So I don’t have a garden but I do have a driveway, and my stairs are somewhat steep. Fine for now but not when I’m in my old age.
Would you say a golden retriever can handle the stairs now or will it struggle?
We also already have a cat so have a baby gate blocking off the bottom stairs.
Thanks.
21 comments
Big smart pooch like that is gonna need regular long walks and plenty of stimulation.
If you have the time for that, then sure.
I certainly see people doing that, but I feel really bad for the dogs.
As the owner of a golden retriever that had to be rescued from somebody who lived in Tokyo who Thought they wanted one, do your research and some honest self reflection.
Do you have the time to walk them every day? Are you aware of how expensive they can be are beyond the absolutely insane initial purchase price?
Japanese narrow, steep stares can be dangerous for dogs, one fall and they can be dead or forever handicapped.
If you don’t have space for him to run around at home you should be taking them on MULTIPLE long walks a day.
It’s not impossible to have a happy golden in Tokyo but it will be a lot of money and effort on your end
Also have you considered trying to rescue a dog instead? Tokyo ark always has some dogs available. Infinitely cheaper than buying from a breeder (I hope you aren’t using puppy Mills) and they can examine you, you’re home, and situation to see if you are a good fit.
I’m curious as to what a driveway is going to do for an large active dog?
I think it’s nothing.
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.
I love dogs and want to get one. I’m in a position where money isn’t a problem. But the idea of leaving an animal alone for over 9 hours a day just feels like torture and unfair. I would be sure to do A LOT of research and make sure that it isn’t a spontaneous buy.
My dude, a dog that size needs a very big garden to burn a buttload of energy, or three or for long walks a day. You’ll be better off getting a small dog.
Goldens are pretty well known for being susceptible to hip dysplasia and going up and down steep stairs is probably not great for that.
I agree that without a fenced-in yard/garden, you’re going to need to take the dog on multiple walks a day, especially if you get a young dog. Which isn’t a problem if you work from home or are not the bread winner in your household, but keep in mind that if your circumstances change, it might be tough on the dog.
I agree also with the posters saying it will take some honest self reflection to determine for yourself if it’s practical. And if it’s not, that’s okay! Go to the park and see if you can pet any of the dogs there. Or join a golden retriever group on meetup.com or something.
No. Stop. Do not proceed.
Lots of good points already, but also consider the shedding and grooming of a golden. They shed a lot! I have to vacuum daily and she needs a daily brushing just to keep it manageable. We also take her for monthly grooming, which is a 3 hour session and costs us around 14000 円 a session. Blow drying her alone takes about an hour and you can’t leave them wet as it will cause skin problems. They’re amazing, and totally worth it, but just want to make sure you know what you’re in for.
Did you already buy your house? If not then move to a more suitable place.
As someone who recently got a dog, look up dog-friendly parks in your ku. We’re surrounded by little neighborhood parks so I thought we’d be spoiled for choice, but our nearest park where dogs aren’t banned is a 30-minute walk away.
I’d also really think about what you’re going to do for stimulation, for walks 3~4 times a day, and how you’re going to handle walks during typhoons etc. without a garden. Also what size dog you can easily pick up and carry if you encounter a bad situation, an aggressive dog, a mangy snarling hakubishin, whatever. All things I never thought about in the suburbs that happened immediately in Tokyo.
Sounds like a terrible idea.
I have one.
No garden, but ground floor. It needs 2x 1 hour walks a day at a minimum, and we do it with a bicycle so it gets twice as much exercise as a “walk”. Too energetic otherwise and thats for a 10 year old one, I could not imagine a 1-5 year old golden not getting that… I could not handle it…
I honestly think japan or tokyo at least is a really shitty place for a golden in almost every conceivable way. People dont have yards, it is so hot that they are not bred for this environment. You’ll need to walk them before 7am from late spring to mid autumn due to heat, and after 8pm at night.
My wife had this dog before we met and took him from a different country as a rescue dog. There is no way i’d get a golden here otherwise unless i was in nagano or yamanashi ken or hokkaido.
The dog was crazy and out of control before i trained him to behave and it is partly die to my wife just being clueless on how to have a well behaved dog, and partly because it was hard for her to govern it enough exercise in tokyo with no yard at all and a small dwelling.
Fortunately we live in suburb tokyo and have wider streets, less cars and a river near by.
I personally do not like the trend of people thinking they can have big working dog breeds in cities and apartments. Maybe some people do all the extra stuff to compensate but its never going to be ideal for the dog. Dog owner culture has definitely shifted into “allowing” this though.
Will you be at home all day? GRs are people dogs and DO NOT do well being by themselves for more than 5 hours or so alone.
Also you need to plan walks in summer time to before 7am and after 6pm. The concrete will be too hot during the main part of the day. Is that something you can do everyday without fail?
I can relate. I really really want a dog but living in the city in a small space… I put my egotistical side away and just had to come to the terms that the dog won’t be happy.
If I ever move outside the city and have a house with a garden and more time, then ok.
So many dogs here are just alone for hours on end everyday. It’s depressing.
We got our golden in the UK, and he moved with us when we moved to Japan. He’s 15 going on 16 now, and can no longer handle any stairs – even jumping up on the sofa is no longer an option – but he had no problem with our (fairly steep) stairs when he was younger. We of course put down carpeted pads on the stairs to prevent slipping, and it was perfectly fine (and to be honest, they saved me more than once…). And it’s not like he was running up and down the stairs, since someone was nearly always downstairs with him all the time anyway.
We also bought the house next door and tore it down for a garden, and we live in an area with ample space for dog walking. And we don’t mind getting up -really- early in the morning in the summer for his AM walk. We also take him out for a walk in the evenings, and of course he has the garden.
We see a few other goldens around here and most of them are fat AF, and will have a horrible time when they get older. Our golden has been about 25-26kg his entire adult life, and still enjoys walks. Although, like his owner, he’s a bit slower to get up and doesn’t run after tennis balls any more…
Goldens are *amazing* dogs but they’re also bigger, so make sure you have ample room for them to move around and/or are able to take ample time for long walks. They can eat a lot so be disciplined on what you feed them.
He’s been extremely healthy, although we got him from a proper breeder, not a pet store, so vet costs etc. have been pretty minimal.
Tokyo is an awful city for dogs. My trip home to London reaffirmed that. So many happy puppers, off lead, socialising, living their best city life in the multitude of massive parks, chilling with their owners in nice beer gardens.
Yoyogi dog run is not it 🙁 not to mention how hot it is in summer, their poor paws.
Don’t buy a pet, adopt a rescued one.
Buying feeds an industry that creates a lot of misery and suffering.
The stairs would be a major problem until your golden is about 1 or 2 years old. During that time their hips are still growing and stair use can cause the bones to not set properly which leads to Hip Dysplasia.
After that, stairs aren’t ideal, but probably not a deal breaker.
I think a lack of garden is fine if you can take the dog on regular walks or if you have a dog run nearby. I’ve got a garden and my golden never wants to spend any time in it, so I don’t think it’s essential.
Please don’t do it.
Just seems like such a terrible idea and we all know it.
I appreciate you have good intentions though and could even be a great owner but this is just asking for trouble.
Don’t do it.
Does your lifestyle allow it?
A typical central dog owner is on the wealthy side, empty nester or never had children, spends hours to drive to a park where there’s a café that allows dogs on the patio to meet with other dog owners or contemplate their empty life…