My wife's family has had goldens forever. None of them hunted. All of them were very protective of their family and great with kids. All of them were from "good breeders". They spent serious cash on each. All of them had tons of health problems. Last one, Tess, died at 9 years old, two years older than the one before. Tess' last two years were spent on a variety of medications for seizures and arthritis so bad she could not get on a couch or go up stairs Watching that was painful enough to make me not want to get that breed. The shedding is enough to make my wife not want one.