Perhaps the most popular breed of dog in the United States is the Golden Retriever. The lab’s friendliness, loyalty, intelligence, trainability, and energy make it the ideal family dog, which might explain why seemingly every family in every film has one! The breed itself is actually considerably more complex than being a mere family dog, however; in fact, Labrador retrievers have a lot to offer you and your family.

Why So Popular?

When we talk about Labrador retrievers, we’re actually talking about two different types of Labrador: the English and the American Labrador. English Labs tend to be heavier, thicker, and more muscular, while the American labs are taller and lankier. Both breeds, however, sport a double coat that is smooth and not terribly wavy, if at all. While some coats come in black or chocolate, the Golden Retriever’s coat is, of course, yellow or even “gold” in appearance.

The Golden Retriever enjoys its popularity not just because of its beautiful appearance, however, but largely because of its loyal, loving, affectionate, and patient manner, all qualities that contribute to the Golden Retriever being the ideal family dog. The Golden Retriever is a highly intelligent dog and thus is very easy to train.

Meanwhile, the breed is also very eager to please its owner. All of these qualities make it a great companion for children, as its patience also allows it to “put up” with children while its trainability and lack of aggression makes it wholly safe and its patience makes it the ideal friend to your children. Meanwhile, the dog’s incredible energy and playfulness makes it a good friend to young children as well!

A Companion to Your Family

When you own, raise, and train a Golden Retriever, it is important to know what will be expected of you in terms of the dog’s needs and temperament. As previously mentioned, the Golden Retriever is renowned for its easy-going attitude, its patience, and its trainability, but it nevertheless has particular needs that you must meet as its owner.

Among those needs is a high desire for exercise, human leadership, and the feeling that they are part of a family. In terms of exercise this means regular trips to the park, the opportunity to be free in your back yard (even if it is fenced off), and the opportunity to swim often – yes, labs love to play in water! In fact, play in general is important to labs, and you would be remiss if you didn’t offer them plenty of opportunities to do so. This is why having kids is so ideal for a lab-owner – it’s a win-win for both the kids and the lab! If you keep these responsibilities in mind, you will find that your Golden Retriever is a wonderful, reliable, loyal, and loving companion to you and your family.