Golden Retrievers are known for their friendly, intelligent, and devoted personalities. They are gentle, patient, and eager to please, making them excellent family pets and service dogs. They are playful, yet gentle with children, and they tend to get along well with other pets and strangers. Golden Retrievers are also known for their versatility and adaptability, excelling at retrieving game, tracking, and as therapy and service dogs. They are natural athletes and do well in dog sports such as agility and competitive obedience.

In terms of physical characteristics, Golden Retrievers have a dense, water-repellent double coat that is usually golden in color, with different shades of gold from pale to dark. They have floppy, triangular ears and a strong, broad head. They are medium-to-large-sized dogs with a well-balanced body.

Overall, Golden Retrievers have a sweet, friendly, and even-keeled temperament that makes them great family companions and service dogs. They are patient, tolerant, and minimal barkers. People with "golden retriever energy" are described as extroverted, easily excitable, and overall just super happy about life, much like the breed itself.