Male vs. Female Golden Retriever: 10 Differences Between Them
Want to know the difference between male vs. female Golden Retrievers?
Many people say they’re exactly the same, but that’s actually not true.
There are several differences between these two genders that you’ll want to know before bringing one him.
In this video, you’ll see how male and female Golden Retrievers are different in categories such as:
• Size
• Personality
• Bad habits
• Affection
• And much more
Have any questions about female vs. male Golden Retrievers? Which gender do you have?
Let us know down in the comments!
Watch this video next:
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Getting A Golden Retriever: • I Wish I Knew THIS Bef...
Related Links:
Golden Retriever Quiz: bit.ly/3qmzKDr
Male vs. Female Golden Retriever (blog post): bit.ly/3qlk5nI
Golden Retriever vs. Labrador (video): • Golden Retriever vs. L...
We're trying a new style of video for the channel! What do you think?
I like it!
thank you!
Good style. Easy to watch.
Cute pictures.
👋 Hi. I am looking for the link to the field golden vs show golden info you said in this video (near the end) that you would “provide below” .. but I don’t see it anywhere. Can u please help?
We adopted our Macy just after her 7th birthday. Her former owners kept her outside with a dog house. Her teeth were ground down from chewing on rocks. My husband was disabled and she snuggled with him. I'm the one who feeds her and she's a hugger. My husband passed away a month ago and she looks for him when she gets up from a nap and spends a lot of time glued to my leg. She's a love bug. Goldens are the best.
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I hope Macy is taking good care of you
Sorry to hear about your h
Husband it’s good to have a dog it’s company the dog will be your forever friend
I'm sorry about your husband. But it is extraordinary that we adopted our Macy when she was 7 years old. Her teeth were also ground down from eating rocks. She was raised on a farm. She seemed to love my husband & myself equally. We've had 3 Goldens & she was my favorite. It broke my heart when she passed from cancer at 13, 2 years ago. 🐾♥️😪
I think the main difference is that one is a good boy and the other is a good girl
I used to sell puppies and if I was to get one for myself I would spend a few hours with the litter before buying one. You can really see their distinct personalities which one is more quiet and shy, which one is playful and nips at you lol
Golden Retreiver's are definitely the best dogs! We've had two of them so far and they are so sweet and loving
Yes!!
True but that’s your option sorry if. sound rude
Totally agree. 🥰
But ... the hair! It's everywhere! And they are pathetic guard dogs, our postman would pet our two, bloody pathetic. And what's with essence of salami/cheese that follows them everywhere? And sitting on your feet and leaning on you all the time? Black Labs rule.
I just got my first golden retriever the day before yesterday she is already my best friend 💗
My Golden, Riley, is definitely bonded to me 95% - my husband gets 5%. Riley is our 4th Golden, and our first 3 split their love for my husband and me evenly. But when we picked up Riley at 7 weeks old, he rode in the backseat on my lap with his head against my heart and went sound asleep. I feel strongly that he bonded so strongly with me, hearing my heart beat (like his mom’s) the long ride from Alabama to Georgia. I don’t know if we’ll get another Golden - my husband and I are elderly now and I don’t know if we can do all that is necessary to keep a Golden happy and healthy. But, I can’t imagine not having a Golden in my life!
That’s a very sweet story 🥰 My daughters are begging us for a Golden Retriever. We had a GSD who passed when the girls were very little. She was the best dog in the world. I’d love to get a Golden but I have health problems and don’t know if I have what it’ll require to keep the pup active. As much as my girls want one, I know the responsibility will fall on me.
My family has had 4 goldens over the years (3 females and 1 male) and currently a golden mix. I would agree with most of the statements in this video. The females we had were definitely more independent and maternal than our male golden. In contrast, our male was generally more playful but had a much stronger prey drive than our females. He was also definitely the smartest but most stubborn of our goldens, especially as he got older (too smart for his own good sometimes, lol). Our old boy passed away almost exactly a year ago at the ripe old age of 14 and this video made me think of him. RIP Shadow
I'm sorry to hear about Shadow 😢 and thank you for sharing your experiences!
I adopted a retired goldie guide dog 4 years ago. He was an amazing dog, so sociable with other dogs and animals and humans too. He died in August at 14 years of age due to old age and other age related ailments. They surely are wonderful dogs and companions and I miss him so much. RIP Josh and Shadow.
We initially went to the breeder for a male as we had one before and he was a wonderful pet. When we called we were told there was a male and a female left but the female was spoken for. When we arrived we were told the lady passed on the female because she didn't like her light color???of course seeing the 2 together, cuddled we came home with both! What an absolute blessing! So attached to each other, playmates, trouble makers, inseparable! Goldens are the BEST, especially when they come in pairs!
I'm in my mid 80's, and have just lost my best friend Leo, he was 1 week from his 15th Birthday. for the last 35 years I have had 1 or 2 Goldens always, at present I have none as I am trying to get an older 5* Golden, but they are very hard to find. I will keep looking until I find one. They are Beautiful friends
I wish you the greatest luck and hope you find your new adult baby soon. I have a 78 year old friend whose dog ( not golden) died one year ago. She looked for one year for an adult or even half grown golden. After a year she gave up on an older dog and got a golden puppy. However, he is rough and bites (playing but still hurts her). He is 10 weeks now and I am temporarily keeping him so that she can heal from the bites. He is precious, beautiful and seems smart but I am sad he is to rough for her. So I hope you can find that perfect grown fur baby sooner rather than later.
I have a female who's still a puppy (1 1/2 years old). She is very goofy and fun loving. She can be veeery stubborn, particular and aggressive...aggressively friendly. She is a handful, but I find her to be great.
We have had multiple dog breeds (Dachshunds, Labs, and Coonhounds) in the past. 1.5 years ago we got Lucy our first GR.... By far the smartest dog we have ever owned. Like others have mentioned GR like being the center of attention, when me and my wife kiss or hug there she is in the middle breaking us up. When my sons girlfriends are over we find that Lucy makes for a great "Kissy Police". My only 2 cons so far is the Furpocalypse every 6 months, and she gets super excited around new people and will jump on them (But she is getting better with age and training). Best dog I have ever owned, I think I'm sold on GR from this point forward.
My two 11 month old pups are DEFINITELY “momma’s boys”! They are littermates & best pals, and the first puppies I’ve had since my first two goldens ( also littermates) Toby & Tara in 1985. In the years between 1985 & now, I have owned 8 goldens ( or golden mixes, 4 rescues & 4 from 8 wk old babies. I’ve also distorted for Golden rescue & had a rescued King Shepherd.
My Golden, Toby, is definitely a Mama’s boy. We had a female also and she was more of a Daddy’s girl. Our Goldens have brought us so much joy! Our Taffy girl passed several years ago and now we are in a cancer battle with Toby. We’ve rescued many dogs throughout our lives, but I had always dreamed of having a Golden Retriever, so we began our lives with Goldens and are so thrilled we have, best dogs ever❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for this enlightening vid. Just makes me love my boy Golden more. Love him to pieces. 🥰
yay!
We have a Female Golden Retriever that we rescued from Istanbul Turkey. She's the sweetest the dog ever!
I have a female golden. Love her!! She’s so loving and beautiful!
Would be nice if you would use metrik and kg aswell :D :p love this channel
I have 2 English Cream Goldens.They are brothers, 2 years and 11 months apart. Same parents. They are both very different, but it could be the difference between the puppy energy and the adult. They are both very sweet and loving. They Love their family! (I still consider them both puppies ) can’t imagine life without them!! ❤️
Thank you for your comment. It’s so lovely. ❤
We currently have 5 golden retrievers, but we have had them for over 30 years. We have found that the males we have usually only eat to live. They often left something if they were not hungry. The females (except the youngest (7 months) as she takes after her dad) will eat everything. Barney ate everything after he got neutered because of a tumour due to testosterone. One of our females only got spayed as she had mammary gland cancer. But they are spoilt rotten, but not to their detriment. They know if I had a bad day, I have multiple sclerosis, and they will not leave me alone and let me grab them if I lose my balance.
Really well done video! We love our 2 year old golden boy - so cuddly, playful, obedient, and mischievous all in one. He's really 50/50 in my opinion between favoring mom vs dad - just depends on what he wants! ;)
Will the girl be less affectionate?
@@anjanadas5254 No. I think female dogs are more affectionate.
We had 2 Goldens from the same litter, 1 male and 1 female. They were wonderful dogs. They played tag with each other, cuddled together even as they aged. They are best buddies. Our male, Tanner, was the guard dog in the yard, he would be watching and bark. Rosie, the female, would stay back in the yard and let Tanner do the work! Rosie was the hunter, Tanner loved to play fetch or tug and soccer. Tanner was a mama’s boy and Rosie was more independent. They loved going on hikes and the beach ( always a sandy mess!). They were very much as you describe in the video. Unfortunately Tanner died when he was 8, from leptospirosis, a strain that is not protected by the vaccine. Rosie died this spring, she had Anaplastic histiocytic sarcoma , she was almost 11. I have had 4 types of other dogs in the past, loved all of them, but Tanner and Rosie were the best. I miss them every day.
I ended up getting a girl and I love her! Currently 20 weeks old
Good video! Most of these differences occur in all dog breeds. In all dog breeds I've had (and there are tons) the males had broader heads than the females. Females bonded better with the males in the house and the males bonded more with the females. I've also noticed more shredding behavior in the females - like ripping up toilet paper or trash. It's like they get this uncontrollable desire to build a nest. Lastly, the boys are calmer while the girls can be a bit more nervous and high strung. I love my boys the best!
My boys are absolute treasures. Little one 4 months is a growler( happy playling on his own) my 6 months old ive heard him vark about 6 times. My thing is the furry house 😂. But, its the most wonderful episode of my life ❤
Thank you!!!
You’re welcome!
My folks just got a new male Golden Retriever puppy. Before him they had a female and Before her, a male. We are finding that a big key difference in gender is how they play. The female did not like rough housing or tug of war games. She always let go of whatever she retrieved. The boys have been more bullheaded.
I was wanting to get a golden and was wondering if it is best to get one or two
On the spay/neuter issue for goldens, I'd suggest people who have a golden puppy or are considering one to read a study on the spay/neuter health impact on goldens and many other breeds from the University of California Davis. You can find it online. Cancer is the primary cause of death for goldens, and the Cal-Davis long term study shows a significant boost in the rate of cancer in female goldens who have been spayed at any age. The implication of the data in the study is that if you can deal with heat cycles, including keeping her away from intact males, it's best for her long term health not to spay her. There were several hundred female goldens in their lifetime study and the data was conclusive - the rate of cancer was about 4X higher in females spayed at any age, almost 20% versus less than 5% for those who were never spayed. There was not a big difference in cancer rates for male goldens who were neutered at around 2 years old versus never neutered. My female golden retriever of 15 months is my fourth. After discussing this study with her breeder, we agreed that I wouldn't have her spayed even though she has a limited registration. I've had 3 goldens prior to my current one and all died of cancer. I had 2 previous female goldens, both spayed at around 10 months old before their first heat cycles. They died at 10 and 11 of lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma (the most common cancer in goldens). I had a male golden, not neutered, who died at 10 of hemangiosarcoma. All 3 of them were very active and otherwise healthy right up until cancer took them and could have had many more good years if not for cancer.
My golden retriever puppy will be 8 months old by 6th Feb and he is a big goofy mama's boy
Cute!
You can count on one hand how many times my female golden barks every year. Well, except that one time we went out a little earlier than usual and found a turtle in the middle of the field. She chased right up to it and Oh, My, God! She barked 27 times that day in about 15 minutes, lol. I counted. :)
Haha gotta watch out for those turtles! They'll getcha barking
I've owned 5 goldens in my life. 1 girl and 4 boys. The girl was very possessive of me and tried to be dominant with any lady I brought to the house or when were out for a walk. She would always listen when I told her to knock it off and be nice. All the boys have been goofy and a bit more independent from me, but depended much more on their own little pack.
Getting my girl next month!
I have Marley and Milo..so much love and hair!!😊❤
We rescue Goldens. Our first three were females, one mixed a male. Our last, is Sawyer, rescued at 1-1/2 year. He will be 8 next August. He has even the one closest to his mama. Our third. golden was a female, approx 9 years old. We fell in love her so much because she was so neglected, bred too much, even had been sewn up with wire sutures! They were working their way out of her belly for the first six months we had her. She was by far the most grateful for our love. 💖🐾🥰🇺🇸❤️
Question for other Golden Retriever Paw-Rents 🐾: Is it common for golden retrievers’ nails to frequently tear through your bed sheets if they’re allowed to sleep or snuggle in bed? I’ve never had nice sheets just tear up with holes in the middle until golden boy got in the bed.
I had (and have) several goldens and I think females are smarter. I love both but i think females are more alert as well. Best of all, females usually just pee once (a long long pee) every time we go out for a walk and they are not choosy regarding the place to pee. Males, generally pee endless times, dripping and saving urine to mark selected places, as many and for as far as possible 😂
We have a boy and he goes to mom for cuddles and dad for playing!
Our boy does the same thing!
I love golden retrievers! The way it was explained to me and what I have found to be true regarding male vs female Goldens is that a female Golden will love you, a male Golden is IN love with you.
My Male golden...literally saved my life from an attack in my driveway!!!
our golden retriever is a papa's girl
Cute!
How do you manage her periods?
Wow so cute puppies😍😍
I have 2 male English Creams and one has a typical build while the other is lean, narrow head and people mistake him for a female. That one is also more affectionate.
Usually the females are the dominant ones, as the male rather want to smell the flowers… and pee on them! My guy didn’t get that memo, so he’s certainly an alpha, but because he’s a Golden, he just want everyone to play nicely. Females tend to be more princess like. They love being social, but they tend to lay strategically to have an overview of everything, while male Goldens usually want to be as close to you as possible. If you leave the room, you bet they’re following your tail in every room. They usually have a huge ego and wants to be the center of attention all of the time. If you’re standing in a circle with people, they will gravitate towards the center. Field Goldens are higher maintains than regular Goldens ofc. Goldens are really versatile, really adaptable, and because of their retrieving background, they usually have an off and on switch regarding energy. Ofc. it helps if you motivate that on and off switch through training, but it’s fantastic, once it’s nailed and it comes literally natural to them.
Thanks Christian!
I have an Oliver too!
Me too! 7 months old.
My girl is very goofy and affectionate!
our golden is both a mama and daddy girl depends on what she is doing she is my husbands service dog so if she is in her vest shes daddy's girl but if we are home and just relaxing or even outside playing shes a mommy's girl
Cute! Thanks for sharing
I tore my rotator cuff last year, after surgery our female field golden retriever has become very protective of me. She does not like other dog or people near me.
Best dog ever
yeah!
Lily is a 4 yr old Golden Goldie.She has gone after deer but comes back when called.She plays with the Pits and the Shepards hard.But when she is thru playing she will let them know by barking and charging.Then start locking them and all is good. Doesn't bark often....Good girl.90lbs of love
What can i do to cool down my puppy in summer.
a few tips: stay inside in the heat of the day, get your pup a mini pool if you want to go outside, and make sue if they do go outside there's plenty of shade and water for them. Publishing a video about this soon!
My male Golden loves Mommy best!
cute!
We have a male and female. The male took to me right away and the female is all about my wife. After having both I think I would go the female route if we were to get another
thanks for sharing!
They both good
Our male Golden is definitely more cuddly with me and more playful with my husband!
I just got a 7 month old female golden retriever today and she is such a good girl. She is currently zooming around with a stuffed hedgehog.
We've had 2 Goldens. Both of them have been males. Both bonded more with Dad. I think that depends on how much time one spends with them when they are young. This breed sheds like crazy, so if you don't like dog fur on your clothes it's not the breed for you.
Thanks for sharing George!
yes it definitely has a lot to do who is taking care of the puppy the most and who trains them. Im currently almost nonstop with my golden girl and she really likes my fiance and greets him but she definitely listens to me more and when i go somewhere without her and come back the difference in greeting is really big even tho im away for 30-60 minutes and my fiance is out for 12+ hours because of work also she is 10 weeks today, got her 2 weeks ago
They don’t shed nearly as much as Labradors but a good point to acknowledge!
I am sitting now with my Luna, as she's chewing carrot sticks and agreeing that she's Papa's girl!🥰
my Goldens name is luna too lol
Barlee is definitely dad's girl. Golden's are AWESOME !
I have both a male and female golden, and this is pretty true. (Except my girly pup is actually a momma’s girl.)
I likes the video
My male Golden is 2 years old, a beatiful loving dog , he is never left alone and spends all day with me , here is my experience - He won't cuddle with me , but loves to cuddle with my 10 year old daughter - He is very found of people his knows , but , extremley wary of strangers - He hates people stoking his head , apart from people he knows - He's not one for sleeping on the bed, mostly preffers to sleep down stairs, sometimes I wake up and he is on the bed , but at the foot of the bed - Tends to love dogs more than he loves people, never seen him aggresive toward other dogs , but also wants to play with any dogs he comes across - I swim him every day down the river - he always carriers a large stick / log home with him = firewood for me lol - I think if i had a burgalar he would deffinately attack He is a total joy to be part of the family
She is a mommy’s girl for sure!!!
cute!
My 6 year old non neutered male English cream is a total mamas boy. Won’t go in or out of the house without me and even wants to go into the bathroom with me. I adore him so this doesn’t bother me in the least
A golden retriever is ALWAYS the right choice. I wouldn’t trade my boy for all the money the world. ❤️🐶
We have four, two boys, two girls. Very generally, I would agree. My boys are definitely cuddle bugs, but the girls are too, maybe a little less. Also, my “show boys” also compete and place in obedience, agility, and field work. Overall, another good recap. As you mentioned a couple times, these are generalities, not rules.
Thanks for sharing! Four Goldens sounds amazing
Thank you for the video! I love dogs but I am getting older and afraid it might out live me. What do you day to seniors who want one? Thank you so much for your info.
My 1 1/2 year old male golden is big, goofy, and definitely a momma's boy. Oddly enough, Momma didn't want him and resisted having much to do with him a first. Now they're inseparable and I "catch" them snuggling regularly. Essentially, my wife has stolen my dog. LOL
It doesn’t matter what sex a golden is because if you don’t close the bathroom door you get company! 🤪
Nothing mentioned about ghe face. A female has a longer nose where a male has a shorter blunt nose. Same as the Labs have. I have a gorgeous boy, my second. Both with totally different personalities and coats. Also my son was my first Golden's favourite person.
This is our 3rd Golden. All males and defiantly Mama boys.
Thanks for sharing!
My male Golden is neutered at 10 months old and he sqauts to pee and never need to mark
My Golden girl is definetely a mommy's girl!
Lucky you! :)
I think both my retriever girl and boy love their dad more :)
"Mr. Shalome" is a Mommie's Guy
What is the relevance of the word "gender" to Golden Retrievers?
My Alice, our female golden retriever has been mama's girl all through. Mama means world to her. Then our son and then my husband. She categorically treats my husband as her master. Me as mom and our son as bro. The kind of game our son and Alice play, that she will not do with me. I feel that she just can speak. That's all
I have a goldnen called rudey
my family is planing to go to a countrie and get a golden retriever
My golden is a daddy’s girl 🤷🏼♂️ she’s so cute
cute! lucky you
My golden is definitely a daddy’s girl and I love being her daddy!
My golden is a female and she’s a mommas girl 😍
cute!
we have 3 goldens and our dogs have had 38 pups.
My golden is a boy. We live in a single household. He (Rig) treats me like the pack leader. He always barks at strangers. But he is a mommas boy. Any time a female human gives him attention I'm like chopped liver.
We used to breed Goldens, and this is spot on. But, we now have Newfs ( have had for almost 20 yrs), and find the same things. Girls are smarter, mature faster, are more independent, and more "protective". Boys are goofier, and more cuddly and of course larger and more difficult to handle during teen years. The girls have been daddy's girls and the boy's momma's boys...mostly. Some have been equally bonded. Goldens are very active dogs, for life, but that also depends on their breeding. Field lines are more athletic and active than show lines. Newfs, properly bred, are sweet, and are known for that disposition - in fact it's the first line of their breed standard. Goldens are friendly, reliable and trustworthy (when trained properly). That doesn't mean "sweet". There is a difference. They're very smart and easily trained. But ALL DOGS do need training on a daily basis for several years. I love both breeds...and they're great together! 🙂
Here in my house, I'm daddy's girl, and my wife is mama's boy, just like you said!
Can you repeat it it one more time? Are you sure it is not black and white?
should I get a boy or Girl?
Def a mommas Boy!!!
aw!
Our male golden is stuck to my wife-our female golden is stuck to me. Goldens are the best!!!!
They are the best!
How do you manage her periods?
These pups are the only breed we get. I believe they are the best dogs in the world!
LIKE 👍🐶🐕
Just a heads up - most of the planet uses metric.
My golden Lola is dad’s girl 💪🏻
I'm not in the market to buy or dog, but I watched anyway. Because of the fuzziness.
Daddy girl of course 😂
Our golden is 100 pounds
Willow is a daddy’s girl!
My golden retriever is Daddy's girl ☺️
cute!
Both my boys are smarter & matured sooner than both my girls.. I'm their favourite! ❤️
I Never Had A Golden Cutie 😭I wish I Had one But Im not old enough for that 😭
My male golden is rather daddy‘s boy.
lucky you!
As daddy to three gens of goldens, including at-home litter, I can concur. The two smartest in the littler of 8, by far, were girls. Another difference is that males tend to chew hands and feet (and hence shoes!) whereas females will go straight to face-licking. Finally, think twice about neutering, the #1 golden killer is hemangiosarcoma, and the incidence climbs 10-fold in neutered males.
My golden is definitely a daddy's girl