The Golden Retriever Breed
It's no secret that Golden Retrievers are one of the most lovable breeds of dogs out there. They are the perfect pet for any family. The affection they share and intelligence they possess, make them easy trainable companions!
Originally the breed was developed as a hunting and retrieving dog by Dudley Marjoribanks, the first Lord of Tweedmouth. Through his breeding of several different breeds of dogs, he created a dog that instinctively loved water but also had a thick, fluffy double-coat to keep warm. It also had a sweet disposition and was extremely obedient. Thus began the Golden Retriever!!!
In recent years there has been a large amount of confusion about types of Golden Retrievers. Simply stated, there are two ways that Goldens can vary from one another, but are still all considered genetically the breed "Golden Retriever".
- The first is "type". There are three different varieties of this dog: Canadian Golden Retrievers, British or English Golden Retriever, and American Golden Retrievers. The differences between these three are minimal. They are mostly physical (for example, there are differences in their coat types) and have emerged naturally over the course of breeding in regions.
The Canadian Golden
- Shorter and thinner hair than counterparts coats ( not as feathery)
- Stand taller (as much as two inches from counterparts)
The European/British Golden
- Long feathery cream coats
- Somewhat smaller that Canadian (not by much)
- Temperament same as Canadian and American
- Broader skull
- Powerful fore quarters,
- Darker eyes and rounded
American Golden
- Lankier
- Less muscular
- Coat are typically dark gold
- Eyes are lighter in color and triangular or slanted shape
The second way that Golden Retrievers can vary from each other is color. Goldens are known for the luscious locks that come in a shiny golden color.
There is very little color variation between Goldens. Goldens tend to stay within a limited spectrum. In general, there are three classifications of gold.
These include:
- Light Golden, including Cream colored
- Golden
- DarkGolden (but not red)
This spectrum is strict, especially for show dogs. There are Goldens that colors varying from pure white , mahogany to even sometimes black. They are not as common but they can be found. The beauty of these colors is that it is hereditary.
Our dogs are from European bloodlines thus having the characteristics of the British or English Golden Retrievers.
In general, Goldens are outgoing, trustworthy and eager-to-please family dog, and relatively easy to train. They take a joyous and playful approach to life and maintain their puppy like behavior into adulthood. These energetic, powerful, and versatile dogs enjoy outdoor play. Golden Retrievers were built to retrieve waterfowl for hours on end, so swimming and fetching are natural. They are popular as disability assistance dog, hunting dogs, detection dogs and search and rescue participants.
Golden Retrievers - Their affection is timeless, their devotion is ageless and their love is forever.