In life, there’s typically always a fine line between expectations and reality. In fact, Judith Webb said: “The farthest distance in the world is between how it is, and how you thought it was gonna be.” And that quote fits like a glove in this situation… in a silly, playful kind of way.
One dog mom recently took to TikTok listing off a few examples of “expectations vs. reality” when it comes to her adorable Golden Retriever, and I’ll just say, she nailed it. If you have a Golden Retriever, I’m just curious—can you relate to any of these?
@maui_thegoldenpupThe reality is just as perfect #goldenretriever #reality #funnyvideos IB @Ladyandtheblues
There’s a beautiful irony to this video, if you ask me. In this pup’s defense, mom is only showing us the “reality” instead of the expectations. Unfair! That Retriever is insanely adorable, so it’s hard for me to believe she doesn’t have folders and folders filled with charming photos of this handsome little guy in her phone. Nonetheless, it’s pretty hilarious to see.
Related: Golden Retriever Caught ‘Having a Moment’ at the Beach is a Total Vibe
The “always happy” and “obedient” made me laugh the most, though. That angry little stare down is too funny and that mess he made in the house looked pretty major! And here I thought Golden Retrievers were all just perfect little angels. Eh, what am I saying? They are!
Golden Retrievers are highly trainable and eager to please
The Golden Retriever as we know it today is a beautiful, heavy-coated, playful dog. They’re considered among many to be the all-American family dog, and frequently appear in popular culture because of this.
There are more than a few reasons the Golden Retriever is considered America’s dog, one being: it’s the perfect family dog! Not only are Golden Retrievers gentle, but they love children and are very intelligent, stable and eager to please.
One of the most important things to know about Golden Retrievers is that they love to run around and play outside. They also love water and tend to jump in whenever they get the chance! And don’t be surprised if you see them tugging on things with their mouths, whether it sticks, toys… or your perhaps your new favorite shoes.
Because they are highly trainable and eager to please, they are extremely popular as service dogs. And besides helping the blind and disabled, they are also used to sniff bombs or drugs, as rescue dogs during natural disasters, and as lifeguard dogs because of their swimming ability.
Quite the resume if you ask me!
But keep in mind that just because you’ve heard about how great Golden Retrievers are as family dogs doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone.
For one, Golden Retrievers are among the heaviest shedding dog breeds and shed twice a year. This is something to consider if you’re not sure you can handle golden fluff coating your house!
Also, they require regular grooming. When they aren’t shedding, they need to be groomed at least once a week; when they are shedding, grooming should be done daily.
These pups need space as well—and a lot of it. Having a yard, preferably with fencing, is a must. They are big, sprawling dogs with lots of energy and need to have space to move about, exercise, and generally blow off steam.
On the heels of that, Golden Retrievers need lots of exercise. If you are sedentary or don’t have time to take a Golden out for up to 90 minutes of exercise per day, it might not be the right breed of dog for you.
Also, I have one word: chewing. Goldens love to chew! The typical Golden Retriever household has a few stray chew marks here and there—on furniture, on toys, and on other items. Keep this in mind.
But I mean, hey, at the end of the day, they really are one of the best types of dogs out there. And like all pups, if you love them, they’ll love you unconditionally forever and ever.
Still… if anything, just use this video as a resource. Because as we clearly learned, looks can often be deceiving!
