The Golden Retrievers first originated when Sir Dudley Majoribanks selectively bred Flat-coated Retrievers with Tweed Water Spaniels in the Highlands of Scotland in the late 1800s. Some other breeds like Labrador Retriever, Red Setter, and Bloodhound were also amalgamated into the combination to develop this breed.
In the early days, the Golden Retrievers were known as “Flat-coated Retrievers, Golden” and were regarded as just a variety of their original breed. Later, they were sometimes called “Yellow Retrievers” and “Golden Retrievers” at other times. Finally, in 1913, it was registered as an individual breed itself, and in 1920, it was officially named as the “Golden Retriever.”
This breed was used as gundogs since its primary days and gained a lot of attention when it won a field trial in 1904 and was demonstrated at conformation shows in the late 1908s.
Nature and Characteristics
Golden Retrievers are kind, playful, and gentle. They are also very smart, friendly, and devoted to their owner. They quickly get along well with visitors and other pets. Because of this amiable nature, they don’t make great guard dogs.
Due to their high level of energy, golden retrievers need at least one hour of daily exercise. As for their name “Retrievers”, they truly live up to their name; they enjoy catching almost anything that is tossed to them. This makes them capable assistance dogs and great hunting partners. They are easy to train, and have a brilliant sense of smell. They enjoy eating, exercising, playing with their owners, and even competing in obedience and agility competitions.
Appearance
Golden Retrievers have the most iconic and recognisable look because of their beautiful golden coat. It can sometimes be of a cream or blond colour as well. They have a long, fluffy, and wavy exterior coat that gives them an adorable look and is water repellent as well, and a thick, dense inner coat that gives them protection against weather.
Physique and Health
The Golden Retrievers are medium-sized dogs that weigh somewhere around 25 to 34 kgs and are 50 to 60 centimetres in height. Females are less in weight and height in comparison to the males.
They have a powerful, broad head. Though not particularly big, the ears are floppy and are perched high on the head and hang just below the jaw line. The body has good balance, and the chest is wide. With strong and sturdy limbs covered with soft coat, they are good at running and fetching things from here and there.
Golden Retrievers are generally healthy breed and have average lifespan of around 12-13 years with records up-to 17 to 18 years as well. However, there are some health issues like eye related problems, hip and elbow dysplasia that these dogs are diagnosed when bred irresponsibly by unauthorised breeders.
Other skin and oral infections like hotspots, bad breath, can easily be mitigated by routine cleaning and drying of wet skin and brushing teeth.
Regular vet visits, mandatory vaccinations and medications are highly recommended to keep any uncertain health issues off the horizon.
Grooming
With long and wavy beautiful fur, it is very much expected for Golden Retrievers to shed moderately. They have a double coating, an overcoat and an undercoat. The overcoat is a long, glossy, water-repellent layer, and the undercoat is a heavy, dense jungle of fur that helps to maintain body temperature.
During winter, the undercoat helps Golden Retrievers stay warm. However, this coat sheds majorly in the fall and spring as the temperature rises. Frequent brushing and baths help owners to control shedding all over the carpet and the furniture.
Routine trimming of nails, cleaning around the eyes, brushing and cleaning of the mouth is advisable.
Training and Nutrition
Golden Retrievers are outgoing and energetic due to their playful and sportive temperament.This feature, mixed with their friendly, intelligent, and disciplined nature, makes them one of the easiest dog breeds to train and instruct.
Golden Retrievers are effortless to train since they are at their puppy age. They quickly learn simple commands like “Sit”, “Paw”, “No”, “Good dog”, among which their clear favourite one is “Fetch”, as they like retrieving things, being from the retriever family.
They have a commendable history and record in various levels of dog and canine competitions, whether it is an agility-based contest or an intelligence-based contest.
Golden Retrievers have a good appetite and love munching on their food. Good quality dog food will provide them with sufficient energy and nutrition for their proper growth. High
fat-containing foods and sugary treats are not recommended as they may lead to obsession with them and may cause obesity.
Accustomed for
Golden Retrievers have a rich history of being used as gundogs by hunters to retrieve birds and small animals back to the owner. Because of the heavy double coat, they are prefered by hunters living in colder climates over other dog breeds with short fur. Later, they were used by sportsmen in field trials to fetch back gamebirds.
Nowadays, Golden Retrievers are widely used as companion dogs as they are friendly and get along with children, other pets, and people of all ages. They are also used as guide dogs to help with special needs because of their smartness and intelligence. They are also gaining popularity as therapy dogs, since they are good at sensing people’s moods and can be trained to provide comfort and affection to people.
Popularity
With their ever-energised spirit, vitality, and their emblematic golden coat, the Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds all over the world, including Australia, the USA, the UK, etc. It has successfully placed itself in the list of the top 3 most popular dog breeds for the past 3–4 years.
Experts expect its steady increase in popularity in upcoming years as well, because of its versatility as a dog breed.
In Australia, Golden Retrievers are gaining tremendous popularity these days because of their use in outdoor field activities. It also has a fair cost of around $3500 AUD, followed up by a nominal maintenance cost compared to other breeds. However, it is advisable for the owners to set up air conditioning indoors in the summer months as the Golden Retrievers have a heavy double coat.
Conclusion
Golden Retrievers are the most versatile dog breeds that can be used for various purposes. They are healthy and do not incur huge costs to take care of. It requires regular brushing so that the owner can have control over its shedding and prevent furniture and carpet being coated with its fur. However, this breed is not recommended for owners who are allergic to dog hair.
This dog was bred to be faithful and help its owner and the people around him. It is smart, friendly, active and easy to train, which makes it an ideal dog for most people.
If you’re looking for a golden, fluffy, well-behaved, lively pet that is always excited and full of energy, greeting you with a huge smile, then a golden retriever is the one for you!
