Golden Retrievers - Popular Dogs
The Golden Retriever breed can be traced back to its origins in Scotland because of the endeavours of one extraordinary man. In 1867 Lord Tweedmouth crossed a yellow coated retriever with a Water Spaniel bitch to produce the first in a long line of puppies that became progressively more like the beautiful breed we know today. In 1913 following various crosses and numerous generations, the Kennel club registered the Golden Retriever as a breed in its own right.
The Golden Retriever was originally bred as a gun dog that would bring back their Master’s kill. Their high level of intelligence and their ability to respond to commands made them the perfect dogs for such a job. Today the same attributes make them very easy to train, obedient and loyal to their human family. Golden Retrievers have a very lovable nature and are friendly towards everyone they meet. As such they are ideal pets; with their laid-back nature they are immune to the stresses of small children and other pets. However the fact that they are friendly and loving with everyone they meet makes them bad watchdogs or guard dogs; after barking at a burglar a few times they would happily let him take the contents of your house!
Golden Retrievers can grow quite big and so a small apartment or house is not an ideal home for one. Also they are very people-orientated and tend to become unhappy and occasionally a bit destructive if left alone for long periods of time. They are very active dogs and need regular long walks and a few games of 'fetch' to use up their excess energy. Golden retrievers enjoy carrying things around in their mouths because of their inbred nature to retrieve. This can cause problems when they are still puppies as they have a tendency to walk off with slippers, shoes, newspapers and anything else they find on the floor. It is important to provide plenty of toys for both puppies and adult dogs and to teach them early on what they can and cannot have.
Golden retrievers love to get wet and are very good swimmers although their thick undercoat can become matted if they are not properly groomed when dry. They also shed their coat throughout the year and especially around springtime when they loose their thick winter undercoat. Daily brushing with a good thick-bristled brush will help to control shedding around the house.
Unfortunately Golden Retrievers are prone to eye diseases such as cataracts. These can occur at any time during their lifetime but often don’t actually cause the eyesight to be affected. In older dogs there may be some loss of vision but regular check-ups with the vet can provide early detection and easy treatment.