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ABOUT THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER
The History of Golden Retrievers
Starting in the early 1800’s Golden Retrievers were used for
hunting. Golden Retrievers became popular at the end of the 19th
century in England. The first Golden Retriever won a field game in
1904. A Field Game is an obstacle course or game that challenges a dog
in many ways.
Golden Retrievers were first shown in the Crystal Palace in
England Some travelers took Goldens over to America. The Golden
Retrievers were first seen in America in the 1890’s. Today, Golden
Retrievers are successful in field trials, hunting, obedience,
companions for the blind, and they serve as great pets.
Golden Retriever’s Coat
The typical coat of a Golden Retriever is a rich golden color.
This rich golden color can vary from a light yellow to a burnt sienna
red which is a rusty-red color. The golden color comes in many shades
and every shade is beautiful. Golden Retrievers are good for hunting
because the fur is water repellent and is neither dense nor silky, they
are good dogs for rough conditions.
Golden Retrievers shed! Make no mistake
about it. If you are not prepared to vacuum hair off your floor,
furniture, and clothing, it might be a good idea to check out a
different breed. There is no "shedding" season... they shed all
year long. However, a daily quick brushing will help lessen the
amount of hair, but nothing will eliminate it altogether.
Personality
Golden Retrievers are friendly, reliable and trustworthy. They
aren't usually shy or nervous. They are lovers of people and other
dogs. One of the greatest things about owning
a Golden Retriever is having it be nice with kids. A mature Golden
knows not to play too hard with kids. As a child and its Golden grow
up, they create a special bond. This is very beneficial for the child.
Even though Golden Retrievers love children, kids need to know that if
they scare any dog it might snap at them.
A Golden Retriever puppy may not be the best
choice for families with small (under 5-6 years old) children.
Goldens are friendly and gregarious and will jump on you just to show
how much they love you, especially when you come home from being gone
for a while. Of course, training can alleviate this problem, but
until that training is complete, the puppy/young dog will
jump on you. Jumping on a small child is usually not acceptable in
most families. A lot of breeders refuse to sell puppies to
families with small children because when the puppy knocks the baby
down, the baby cries, and the puppy gets put in the backyard
indefinitely. That's when the problems start... the puppy gets
bored, starts to chew, dig, jump over the fence, etc. The dog is
deemed a "problem" and a lot of times ends up at a shelter or rescue.
If you are
not prepared to let the Golden live with your family, please consider a different,
more independent breed.
Golden Retrievers are just that --
retrievers! So, don't be surprised if your Golden retrieves
everything... dirty laundry, remote controls, shoes... anything that's
not put up. You can look at it as a great way to be forced to
become a very tidy housekeeper, or it can make you crazy. Decide
which way your family would lean. Sometimes that retrieved article
comes back in not-so-good shape, like destroyed. Some Goldens are
worse than others about this. Goldens usually outgrow the chewing/
destroying phase as they get older.
Additionally, Golden Retrievers are NOT
watch dogs, or at least, not protective watch dogs. They
will bark to let you know an intruder is outside... or that the wind is
blowing, or a kid on a bicycle just went by. But as far as
protecting you from such an intruder, don't count on it. They will
want to play with him and be his new best friend. Some Goldens are
barkers and some are not. Depends on the individual dog.
It’s Your Responsibility
Each year millions of dogs are committed to shelters
because there are few good homes. As a dog owner you are
responsible for all aspects of your dog's life. Getting a dog is a big commitment, especially
Golden Retrievers. They always need lots of exercise because they love to
be active. Since their origin came from hunting, they need at least 1
hour of exercise a day.
NOW... if you've read all
the bad things about Golden Retrievers, the most important thing is this
-- A Golden Retriever will bring joy and love into your home.
There is nothing sweeter than a golden retriever loping across the yard
with a big smile on its face bringing you it's beloved tennis ball to
throw, and throw, and throw.... Then later, that same goofy Golden
will want to lay with its head in your lap while you watch TV.
There's nothing sweeter.
BUT BEWARE -- Goldens are addictive! Kind of
like potato chips -- bet cha can't have just one!
Here is a site with more
information about living with a Golden Retriever:
http://www.gaylans.com/disadvantages.html#Watchdogs |
