Description

There is an interesting story regarding how the Golden Retriever came into existence. This species was bred with an intention to use it as a hunting companion. The idea for this came from the hunters who wanted to have a dog that could act as their gundogs. It was thought that such a dog can be helpful in finding and retrieving lame hens, upland game, birds and small sized preys. Initially, the breeders kept this aspect in mind and wanted to keep the dog’s mouth soft so that they were able to retrieve the kill without damaging it further.

Since the Golden Retriever is known to be passionate about water, these dogs are the perfect choice as hunting companions that can retrieve the waterfowl. They are also known to seek the attention of their master all the while, and love playing with them. With their happy-go-lucky attitude, these dogs can mingle easily with your kids and serve as good companions to the little ones. Your Golden Retriever should weigh between 65 to 75 pounds and ideally should be 22 and 24 at the withers.

Coat

The Golden Retriever has wavy hair with a smooth outer coat. This coat is water resistant. The length is mostly medium in size and can be straight or wavy. Light brown (honey) is the most common color of such coat. Upon a closer inspection, you will discover that the coat color has various shades of the gold or cream. So, whether you like it light or dark, you can take your pick from the different dogs having rich, lustrous coats in varying shades. 

History

The credit for developing Golden Retriever breed goes to Lord Baron Tweedmouth. If you make a closer study how these dogs came into existence, you will come to know that the genesis lies in the mass enhancement of the guns in 1800s, which resulted in more felling of the fowls during hunting, over territories that were difficult to access and often were at great distances. Thus, the need for a specialist retriever was felt, and work began on breeding of the Golden Retriever.

History says that the Golden Retriever is a cross between yellow-colored Retriever, Nous, and her female counterpart Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel. It was in 1903 when the Kennel Club of England accepted the registration of Golden Retrievers for the first time under the name of Flat Coats - Golden. It was only in the year 1920 when an official change in the name happened and the breed was recognized as Golden Retriever.

The year 2006 was witness to a huge gathering of Golden Retriever enthusiasts in a meet, which was organized by the Scotland based Golden Retriever Club. Photographer Lynn Kipps captured 188 Golden Retrievers in a frame at the meet to commemorate the occasion, which is a record for the maximum number of Golden Retrievers captured in a single image.

Temperament

Golden Retrievers are friendly, strong, lovable, loyal, outgoing, easy to train, devoted and trust worthy. These dogs are also sensitive, intelligent, bark infrequently, adaptable and get along well with other pet dogs and children. This breed scores a brownie point for having an edge over the others when it comes to sharp memory. So, if you are a stranger for the dog, better watch out. Golden Retrievers are found to be too eager to please their masters. So, if you succeed in imparting proper training to them, they may grow up to be well mannered dogs and may even perform some tricks to offer you and your loved ones some amusement. 

 
Health

Though these dogs are strongly built, they are still prone to six types of diseases. If you are thinking of having a good time with your dog, its advisable that you take appropriate care to keep these diseases at bay.

One of the diseases is skin related, which can arise out of a flea itch or a mosquito bite that leads to inflammation and irritation in the skin. If unattended, the dog starts to chew the affected area until the constant chewing has lead to a lesion, better known as ‘hot spot’. If immediate medical attention isn’t called for, the hot spot generally tends to increase in size. With your timely action, you can avoid further damage in such cases. You just have to apply a bandage or a collar specially meant to prevent the dog from touching the area. If this is not done at the right moment, in no time the area gets infectious, which in turn can lead to further complications.

When compared to other breed of dogs, Golden Retrievers have a greater chance of succumbing to allergies. The reason attributed to this phenomenon is the presence of wheat in dog’s food. Though the allergies aren’t life-threatening, they can play a big role in aggregating the digestion related issues. The first symptom of the presence of allergies is best visible when you see the dog licking its own face excessively or more than frequently. So, it will be prudent if you keep a check on these traits. The sooner you detect it, the lesser pain it will be for your trusted companion.

You can even figure out severe kind of diseases beneath its outer layer of the skin. As the dog grows older, different types of severe liposarcoma or fatty lipomas may tend to be common in them.

It has been observed that the dogs which are more than 10 years old often suffer from eye problem known as cataract. If timely care isn’t taken, this can lead to low or complete blindness in Golden Retrievers.

You may also notice Subvalvular aortic stenosis or Cardiomyopathy. In simple words, Subvalvular aortic stenosis is a blockage that is present in the left vein of the ventricle. When this occurs, it will cause low blood flow. Dogs suffering from this disease often require their heart to work harder due to the thickening of the muscle. The problem is mostly genetic and the remedy can be the use of beta blockers or mild antibiotics. You should refrain from going for heart surgery because the chances of your pet’s survival will be mild in such cases. On the other hand, Cardiomyopathy causes deterioration in the function of the heart muscles, and usually surfaces among dogs aged 4 to 10 years. In this case, the heart muscle will become weaker and flaccid, and will degenerate until the dog dies.

So, make sure that you take your Golden Retriever to a vet for regular check-ups so that any health ailment can be diagnosed early and treated on time. To enjoy your dog’s companionship to the fullest, you will need to take care of its health and give it a comfortable and hygienic environment to live in. 

Grooming

You should brush the coat of your Golden Retriever daily and thoroughly with a firm bristle brush. Go for dry shampooing them regularly, and give then a bath with a mild shampoo only you feel it to be absolutely necessary. Make sure to look for signs of ailments that this breed is prone to, like cataracts, hip dysplasia, and skin allergies. Since Golden Retrievers have a tendency to gain weight, it becomes important for you not to over feed your pet.

During shedding season you have to follow a ritual of daily grooming. If this is not possible to maintain, once in a week should suffice. Golden Retrievers shed a lot during the spring season when they are in the process of losing their winter coat. Since they are prone to ear infections, don’t avoid taking extra care of the ears and make sure to clean them regularly.

Exercise

Gold Retrievers don’t require a strenuous exercise regime. Generally running around or playing with you will serve the purpose, provided you feed it a nourished diet in adequate amount. You don’t need to lose your night’s sleep over your pet’s exercise routine.

Training

While training your Gold Retriever, you can focus on three basic types namely behavior training, activity training and obedience training. For behavior training, teach your pet some basic things like how to behave with kids and people, where to urinate, etc. The training module can also incorporate within its ambit leash training, training for house breaking, good general behavior and the like.

For activity training, you can teach your pet many activities like search and rescue, hunting, herding etc, to name a few. A lot of importance is given to this type of training because it helps you to bond with the dog in a light hearted manner. 

Obedience training will make your Golden Retriever obey your commands and become a better behaved pet. If you are successful in imbibing the appropriate training lessons to your dog and teach it to obey your orders or commands, you will have a good and trusted companion to boast of. However, be patient with your training and don’t go too harsh on the dog or it will act as a rebel and don’t bother paying attention to what you want to teach.

So, do your homework well before bringing home your Golden Retriever.