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Basic Information |
Golden HistoryThe Golden Retriever, part of the sporting group, is a relatively young breed. It originated in Scotland during the late 1800s where it was developed by a British aristocrat, Lord Tweedmouth. Since hunting provided both sport and sustenance on Scottish estates, Tweedmouth and other British lords sought to develop effective hunting dogs for upland game. However, because the original breeders were gentlemen, they demanded more than just practicality in their dogs. They also sought to create handsome animals who were a pleasure to watch work. The result was the Golden Retriever, a breed with both hunting skill and beauty. In 1865, Lord Tweedmouth purchased a yellow retriever “Nous” from an unregistered litter of otherwise black Wavy-Coated Retrievers. Nous was later bred with “Belle”, a Tweed Water Spaniel, and the resulting litter produced four bitches that were instrumental to his breeding program. One of them, “Cowslip,” he bred back to for over twenty years. Over the years, several outcrosses, to black Wavy Coated Retrievers, an Irish Setter, and later a sandy-colored Bloodhound occurred as he sought to improve and fix his new breed. The coat textures of the Goldens of this time reportedly varied, as did the color, which ranged from fox red to light cream. From these combinations came the Golden’s exceptional scenting ability, strong prey drive and affable temperament. By the early 1900s, the Golden Retriever had developed into a superb hunting retriever. In addition to its hunting traits, the Golden’s most distinguishing features were its luxurious Golden coat and sweet disposition. They have natural intelligence and keen noses to efficiently find hidden or fallen game. While they must be strongly driven to find and retrieve game animals, they also need soft mouths (to carry and deliver them gently) so the game is fit to eat. Finally, Goldens are confident, friendly dogs that can work well in groups of hunters and dogs. Temperament |
Golden Gifts
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