until fully-matured and well-trained – and even then, at times…
Irish Setter: Canine "Klutz" (though purebred Long-Haired Collie is almost as bad) of Dog-Dom
Golden Retriever: Canine "Ditz" of same.
Dog-trainer friend of mine once told me, she was convinced both breeds were originated to teach trainers patience and persistence.
Beagles, OTOH…