Videos Golden Retriever Breed Information
Country of origin -
UK - Scotland
Common nicknames -
Golden,
Yellow Retriever,
Goldie
Classification and breed standards
FCI:|Group
8 Section 1 #111|Stds
AKC:|Sporting|Stds
ANKC:|Group 3
(Gundogs)|Stds
CKC:|Group
1 - Sporting Dogs|Stds
KC
(UK):|Gundog|Stds
NZKC:|Gundog|Stds
UKC:|Gun
Dog|Stds
The Golden Retriever is a large breed of dog,
historically developed as a gundog to
retrieve shot waterfowl and upland
game during hunting. As such they were bred to have a soft
mouth to retrieve game undamaged and an instinctive love of water.
Their versatility sees them employed in a variety of roles
including narcotics detection, search and rescue, as hunting dogs and
as guide dogs. The Golden
Retriever's friendly, biddable nature and patient demeanour has
also made it one of the most popular family dogs (by registration)
in the world today.
1. Quick Facts
Golden
Retriever Quick Facts
Weight: | 25-36 kg | 55-80 lb
Height: | 51-61 cm | 20-24 inches
Coat: | Double coat, feathered, may be wavy or flat
Group: | Sporting/Gundog
Activity level: | Medium-High
Learning rate: | High
Temperament: | Friendly, confident, biddable. Never timid or
aggressive
Guard dog ability: | Low
Watch-dog ability: | Medium
Life span: | Median 12-13 years
Country of Origin: | UK - Scotland |
2. Appearance
2. 1. American type
The ideal Golden is athletic, and well balanced. It is a
symmetrical, powerful, and active dog. An American Golden is less
stocky and lankier than a British. A male should stand from 23 to
24 inches (58 to 61 cm) in height at the shoulders, and females
should be 21.5 to 22.5 inches (55 to 57 cm) at the shoulders. The
males weigh 65-75 lbs. and the females weigh 55-65 lbs. The coat is
dense and water repellent, in various shades of lustrous gold, with
moderate feathering. Excessive length, lightness, or darkness is
undesirable. The gait should be free, smooth, powerful, and
well-coordinated.
Field line Golden Retrievers tend to be smaller and have less
coat than their show line counterparts.
2. 2. English type
There is some variation between the English type Golden
Retrievers prevalent throughout Europe and
Australia and those of American
lines and theses differences are reflected in the breed standards.
This type is bigger-boned, shorter, with a more square head and/or
muzzle and are generally slightly heavier. Males should be between
56 to 61 cm (22 to 24 ins) at the withers and females slightly
shorter at between 51 to 56 cm (20 to 22 ins). Weight, however, is
not specified in the UK standard. The KC standard calls for a level topline and
straight hindquarters without the slight rear angulation found in
American lines. The eyes of American line dogs tend to be
set further apart than those of English lines and can appear to be
slanted and triangular in shape by comparison. A Golden Retriever
of English breeding can have a coat colour of any shade of gold or
cream, however, red or mahogany are not permissible colors.
Originally cream was not an acceptable colour in the UK standard,
however, by 1936 the standard was revised to include cream. It was
felt this exclusion was a mistake as the original
"yellow" retrievers of the 19th century were lighter in
colour than the then current standard permitted. The British
KC standard is used in all
countries with the exceptions of the US and
Canada. Some breeders of this type in
America may import their dogs to improve
bloodlines.
2. 3. Coat and colour
The coat is dense and waterproof, and may be straight or
moderately wavy. It usually lies flat against the belly. The
American Kennel Club (AKC)
standard states that the coat is a "rich, lustrous golden of
various shades", disallowing coats that are extremely light or
extremely dark. This leaves the outer ranges of coat colour up to a
judge's discretion when competing in conformation shows. Therefore,
"pure white" and "red" are unacceptable colors
for the Golden coat. The Kennel Club (UK) also
permits cream as an acceptable coat color. Judges may also
disallow Goldens with pink noses, or those lacking pigment. The
Golden's coat can also be of a mahogany color, referred to as
"redheads", although this is not accepted in the British
show ring. As a Golden grows older, its coat can become darker
or lighter, along with a noticeable whitening of the fur on and
around the muzzle. Puppy coats are usually much lighter than their
adult coats, but a darker colouration at the tips of the ears may
indicate a darker adult color.
3. Temperament
The Golden Retriever temperament is a hallmark of the breed and
is described in the standard as "kindly, friendly and
confident". They are not "one man dogs" and are
generally equally friendly with stangers and those familiar to
them. Their trusting, gentle disposition therefore makes them a
poor guard dog. Any form of
unprovoked aggression or hostility
towards either people, dogs or
other animals, whether in the show ring or community, is completely
unacceptable in a Golden Retriever and is not in keeping with the
character of the breed and as such is considered a serious fault.
Nor, should a Golden Retriever be unduly timid or nervous.
The typical Golden Retriever, is calm, naturally intelligent and
biddable, with an exceptional eagerness to please. They are
excellent with children and this along with their other qualities
has made them a favorite family pet.
As the name suggests, the Golden Retriever loves to retrieve.
Whether it's a thrown stick, tennis
ball, or flying disc, retrieving
can keep a dog of this breed occupied and entertained for hours,
particularly if there is also water involved. Goldens are also
noted for their intelligence, and can learn up to roughly 240
commands, words and phrases. These dogs are also renowned for their
patience with children. However, as with any breed of dog, if not
appropriately trained and supervised, a Golden may accidentally
injure a child in play, due to their high-spirited nature.
Typically, Goldens are fairly unruly as puppies and may chew and
retrieve everything in sight. This is something you should accept
going in, so as not to overreact when it happens.
By the time they reach maturity however, Goldens will have
become active and fun-loving animals with the exceptionally patient
demeanor befitting a dog bred to sit quietly for hours in a
hunting blind. Adult Golden
Retrievers love to work, and have a keen ability to focus on a
given task. They will seemingly work until collapse, so care should
be taken to avoid overworking them.
Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage are a
size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate
love for water. Golden Retrievers are exceptionally trainable -due
to their intelligence, athleticism and desire to please their
handlers- and generally excel in obedience trials. In fact, the
first AKC Obedience Trial Champion was a Golden Retriever. They are
also very competitive in agility and other performance events. It
is important to note that harsh training methods will typically
cause Goldens to shut down, therefore positive reinforcement is a
more effective way to train this breed.
Golden Retrievers are compatible with children and adults and
are good with other dogs, cats and most livestock. Golden
Retrievers are particularly valued for their high level of
sociability towards people, calmness, and willingness to learn.
Because of this, they are commonly used as guide dogs, moblility assistance dogs, and
search and rescue dogs.
4. Care
Golden Retrievers tend to be crepuscular- more active in the mornings and
at the evenings. Between these times, many retrievers are happy to
sleep providing they get a good burst of exercise each day. Golden
Retrievers are moderately active dogs, and require a reasonable
amount of exercise each day, although the extent of the exercise is
determined by gender (males are more active); by individual
temperament (some Golden Retrievers are less active than others);
whether the dog has a companion animal (a pair of dogs will burn a
lot more energy through play); and by age (puppies tire quickly;
adolescent dogs are more energetic). As with any breed of dog, the
owner needs to make a responsible determination of the amount of
exercise required based on these factors. They are a breed that is
prone to obesity, even more so than the Labrador Retrievers, so the average
Golden Retriever should never be treated like a small dog, or
sedentary housepet. Some dogs may be too active to be easily
exercised by elderly owners.
Goldens should be groomed at least once a week, and every day
during heavy shedding. Their coats shed heavily the entire year,
and even more excessively during shedding season, which is normally
in the spring as the dog loses its thick winter coat. They also
need to have their ears cleaned regularly, or otherwise an ear
infection might occur. While shedding is unavoidable with Golden
Retrievers, frequent grooming (daily to weekly) lessens the amount
of hair shed by the animal. Severe shedding that results in bald patches can
be indicative of stress or sickness in a Golden Retriever.
Golden Retrivers are very attached to their owners. Leaving them
alone in a room can cause the dog to become very sad and
distressed. They have a need to always have something in their
mouth, and like to carry things around. They are great athletes and
must be walked daily, or they will become restless and anxious.
5. History
The Golden Retriever breed was originally developed in Scotland at "Guisachan" near Glen Affric, the highland estate of Sir Dudley
Majoribanks (pronounced "Marshbanks"), later Baron Tweedmouth. For many years, there
was controversy over which breeds were originally crossed. In 1952,
the publication of Majoribanks' breeding records from 1835 to
1890 dispelled the myth concerning the purchase of a whole troupe
of Russian sheepdogs from a visiting
circus.
Improvements in guns during the 1800's resulted in more
fowl being downed during hunts at greater
distances and over increasingly difficult terrain. This led to more
birds being lost in the field. Because of this improvement in
firearms, a need for a specialist
retriever, arose as training setter and pointer breeds in retrieval
was found to be ineffective. Thus work began on the breeding of the
Golden Retriever to fill this role.
The original cross was of a yellow-colored Retriever,
Nous, with a Tweed Water
Spaniel female dog, Belle. The Tweed Water Spaniel is
now extinct but was then common in the border country. Majoribanks
had purchased Nous in 1865 from an unregistered litter of otherwise
black wavy-coated retriever pups. In
1868, this cross produced a litter that included four pups; these
four became the basis of a breeding program which included the
Irish Setter, the sandy-colored
Bloodhound, the St. John's Water Dog of
Newfoundland, and two more wavy-coated black Retrievers. The
bloodline was also inbred and selected for trueness to
Majoribanks' idea of the ultimate hunting dog. His vision included a more
vigorous and powerful dog than previous retrievers, one that would
still be gentle and trainable. Russian sheepdogs are not mentioned
in these records, nor are any other working dog breeds. The ancestry of the
Golden Retriever is all sporting
dogs, in line with Majoribanks' goals.
Golden Retrievers were first accepted for registration by the
The Kennel Club of England in 1903, as Flat Coats -
Golden. They were first exhibited in 1908, and in 1911
were recognized as a breed described as Retriever (Golden
and Yellow). In 1913, the Golden Retriever Club was
founded. The breed name was officially changed to Golden
Retriever in 1920.
The Honorable Archie Majoribanks took a Golden Retriever to
Canada in 1881, and registered
Lady with the American
Kennel Club (AKC) in 1894. These are the first records of the
breed in these two countries. The breed was first registered in
Canada in 1927, and the Golden Retriever Club of Ontario, now the Golden Retriever Club of Canada,
was formed in 1958. The co-founders of the GRCC were Cliff Drysdale
an Englishman who had brought over an English Golden and Jutta
Baker, daughter in law of Louis Baker who owned Northland Kennels,
possibly Canada's first kennel dedicated to Goldens. The AKC
recognized the breed in 1925, and in 1938 the Golden Retriever Club
of America was formed.
6. Health
The typical life span for Golden Retrievers is 10-13
years. In
many lines of Golden Retrievers, life-threatening health problems
are so common that it can be difficult to find an individual that
you can count on remaining healthy for a normal lifetime. When not
taken care of (not exercising GRs can cause them to become obese) a
large number of Golden Retrievers live less than 10
years.
Breeding Goldens can be profitable for puppy mills and backyard breeders. As a result of
careless breeding for profit, Goldens are prone to genetic disorders and other diseases.
Hip dysplasia is very common in the
breed; when buying a puppy its parents should have been examined by
the OFA or by
PennHIP for hip disease.
6. 1. Common diseases
* Cancer, the most common being hemangiosarcoma, followed by lymphosarcoma, mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma. Cancer was the cause of death
for 61.8% of Goldens according to a 1998 health study conducted by
the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the breed's
most deadly disease.
* Hip and elbow dysplasia.
* Eye diseases, including cataracts
(the most common eye disease in Goldens), progressive retinal atrophy,
glaucoma, distichiasis, entropion, corneal dystrophy and retinal dysplasia
* Heart , especially subvalvular aortic stenosis
and cardiomyopathy are major
problems in this breed.
* Joint diseases, including patella luxation, osteochondritis, panosteitis, and cruciate ligament rupture
* Skin diseases, with allergies
(often leading to acute moist dermatitis or "Hot Spots"), particularly flea allergies,
being most common. Others include seborrhea, sebaceous adenitis, and lick granuloma.
* Haemophilia
6. 2. Other diseases
* Autoimmune hemolytic
anemia
* Bloat
* Cushing's
Disease
* Diabetes
(occasionally)
* Ear Infections
* Epilepsy
* Hypothyroidism
* Laryngeal paralysis
* Liver shunt
* Megaesophagus
* Myasthenia gravis
* von Willebrand
Disease
7. Activities
7. 1. Dog sports
The Golden Retriever's eagnerness to please has made them
consistent, top performers in the obedience and agility rings. The first three dogs ever to
achieve the AKC Obedience Champion title, were Golden Retrievers,
the first of the three a bitch by the name of Ch. Moreland's
Golden Tonka.
Their natural retrieving ability also sees them excel in
flyball and field trials.
8. Rescue efforts
Because of the prevalence and prominence of the breed, high
demand results in many Goldens being abandoned each year by owners
who can no longer care for them. Puppy
mills are another source of orphan Golden Retrievers. These
dogs, often old or in need of medical support, may end up in
animal shelters.
In response to the numbers of orphan Goldens, volunteer
organizations work to rescue, care for, and adopt abandoned Golden
Retrievers. These rescue groups
usually accept dogs from owners and establish agreements with local
animal shelters to ensure that dogs will be transferred to their
care rather than euthanized. Once rescued, Golden Retrievers are
placed in foster homes until a
permanent home is found. It is common for rescue groups to screen
prospective adopters to ensure that they are capable of providing a
good home for the dog. Golden retriever rescue groups have utilized
the world wide web to raise funds and advertise rescued Goldens to
adopters. The Golden
Retriever Club of America has a permanent standing committee,
the National Rescue Committee.
9. Famous Golden Retrievers
* Abbey, pet of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
* Alex from Stroh Brewery
Company ads
* Antoinette from Ouran
High School Host Club
* Yuujiro from Hanazakari
no Kimitachi e
* Bonnie, as seen
on Blue Peter
* Brandon, companion of
Punky Brewster
* Buddy in Air Bud and its
sequels
* Charlie the Wonderdog from the Australian television series
The Late
Show
* Chuutaro from Futari wa
Pretty Cure
* Chase, mascot of the Trenton
Thunder minor league baseball team
* Comet from Full
House
* Einstein from Dean Koontzs' The Watchers
* Digby from Pushing Daisies
* Duke from Bush's Baked
Beans commercials
* Goldie, as seen on
Blue Peter
* Puppikins Dogchild aka Bill Griffin aka Gryphon
* Hunter from Road Rovers
* J.D. from Dead Like
Me
* Klaus Von Puppy - Jack McFarland's puppy in the sitcom Will &
Grace
* Levi from Sue Thomas:
F.B. Eye
* Liberty, pet of Gerald Ford and Betty Ford
* Lucy, as seen on Blue
Peter
* Maise, pet of Trent Reznor
* Mel from Ginga Densetsu
Weed
* Napoleon from movie Napoleon.
* Shadow from Homeward Bound: The
Incredible Journey and Homeward Bound II
* Shelby AKA Krypto from Smallville
* Speedy from The Drew
Carey Show
* Star owned by Pamela Anderson
appeared in the TV show Baywatch
* Stogie from Mission Hill.
* Steeler the Stink Dog of Colorado
* Sun Dance, from Adam Sandler's Click
* Trixie Koontz a retired
service dog
who died on June 30th, 2007, purported author of Life is Good: Lessons
in Joyful Living and Christmas is Good, companion of
Dean Koontz
Copyright (c) 2008 Kitt Killion Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
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