If you’re looking for a dog that will add love and energy to your home, look no further than the Golden Retriever.
You will gain a pet that’s easy to train—a people pleaser that will grow into a loyal companion that enjoys being by your side for a hike, run or swim.
These intelligent dogs love people, and kids, and are generally sweet companions.
Origin
The Golden Retriever comes from a careful mix of breeds from the late 1800s.
A Black wavy-coated retriever was bred with a Tweed Water Spaniel.
The puppies from that litter became the foundation for the Golden Retriever.
Later, breeders mixed in the Irish Setter, Golden Bloodhound, two more black retrievers, and the St. John’s Waterdog.
What emerged was a gorgeous, formidable dog.
American Golden vs. English Golden
Simply put, the American Golden Retriever was bred to standards set by the American Kennel Club (AKC), and the English Golden Retriever was bred to the standards set by the British Kennel Club.
The most salient difference between the two is coat color, AKC not recognizing the lighter-colored coat.
From a health standpoint, the English Golden is less likely to develop cancer, and the life expectancy of an English Golden is up to four years longer than the American Golden.
Easy to train
Golden Retrievers are playful and friendly.
You can train them as early as eight weeks (and beyond).
They are a people-pleasing breed, so training should be a breeze.
Working breed
Golden Retrievers are intelligent dogs that need to be challenged to stay happy, which includes giving them a “job.”
Train your Golden to stow their toys. This combines play and work.
A Golden can serve as a family pet, guide dog, hunting dog, or even a search and rescue dog.
A group of American Golden Retrievers in the Midwest are trained as therapy dogs.
The dogs showed up after the Newtown shootings to help the townspeople work through their grief.
Multifaceted breed
Golden Retrievers were bred to assist their owners during hunting trips because they were great at retrieving on land and in water.
They have a “soft mouth,” meaning they can carry game in their mouths without damaging it.
But Golden Retrievers also serve as great house dogs that enjoy interacting with people, even children.
Just remember they need regular exercise and would do best in a fenced yard.
Good swimmers
The Golden Retriever is a long-haired breed. Like many retrievers, they have two layers of thick fur.
The inner layer keeps them warm in colder weather, and the outer layer acts as a wet suit when they are swimming.
In general, these powerful dogs are athletic and agile. They love the water.
The Golden Retriever conveys a friendly expression with its large brown eyes and white blond fur.
When selecting your puppy, remember to get to know him or her so you can see if your unique personalities will mesh in the long run.
Consider behavior, personality, and how often you will be able to interact with your puppy. You will both be rewarded.
Rosie
Friday 24th of March 2017
These are wonderful dogs! We still miss Cinnamon so much! If I can ever have another dog, I'd love to have another golden retriever.
Susan FriedlandSmith (@SaddlSeeksHorse)
Saturday 19th of March 2016
We have a Golden and he learned how to use the doggy door to go potty outside when he was barely tall enough for his head to look out over the door's opening. I was impressed with how smart he was (having been a Doberman owner, I was used to uber intelligence). And one other reason Goldens are great is that they love to assist in the kitchen and willingly clean up any random chopped bits of food that fall on the floor when preparing a meal. So tidy!