Akita vs Golden Retriever

Quiet and dignified, Akitas are loyal dogs who love spending time with their families. They’re intelligent and fairly energetic, so they’d enjoy both mental and physical activities like going on long walks together or solving doggy puzzles.

Social butterflies they are not. Akitas often feel cautious around strangers. Because of their more aloof personality, they’ll benefit from extra socialization and training while growing up. Still, it’s best to supervise them closely around other pets or young children, especially once your pup is fully grown. Thanks to their protective instincts, they may misinterpret play as an attack and try to intervene, thinking they’re being helpful. They may actually do best as the only pet in a home without small children or babies around.

Speaking of being protective, the Akita is known for their guarding ability—it’s one of the jobs they were bred to do. And their strong bite force is one of the tools they have to protect their family. While not every Akita may ace guard dog school, they all naturally be protective of you and your home and will monitor what’s going on while they’re spending time with you. A good pup parent will provide proper training and socialization to ensure their dog knows the difference between a foe and friend, and will recognize the need to keep their pup out of situations where they might mistakenly feel the need to be aggressive.

Golden Retriever dogs are born extroverts who are eager to please. Although personalities can differ, most Goldens love people and social outings, thriving in homes with lots of activity.

Golden Retrievers need a lot of mental and physical exercise to be at their peak health. But for them, the bottom line is spending time with you. Whether it’s sleeping next to you on your chair or playing outdoors, they’re happiest if they can just be by your side.

These medium-weight and height dogs are a great choice for families with young children. But that doesn’t mean every Golden Retriever is problem-free. When bringing a Golden home, give them careful introductions to other members of your household, especially the smaller ones like children and cats.

But overall, they love to mingle and see everyone as a potential new bestie. Whenever they meet someone new, they seem to say, “Hi! I am so glad we met. Do you have a ball to throw for me now that we’re friends?”

Another quality you’ll appreciate in your furry new BFF is their intelligence. Goldens are quick learners and easy to train, bred to retrieve waterfowl with a soft mouth. They often have jobs, serving as guide dogs or search-and-rescue dogs.

Keep in mind that even the best-trained Goldens still have a bit of a mischievous streak. So be prepared for occasional mischief and learn to laugh along with your dog as they “help” you unload the laundry basket.