The Golden Retriever

Many families consider getting a Golden Retriever for a family pet. This is understandable, considering the affable personality of the Golden Retriever. Golden retrievers are very people-friendly and great with children, which makes for a terrific family pet. The Golden Retriever was specifically bred for the qualities it has - agility, hunting skill, confident, love of people, eager to please, loyal, strong sense of smell and tracking ability. It is a mix of various sporting breeds, along with some bloodhound to sharpen its sense of smell.

Officially, the history is that back in the 1800's in Britain, Sir Dudley Majoribanks, a Scotsman, created the breed by first crossing a wavy-coated Retriever with a yellow Tweed Water Spaniel. The resulting offspring were then crossed with an Irish Setter and a sandy-colored Bloodhound. Continuing the line brought us to the current Golden Retriever. It was officially recognized in Britain in 1913, and has been gaining popularity throughout the world ever since.

Golden Retrievers are beautiful and sturdy, with medium-length fur, ranging from almost white to a rich, honey-colored gold. The best color is the mid-gold color, and having no white patches or other noticeable markings is desirable. They learn quickly, and have been used not just as family dogs or to assist law enforcement with narcotics or tracking purposes, but they are also coming into their own as guide dogs and rescue dogs. They need a lot of exercise, as they have a lot of energy. If they don't get enough exercise, or are left alone for too long, they can get they can get into more mischief than they will otherwise.

Golden Retrievers can be easy to train, as long as it is begun when they are still young, as bad habits can be hard to extinguish. As puppies, they are very playful, and it is important to teach them to be gentle and not too rough, as well as where they are allowed to be in the house.

Those who have Golden Retrievers need to keep in mind that their pet needs several things in order to be a happy pet. They need to remember their dog needs obedience training, plenty of exercise, and loving attention from their owner. The obedience training helps their pet behave. It is easier for the pup to learn good behavior right from the start than to try to unlearn bad habits, like jumping on furniture or barking at everything it sees. The exercise will help their pet stay actively stimulated by its environment, so that it doesn't exhibit boredom behavior, like digging holes and ruining furniture. The Golden Retriever also needs positive attention. As a breed, they are typically eager to please, and love to get accolades from their owners. They can be taught to do tricks fairly easily, which their owner can enjoy and encourage, along with encouraging other positive behaviors.


Carol Matthews has owned several Golden Retrievers because of a love for their wonderful qualities, and enjoys educating others about the breed. The Golden Retriever is a great family dog, though its natural abilities also lend them to use in law enforcement and as guide dogs for the disabled. They are good at swimming, hunting, tracking, rescue and they are easily trained and love to be with people and other dogs. Golden Retriever Information can be found in this article.