Are Golden Retrievers Quiet Dogs?

Golden retrievers are known for being friendly, sweet, loving, they get along with other dogs and great with children.

One of the most important things to think about before getting a dog is that dog loud or annoying?

Because loud dogs and dogs that bark a lot will not only annoy you but also your neighbors and people that will be walking by you in the street, so if you think about getting a golden retriever and wondering about them being quiet or not, then here’s the answer.

Are golden retrievers quiet dogs? Yes, golden retrievers are quiet dogs. They are calm and don’t bark a lot, and when they do bark, their barks are not as loud as other dog breeds. They also rarely whine, howl, growl, or make other sounds.

To understand more about what makes golden retrievers quiet by nature and when are they considered too quiet – and what to do if that’s the case – then keep reading..

Are Golden Retrievers Quiet By Nature?

A photo of a golden retriever in a field to illustrate are golden retrievers quiet dogs by nature

Yes, being quiet is a part of a golden retriever’s personality, and they rarely bark, whine, howl, growl, or make any significant noises.

They are well-mannered, temperamental, intelligent, and they are obedient. That’s what makes them great family pets.

Golden retrievers tend to mature slowly and they can still have the silly puppy personality even in their adult period.

10 Reasons Why Your Golden Retriever is Quiet

Personality
Age
Boredom
Depression
Vocal issue
Previous trauma
Illness
Training
They are not comfortable
Too much noise

Personality

If they are always quiet it could simply be because of their personality. They can be playful and fun and still be quiet.

It doesn’t mean that they have a problem or something is wrong with them, it’s a good thing actually because when they do bark you will know that something is wrong.

If you don’t like them being quiet then you can change that with some training.

Age

Senior golden retrievers cannot hear as well as puppies or adult dogs, so it causes them to be less responsive to noises, and if you call them and they may not respond not because they’re ignoring you, mad at you, or playing dumb, it’s simply because they cannot hear you.

Boredom

Golden retrievers are energetic breeds and that’s why they need to exercise and it’s necessary to have their daily walk or any activity for at least an hour per day.

So, if they are not getting enough activity and exercise, they can be quiet due to boredom.

In this case, being quiet is not a good or healthy thing, and you should spend more time with them doing any exercise to keep them active.

Depression

Just like us when golden retrievers (or any breed) are depressed, being quiet is one of the symptoms.

Depression is a very serious issue in dogs too, and it needs to be treated as soon as you notice it because it can develop a variety of physical illnesses.

Here are some symptoms of depression to help you out:

Sadness
Withdrawn
Lethargic
Noticeable weight loss
Change in their appetite
Abnormality in their behavior
Drinking less
Losing interest in playing

If this is the reason why your golden retriever is quiet, you should take them to the vet or a behaviorist. If your dog is quiet because they’re sad, you can learn why golden retrievers get sad and what to do here and learn what steps you should take.

Vocal issue

It could be that your dog was recently barking too much that they hurt their vocals or swollen their throat, you know, just like when you shout and spend the rest of the day with a sore and hurt voice.

If they were barking previously and then stopped it’s probably because their throat is sore.

Or if they had a recent surgery they can be more silent than normal, also they can be even quieter if they are not feeling well.

Previous trauma

It could be that your dog has a trauma because of a previous experience and it is making them a bit quieter than usual.

If they were in a shelter or had another owner before you, then they could be quiet because they had a bad experience with barking, so it taught them to be quiet.

Some people mistreat their dogs when they bark too loud even if that barking was out of excitement, so the dog connected that barking leads to bad things, and they stopped and became quiet to avoid getting punished.

It’s worth noting here that golden retrievers are not loud barkers by nature, and you can learn how much do golden retrievers bark here.

Illness

If your dog is injured or ill then being quiet will be one of the main signs, they will not have the energy to be loud or even bark. They can make hurting noises that you can barely hear while peeing, pooping, eating, or moving.

If they suddenly became quiet, it’s probably due to an illness or injury.

Other symptoms to tell if they are ill or injured

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Refusal to eat for at least 24 hours
Red gums
Sneezing
Excessive thirst
Watery eyes
Gagging
Coughing
Excessive urination
Swollen gums
Itchy skin
Difficulty urinating
Runny nose
Flaking skin
Progressive changes in weight
Tiredness
Lethargy

If you noticed one or a few of these symptoms then it’s recommended to take your golden retriever to a vet, because they will be able to diagnose the issue.

Training

It could be that your golden had training to be quieter. If they are quiet because of previous training, then everything they will do will be in a more quiet manner.

They are not comfortable

Just like shy or introverted people, dogs can be shy and quiet around new people, and this is very likely to happen when you just adopt them and take them back home.

If this is the reason, they will act normally and will be louder once they feel comfortable which can take days or weeks, but rarely months.

Too much barking recently

If your golden retriever has been very loud recently and it has caused their throat to become sore, then it can make your golden temporarily quiet.

Why Has Your Golden Retriever Suddenly Become Quiet?

Your golden retriever can suddenly become quiet because of one of these reasons:

Stress
Injury
Tiredness
Hot weather
Poisoning
Illness

They can be quiet because they are being submissive after misbehaving.

What To Do with a Quiet Golden Retriever?

It depends on the reason why your golden retriever is being quiet, so the first thing you need to do is finding the cause. Once you find the cause, simply resolving the issue – if there are any, should help your golden retriever return to their normal self.

Here is what you should do with your quiet golden retriever;

Check for any other symptoms
Give them time
Make them feel comfortable
Train them
Get help from a behaviorist
Do some activities with them

Check for any other symptoms

Like I’ve said before, being quiet could indicate to your pooch being ill or injured, and you should look for other unusual signs. If you can find one or a few then you need to take them to the vet as soon as possible and get them checked.

Give them time

If you just moved to another place with a new neighborhood then they will need some time to adjust just like when you move your kid to a new school, they don’t know anyone there so they are quiet till they can make some new friends and get familiar with the new environment.

However, if they do not get any louder after a while then you should use one of the other methods.

You should also know that moving to a new neighborhood or city could be a stressful experience for your dog. So much so that some golden retrievers even run away to go back to their old home.

You can learn what to do about your golden retriever running away here and follow the tips I discuss there to get your golden retriever comfortable with their new environment.

Make them feel comfortable

Just like the previous reason, if they need to adjust to the new environment then they will need some help from you, you can take them for a walk around the neighborhood and play with them to get them to like the place, and playing with them is kinda like breaking the ice.

Give them treats and your attention to make them more comfortable.

Train them

Since golden retrievers are very energetic dog breeds, so if they are not getting lots of exercises then they are more likely to behave in the usual way.

It can be that just a daily walk isn’t enough for your golden retriever so you can give them an activity to do such as swimming, fetch, or even jogging. You can learn how to run with your golden retriever here.

There’s one more option for your golden retriever to become louder.

Get a treat or their favorite toy
Show them that you have the toy or give them a piece of the treat.
Keep the treats or the toys next to them but do not allow them to eat it or play with it.
Give them the treat whenever they make any noise.

Your golden retriever will not start barking right away, but they can start with a little grumble.

When they make any noise, even if it’s barely heard, give them the treat.

In the time of the training, make sure that you only give them the treat when they are behaving the way you want them to.

Get help from a behaviorist

If all the other methods failed then you should take them to a certified animal behaviorist who will be able to diagnose the reason why they are being quiet and they will know how to correct it.

For example, you can try putting bells on the patio door attached to a string that your golden retriever can tap when they want to come inside, and another bell next to their food to tap it whenever they are hungry.

If your golden retriever is too quiet and nothing worked with them then you will need to make your peace with it and learn to read their body language.

Your dog could be quiet just because they’re quiet and it doesn’t have to be that there is anything wrong with them. I would say it’s a blessing, goldens are not good guard dogs anyway, so a quiet golden is as close to the perfect dog as we’ll ever get in my eyes.

Which dog breeds bark the most?

These are the dog breeds that bark the most;

Fox terriers
Beagles
Yorkshire terriers
Miniature schnauzer
Cairn
West highland white terrier

What is the most annoying dog breed?

Dachshund
Bull terrier
Jack Russell terrier
Pug
Maltese
American pit bull terrier
Yorkshire terrier
Labrador retriever
English bulldog
Beagle

Which small dog barks the most?

The small dog that barks the most is the chihuahua, it has earned a reputation as being one of the dogs that bark the most.

Do small dogs bark more?

Yes, small dogs bark more than big dogs, small dogs are easier to be spooked in strange situations or being exposed to thunder, fireworks, or any loud noises.