Mary Allen
Are you looking for a dog with a friendly disposition, as obedient as it is trusting, with whom you can play sports? You hit the mark with the Golden Retriever: the Retriever has become one of the most popular pedigreed dogs in the country. That’s right: in a Golden Retriever, you will find a companion that is as smart as it is sweet.
From Retriever to Agility Enthusiast
With the development of firearms, hunters were able to track games over long distances. As a result, the requirements for their dogs changed: the animals had to return the prey they had shot down safely and over long distances. Thus came the hour of the Golden Retriever, which we owe to the breeding efforts of the Scottish Baron Tweedmouth in 1864. Noble Crossed Wavy Coated Retriever, Tweed Water Spaniel, and Irish Setter. The Golden Retriever owes its talent for searching for these ancestors. The Golden Retriever has been officially recognized as a breed since 1913. He belongs to the FCI group 8, section 1 Retrievers. His enthusiasm for the job and his intelligence make him a sought-after colleague for police, emergency services, and narcotics investigators. Thanks to his friendly, people-oriented nature, he is also an excellent therapy dog and companion dog in working with the disabled. But the Golden Retriever also finds its purpose as a loyal and loving family dog and is equally devoted to every member of the family.
Nature of the Golden Retriever
As a rule, he does not show aggressiveness or fear: the nature of the Golden Retriever is distinguished by openness and friendliness. The dog is also extremely compatible with relatives. In addition, there is a strong desire to please people. The Golden Retriever achieves this not only because of his attractive reliability but also because of his enthusiasm for work and willingness to be submissive. Therefore, even beginner dogs can get along well with him. On the other hand, the Golden Retriever is not suitable as a guard dog due to its lack of intelligence. A small weakness of character is his gluttony. Due to its balanced nature, the golden retriever rarely behaves restlessly and nervously. It is these qualities that allow him to concentrate precisely on his tasks. Added to this is his extremely good learning ability. Thus, as a therapy dog, guide dog for the blind, or police sniffer, he can best express his intelligence and obedient nature. In the family, you get a happy and trusting dog that is not easily disturbed. With the right guidance, the Golden Retriever does not have dominant behaviors or rank conflicts. His patience and playful nature make him an ideal family dog. However, the dog is not a toy and not a four-legged babysitter. Each animal has its own needs, and children must learn to consider them from the very first moment.
Training & Maintenance of the Golden Retriever
The size of the Golden Retriever varies depending on the sex from 51 to 61 centimeters at the withers and weight from 25 to 35 kilograms. This is a medium-sized dog that needs space. Daily long walks and sports sessions are a must to maintain the loving and balanced nature of the Golden Retriever. Ideal for this if your golden retriever has free access to a garden or property, is not left alone for long periods of time, and can form a close bond with his people. If you see this dog as a guard dog for the home and yard, you are sadly mistaken about this breed. He greets strangers with the same positive openness as kindred and other animals. Therefore, it is not at all suitable for keeping in a kennel.
You train your Golden Retriever with love and consistency to channel the dog’s hunting instinct in the right direction. You will meet his natural talents in training with extensive search and agility games. To stimulate your dog’s intelligence and develop his play instinct, you’ll need a wide range of gripping and action toys. Also, search and tracking is a welcome change. It is advisable to take a towel with you on the road: the Golden Retriever is a real water rat and if he sees water, he must go inside. After all, this breed was used back in the 19th century, especially for hunting ducks and poultry. A jump into the cool water was inevitable at any time of the year to pull dead birds out of the water.
Golden Retriever Diet
Despite their athletic and active nature, the Golden Retriever is prone to being overweight and obese. Since obesity is known to be a poison to joints and health, you must ensure that your dog has a balanced diet. Since this breed is considered especially voracious, you should make it clear to your puppy that begging and unintentional foraging in the field is absolutely taboo. Workout snacks and treats should always be subtracted from the daily diet.
Golden Retriever Care
Caring for a Golden Retriever is easy. Brush your dog once a week, and during the shedding period – daily. Ears and teeth should also be carefully cared for to prevent infections. Thanks to the undercoat, the dog is quite resistant to cold, but the summer heat can be exhausting. Golden Retrievers have a healthy appetite and are prone to being overweight with side effects such as osteoarthritis. In recent years, the Golden Retriever has become a fashion dog. Due to increased demand, there is, unfortunately, more and more careless breeding. So be sure to choose a reputable breeder. The average lifespan of a healthy Golden Retriever is eleven years.
What to Consider Before Buying
Given the Golden Retriever’s friendly appearance, excellent personality, intelligence, and affectionate nature, it’s no surprise that it has become a fashionable dog. But when demand is high, careless and questionable breeds increase in order to pass on the popular breed as quickly and profitably as possible. A good breeder, on the contrary, shows responsibility and genuine interest in the new owners of his wards. So don’t be surprised if he asks you a few questions. After all, he just wants to make sure that his puppies will be fine afterward. Mating only healthy parents, a sales contract, and a health check with vaccinations are standard. Visit the puppy several times before taking him home for good, ask the parents to show you around, and ask the breeder any questions you have in mind. Also, get an accurate picture of the conditions of breeding and socialization of animals. A vacuum cleaner, a collar, children, strangers, and riding in a car should not be new to a puppy.
And there’s something else to consider: Like the Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and many other workaholic dog breeds, the Golden Retriever is also divided into two breeding lines. The lighter and sportier working range is geared towards animal performance and is particularly suitable for hunting and active sports with dogs. The show line is more calm, balanced in spirit, and more compact and heavy in build. The breeders of this line have in mind not only show success, but also the character traits of a loyal and loving family companion without a pronounced search or hunting instinct.