golden retriever

 

breed of large sporting dog developed primarily in Scotland in the mid-19th cent. It stands about 23 in. (58.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 75 lb (27.2–34.1 kg). Its golden-brown, water-repellent coat is made up of a dense undercoat and a longer, straight or wavy outercoat that lies flat against the body. There is a moderate to heavy fringe, or feathering, of hair on the chest, back of legs, and tail. A dog of great endurance, the golden retriever was originally developed as a retriever of waterfowl. However, it has been widely used to hunt upland birds as well, and has been successfully trained as a guide dog. See dog.

For the single by Super Furry Animals, see Golden Retriever (song).

Golden Retriever
Country of origin
England
Common nicknames
Golden Yellow Retriever Goldie
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 8 Section 1 #111	Stds
AKC:	Sporting	Stds
ANKC:	Group 3 (Gundogs)	Stds
CKC:	Group 1 - Sporting Dogs	Stds
KC (UK):	Gundog	Stds
NZKC:	Gundog	Stds
UKC:	Gun Dog	Stds

Golden Retriever is the basic name given to a breed of dog, originally developed to retrieve shot game during hunting. It is one of the most common family dogs as it is naturally very friendly and amenable to training.

Usage

Golden Retrievers are usually compatible with children, adults, and are good with other dogs. Generally their friendly nature makes them poor guard dogs. Golden retrievers are often well bonded to their family and will protect them when necessary. Golden Retrievers are unlikely to attack, but they make good watch dogs, because they bark loudly when a stranger approaches. Golden Retrievers are particularly valued for their high level of sociability towards people, calmness, and willingness to learn. Because of this, they are commonly used as guide dogs, moblility assistance dogs, and search and rescue dogs.^[1]

Appearance (based on American Breed Standard)

The ideal Golden is athletic, and well balanced. It is a symmetrical, powerful, and active dog. An American Golden is less stocky and lankier than a British. A male should stand from 22 to 24 inches (56 to 61 cm) in height at the shoulders, and females should be 20 to 22 inches (51 to 56 cm) at the shoulders. The males weigh 60-80 lbs. and the females weigh 55-70 lbs. The coat should be dense and water repellent, in various shades of lustrous gold or cream, with moderate feathering. Excessive length, lightness, or darkness is undesirable. The gait should be free, smooth, powerful, and well-coordinated. In shows, any resistance to handling, shyness, or aggression is a serious fault.^[2]

English

English goldens are easily recognized by their light cream-coloured coats which sometimes appear white. This type is bigger-boned, shorter, with a more square head and/or muzzle. They are more common in Europe, so breeders of this type in America may import their dogs to improve bloodlines. A Golden Retriever of English breeding can have a coat colour in the colour range of all shades of gold or cream, but not including red nor mahogany. While shedding is unavoidable with Golden Retrievers, frequent grooming (daily to weekly) lessens the amount of hair shed by the animal. Goldens are known to shed the most in the spring and summer months as this is when they drop their winter undercoats. Severe shedding that results in bald patches can be indicative of stress or sickness in a Golden Retriever.

Coat and color

The coat is dense and waterproof, and may be straight or moderately wavy. It usually lies flat against the belly. The American Kennel Club (AKC) standard states that the coat is a "rich, lustrous golden of various shades", disallowing coats that are extremely light or extremely dark. This leaves the outer ranges of coat colour up to a judge's discretion when competing in conformation shows. Therefore, "pure white" and "red" are unacceptable colors for the Golden coat. Judges may also disallow Goldens with pink noses, or those lacking pigment. The Golden's coat can also be of a mahogany color, referred to as "redheads", although this is not accepted in the British showring. As a Golden grows older, its coat can become a darker or lighter tint of brown, along with a noticeable whitening of the fur on and around the muzzle. Puppy coats are usually much lighter than their adult coats, but a darker coloration at the tips of the ears may indicate a darker adult color.

Temperament

Typically, Goldens are fairly unruly as puppies and may chew and retrieve everything in sight. However, once they reach maturity, Goldens remain active and fun-loving while developing an exceptionally patient demeanor as befits a dog bred to sit quietly for hours in a hunting blind. Golden Retrievers love to work. Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage are a size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate love for water.

Another legacy from their hunting background, Golden Retrievers are exceptionally trainable due to their desire to please their handlers and excel in obedience trials. In fact, the first AKC Obedience Trial Champion was a Golden Retriever. They are also very competitive in agility and other performance events. However, harsh training methods frequently cause Goldens to “shut down,” therefore positive methods are a better way to train these dogs. ^{[citation needed]}

They are also noted for their intelligence. As the name suggests, the Golden Retriever loves to retrieve. Retrieving a thrown stick, tennis ball, or flying disc can keep a Golden occupied and entertained for hours, particularly if there is also water involved. Goldens tend to be very tolerant of boisterous children. However, if not properly trained, they may accidentally injure a child in play.

As they age, they remain excellent friends and companions. They adore their owners and exhibit what can be described as unconditional love.

Care

Golden Retrievers tend to be crepuscular- more active in the mornings and at the evenings. Between these times, many retrievers are happy to sleep providing they get a good burst of exercise each day. Golden Retrievers are moderately active dogs, and require a reasonable amount of exercise each day, although the extent of the exercise is determined by gender (males are more active); by individual temperament (some Golden Retrievers are less active than others); whether the dog has a companion animal (a pair of dogs will burn a lot more energy through play); and by age (puppies tire quickly; adolescent dogs are more energetic). As with any breed of dog, the owner needs to make a responsible determination of the amount of exercise required based on these factors. They are a breed that is prone to obesity, even more so than the Labrador Retrievers, so the average Golden Retriever should never be treated like a small dog, or sedentary housepet. Some dogs may be too active to be easily exercised by elderly owners.

Goldens should be groomed at least once a week, and every day during heavy shedding. Their coats shed heavily the entire year, and even more excessively during shedding season, which is normally in the spring as the dog loses its thick winter coat. They also need to have their ears cleaned regularly, or otherwise an ear infection might occur.

History

The Golden Retriever breed was originally developed in Scotland at "Guisachan" near Glen Affric, the highland estate of Sir Dudley Majoribanks (pronounced "Marshbanks"), later Baron Tweedmouth. For many years, there was controversy over which breeds were originally crossed. In 1952, the publication of Majoribanks' breeding records from 1835 to 1890 dispelled the myth concerning the purchase of a whole troupe of Russian sheepdogs from a visiting circus.

The original cross was of a Laborador Retriever, Nous, with a Tweed Water Spaniel female dog, Belle. The Tweed Water Spaniel is now extinct but was then common in the border country. Majoribanks had purchased Nous in 1865 from an unregistered litter of otherwise black wavy-coated retriever pups. In 1868, this cross produced a litter that included four pups; these four became the basis of a breeding program which included the Irish Setter, the sandy-colored Bloodhound, the St. John's Water Dog of Newfoundland, and two more wavy-coated black Retrievers. The bloodline was also inbred and selected for trueness to Majoribanks' idea of the ultimate hunting dog. His vision included a more vigorous and powerful dog than previous retrievers, one that would still be gentle and trainable. Russian sheepdogs are not mentioned in these records, nor are any other working dog breeds. The ancestry of the Golden Retriever is all sporting dogs, in line with Majoribanks' goals.^[1]

Golden Retrievers were first accepted for registration by the The Kennel Club of England in 1903, as Flat Coats - Golden. They were first exhibited in 1908, and in 1911 were recognized as a breed described as Retriever (Golden and Yellow). In 1913, the Golden Retriever Club was founded. The breed name was officially changed to Golden Retriever in 1920.

The Honorable Archie Majoribanks took a Golden Retriever to Canada in 1881, and registered Lady with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1894. These are the first records of the breed in these two countries. The breed was first registered in Canada in 1927, and the Golden Retriever Club of Ontario, now the Golden Retriever Club of Canada, was formed in 1958. The co-founders of the GRCC were Cliff Drysdale an Englishman who had brought over an English Golden and Jutta Baker, daughter in law of Louis Baker who owned Northland Kennels, possibly Canada's first kennel dedicated to Goldens. The AKC recognized the breed in 1925, and in 1938 the Golden Retriever Club of America was formed.^[3]

Health

The typical life span for Golden Retrievers is 10-13 years.^{[citation needed]} In many lines of Golden Retrievers, life-threatening health problems are so common that it can be difficult to find an individual that you can count on remaining healthy for a normal lifetime. When not taken care of (not exercising GR's can cause them to become obese) a large number of Golden Retrievers live less than 10 years.^{[citation needed]}

Breeding Goldens can be profitable for puppy mills and backyard breeders. As a result of careless breeding for profit, Goldens are prone to genetic disorders and other diseases. Hip dysplasia is very common in the breed; when buying a puppy its parents should have been examined by the OFA or by PennHIP for hip disease.

Common diseases

• Cancer, the most common being hemangiosarcoma, followed by lymphosarcoma, mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma. Cancer was the cause of death for 61.8% of Goldens according to a 1998 health study conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the breed's most deadly disease.^[4]
• Hip and elbow dysplasia.^[5]
• Eye diseases, including cataracts^[5] (the most common eye disease in Goldens), progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma, distichiasis,^[6] entropion,^[6] corneal dystrophy^[6] and retinal dysplasia^[6]
• Heart , especially subvalvular aortic stenosis^[5] and cardiomyopathy are major problems in this breed.
• Joint diseases, including patella luxation, osteochondritis, panosteitis, and cruciate ligament rupture
• Skin diseases, with allergies (often leading to acute moist dermatitis or "Hot Spots"), particularly flea allergies, being most common.^[4] Others include seborrhea, sebaceous adenitis, and lick granuloma.
• Haemophilia^[7]

Other diseases

• Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
• Bloat
• Cushing's Disease
• Diabetes (occasionally)
• Ear Infections
• Epilepsy
• Hypothyroidism
• Laryngeal paralysis
• Liver shunt
• Megaesophagus
• Myasthenia gravis
• von Willebrand Disease

Rescue efforts

Because of the prevalence and prominence of the breed, high demand results in many Goldens being abandoned each year by owners who can no longer care for them. Puppy mills are another source of orphan Golden Retrievers. These dogs, often old or in need of medical support, may end up in animal shelters.

In response to the numbers of orphan Goldens, volunteer organizations work to rescue, care for, and adopt abandoned Golden Retrievers. These rescue groups usually accept dogs from owners and establish agreements with local animal shelters to ensure that dogs will be transferred to their care rather than euthanized. Once rescued, Golden Retrievers are placed in foster homes until a permanent home is found. It is common for rescue groups to screen prospective adopters to ensure that they are capable of providing a good home for the dog. Golden retriever rescue groups have utilized the world wide web to raise funds and advertise rescued Goldens to adopters. The Golden Retriever Club of America has a permanent standing committee, the National Rescue Committee.

Golden Retrievers in popular culture

• Alex from Stroh Brewery Company ads
• Antoinette from Ouran High School Host Club
• Bonnie, as seen on Blue Peter
• Brandon, companion of Punky Brewster
• Buddy in Air Bud and its sequels
• Charlie the Wonderdog from the Australian television series The Late Show
• Chuutaro from Futari wa Pretty Cure
• Chase, mascot of the Trenton Thunder minor league baseball team
• Comet from Full House
• Einstein from Dean Koontzs' The Watchers
• Duke from Bush's Baked Beans commercials
• Goldie, as seen on Blue Peter
• J.D. from Dead Like Me
• Klaus Von Puppy - Jack McFarland's puppy in the sitcom Will & Grace
• Levi from Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye
• Liberty, pet of Gerald Ford
• Lucy, as seen on Blue Peter
• Maise, pet of Trent Reznor
• Mel from Ginga Legend Weed
• Rowdy, a stuffed golden retriever on Scrubs
• Shadow from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and Homeward Bound II
• Shelby AKA Krypto from Smallville
• Speedy from The Drew Carey Show
• Star owned by Pamela Anderson appeared in the TV show Baywatch
• Stogie from Mission Hill.
• Sun Dance, from Adam Sandler's Click
• Trixie Koontz a retired service dog who died on June 30th, 2007, purported author of and Christmas is Good, companion of Dean Koontz^[8]
• Tugboat, former pet of cyclist Tyler Hamilton
• Napoleon (puppy) from movie Napoleon.
• Tonker Trucks (K.C.)

References

External links

Breed clubs, associations and societies

• • Golden Retriever
  • Spanish Retriever Club
  • The Golden Retriever Club
  • UK Golden Retriever Breed Council
  • Golden Retriever Club of America
  • Golden Retriever Club of Canada
  • Golden Retriever Club of Western Australia
  • Golden Retriever Club of New South Wales

Information

• • PuppyPup - An informative source for golden retriever information.
  • UK online database of over 470,000 Golden Retriever pedigrees.
  • Dogs.info - Golden Retriever Breed Guide
  • Golden Retriever at the Open Directory Project
  • Golden Retriever Foundation - A foundation started by the GRCA to help in the understanding and treatment of diseases, genetic defects, injuries and other ailments that afflict Golden Retrievers.
  • Golden Retriever breed standard at the American Kennel Club

Breeds of gundog
Pointers	English Setter  · Gordon Setter  · Irish Red and White Setter  · Irish Setter  · Pointer
Versatile gundogs	Ariege Pointer  · Blue Picardy Spaniel  · Bracco Italiano  · Braque du Bourbonnais  · Braque d'Auvergne  · Braque Français  · Braque Saint-Germain  · Brittany  · Cesky Fousek  · German Longhaired Pointer  · German Shorthaired Pointer  · German Wirehaired Pointer  · Large Münsterländer  · Old Danish Pointer  · Old Spanish Pointer  · Picardy Spaniel  · Portuguese Pointer  · Pudelpointer  · Small Münsterländer  · Spanish Pointer  · Spinone Italiano  · Vizsla  · Weimaraner  · Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Retrievers	Chesapeake Bay Retriever  · Curly-Coated Retriever  · Flat-Coated Retriever  · Golden Retriever  · Labrador Retriever  · Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever  · Standard Poodle
Spaniels	American Cocker Spaniel  · Boykin Spaniel  · Clumber Spaniel  · English Cocker Spaniel  · English Springer Spaniel  · Field Spaniel  · French Spaniel  · German Spaniel  · Pont-Audemer Spaniel  · Russian Spaniel  · Sussex Spaniel  · Welsh Springer Spaniel  ·
Water dogs	American Water Spaniel  · Barbet  · Irish Water Spaniel  · Lagotto Romagnolo  · Portuguese Water Dog  · Spanish Water Dog  · Wetterhoun

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