Golden Retriever

This month’s we’re looking at one of the most popular breeds in Austalia and most common family dog in Australia – the Golden Retriever. The Golden is easy to train and when combined with their natural intelligence, they make a perfect dog for families, the disabled and those engaged in active lifestyles.

Snapshot
The friendly personality and eagerness to please and to be a part of the family are some of the reasons why the Golden is one of the world’s most popular dogs. Their intelligence and ability to adapt have also given them roles in drug-detection, search and rescue, and as guide-dogs.

History
The Golden Retriever is quite a modern breed. Originally bred in Scotland during the mid 1800s, it was first shown in 1908. From the start, the Golden  was developed to like water so that it could be used as a hunting dog, retrieving waterfowl and game. Initially, setters and pointers had been used for such hunting tasks but had proven inadequate for retrieving. Hunters wanted a more vigorous, larger and more trainable dog. Breeding-registers from the time shows that the original cross was between a yellow-coloured Retriever and a Tweed Water Spaniel, a dog now extinct, but fairly common in Scotland in the 1800s. The Golden Retriever was first registered as a breed called Retriever (Golden and Yellow) in 1913, getting its modern name by 1920. It is difficult to tell when the Golden Retriever first came to Australia as no records have been kept from those times. However, the first registration of a Golden in Australia appears to have been in 1937.

Personality
The temperament of the Golden Retriever is typically described as ‘kind and friendly’ to owners and strangers alike. This amiable behaviour naturally makes them unsuitable as guard dogs. Not only friendly, Golden Retrievers are also highly intelligent and known for their patience and exceptional love of children. As adults, Golden Retrievers are active and action-seeking, taking particular pleasure in work tasks they can focus on. A Golden socialises well with other dogs and pets, they are calm, sociable and learn tricks without problem.

Health
You can expect your Golden to be with you for about 10-12 years. Although a vital and healthy breed, Golden Retrievers are prone to some diseases, the most common being malignant cancer, hip and elbow dysplasia eye-diseases and various heart-problems. New studies from the US also shown a suspiciously high percentage of Goldens falling victim to lymphoma in combination with use of the herbicide 2.4-D although these claims remains to be properly confirmed.

Breeding
Reputable breeders follow the bloodlines of the animals, making sure no genetic faults are allowed to continue to be mixed.

Australian breeders

When looking to buy a Golden always conduct extensive research and seek out a reputable breeder. The suggested breeders below are just a starting point.

Riangold
Nistargoldens
Goldkeygoldens
Giltedgegoldens

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_retriever
http://www.grcv.org.au/The%20Golden%20Retriever%20New.html