The Golden Retriever was originally developed during the late 1800’s in Scotland at the estate of Sir Dudley Majoribanks. He received a rare yellow colored puppy from a litter of black wavy-coated retrievers as a debt payment. This rare dog was bred with a now extinct breed called the “Tweed Water Spaniel” to create the first litter of Golden Retriever puppies. This breed was originally intended to use for hunting which their great sense of smell makes them excel at. Golden Retrievers must receive proper obedience training or they may become too energetic and rowdy. They tend to be eager to please with a strong will to learn making obedience training enjoyable for both the dog and its owner. Provided they recieve proper training, Labs are a very patient and gentle breed which makes them an ideal pet for families with younger children. Golden Retrievers are not instinctively guard dogs as they are extremely friendly and sociable around both people and other animals
Besides being wonderful companions for children, Golden Retrievers are great company for the elderly and are often used as therapy dogs in hospitals and retirement facilities. They are also used as service dogs for the disabled. Their keen sense of smell and willingness to learn make them very successful rescue and narcotic search dogs. Golden retrievers are also used frequently as guide dogs for the blind. Their friendly nature makes them crave interaction with humans or other animals to be happy. If they are left alone for long periods of time they can become destructive. Golden Retrievers require constant grooming and should have their ears cleaned regularly to prevent ear infections. As their name reveals, Golden Retrievers love to retrieve things! This natural talent was originally put to use to retrieve fowl shot by hunters. Golden Retrievers love to swim; retrieving items on land or from water can occupy a Golden Retriever for hours!
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Golden Retriever Breed Information
Breed Group
Sporting Group
Coat
Straight or slightly wavy firm outercoat, dense undercoat
Color(s)
Varying shades of rich gold
Size
21-24 inches
Weight
55-75 lbs
Exercise:
Requires a lot of exercise
Temperament
Intelligent, well-mannered, loyal, eager to please, friendly
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