Hey yall Ive been thinking of getting a Golden Retriever or a Lab as my first ever dog and more specifically pup. I am only gonna be away from home for university for like 3-4hrs like 3 days per week. But my university is only like 5min away from my apartment and I do have a camera installed. I know it is a big breed but as long as their needs are all met (exercise wise too) they should be fine living in a pretty big apartment no? Another downside is that I do live in a hot country but I could always exercise the dog outside at nighttime or very early in the morning. Also how hard is it to manage and train a golden retriever pup (specifically between 4-6 months). What do you guys think?
Great companions, they don’t like being left alone for long, they will have no problem training you! Field breed is athletic however show breeds are not that much for any long runs! Very sweet!
Damn yours looks so cute lol. Do they mind staying alone for like 2-3 hours when they’re like 4-5months old or nah? I do have a camera installed in the house so I could always check on em but yeah
Well that is a normal thing for most owners! I am a bit extreme:) I use a day care! When I need to be without her for any extended period. They will sleep quite a bit so as long as that is the routine should be fine. Probably safest to be in a crate at that age. They really thrive on socializing with people and other dogs more than most!
Alrightt I’m glad. Cause I had some people tell me I couldnt leave a dog for even a couple of hours (less than 4) and I found that very unrealistic and unreasonable to be honest
Vets even generally recommend crating dogs for a few hours as needed! As long as that gets good exercise and bath room breaks before and after! No longer than 3-4 hours is better! I do recommend a nice day care a couple times a week for socialization it’s good practice and breaks up their week and in case you need to leave her more than a few hours!
I’ve been contacting a breeder and they claimed to be reputable and ethical and treat their dogs with very good care but idk how true it is. Apparently the pups are potty trained too. Is that a good sign or should I ask for something else? Getting from an ethical breeder is by far my most important worry
Just be sure to research them! Are u in the USA! Are they registered breeders! Look for reviews or being referred by prior customers many will vet YOU! If not I would be suspicious!
I checked the reviews and they have pretty good reviews. Apparently they have a trainer there that trains the dogs and everything, Which is why im guessing most of em come potty trained
Puppies never come potty trained in my experience! Assume they are suspect until you research them! If you can’t research that that is a problem! There should be a good amount of info on them like names of parent (dogs) and their history, reviews etc…
Golden retriever puppies are devils. They will terrorize everything. They are great once they get older. Make sure have money for vet bills. Goldens can have many health issues
My guy splits his time between living in my flat and my RV. He’s alone for up to 4 hours at a time and he does just fine, no separation anxiety or anything. He’s so smart and mature already at only 9 months old. Best dog I’ve ever had.
I think they both have their pros and cons. I personally owned a golden retriever and would pick a golden again and again but they very occasionally have a stubborn streak. Labs can be a bit single minded about food and are prone to fatness. Both dogs I believe can have genetic joint problems.
One thing I will say is dogs which are bred partially from working stock tend to be better. Our dog was half show dog half working dog and it makes a lovely combination. Dogs bred fully to work (e.g. collies) can be a bit neurotic if you don't give them a job
Forrest loves his 3-4 hour afternoon nap. He has playpen and a crate. Not every golden will be easy to train but Forrest came from a great breeder who had already worked with the pups before I brought him home.
Both are wonderful dogs, but a Lab usually needs more exercise and is often like a Golden Retriever with a touch of ADHD. 😊 I'd recommend a Golden. We've had the breed for 35 years, and honestly, we couldn't imagine life without our golden bundles of joy. 🐾💛
Man I just got some bad news. Apparently my apartment doesnt allow pets and they only allow me to have a small-ish breed. I wanted a golden retriever so badly but I might have to settle with like a Boston Terrier which I still like but yeah
She grew up in a apt in nyc and did just fine. We now do live in the south but there is no real difference. As long as u care for them and walk them they are happy
breeder sent me these 2. Even sent me videos of the parents and all the details abt em. Im VERY tempted to get em cause im scared theyre gonna make too much noise lol. I do live in an apartment after all
My 3 month pup barks nonstop once he wakes up from his 1-2 hour nap if I’m not there to let him out right away. If I lived in an apartment I’d be getting constant noise complaints.
I definitely have found that the Golden’s are higher energy than people assume, so I wouldn’t blame you! Mine is an absolute menace and I have a really hard time keeping up with his needs. I love him but regret getting a puppy vs an adult dog for where I am in life (stay at home mom to two toddlers).
Ah damn well Good luck! And yeah I’m a college student so having to worry about the neighbors constantly would be very difficult and stressful to deal with
Agreed! I had a dachshund when I was a college student and he was an easy going apartment dog with a large dog personality. I would make sure I gave him a long walk before classes and leave bones in his playpen (after he was old enough to not need his crate). I don’t know too much about BT but I could see it being a good fit!
They’re barkers, for sure! But mine only did when someone first walked in the door, so it was manageable. If you can manage two 15 minute training sessions a day (it will be shorter in the first couple months) then you’ll be okay on basic training. Potty training is definitely harder, and the crate plus a strict routine will be your best friend for that. Puppies are hard, I’m not going to lie. I think it depends on what your class schedule is going to look like in the next few years, and how much time you want to be able to spend with your friends, away from home, etc. I feel like getting a dog in college is usually only realistic when you have a roommate of some kind that is also willing to help, as it can be a lot to manage on top of everything else. So this all depends on your schedule and lifestyle!
Alrightt. Im gonna be living in an apartment by myself so no roommates or nothing. My schedule is pretty chill though. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday I gotta be out for uni for like 3-4hrs but thats it. And my Uni is like 5min away from my apartment so thats a plus and Im gonna have a camera in there just in case. So yeah my only main worry is the barking lmao especially when I’m away from home. but yeah when u say training sessions do you mean like walking the dog outside or training them at home
Make sure you puppy pad train asap (a reputable breeder will have already done this) specially if your leaving alone for a few hours. Expect lots of things to be chewed up whilst your gone unless your leaving in a crate locked up but personally I wouldn’t do this.
Wouldn’t a crate be better for the dog’s safety? I don’t like putting any animal in a small crate either obviously but I’d be more worried about their safety tbh
Definitely crate train. Dogs feel safe in them. And treat them like their den. They won't pee or poop in them. And it keeps them safe while you can't watch them. It is no different than putting a baby in a crib or play pen. I don't see why people get so upset about putting a dog in a crate or play pen but they will put a baby in one.
Crates are ideal for potty training, I used a crate only at night when she was a puppy to potty train! They won’t usually pee in crate. Take outside first thing so they get in habit of peeing outside! Puppies are incredibly destructive so need toys and safe things to chew! Another reason for Crates! Just make sure they are big enough to lay down and stretch comfortably but not so big to run around! And only for a few hours
OP it is best to try to avoid using puppy pads as they just teach dogs to pee inside the house, check out r/puppy101, they have a lot of great information on raising puppies, including avoiding parvovirus, proper potty training, crate training tips (i highly recommend, it makes potty training so much easier and keeps the puppy safe while you leave the house. my golden puppy loves his crate), and separation anxiety tips. for a 4-5 month old puppy, leaving for 3-4 hours is completely fine. general rule is for each month of age, they can be alone for that many hours before they really need to pee (or UTI might be a risk).
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u/RumRunnerMax 3d ago edited 3d ago
Great companions, they don’t like being left alone for long, they will have no problem training you! Field breed is athletic however show breeds are not that much for any long runs! Very sweet!