The origin of the Golden Retriever dog breed is in Great Britain and more precisely on the banks of Loch Ness. According to the many hypotheses about the origin of this breed, the most probable is that it is the product of a cross between the flat-coated retriever and the tweed water spaniel. It was the Duke of Tweedmouth Lord Dudley who, around 1858, wanted to create an elegant, robust dog with hunting and retrieving abilities with this crossbreed.
It was then exported to the American continent, first to the United States and later also to Canada. In fact, there are two types, British and American, the latter still divided between American and Canadian. However, the breed is classified and registered as unique.
The Golden Retriever is a good retrieving dog and is very comfortable in water. It is used extensively as a rescue dog, by the Civil Defence, especially for interventions and rescues in water. It is truly a multi-purpose dog, in fact it is also used by law enforcement agencies to search for explosives and narcotics, as a guide dog for the blind, but above all as a companion dog due to its extremely sweet and tame character.
Character of the Golden Retriever dog breed
In addition to being a very beautiful and elegant dog, the Golden Retriever also has an excellent character. It is very popular as a companion dog, and thanks to its patience and playfulness it is very popular with children, with whom it loves to play for long periods of time. It attaches itself not to one person, but to the whole family, humans and animals, as it also gets along well with other dogs, cats and pets.
He is an active and fun-loving dog, but also has a lot of patience that allows him to sit quietly for several hours when he has nothing to do. He is calm, docile and has an exceptional enthusiasm that makes him always seem cheerful and happy. He is also amiable with strangers, which makes him unsuitable for guarding, although he can warn by barking of the arrival of strangers.
It is a dog that is also suitable for those who are new to dogs, it just needs a lot of exercise and even if it adapts to living in a flat, it should be taken outside two or three times a day to let it run around and let out all its energy. He loves water very much and will not hesitate to go in it as soon as he gets the chance. He is also very easy to train, as he is very intelligent and has a great desire to please his owner. He is also very competitive in agility and other performance events.
It lends itself very well to performing social tasks, and is much used as an assistance dog. It is famous for its balance, obedience, loyalty and the friendship it expresses.
Appearance of the Golden Retriever dog breed
The Golden Retriever is a medium to large dog, the height at withers for a male ranges from 46 to 61 centimetres and weighs between 28 and 32 kilograms. It was said earlier that the Golden Retriever is divided into two categories, the English and the American. It is the English one that is the breed from which the others later descended. There are few differences between the two types; today the English Golden Retriever is heavier, has a larger head, is more muscular in the forequarters and is generally lighter in colour than its American cousin.
Both, however, have well-developed and evident musculature, a powerful, robust and well-balanced body. On the whole they are dogs with a harmonious appearance.
The tail is inserted and carried level with the back and reaches the hocks, it is not rolled at the end and has beautiful long fringes.
The head is broad and well chiselled, the ears are not very large and are placed approximately at eye level. Its jaws are strong, the muzzle is broad and the truffle is always black. The eyes, generally dark, are well spaced and the intense gaze gives these dogs the gentle and friendly expression for which they are famous.
The coat is flat and wavy, with fine fringes of longer hair on the neck, legs and thighs. It has a thick waterproof undercoat that is very soft and keeps the retriever cool in summer and warm in winter. The colour can vary from bright gold to darker amber shades.
Care and health of the Golden Retriever dog breed
The Golden Retriever has various health problems; genetic diseases such as hip dysplasia and often elbow dysplasia are found. It may be prone to congenital heart disease and seems to have a breed predisposition for subaortic stenosis, mitral valve dysplasia and tricuspid valve dysplasia. Then there are some hereditary eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy, or cataracts. As well as frequent tumours that particularly affect the breed. Life expectancy is between 11 and 15 years.
With regard to diet, this must be kept under control because it is prone to obesity as it loves to eat a lot. He must have a healthy life with an excellent diet adapted to his condition, as well as exercise. For coat care, as it is a long-haired dog it is good to brush it regularly at least a couple of times a week. It loses enough hair not only during the shedding period but throughout the whole year.
I love Golden Retrievers!
In fact, they say it is a spectacular breed. They use it for civil defence, for the blind, for therapy and whatever else. They also say it is a very balanced breed.