The Golden Retriever is a medium sized dog, often considered the perfect family companion, as he is very affectionate towards children. He ...
The Golden Retriever is a medium sized dog, often considered the perfect family companion, as he is very affectionate towards children. He is known to be docile and very attached to his surroundings. Golden Retrievers need to be physically active and have their owners take care of their sumptuous coat.
Golden Retriever Article Contents
- Character of the Golden Retriever
- Appearance of the Golden Retriever
- History of the Golden Retriever
- The popularity of the Golden Retriever breed
- Breeding and health of the Golden Retriever
- Golden Retriever Care
- What food for Golden Retriever?
- Playing with your Golden
- Adopt a Golden Retriever
- Golden Retriever Education
Character of the Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is surely the dog most recognized for his willingness to obey his master. The Golden breed dogs have at heart to please their master, which is expressed by a great joy of living and a very marked thirst for learning. The Golden dog approaches everyday situations with serenity and enjoys participating in all the activities undertaken by his master. This makes him one of the most appreciated family companion dogs in the world. The character of the Golden Retriever, generous and calm, confident and playful, makes him a very popular dog for families with children. The "Goldie", as it is sometimes called, will be perfectly able to live in cohabitation with other pets.
Jokingly, some Golden Retriever dog owners say that a Golden may be able to help a burglar carry valuables rather than prevent him from entering the house. In reality, the Golden Retriever protective instinct is very poorly developed. This is the reason why it is not suited for guard dog missions. On the other hand, his motivation for work, his intelligence and good obedience make him an excellent guide dog for the blind, therapy dog or assistance dog for people with disabilities. Thanks to its outstanding olfactory abilities and innate hunting instinct, it is often used in police and rescue services as a rescue dog, drug and explosive detection dog.
Appearance of the Golden Retriever
Without a doubt, the Golden Retriever owes its great popularity not only to its adorable character, but also to its appearance. The body of this medium-sized dog is particularly harmonious and well proportioned. His elegant skull has a well defined stop. His dark eyes, with naturally darker eyelids give him his famous soft and friendly expression. His robust muscles and strong bones make him an agile companion who loves going out!
The Golden Retriever belongs to the category of medium-sized dogs. The males measure 56 to 61 cm at the withers and the females are slightly smaller, with a size generally between 51 and 56 cm. Depending on their sex and age, Golden Retrievers weigh between 30 and 40 kilos. The semi-long coat of these dogs is smooth to wavy, but never curly. While the coat on the back is very close to the skin, the back of the hind legs, the underside of the tail, the chest and the belly are more bushy and abundant in hair. Due to its dense undercoat, the Goldie is not suited to live in areas with a very humid climate. The light color of its coat is of different shades, from bright gold to cream. Finally, the chest may show some white hairs.
History of the Golden Retriever
Many legends tell of the origins of this dog. It is considered that the first concrete traces of Golden dogs date back to the year 1864. In that year, the British Sir Dudley Majoribanks bought a Retriever from a shoemaker in Brighton with a wavy golden coat. This dog was called 'We'. He was the only light-colored Golden puppy in the entire litter, his siblings having been born with black coats. Sir Majorbanks, later named Lord of Tweedmouth, began breeding the breed in the highlands of Scotland.
The aim of the breeding was to produce perfect retrievers for hunting wild birds. In 1868 he crossed his dog "We" with "Belle", a Tweed Water Spaniel. Indeed, Spaniels were not only water dogs, they also had the reputation of being very hardy retrievers. Over the next twenty years, Tweedmouth mated the descendants of "Nous" and "Belle" with flat-haired Retrievers, Tweed Water Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels and sand-colored Saint Hubert's Spaniels. The result of these crosses was the Golden Retriever as we know it today.
In keeping with the original purpose for which Tweedmouth bred these dogs, the Golden was used for hunting. Its main mission was to bring back to the hunter the wild game shot, in its mouth but without using its fangs. Many Golden Retriever dogs were specialized in hunting waterfowl. Indeed, the Golden is considered a water dog that takes great pleasure in bathing. Even today, Golden Retrievers are still generally good swimmers.
The popularity of the Golden Retriever breed
Eight years after the official recognition of the Golden Retriever breed by the British Kennel Club in 1913, the first club related to the breed was created. These majestic dogs quickly gained popularity in England, their country of origin, but also in the United States. In the 80's and 90's, the breed became extremely popular, thanks to numerous appearances in films of the time and on television. Very quickly, Goldens appeared in many European countries as family and companion dogs.
Breeding and health of the Golden Retriever
Unfortunately, this rapid infatuation has had negative consequences. Non-professional "breeders" who wanted to make money quickly with their small puppies were breeding dogs without any idea of the health of the animals. As a result of these breeding methods, breed-specific diseases developed, from which some dogs still suffer today. By means of targeted genetic selection and strict breeding conditions, the risk of disease development is reduced.
Goldens Retrievers still suffer from the following hereditary diseases:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Epilepsy
- Progressive atrophy of the retina
- Cataract
If you wish to adopt a Golden Retriever, make sure that the breeder has passed all the obligatory health checks. Ask him to show you the pedigree of his dogs and to confirm that the parents, grandparents and siblings in the litter are in good health. Unfortunately, there are still many "mass breeders" for whom the health of the dogs is not important.
At a reputable breeder, the price of a Golden Retriever puppy is about 1200 euros. By adopting a healthy and well socialized puppy, you save yourself a lot of health costs at the vet. Golden Retrievers from licensed kennels live between 12 and 16 years of age, a much longer life expectancy than dogs from "mass breeding". This gives you a good chance of spending many years with your Goldie companion.
Golden Retriever Care
Your dog's state of health and dynamism depends mainly on the care you give him. Therefore, you will need to pay special attention to your companion's golden coat. Since Golden Retrievers do not only shed their hair during the two annual molting periods, their coat should be brushed and combed regularly. By doing so, you will not only untangle the undercoat, you will also be able to drastically reduce the amount of hair you find on his cushion or basket, on your carpets and sofa. In addition, by removing your dog's dead hair, the hot summer temperatures become a little more bearable. These dogs don't like hot weather.
In addition to taking care of your dog's coat, you will also need to carry out small regular checks, such as :
- The ears
- The eyes
- Paws
- The teeth
You will be able to notice possible anomalies and treat them accordingly, but also avoid dangerous infections. In addition to detecting visible symptoms of your dog early, you will also ensure that your dog becomes accustomed to being handled on a daily basis and that he can be handled without any feelings of anxiety. Ideally, you should get your dog used to being examined and cared for on a daily basis from an early age.
What food for Golden Retriever?
Diet has a considerable influence on the health of your Golden Retriever. So, how do you choose the Golden Retriever's diet? Is dry food in the form of dry kibble or wet food in cans and bags the favorite? Is it better to prepare your dog's food yourself? And what about the BARF feeding method? The range of dog food available is such that it is easy to get lost in it.
"What kind of food for Golden Retriever? "It is impossible to give a universal answer to the question of what to feed your Golden Retriever. The choice of food depends on several factors. Age, height, weight, activity level and health must be taken into account when choosing a food for your dog. A young, agile puppy with a need to exercise will have a very different energy requirement than an older dog with a tendency to be overweight.
Rich in meat and low in cereals
Independently of these criteria, the composition of the Golden Retriever food gives you a good indication of the quality of the product:
A quality dog food is characterized by its high meat content. This should be at least 70% or more.
Vegetables such as fruit and vegetables should complement the Goldie's diet.
Sweeteners such as sugar, fructose, glucose or syrup have no place among the components of the dog food.
A quality dog food can also be recognized by its detailed list of ingredients.
By offering your dog raw meat from time to time (as part of a BARF diet), you allow him to vary the pleasures even more.
Playing with your Golden
Even if you are concerned about your Golden Retriever's food and care, don't miss out on what he needs most: your love and attention! The Golden Retriever is a dog naturally attracted to people. He needs to take his rightful place in the family. The Golden Retriever would have a very bad time if he had to live in a pen. Let your dog participate in your daily activities and above all, plan enough time to allow him to let off steam physically and mentally.
Like all hunting dogs, Golden Retrievers love to move. Short, monotonous walks just long enough to do their business are certainly not suitable for these active dogs. Finally, these intelligent dogs not only want to let off steam physically, but also want to be challenged intellectually. In addition to throwing/fetching games and search games that you can easily incorporate into your daily walks, the practice of many dog sports and lessons at dog clubs can help you keep your Golden Retriever busy enough. Obedience training, dummy training, tracking, or participation in canine rescue units are particularly suitable activities for Golden Retrievers. Numerous sports and games allow these dogs to make the most of their good sense of smell and/or their desire to bring home. These water dogs also show great joy when you offer them the opportunity to bathe in a stream, lake or the sea. And if you don't have any of these three possibilities close to home, your companion will also be delighted to be able to wade in puddles in your garden or in a dog pool.
Adopt a Golden Retriever
Before you adopt a Golden Retriever, think about the investment and responsibility it represents. Ask yourself if you have enough time to devote to this playful dog who loves to move. The Golden is not meant to be left alone all day. Therefore, it will not be the most suitable dog for full-time working people. For those who have the time and desire to take care of a dog and ideally have a house with a garden, the Golden Retriever will be a loving, incredibly loyal companion. He will want to accompany you in all your adventures.
Golden Retriever Education
It can be said that the education of the Golden Retriever requires little time. But this does not mean that dogs of this breed do not need a minimum of education! Because of their taste for work and their very marked willingness to obey their master, Golden Retrievers always prove to be very assiduous pupils. Consistency and regularity are however indispensable to educate a dog well, whatever his breed.
However, do not confuse consistency and rigor with severity! On the contrary, give orders to your Goldie but in a calm and friendly manner. These sensitive dogs close to man need a master who, like them, is calm and serene.
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