Golden Retrievers are affectionate, intelligent, loyal, playful, and eager to please and they make ideal family companions. Because of their friendly, gentle, and patient nature, they are great with children, other dogs, and other family pets. Since Goldens are friendly to everyone, including strangers, they make poor guard dogs, although they can be good watch dogs as they do tend to bark at strangers. Golden Retrievers are also athletic and have a natural love of water and retrieving so they make excellent hunters.