Are Golden Retrievers Outside Dogs
You and your family have recently gotten a golden retriever, and you’re learning all the quirks of having a new friend! It’s great, and you’re ensuring that your pupper is getting all the best food and nutrients, and you’re ensuring that you’re taking your new friend out to play outside.
But your golden retriever is growing, and you’re beginning to wonder if you truly have the space to house this big furry friend, so you’ve come to this blog to ask, “Can you keep your golden retriever outside?”
Well, if you’re looking for a short answer, here it is: you shouldn’t leave your golden retriever outside if you have any other option.
Golden Retrievers
Golden retrievers, as with most dog breeds, are family/pack dogs. Once you bring them home and start showing them all the love that they deserve, they imprint on you and your family, and they start believing that you are their pack.
As such, even though they may love playing around outside and running through the grass, they enjoy these activities with the knowledge that they’ll be heading inside with their family as soon as they’re done playing.
Your golden retriever might even enjoy lazing in the sun and catching some z’s in a nice sunbeam, but again, they’ll likely only do this if you or your other family members are nearby or within their line of sight.
Golden retrievers do not do well with separation, and many of them are prone to separation anxiety that, if left unrecognized, can lead to behavioral issues and extreme disobedience.
Even the eight hours when you’re sleeping like a bug in a rug in your bed can be too much for your dog. Many dogs who whine or howl at the moon – keeping you and your neighbors up in the middle of the night – are actually crying out their sadness and hoping their owners will bring them inside.
If that didn’t just break your heart, nothing will.
Other Reasons to Keep Your Dog Inside
As if the loneliness and separation anxiety wasn’t enough, realize that your dog is extremely susceptible to changing weather patterns. Even if the night seems calm when you set your dog outside, all of that can change at the drop of a hat.
Generally, even though golden retrievers have fur coats that will keep them warm, they should not be left outside for extended periods when the weather is below 45 degrees or over 80 degrees.
Most of the world goes below or above those temperatures consistently, so keeping your golden retriever outside if the weather is shifting is an extremely bad idea. If the weather is windy, humid, or dry, it can also leave them vulnerable to parasites and other allergens that can make your dog very sick.
Takeaway
Although it might seem more convenient or that you’re doing your outdoor-loving golden retriever a favor, the truth of the matter is that you’re likely harming your furry friend. If you want the best for your dog, then you shouldn’t try to have them live outdoors.
Golden retrievers, at their core, are very clearly indoor dogs.