The hearts and minds of many dog lovers have been captured by the Golden Retriever. The Golden Retriever distinguishes itself from other breeds through its history and present. Although one breed, there are many kinds of Golden Retrievers. Golden Retrievers are lively dogs so they need specialized exercise. The Golden Retriever has a special coat, so it needs special grooming. The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds, as can be seen in the chart below from the American Kennel Club.

What is a Golden Retriever?

The Golden Retriever stands apart from other dogs. The most striking feature of the Golden Retriever is its long golden coat. They are considered to be a medium to large breed. Golden Retrievers have a calm and loving disposition.

The Golden Retriever’s origin was as a game dog, tasked with seeking and recovering birds that had been shot down. This job required the Golden Retrievers, as they are aptly named, to be able to traverse long distances over perilous terrain. They needed to be strong swimmers. Golden Retrievers needed to be energetic and enthusiastic enough to manage the long distances, yet calm and obedient enough to be managed.

The History of the Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever’s history starts with Sir Dudley Marjoribanks’ desire to breed a better hunter dog. Advances in firearms were making hunters capable of kills at great distances. Sir Dudley Majoribanks saw that a special breed of dog capable of meeting the hunter’s changing needs was needed. Sir Dudley Marjoribanks achieved this end by combining a black wavy-coated retriever and a Tweed water spaniel.

Dogs with golden coats were selected from their litter and formed the foundation for the Golden Retriever we know today. Their descendants were bred with wavy and flat-coated retrievers, another Tweed water spaniel, and a red setter. The yellow and a few black puppies were chosen to continue the line. Marjoribanks succeeded in breeding a dog that met the needs of hunters. He made Golden Retrievers easy to train, pleasant in disposition, and full of energy. This process is how we have the Golden Retriever we know today.

Types of Golden Retrievers

Golden retrievers are broken up into four kinds to choose from. These kinds were arbitrarily chosen by Golden Retriever experts and are open to debate.

1. The first kind is the Field or Hunting Golden Retriever. This Golden Retriever has a dark gold coat. Its frame is smaller than the frame of other retriever kinds. The field or hunting Golden Retriever’s personality possesses more energy and determination. This golden retriever’s hunting ability surpasses the ability of other kinds of Golden Retrievers. Despite the design of field or hunting Golden Retrievers, they are still often used as pets.
2. The second kind is the American Golden Retriever. The color of its coat ranges from light to dark gold. It is smaller than the English cream or British white Golden Retrievers, but larger than the field or hunting retrievers. These Golden Retrievers are the ones most often seen in dog shows. Owners choose this breed most commonly as a pet.
3. The third kind is the Canadian Golden. This breed has a darker, thinner coat. The Canadian Golden is taller than all of the other breeds.
4. The fourth kind is the English Cream or British White Golden Retriever. As the name implies, their coats are the lightest colored of the kinds. The English Cream or British White Golden Retrievers are stockier than the other kinds. They also have a calmer disposition. When choosing a Golden Retriever, one has many choices.

Exercise Requirements:

Golden Retrievers are lively dogs so they need specialized exercise. A Golden Retriever requires about one hour of physical exercise every day. This can be achieved by dividing the exercise into various intervals that suit your free time and lifestyle. Owners must make certain they give a Golden Retriever intense exercise as well as mental stimulation.

Golden Retrievers were bred to be very active, but many westerners do not live a very active lifestyle anymore. If an owner fails to exercise a Golden Retriever regularly, the gold retriever may develop various behavioral issues. The dog may become anxious or needy, or begin to dig and chew in ways that an owner does not desire. The root of these issues is boredom. There are plenty of ways to prevent a dog from developing destructive habits.

Grooming Tips:

When it comes to grooming, the Golden Retriever is not a low-maintenance dog. The Golden Retriever has two coats. The coats shed constantly, especially when transitioning from a winter to summer coat. A Golden Retriever must be brushed every day to keep your house clean. If you are going to keep the Golden Retriever as an outdoor dog, brushing once a week will suffice. How much the dog sheds comes down to the Golden retriever’s grooming.

Even if shedding is not an issue to the owner, the Golden Retriever should be brushed at least once a week to prevent mats and tangles. The Golden Retriever’s hair can cause it to be too hot during the warmer months. Consider bringing the dog into a groomer to have him trimmed or shaved. Golden Retriever haircuts can help to cool down the dog. A trim is all that is necessary to keep the Golden Retriever cool, but some owners prefer to shave their dog out of ease. Owners of Golden Retrievers recommend bathing it once every two months or when necessary.

Health Problems:

The Golden Retriever is susceptible to many medical conditions. This results from the extensive inbreeding necessary to preserve the Golden Retriever line. Most breeders screen their pups before selling them, but some Golden Retrievers slip through carrying health problems. In Golden Retrievers, cancer is the largest killer. According to a survey in 1988, Cancer alone killed 61.4% of American Golden Retrievers. There are many kinds of cancers that effect these dogs, but lymphoma is the most common to Golden Retrievers. Golden Retrievers are also victim to heart diseases. The most common heart disease in Goldens is subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). SAS is a heart murmur present from birth that is very serious and can lead to heart failure and sudden death. A Golden Retriever may appear perfectly normal, yet still have SAS.

Another problem common among Golden Retrievers is epilepsy, a brain condition causing seizures. Golden Retrievers are also affected by hip problems. Golden Retriever’s hip problems are not usually experienced until old age, though there are some kinds of hip problems that are present from birth. Hip dysplasia can occur as early as puppyhood. Hip dysplasia is the incorrect forming of a dog’s hip joint. This problem causes excessive wear on the dog’s joints. The wear can cause the joint to become inflamed, which leads to further complications.

The Golden Retriever is a unique and popular breed, shown through the existence of many kinds of Goldens. Golden Retrievers live to exercise their inborn energy. Their beautiful golden coat requires special care. The Golden Retriever is a well-loved breed that holds a special place in the hearts of many.