Golden Retriever Puppies for sale - Golden Retriever Dogs for sale - Breeders

Friday, 09 May 2008

Golden Retriever Puppies for Sale - Dog Breed Information

Size : Medium

Origin : Great Britain

INTRODUCTION
Unlike many breeds, the development of the Golden Retriever in historical terms is fairly recent, and thanks to the painstaking research carried out by breed historians, firstly the late Elma Stonex, and latterly Val Foss and Frank and Anne Weekes, the history is quite defined and documented.
The breed originated from a series of matings carried out by Lord Tweedmouth from 1864 onwards. The starting point was his acquisition of a good looking yellow coloured Flat Coated Retriever which he took to his estate at Guisechan, near Inverness in Scotland. He mated this dog to a Tweed Water Spaniel, a breed now long extinct, and then bred on from the offspring of this mating using the occasional outcross to an Irish Setter, a second Tweed Water Spaniel and a black Flat Coated Retriever. The dogs produced proved to be grand workers, biddable and attractive. Puppies from the matings were given to friends and family, notably his nephew, Lord Ilchester, who also bred them. The dogs bred true to type, and so the forerunners of the breed we know today were established.

It was not until 1908 that the breed came into the public eye. Lord Harcourt had formed a great liking for the breed, and had gathered on to his estate at Nuneham Park, Oxford, a collection of the dogs descended from the original matings. He decided to exhibit them at the Kennel Club Show in 1908, where they created great interest. They were entered in a class for Any Variety Retriever, and described as Yellow Flatcoated Retrievers. The term 'Golden Retriever' was first coined around this time, and has been attributed to Lord Harcourt.

APPEARANCE
Golden Retrievers reach their full height around one year of age and full weight around age two. While they mature physically at two, they do not mature mentally until three or older, though many owners comment that their dogs retain their puppyish nature for life.
This is a large breed very similar in appearance to the yellow Labrador Retriever, especially when young. The most obvious difference is the Golden Retriever's luxuriant coat.

CHARACTERISTICS
Goldens are active and fun-loving but also exceptionally patient, as befits a dog bred to sit quietly for hours in a hunting blind. Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage are a size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate love for cool water.
Like the Labrador Retriever, they are noted for their intelligence, their affection for people, and their tolerance of children. They are natural clowns, which characterizes them as great dogs to use in hospitals or retirement homes. Golden Retrievers make great pets for young children due to their nurturing instincts and gentle nature. The other side of this is that they require lots of companionship to be happy. They do well in obedience trials and make excellent guide dogs, however, like people, not all of these dogs are this way. While they might not do quite as well in field trials as Labrador Retrievers, they are excellent hunters that are famous for their outstanding scenting abilities. They are exceptionally eager to please their owners.

LINKS TO FURTHER GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESOURCES
www.goldenretrievers.co.uk - Golden Retriever Breed Council
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This information was provided by Pets4Homes, if you would like to rewrite this breed profile with more detailed information then please contact us and we will add an acknowledgement to you here.

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