Golden Retriever - breed description and dog character

This breed of dogs has a magnificent history, which is notable for the fact that for a long time there was an official version of the emergence of retrievers, but once another appeared that proved how much the previous version was legendary.

Beautiful legend

According to the myth, the ancestors of the golden retriever were Russian shepherd dogs, which in ancient times were dogs performing in the circus. The creator of the breed is Lord Tweedmouth from Scotland, according to legend, he acquired these dogs after seeing them at the circus show, where the man was impressed by their intelligence and abilities. According to his assurances, this happened in 1858. Tweedmouth bought eight dogs for incredible money and began to breed them on the territory of his own estate, near the famous lake called Loch Ness.

Such a legend was told to any person who was interested in the breed, and once even dedicated a note to her in the magazine "Rural Life". Tweedmaut was engaged in popularizing his own version and always supplemented it with the fact that he planned to go on an expedition to the Caucasus, where he still wanted to acquire several representatives of Russian shepherd dogs. It is difficult now to guess what such a legend was to serve. Probably, this was dictated by the desire of the PR of the breed that appeared, to which an unprecedented interest arose. Gorgeous golden color, romantic features of buying dogs and the presence of dogs with incredible intelligence as ancestors - this played a good role in the legend of the Lord. It is worth noting that the Tweedmouth estate, where he was engaged in breeding retriever, was a truly magical and amazing place. A spacious estate, where exotic plants from all over the planet grew in the park, an amazing dairy farm and hunting grounds, where many high-ranking persons from Scotland were engaged in the pursuit of game.

Among the first breeders of these dogs were only the then cream of society, and this automatically increased the nobility of the breed. For example, one of the puppies fell into the hands of Colonel Le Poer Trench, and later the dog was registered at the British Kennel Club. It was recorded under the name of the Russian yellow retriever. For a long time, the circus version was recognized and popular, and the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs were also called the ancestors of the retriever. The version was not disturbed even by the fact that outwardly and to the liking the golden retriever was more like other dogs, but people still preferred to believe in an elegant legend.

Officially Recognized History of Origin

A lot of information was also obtained from a Tweedmouth letter to his relative, who was involved in breeding retrievers.The document contains a detailed description of all events that are related to the occurrence of the breed. The first representative was purchased from a Brighton shoemaker, to whom puppies with a beautiful golden color came from an ordinary forester. The dog with golden wool Tweedmouth called Nous, which in translation can mean "wise."

Nous was tied up with Bell, a water spaniel with tea-colored wool. The result of mating was three yellow puppies who were destined to establish a new dog breed. Any subsequent breeding was also described in the stud books, and the last individuals born during the life of the Lord were dogs named Rose and Prim. At the end of the twentieth century, documents were found that traced the entire pedigree from Rose to the current Golden Retriever.

Description of the breed standard

Outwardly, these dogs look incredibly proportionate. This is a beautiful, well-built animal, with an active character, friendliness and self-confidence.

1. Regarding the body, the head looks harmonious. The muzzle does not look excessively sharp or rough, it is wide enough, but not massive. Clear is the transition from the forehead to the muzzle. Special attention should be paid to the eyes - they are certainly dark brown, the stroke is also dark, and the look is expressive and pleasant.
2. The jaws are strong, the scissors bite. The teeth are not small. The ears are not very large, hanging down. They are located approximately on the same level with the eyes.
3. The chest is massive, the ribs are well traced, located deep. The back is straight, the tail and the back of the back smoothly continue the straight line. According to American standards, cereals with a slight slope are allowed.
4. The front legs have developed muscles, straight. The shoulder blades are slightly retracted posteriorly, and the elbows are close to the body. This allows the dog to cope with the responsibilities of escorting the owner on the hunt. He manages to easily run without spending too much energy. The hind legs are strong, have strong muscles. It is important that the knee joint is firmly expressed - due to it the paws can stretch back when jogging.
5. The coat is either straight or slightly wavy. The retriever has a thick undercoat, impervious to water. The coat is longer in the neck and head. The mane adds to the image of good nature and friendliness, which are appreciated by these dogs.
6. The coat has a golden color, cream is also allowed. Red hair or too dark is not acceptable. According to the American standard, no coat color other than bright gold is allowed. At the same time, the standard of England has a higher loyalty, allowing pallor of flowers.
7. At the withers, a male can reach 65 cm, exceeding the growth of bitches by approximately 5-6 cm.

Character features of dogs of this breed

If you study the reviews about the nature of the pet, then everywhere you can come across only positive and kind words. It is difficult to find a person whose communication with the retriever would not be to his liking. They have incredible good nature and are wonderful towards people, trying to get in touch, and every minute they can show their own love and loyalty. Accordingly, the Golden Retriever a long time ago was no longer intended only for hunting escorts. Now these dogs are excellent companions, take part in zootherapy and are excellent guide.

The presence of a golden retriever at home helps a person calm down, forget about stress and become less aggressive. These amazing dogs can help with kids who are diagnosed with autism. Retriever can comfort a person if he cries or is upset because of something. These creatures in an incredible way precisely feel what mood the owner or other people now has.In other words, if you start a golden retriever, you will always have at hand a fluffy and warm “vest” that will allow you to cry into it. It is believed that even a simple hug with a pet helps to improve mood.

These dogs will never grin their teeth or growl aggressively at any person, therefore, they are not very suitable for the role of protector or guard. They are not even suspicious of strangers and can rejoice in the company of other animals. The retriever tries to avoid any conflicts and even patiently treats leprosy of young children. However, sometimes a strange dog can make the golden retriever lose his temper, and then the pet will demonstrate all its strength.

Golden dogs are not only obedient, but also very helpful. They always want to be useful for the owner and will not lazily lie on the couch if their owner does something that the pet can participate in. A number of owners use this feature, teaching their pet to bring them a variety of objects.

The Golden Retriever will be happy to accompany his master everywhere, without even thinking about offending or harming even strangers. But these animals should not be considered ordinary good-natured fidgets that can only play and enjoy. There are many situations where these dogs could save a person in a fire or flood. They do not need outside help to get a person out of the water. In addition to a keen mind, the retriever is able to quickly and independently analyze the situation, making the right decisions. These dogs have an incredible reaction, which allows them to act quickly in an unusual and extreme environment.

The Golden Retriever has an excellent scent and perfectly perceives training, so often these dogs are in the service of the customs authorities or police, where they help to look for weapons or illegal substances.

Features of care and maintenance of the Golden Retriever

You can get a pet not only for maintenance in the country, but also for urban conditions. It is only important to always give the dog the necessary attention and not to leave it alone for a long time. A golden retriever who does not have the opportunity to play with people, especially if he is sitting on a chain, is a tragic picture. This can result in serious mental problems in the dog, therefore, before acquiring a Golden Retriever puppy, you need to think about how much time you will be able to devote to your pet every day.

These dogs are also distinguished by the fact that they do not choose for themselves only one owner in a large family, therefore any member of the family can be engaged in upbringing and grooming procedures. Taking care of your pet is easy. It will be necessary from the very young age to accustom the retriever to hygiene and the correct daily regimen. You need to feed your pet in accordance with certain rules, but you should not forget about other nuances of care.

It is necessary to pay a lot of attention to dog eyes. It is not necessary to ignore the regular discharge in the corners of the eyes of the pet, especially if they are purulent. You will need to contact a veterinarian, as the reason for this can be anything: from a plague to helminthic diseases. Therefore, the usual rubbing of dog’s eyes and the use of drops is not enough. However, sometimes the only thing is that particles of dust or sand have got into the eyes.

If your pet took part in the hunt, then eye rinse will be required to eliminate possible debris that got there while running through the forest areas.

It is permissible to inspect the ears not so often - up to 3-4 times a month. Can be used for washing with water or a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide. The use of a conventional wet cotton swab is also allowed.

A number of owners are of the opinion that pet care is optional.In fact, this can lead to the appearance of tartar and the appearance of a yellowish plaque.

You can subject your pet to water procedures, based on your idea. Often, it is enough to bathe a retriever no more than 3-4 times a year. For washing, it is necessary to use special products that do not provoke dry skin.

But combing the golden retriever should be daily, then the dog will look neat and well-groomed. The dog’s pride is the golden coat of the dog, and this becomes a significant factor if the dog participates in the exhibition.

Golden Retriever Upbringing

If you are interested in the particular features of training, then the retriever can learn freestyle, circus teams and tricks, agility. Your pet will be able to take part in a number of performances and take part in charity concerts with such productions or show them in an orphanage.

Puppy cost

The price for a Golden Retriever puppy will depend on the documentation describing the origin of the dog, on who is present in his pedigree and on the potential of a particular puppy as a dog for shows. On average, the cost can reach 26 thousand rubles, and usually it does not fall below 14 thousand rubles.

Video: Golden Retriever Dog Breed