Golden Retriever E-Book

Jeffrey G. Pepper

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Kennel Club Classics
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 234

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Fourth in the Kennel Club Books' Classics series, The Golden Retriever recognizes the ever-popular all-American breed in this one spectacular volume. Written by author, breeder, and judge, Jeffrey G. Pepper, this book's engaging chapters on everything from the breed's accomplishments in performance events, to their participation as service dogs make it much more than just "another breed book." With more than 100 vintage and modern photographs of the breed, this book is a must-have for every Golden owner.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

 

Physical Characteristics of the Golden Retriever

Title Page

 

HISTORY OF THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER

THE GOLDEN COMES TO THE USA

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER

SIZE

COAT AND COLOR

TIME AND EXERCISE

DISCIPLINE

ORAL FIXATION

NOT A GUARD DOG

THE GOLDEN’S NATURAL APTITUDES

 

BREED STANDARD FOR THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER

 

YOUR PUPPY GOLDEN RETRIEVER

WHERE TO BEGIN

COMMITMENT OF OWNERSHIP

PREPARING PUPPY’S PLACE IN YOUR HOME

WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY

PUPPY-PROOFING YOUR HOME

FIRST TRIP TO THE VET

INTRODUCTION TO THE FAMILY

YOUR PUP’S FIRST NIGHT HOME

PREVENTING PUPPY PROBLEMS

COMMON PUPPY PROBLEMS

 

EVERYDAY CARE OF YOUR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

DIETARY AND FEEDING CONSIDERATIONS

WATER

EXERCISE

GROOMING

TRAVELING WITH YOUR DOG

IDENTIFICATION

 

TRAINING YOUR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

HOUSEBREAKING

KEEP THE “PUPPY” IN YOUR PUPPY

ROLES OF DISCIPLINE, REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

TRAINING EQUIPMENT

TRAINING BEGINS: ASK THE DOG A QUESTION

THE BASIC COMMANDS

WEANING OFF FOOD IN TRAINING

OBEDIENCE CLASSES

OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR LIFE

 

HEALTH CARE OF YOUR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

SELECTING A VETERINARIAN

PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE

SKIN PROBLEMS IN GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

FOOD PROBLEMS

EXTERNAL PARASITES

INTERNAL PARASITES

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS IN THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER

 

YOUR SENIOR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SENIORS

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE TIME COMES

 

BEHAVIOR OF YOUR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

THINK LIKE A DOG

AGGRESSION

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

CHEWING

DIGGING

JUMPING UP

BARKING

FOOD STEALING

BEGGING

SEPARATION ANXIETY

COPROPHAGIA

 

SHOWING YOUR - GOLDEN RETRIEVER

OBEDIENCE TRIALS

AGILITY TRIALS

TRACKING

FIELD TRIALS

HUNTING TESTS

 

Copyright Page

Ears: Rather short with front edge attached well behind and just above the eye and falling close to cheek.

 

Eyes: Friendly and intelligent in expression, medium large with dark, closefitting rims, set well apart and reasonably deep in sockets. Color preferably dark brown.

 

Nose: Black or brownish black.

 

Mouth: Strong jaws, with perfect scissor bite (i.e., upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set to the jaws).

 

Forequarters: Muscular, well co-ordinated with hindquarters and capable of free movement. Shoulder blades long and well laid back. Legs, straight with good bone. Pasterns short and strong, sloping slightly.

 

Head: Broad in skull, slightly arched. Stop well defined but not abrupt. Foreface deep and wide, nearly as long as skull. Muzzle straight in profile, blending smoothly and strongly into skull; when viewed in profile or from above, slightly deeper and wider at stop than at tip.

 

Neck: Medium long, merging gradually into well laid back shoulders, giving sturdy, muscular appearance. Untrimmed natural ruff.

 

Body: Well-balanced, short coupled, deep through the chest.

Physical Characteristics of the Golden Retriever

(from the American Kennel Club’s breed standard)

Color: Rich, lustrous golden of various shades. Feathering may be lighter than rest of coat.

 

Back line: Strong and level from withers to slightly sloping croup.

 

Coat: Dense and water repellent with good undercoat. Outer coat firm and resilient, neither coarse nor silky, lying close to body; may be straight or wavy.

 

Tail: Well set on, thick and muscular at the base, following the natural line of the croup.

 

Hindquarters: Broad and strongly muscled. Legs straight when viewed from rear.

 

Size: Males 23–24 inches in height at withers; females 21.5–22.5 inches. Weight for dogs 65–75 pounds; bitches 55–65 pounds.

 

Feet: Medium size, round, compact and well knuckled, with thick pads.

 

The Golden Retriever is the most beautiful and talented of the retrieverbreeds. It was originally developed to retrieve birds shot down over water. Dogs are trained, as shown here, with a dummy.

HISTORY OF THEGOLDEN RETRIEVER

The youngest and most beautiful of the retriever breeds, the Golden Retriever was originally developed as a waterfowl dog. Although still an admirable shooting dog, the Golden today spends more time romping with the family than in the duck blind or the field. Often considered the ideal dog to hunt over, compete with or just live with and hug a lot, the Golden has something to offer the sportsman, dog fancier or professional dog lover.

The Golden Retriever can trace its ancestry back to a single breeding and the first pair of yellow retrievers destined to be called “Golden.” The fancy is indebted to a Scotsman, the former Sir Dudley Marjoriebanks, first Lord Tweedmouth of Guisachan at Inverness, Scotland, and the first “breeder” of our golden dog.

Typical of 19th-century aristocracy, Tweedmouth was an avid sportsman and waterfowl enthusiast. His passion as a hunter was equaled only by his dedication to the sporting dog, having owned and bred Beagles, pointers, setters, Greyhounds, Scottish Deerhounds and Irish Water Spaniels.

During the 1850s he turned his attention to the moderatesized retriever varieties who were the “water dogs” of that era. Such dogs were known to be desirable combinations of setters and spaniels and other working varieties. They possessed great courage, strength, sagacity and temperament, and, not surprisingly, a superior nose. Although color was unimportant to most sportsmen, who understandably cared more about working capabilities, Tweedmouth was a true vanguard of his time and was bent on developing a yellow retriever strain.

 

The color of the Golden Retriever is any shade of rich, lustrous golden. They are powerful for their size and highly intelligent.

For many years the dog fancy embraced the romantic myth that Tweedmouth had acquired his first yellow dogs from a troupe of Russian circus dogs. That “golden” tale was dispelled by the late Elma Stonex of Somerset, England, the recognized judge and breeder of the Dorcas Goldens, a noted authority on Golden Retrievers who researched and uncovered the true history of the breed.

In an article in Dog World magazine, Mrs. Stonex wrote of information published in 1952 and 1953 in Country Life magazine. Contributed by the sixth Earl of Ilchester, a noted historian and sportsman, the articles revealed the breeding records of his great-uncle, Lord Tweedmouth, from his kennel at his Guisachan estate.

Those records, dated 1835 through 1890, contain no reference to dogs of Russian origin. They indicated that Tweedmouth purchased his first yellow retriever in Brighton in 1865, a dog named Nous (the Greek word for wisdom) out of a litter of otherwise all-black Wavy-Coated Retrievers.

Recorded as bred by the Earl of Chichester, Nous is shown in photographs from 1870 to be a large and handsome dog with a very wavy medium-color coat, very much resembling the modern Golden Retriever.

Two years later, Tweedmouth’s cousin, David Robertson, presented him with a Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle. David lived at Ladykirk, which was located on the Tweed River, and the Tweed Water Spaniel was the preferred hunting dog of that region. Historians describe the Tweed Water Spaniel as “a small English Retriever of a liver color” (liver meaning all shades of sandy, fawn or brown), a dog with a tightly curled coat who was an apparent descendant of the composite “Water Dogs” of the early nineteenth century. Belle was destined to become the foundation of Tweedmouth’s plan to develop a yellow retriever breed.

 

Golden Retrievers were developed as outdoor dogs. They were regarded as companions for the lonely hunter, assistants to bring in downed game, and handsome working animals. To this day Goldens enjoy outdoor activities more than anything.

 

Even though Golden Retrievers are large dogs, heavily boned and muscled, they can maneuver gracefully, hunt for long hours in the field and run at a rapid, sustained pace.

GOLDEN VIRTUES

Early writers spoke of the virtues of the Water Spaniel, ancestor of the Golden Retriever. “He rushes in with the most incredible fortitude and impetuosity, through and over every obstacle that can present itself, to the execution of his office... He rivals every other breed in his attachment to his master.” Those same words easily describe the twentyfirst-century Golden.

In 1868 the now-famed breeding of Nous and Belle resulted in four yellow pups that Tweedmouth named Ada, Cowslip, Crocus and Primrose. He kept Cowslip to continue his pursuit of breeding yellow retrievers, and gave the other three pups to relatives and friends who shared his dream of producing superior yellow dogs. Ada was given to his nephew, the fifth Earl of Ilchester, who founded the Melbury line of retrievers and often crossed his yellow progeny with other Wavy-Coats and Labradors.

 

Golden Retrievers are often credited with having derived from the Tweed Water Spaniel. They possess a great love of water.

In 1873 Cowslip was bred to another Tweed Water Spaniel, also given by David Robertson, and Tweedmouth kept a bitch pup he named Topsy. Three years later Topsy produced Zoe, who was later bred twice to Sweep, a descendant of Ada and bred by Lord Ilchester. In 1884 Zoe whelped another litter, this time sired by Jack, another son of Cowslip, who had been sired by a red setter in 1876. This litter produced a second Nous, who is the final link between Tweedmouth’s breedings and today’s Golden Retriever.

This second Nous was bred to a dog named Queenie, who was out of Nous’ sister and a black Flat-Coat sire. Two pups, Prim and Rose, no doubt named for their generations-removed ancestors, are believed to be behind the first two Golden Retrievers registered with The Kennel Club of Great Britain.

This last yellow litter from Nous and Queenie, recorded in 1889, shows four different lines going back to Cowslip in five generations. Linebreeding of this nature was most unusual in those days, so Tweedmouth was a true pioneer of his time.

GENUSCANIS

Dogs and wolves are members of the genus Canis. Wolves are known scientifically as Canis lupus while dogs are known as Canis domesticus. Dogs and wolves are known to interbreed. The term canine derives from the Latin derived word Canis. The term “dog” has no scientific basis but has been used for thousands of years. The origin of the word “dog” has never been authoritatively ascertained.

Although reading about “Dogs A and B” bred to “Dogs C and D” and beyond can become somewhat tiresome, these important detailed records reveal how the Golden’s yellow coat became the hallmark of the breed. The second Lord Tweedmouth followed his father’s dream and bred yellow retrievers until Guisachan was sold in 1905, although sadly, he failed to keep records of his breedings.

 

A Golden Retriever, bringing to the hunter a downed pheasant. Goldens must have “soft mouths,” which means they don’t damage the game when they retrieve it.

The final connection between Tweedmouth’s yellow retrievers and today’s Golden pedigrees is contained in a letter to his daughter, Marjorie Lady Pentland, written by John MacLennan, one of the Guisachan keepers. MacLennan had a litter of pups from a daughter of Lady, a bitch owned by the Hon. Archie Marjoriebanks, Tweedmouth’s youngest son. In his letter, MacLennan stated he had sold two pups to the first Viscount Harcourt, founder of the famous Culham Kennel, whose dogs are behind the entire Golden Retriever breed. Those two pups are believed to be descendants of Prim and Rose, and the foundation stock of the Culham line.

Lord Harcourt was a major player in those early Golden years and was the first exhibitor to show the breed in England (then known and registered as Flat-Coats, Golden) at the Crystal Palace show in 1908. His great sires, Culham Brass and Culham Copper (1905), were registered with The Kennel Club in 1903 and 1905.

In 1906 Lord Harcourt was joined in the ring by Winifred Maude Charlesworth, the most notable of early Golden aficionados. Mrs. Charlesworth spent 50 years breeding, training and campaigning her beloved Goldens. She was the force responsible for the formation of the Golden Retriever Club in 1913, and for many years she served as Honorary Secretary for the Club. That same year, also largely due to Mrs. Charlesworth’s efforts, Goldens were afforded their own category and registered as “Yellow or Golden Retrievers.” The “Yellow” was officially dropped in 1920.

The importance of Mrs. Charlesworth to the Golden breed is legendary among Golden fanciers. Under the prefix of Normanby (later changed to Noranby), her breedings to Lord Harcourt’s famous sires appear in every Golden Retriever pedigree today. She was a dynamic personality, and her dedication to the breed established the Golden as a premier gun dog in the British retriever world. Active in field trials as well as conformation, Mrs. Charlesworth was dedicated to the preservation of the working Golden who combined both type and soundness. Her dogs were sound and powerfully built, with lovely heads, and took honors on the bench and in the field. Her energy and enthusiasm in both venues promoted the Golden as a most capable gun dog who was competitive with the other retrievers of that time. In her 1933 book, she credits Lord Tweedmouth as instrumental in obtaining her first Golden, Normanby Beauty, which leads the reader to assume that bitch was directly from a Tweedmouth breeding.

 

During the early 20th century, the Golden Retriever was referred to as the Yellow Retriever. The term “yellow” was formally dropped in 1920 in favor of the current name.

BRAINS AND BRAWN

Since dogs have been inbred for centuries, their physical and mental characteristics are constantly being changed to suit man’s desires for hunting, retrieving, scenting, guarding and warming their master’s laps. During the past 150 years, dogs have been judged according to physical characteristics as well as functional abilities. Few breeds can boast a genuine balance between physique, working ability and temperament.

In the early 1900s, retrievers of all colors competed in the field trial meets. In 1904 the International Gundog League Open Stake was won by a “liver Flat-Coat” who was recorded as sired by Lord Tweedmouth’s Golden Flat-Coat Lucifer, an accomplishment heralded by some historians as possibly the first Golden Retriever field trial win. The important fact remains that most Goldens of that era who competed on the bench also took honors in the field.

THE GOLDEN COMES TO THE USA

British immigrants brought Golden Retrievers with them to North America in the late 1800s, and Goldens from Britain and Canada were imported to the US during the 1920s. In 1925, the Golden Retriever was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1927.

BE A “SPORT”

Yellow pups occasionally appear in litters of all-black retrievers. The color is due to a recessive gene. Such deviation from the normal pattern is considered a mutation, and the resulting yellow pup is called a “sport.”

American sportsman Colonel Samuel S. Magoffin founded the Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) in 1938 and acted as the club’s first president. His hard-working hunting dog, Speedwell Pluto, became the breed’s first AKC bench champion in 1930. Magoffin also takes credit for owning the second and third bench champions as well. The breed’s first national specialty show and field trial took place in 1940 in Wisconsin. The conformation specialty was won by Beavertail Gail Lady. Both the show and the field trial were equally supported, and early Golden club members were dedicated to establishing a handsome, working retriever in the US. Today the emphasis in the States is clearly on conformation, and the national specialty usually has at least five times as many show dogs as field dogs entered. The club publishes a bi-monthly newsletter called the “Golden Retriever News.” The GRCA, in an effort to promote the breed’s natural hunting abilities, introduced special Working Certificate Tests and, in an effort to promote the breed’s prowess in conformation, obedience and field work, started the Versatility Certificate program. Both of these programs award titles as suffixes to the dog’s name (WC, WCX, VC and VCX).

 

Whether you are considering a Golden Retriever as a pet, show dog, field worker or competition dog, the breed is among the most handsome of all pure-bred dogs.

 

One of the Golden Retriever’s most admired characteristics is its water-repellent undercoat, which essentially keeps the skin dry, thus making the dog more buoyant.

The Golden Retriever has enjoyed tremendous popularity in the US, beginning in the 1940s and continuing to this day. Only the Labrador Retriever outranks the Golden Retriever as the most popular sporting and pet dog in the country.

CALL ME “HONEY”

In India, a six-year-old police-trained Golden Retriever named Madhu (the Indian word for honey) was used to guard the palace grounds and home of the late Prime Minister Nehru.

There are too many Golden Retriever breeders who have made American breed history to name them all. Some of the most influential kennels include: Gilnockie, Rockhaven, Stilrovin, Cragmount, Goldwood, Beautywood, Gunnerman, Tonkahof, Sprucewood, Cheyenne, Sun Dance, Golden Knoll, Malagold, Pepperhill, and many others. All these early kennels produced not only bench champions but also hard-working hunters. Goldens have left their mark not only on the conformation ring but, more impressively, on the obedience and field trial worlds. The first three Obedience Trial Champions, the highest possible title in AKC obedience competition, were Golden Retrievers. Likewise, there are many Field Champion Goldens as well, though few Dual Champions (earning both a Champion of Record in the show ring and a Field Champion title). Stilrovin Nitro Express became the breed’s first Dual Champion, earning his Field Champion title in 1942 and his bench title in 1947. The last such Dual Champion was Tigathoes Funky Farquar, owned by Dottie Mikeska, who earned this title in 1979. In today’s American Golden scene, there are few to no contenders for this elusive title of titles!

 

Golden Retriever puppies are very playful and mischievous. Few can resist the charms and antics of a pair of Golden pups. They usually mature mentally when they are about two years old.

The Goldens in the 1930s claimed a few Best in Show awards; the first such winner was the breed’s first bench champion, American and Canadian Ch. Speedwell Pluto (1933), followed by Ch. Toby of Willow Loch (1938). The first Golden to win Best in Show on more than one occasion was Ch. Dzar of Wildwood, who won six shows between 1946 and 1950. Many Best in Show Goldens have followed in these footsteps, and today Goldens are a popular choice for that highest of conformation wins.

 

Retrieving and swimming come as naturally to a Golden Retriever as being a devoted companion dog. here a Golden Retriever fetches a downed duck.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THEGOLDEN RETRIEVER

It might be apropos to call the Golden Retriever the “golden treasure at the rainbow’s end.” As the ideal all-around companion and sporting dog, the Golden offers something for every person or inclination. Tweedmouth’s masterful linebreeding cemented the superb qualities of his yellow retrievers and, many generations later, Goldens remain the most versatile of the retriever breeds. Supremely intelligent and blessedly trainable, they also remain as devoted to their masters as the dogs of yore. Their talent is without equal, and the modern Golden excels in every canine discipline, including simple household amusements such as stick-fetch and shoe and sock theft. The Golden’s disposition is as sunny as his outer coat, and he is considered by many to be the perfect family dog, the ideal companion for all ages and activities.

While the Golden Retriever may be the ideal dog, not every person is an ideal owner. You may love dogs and have a soft spot for the Golden, but love alone is not enough. Consider the big picture before you add a Golden to your household.

 

If you want to keep your Golden Retriever looking as beautiful as this dog, you must be prepared for the daily grooming and exercising of your pet.

SIZE

The Golden is a medium-to-large-sized dog who requires a good bit of space indoors and out. Everything about the dog is big, including his hairy paws, which will track mud and dirt onto your kitchen floor. His happy wagging tail will sweep your prized glassware from low-standing table tops. His natural curiosity will lead to rows of nose prints on the glass above your windowsills. Given a single opportunity, he will claim at least two couch cushions or your easychair. A fenced yard or large-sized kennel run is a must to safely confine and exercise a large and energetic Golden Retriever.

 

Goldens thrive on fun activities with their owners. Few breeds demand as much time and energy from their owners as the Golden Retriever. This fellow is ready for more!

COAT AND COLOR

Part of the Golden Retriever’s universal appeal is his lovely golden coat. Although a wide variety exists in length, texture and color, the golden coat is still his most distinguishing characteristic. Colors range from very pale cream to gold, but excludes dark red or mahogany shades. The lighter shades are more common in the show ring, with proponents of the darker golden passionately dedicated to their color preference. Most coats are straight to slightly wavy and of medium length, although longer coats also are more common on the bench. Coat color also has no bearing on intelligence, temperament or ability. Professional grooming is an option, but if you decide to use a grooming service, investigate the cost and be sure you can handle that expense.

TIME AND EXERCISE

The biddable personality of the Golden Retriever is no accident. His strong work ethic and desire to please were traits important to Lord Tweedmouth and were paramount in his yellow strain of dogs. As a gentle, friendly dog with a most forgiving disposition, the Golden wishes only to make his owner happy. He will not thrive in solitude and needs to live as part of his family unit.

Goldens are also natural athletes who are joyful workers and willing to try any sport or physical activity as long as there is a human at the other end. These are energetic dogs who require exercise and an active lifestyle to channel their enthusiasm in the right direction. A play area is not enough. Your Golden will not exercise without you. YOU are his reason to run, walk or play. You must commit to at least one good walk each day, plus daily games of fetch, Frisbee games or bumper chasing (those large canvas rolls sold in pet shops and pet-supply catalogs for retrieve-a-holic dogs). Daily exercise periods will keep your Golden physically fit and stimulated and too tired to entertain himself destructively. Exercise is also a natural canine (and human!) stress-reliever and will help prevent symptoms of separation anxiety and other stress-related behaviors from occurring.

“DOUBLE-COATED”

As if one coat isn’t enough, the Golden is a “double-coated” breed, possessing an outer coat of long silky guard hairs and a soft downy undercoat that insulates the dog from temperature extremes, an important characteristic in a dog who must retrieve birds, especially waterfowl, under all weather conditions.

 

The two photos show normal Golden Retriever hairs magnified 60–150 times their actual size.

 

frayed

 

The two photos show distressed hairs that are smashed

Although most Goldens are energetic adolescents, some lines of show dogs produce more laid-back pups with lower energy requirements. If your canine companion goal is a Golden couch potato, research breeders who do not stress the working aspects of the breed. Be sure the puppy’s parents are calm individuals both indoors and out; scrutinize their response to play activities. Check the breeder’s references and past puppy owners to learn more about the temperaments of other pups. Good research should produce puppies you will enjoy living with.

THE HUNTER’S COAT

The Golden coat can create problems for the hunter, who must comb out seeds, burrs and tangled twigs after a long day in the field.

 

Goldens can be highly trained as hunting dogs. They can be trained to respond to various whistle commands, in addition to hand signals and verbal commands.

 

This Golden puppy didn’t know that digging up the yard is forbidden. Proactive training is a must with Golden puppies. Be certain your pup understands all the household rules.

DISCIPLINE

Even laid-back Golden Retriever puppies will require training to learn the rules of their new human world. Although highly trainable, Goldens are not born already trained, a surprise to some new owners who expect their Golden puppy to behave like the model Golden citizens they see on television. Good manners are not included in his purchase price. It is up to you to teach your Golden acceptable behavior in your home and in your neighborhood. That means weekly obedience classes with an experienced instructor and practice sessions with your Golden every day. If you cannot or will not commit to the time constraints of puppy training, perhaps you should rethink your decision to get this dog.

ORAL FIXATION

As a breed, Goldens are very oral dogs; after all, let us not forget their retrieving heritage. From pup to senior, most Goldens love, indeed they need, to have something in their mouths. It does not matter if that object is a toy, a table leg or your left hand. What is important is that this dog loves and needs to chew.

One of your major puppy challenges is teaching your puppy what he may or may not put between his tiny teeth. That will take effort, time and patience, but your pup is worth all that and more. Read the sections on techniques to discourage inappropriate chewing. If by four or five months of age, your pup still chews destructively, seek the help of a professional canine behaviorist. The dog may in fact be fine, and the problem might be you.

NOT A GUARD DOG

Given all the people-friendly qualities of the breed, it is no surprise most Goldens fail as guard dogs. The typical Golden might lick a home invader to death, which is not protection at its best. A Golden can be encouraged to give a warning bark, but his wildly wagging tail is a dead give-away.

“SNOW NOSE”

A Golden Retriever’s nose may turn slightly pink during long periods of very cold weather. Called a “snow nose” the discoloration is normal and the nose will return to black when warm weather returns. The color of the nose leather sometimes fades in older dogs and may become pinkish-brown as the dog ages.

However, despite their ingrained friendly attitude, stories abound about Goldens who have sensed danger to their families, especially their children, and reacted to protect them. While most Goldens owners believe their dogs would give up the family silver, they also trust that their dogs would rise to their personal defense.

THE GOLDEN’S NATURAL APTITUDES

OBEDIENCE AND AGILITY

As sporting dogs, Goldens are naturally athletic. They are also very trainable and obedient. Therefore, it is no surprise to see a large entry of Goldens in obedience competition and agility trials. Depending on how much advanced training you want to do with your Golden, these are areas in which the Golden excels and may be of interest to the Golden owner.

OTHER PURSUITS

The Golden Retriever has branched into many other areas beyond the show ring and field, all of which demonstrate the breed’s unwavering devotion to humankind. The Golden has been used in every imaginable pursuit, including drug and arson detection, where the breed’s super “sniffer” is put to great service; therapy work for nursing homes, children’s hospitals and correctional facilities, where the Golden’s sweet and steady temperament makes the dog ideal for sensitive interfacing with the elderly, the infirmed and the incarcerated; service work for the blind and the deaf, where the breed’s superior intelligence and trainability, reliability and adaptability give the disabled companionship and assistance in their everyday lives; search-and-rescue work, where the breed’s nose, persistence and work ethic enable the dog to save lives. Goldens were among the breeds employed in the search-and-rescue efforts at the Oklahoma City bombing and the World Trade Center “Ground Zero” recovery project.

 

The everfriendly Golden Retriever makes a far better guide dog and hunting dog than he could ever make a guard dog. This young pup has a bright future ahead of him.

 

Golden Retrievers and their owners frequently participate in field trials. Goldens are naturally obedient, intelligent and very trainable.