7 Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Are Good Protective Dogs

Golden Retrievers are many things, best friends, perfect playtime companions, adventure seekers, devoted work buddies, and expert hunting and sporting dog. Due to their breeding, they possess diverse qualities that lend Golden Retrievers to many roles in their family and the community. One area that is often overlooked is their ability to be a protective dogs. Not the first dog breed to come to mind when seeking protection or a guard dog, Golden Retrievers possess many less obvious qualities that make them excellent protectors.

Can Golden Retrievers Do Protection Work?

Golden Retrievers actually make great protection dogs. They instinctually bond with their owners, they are smart and have the right size and strength to do protection work. They are also obedient, loyal, and energetic, making Golden Retrievers a good choice for protection work.

They possess some very beautiful qualities that make them good guard dogs, like natural instinct, high intelligence, large size, massive strength, unbreakable loyalty, strong obedience, and boundless energy.

7 Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Are Good Protective Dogs

Instinct

One of the strongest qualities that Golden Retrievers possess is their gift of instinct. Due to their intelligence and deep connection with their loved ones, they possess a responsive instinct.

Their instinct will have them respond appropriately in a variety of situations. It also helps them remain deeply connected to the environment they are in.

Golden Retrievers possess a deep connection to their loved ones and their home environment, which will have them respond to their needs, wants, and issues as they arise. If they sense something is wrong or danger around those they love they will respond.

They don’t bark a lot, but during these moments, they will use whatever abilities they have to warn their loved ones of issues and act appropriately to the moment.

Intelligence

Golden Retrievers are extremely intelligent dogs. While they are not normally a guard or protective dogs by nature, their natural instincts and easy trainability due to intelligence are indisposable. They can easily be trained to form a variety of tasks, including that of guard dogs, and be successful at it.

They learn quick with their keen mind and high intelligence, and once they have it, Golden Retrievers are not likely to forget or sway from that training.  They are people pleasers, so their eagerness will help too.

Size

Let’s face it, no one is going to feel intimidated by a tiny dog, and Golden Retrievers are anything but tiny. Their size naturally makes them more threatening, even if they are a very friendly dog breed.

Even if training is lacking, their size will sometimes be enough to ward off potentially threatening people.  They are a medium to large sized dog depending on their age, health, diet, and lifestyle.

Strength

Should there be a need for a protective dog that can throw their weight around during an emergency situation to protect and guard their home or loved ones, Golden Retrievers have it. Along with their size, Golden Retrievers have tremendous physical strength.

Their strength and other physical qualities come from their breed background and can be helpful during a situation where protection or a guard dog is needed. Their breed background has them moving fast and agile with endurance that can take them far.

Should the need arise for a guard dog to chase and hunt down with the right training, they have the physical traits to do it.

Loyalty

Golden Retrievers are friendly dogs, but they are fiercely loyal to their loved ones and pack. This loyalty is the foundation of their strong bond and will have them guarding or protecting their loved ones whenever needed.

Their friendliness may not seem like an asset, and most people will imagine that they will befriend the stranger, but with proper training, they will do what is necessary to guard their home and loved ones above all else.

Obedient

Golden Retrievers are very obedient, and if they are trained to be protective guard dogs, they will take that occupation seriously, just like everything else they do. They will obey who they are loyal to, which is usually their loved ones.

If their loved one commands through training that they guard the home, this is their occupation, and Golden Retrievers always succeed at whatever occupational role they are given.

Energy

This dog breed is not the lazy lounge-on-the-couch type. They have an overabundance of energy and enthusiasm for life, which will spill over into every aspect of their life.

If they are given an occupation like guarding the house or family, they will take on that role with the same gusto and enthusiasm they would chase a ball in the yard.

With proper training to be a guard dog, they will energetically and enthusiastically play that role in their family with the loyalty and bond that can only come from their love for family.

Are Golden Retrievers guard dogs?

Golden Retrievers are not guard dogs by breeding. Their nature and behavior is friendly, lovable, and deeply connected, which isn’t often thought of as being guard dog qualities.

While they are not a typical guard dogs based on their breeding, the above-listed qualities can lend them well to the task under the right conditions.

It should be noted that they can make great guard dogs but should not solely be relied on for protection as their breeding is that of a companion, not a protector.

Training can teach them to be a guard dogs but their breeding is and always will be who they are as a dog. In difficult situations, these traits are the qualities they will fall back on naturally.

They can be used for protection and guarding if they have a deep connection with their loved ones but the family must be aware there is always the possibility for them to forget or let go of that training under the right conditions.

Final Thoughts

There are many things that make Golden Retrievers perfect dogs for everyone. Their instincts make them intuitive to loved ones’ needs. Their size, strength, and intelligence lend them well to many occupations.

While not typically the first choice as a guard or protective dog, Golden Retrievers are undeniably perfect for almost everyone and every situation!