My family rescued my golden retriever when I was in about 6th or 7th grade he was about 4 or 5 years old, his owners where elderly and the guys wife passed away then about 6 months later the husband also passed and unfortunately there wasn’t anyone who could take their pup.
Shadow, is what we named him because the first few days of having him he would nervously follow my mom around our home getting adjusted to his new life. Poor boy was probably grieving the lose of his original owners, we made sure to make him as comfortable as we could.
Anyways he quickly realized he was home and became a very happy and a unexpectedly protective addition to our home. Golden retrieves are loyal and happy but not usually a noticeably protective breed compared to others.
He was a fairly large golden we would always get people saying wow look at this big old boy happy as could be pure love as you would expect from this breed. But we quickly found out his intensely protective instincts when we had someone knock on our door. He became a guard dog all of a sudden to our surprise so now we know.
Here’s the story I’ll never forget, I was about 13 - 14 and me and buddies would take him for walks bring him to the woods and he would just hang loving every human he came across. Until one day I made the mistake to take him down a road where this guy had 2 pit bulls and one very beautiful but intimidating king corso; if you don’t know what that breed of dog is I’d recommend searching a quick picture. They’re very beautiful animals but I’ll say jokingly, “they’re pit bulls on fucking steroids”
Welp we passed the house and his 3 dogs started going nuts, and my golden was trying to rip my arm off in a attempt to charge these beasts.. I had a harness on him so I could pull him back fairly well but I wasn’t so sure the other dogs weren’t going to escape from their shitty fenced in back yard.
My friend says holy shit they’re climbing on the decks railings and are about to jump over the ducking fence my heart racing I pick my dog up and run. Nope all three of these dogs jumped out of their yard 2 pit bulls and one king corso are now coming at me. I couldn’t hold my golems retriever any more he was big bigger than average and heavy and he wanted to fucking fight.
My dog jumped out of my arms and I didn’t know what to do completely scared shitless I dropped his leash on accident, at this point I honestly believed I was about to see my golden retriever be torn to pieces..
Idc any one believes me I have 4 of my old and closest friends as my witness my golden retriever started snarling and lunging, he transformed into a beast it was incredible one smaller pit bull came in to bite at his leg and he snatched that dogs necks straight into his jaws and the pit bull yelped and backed up.
Then the other pitbull came in from behind and my pup whipped around and snarled so fiercely and intense I swear on everything the other dog rolled straight onto its back.. it just submitted immediately, this is when the big boy the corso was watching it all while circling. The corso came in and tried to actually smell my dogs butt, na my dog said fuck no he let this deep and just purely scary growl/bark I’ve never heard him do ever again jn my life. That king corso literally took a couple steps back and got low and showed his teeth like he was going to attack. I thought I was going to see my dog get killed, my dog again snarling lunged with a sound I could only describe as a fucking ANIMAL at this dog and they fucking scuffled for about 10 seconds untill that giant corso literally looked behind him and retreated.
At that point one of my bigger and older Freinds swooped up shadow my dog and ran down the road with him as fast as he could while I kicked and screamed at the 3 other dogs who weren’t interested in attacking a human they actually seemed fairly friendly to me at least they weren’t growing at me they kinda just went back up to their porch and I ran to my dog.
We all where cheering and going crazy petting shadow praising him in complete disbelief of what happened, I had so much respect for my dog after that. Goldens are known for their friendless but I think it just like humans, you don’t want to get the nice guy angry you never know what kinda rage they’ve got under their sleeves lol.
Shadow the secret assassin hahaha RIP ol boy you’re missed.