The burning question is, can Golden Retrievers live in apartments? Today, more than half of the world’s people are living in urban centers. In Northern America, the figure is 82%! In the cities, a lot of people live in apartments. Some are big and some are hardly more than four walls, a floor, and a ceiling. Yet many of these apartment dwellers would love to have a dog. Many of them would specifically love to have a friendly, beautiful, Golden Retriever.
So, can Golden Retrievers live in apartments? Yes, they can and do. With a little consideration and effort on your side to supply its very modest needs a Golden Retriever can live in an apartment as happily as in a house.
While some would go ahead and get the dog regardless, others have to be sure that they are not being selfish and unfair to the dog. For you responsible guys and gals, we would like to provide you with some info to help make your decision.
To have a happy Golden Retriever in your apartment is not a given. You have to understand the breed and realize that there are basic requirements that the dog will need and you have to provide. Besides food, water, and a place to poo, obviously. Size is one of the considerations, as is activity level.
But the reward of having a Goldie as a companion is more than worth the few adjustments that you need to make, so do not give up, read on!
Are Golden Retrievers Good Apartment Dogs?
Here are the 3 most important considerations for keeping a Golden Retriever in an apartment:
1. Physical Space
Ow. For an apartment dweller, space can be the problem word. The reality is that Golden Retrievers do get big.
A male can grow to 23-24 inches tall (58-61 cm) and can weigh 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg). Females are somewhat smaller at 20-22 inches tall (51-56 cm) and 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg).
You can see an adult dog needs quite a bit of space even if it is lying down all day.
Be sensible because it is easy to fit a puppy into any space but you must consider what’s going to happen when it grows up. Very important is the fact that many apartment buildings have weight limits on the dogs that are allowed.
Check before you get the dog!
2. Companionship
In the end, it does not matter if you do not have a super large apartment. It matters a lot more how much time you spend with your dog and what you do with it.
Togetherness is the top priority. Leaving your Golden alone anywhere, even if you have a large house and yard, is NOT the right thing to do and is going to end in tears.
So you live alone and there is nobody around, even friends in the same apartment block, to keep your Golden Retriever company and take it for walks when you are at work. Or wherever elsewhere you are busy for whatever reason. You must (yes, must) get a dog sitter or find a dog daycare center.
Daycare for dogs is not as unusual as it sounds. It operates almost like a daycare for kids. Have a look at an example of the schedule of activities at one doggy daycare.
Of course, it means that you have to drop your dog off every day at the care center and go pick it up again. We did say you have to make some adjustments.
If you’re lucky to find one near your apartment you can walk the dog to the daycare and back. Two birds with one stone!
3. Mental Stimulation
Whether you have somebody in your apartment, or you take it to daycare, and also when you are home yourself, it is very important that you provide the Golden Retriever with mental stimulation.
A small space becomes a problem when there is nothing of interest for the dog, even if you give the dog lots of outdoor exercise.
Here the obvious solution is to get your dog some interesting toys. If you get your dog when it is still a puppy you definitely want to get some chew toys for those itchy growing teeth.
But once it’s fully grown, Golden Retrievers still love chewing, so in lieu of trying to chew-proof your whole apartment (impossible) get some adult chew toys.
As for mental stimulation, these days there are some wonderful puzzle toys that you can leave at home with your dog that will keep it interested and entertained. Most of them rely on treats that you put inside to entice the dog. Others require you to participate at some level.
If it appeals to you to do things together with your dog that is a challenge for both of you it is a very good idea to enroll your dog in obedience or canine freestyle and agility training.
These activities engage both the mental capacity of your dog as well as keeping it physically on the go. And it’s great to see your dog mastering these skills!
The 3 Next-Most Important Considerations for Keeping a Golden Retriever in an Apartment
1. Exercise
The Retriever in Golden Retriever is there for a reason. Retrievers were bred since the 1800’s to find and bring back (retrieve) prey, mostly game birds, that have been shot by its master.
It is also called a gun dog or a bird dog. That is why it is classified as a working dog, and why it is so eager to run, snuffle about, and pick things up in their mouths.
The more you exercise your Golden Retriever, the easier it will be to keep it happy in your apartment. If it gets the opportunity every day to work off that natural energy and live out its exuberance, the likelier it is to live sedately the rest of the time.
It’s a bit like having a kid. Tire it out as much as you safely can outside for more peace and quiet inside. The great thing is that it is much easier with the dog than the kid!
You need to give your adult Golden Retriever two hours of heavy exercise a day if you can. Much less for younger and senior dogs. It is better that you do it in separate sessions but you can not leave it all for the weekend and then expect it to run around for twelve hours solid! Exercise is very necessary to prevent health problems like obesity and loose knees.
2. Shedding
Golden Retrievers shed a lot. In spring they lose the thick winter coat and this means hair all over your apartment if you do not groom it.
Grooming can be done professionally, but it saves money and time to do it yourself. It also provides a way to interact with your dog and make it feel it’s getting special attention.
Get the appropriate grooming tools and educate yourself on the most effective way to groom a Golden Retriever.
Regular brushing is not only for the purpose of grooming. Golden Retrievers are prone to skin allergies and it can be largely prevented if you brush it often and give it a bath once in a while with a dog shampoo. NOT human shampoo, you’ll make it worse!
3. Social Behavior
This is not a problem but it needs to be guided. Golden Retrievers love company and human company at that.
If not properly trained in social behavior it can be perceived as over-friendly. Your Golden needs to be taught from the first how to interact with people in a friendly but inoffensive way.
People live close together in apartment blocks and the last thing you need is for the neighbors to complain about your dog.
One More Thing
Although the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not list the Golden Retriever as one of the best breeds of apartment dogs they do list them as one of the most common breeds of service dogs. The AKC Humane Fund even named a golden Retriever named Teddie the “ACE Award winner in the Service Dog category” in 2016.
Why is this important?
Because it proves how a big, sturdy, energetic dog can be trained to live a confined life, as long as it has mental stimulation, good care and even better, a job to do.
Related Questions
They do bark but not as much as many other breeds. They usually bark for a specific reason. These include excitement, distress, or sometimes aggression.
They do not bite as such but they do like to mouth. They were trained to hold game birds in their mouths and bring them to the hunter. Simultaneously they were bred for soft mouths that do not mangle the bird. So they like to take things in their mouths but it hardly classifies as a bite that would wound or kill.
