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Golden Retriever: Origin, Temperament, Training, Exercise (Yellow Retriever, Goldie, Golden)
About Golden Retriever
Country of Origin, History of Golden Retrievers
Like many of the sporting breeds, the Golden Retriever was developed in Britain in the 1800s. The dog was bred on the Guisachan Estate in Scotland, which was owned by Lord Tweedmouth. Here, the Golden Retriever initially evolved from crossing a yellow Retriever of flat-coat ancestry with a local and now extinct breed known as the Tweed Water Spaniel – a Retriever with a tightly curled coat.
Lord Tweedmouth’s goal was to breed a hunting dog that would be stronger and more active than other Retriever breeds in existence at the time. As a rugged, medium-sized dog, the breed was valued for its ability to hunt on land and in water. Sportsmen admired the dog's athletic ability and diligence while their families enjoyed the gentle, friendly nature of the pet. By the late 1800s, the Golden Retriever was well known in North America.
Golden Retriever Tools
Breed Selector Tool - is the Golden Retriever the right breed for you?
Is the Golden Retriever the right breed for you and your family?
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Are you aware dogs also have a learning style that can greatly affect their ability to housetrain as well as be trained correctly. Evaluate your Golden Retriever's learning style and personality using our free Learning Style tool so that you are better able to provide him with the proper Golden Retriever training methods.
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Golden Retriever Calorie Calculator
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A General Description of the Dog
The Golden Retriever is a strong, medium sized dog with a moderately round skull and ears that are triangular, pendant (hanging) and fall approximately to the level of the jaw. In the American line of Golden Retrievers, the eyes are set farther apart and are slanted and triangular in shape, compared to the British line. Males have a broader skull and muzzle and a thicker neck than females. The dog’s medium to dark brown eyes have a deep and gentle expression with a spark of intelligence. The body is slightly longer than tall and is well angulated in the rear. The powerful dog gaits with fluid movement; its thick, muscular tail is carried level with the back and is almost always wagging.
Goldens with undershot or overshot jaws and dogs more than an inch off the stated height are disqualified in the show ring.
Coat
The Golden coat is dense and water-repellent with a thick undercoat. The outer coat is firm and resilient and can be straight or wavy; the legs, underbelly, neck and tail are feathered with longer, lighter hair. As the name suggests, the coat color can range from cream to gold, but must not border on red or mahogany. With the exception of greying or whitening of face or body due to age, any white marking, other than a few white hairs on the chest, are not permitted in the breed standard.
Height
The AKC standard states that males should be 23-24 inches in height at withers; females 21½-22½ inches.
Weight
Male: 65-75 pounds;
Female: 55-65 pounds.
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Golden Retriever Personality Traits
Temperament
The Spanish Water Dog is an extremely intelligent, fearless, ever-active, strong, attentive, happy and well balanced versatile working dog with strong herding, hunting and guardian instincts. It is a devoted companion. It is reserved, not shy, with strangers. They can be protective and territorial.
Are they suited to families with kids?
Most of them are good with children and other animals if properly socialized.
Training
The Golden Retriever is an intelligent and highly trainable dog. In addition to being adept hunters, this breed has been trained as guide dogs for the blind, assistance dogs for the disabled and their keen noses have earned them worldwide recognition as sniffer dogs.
The dog responds best to reward-based methods and enjoys working for treats and praise. The Goldie will enjoy training accompanied by ‘play time,’ consisting of age-appropriate toys or ‘fetching’ activity. Retrievers do well in obedience training due to their focus on their trainer. Training must be gentle and consistent, never harsh, even for the dog that is easily distracted.
However, firmness is also necessary, for a 70-pound dog with bad manners is a nuisance. Early socialization and puppy classes are important for a Goldie pup who must learn to curb his natural friendliness to other dogs and his exuberance for greeting people.
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Golden Retriever Activity Level
Exercise Need
This energetic dog requires an abundant amount of daily exercise. Bred as a hunting and sporting dog, the Golden enjoys games of fetch, swimming and playing with other dogs. Golden Retrievers also enjoy 'hide-and-seek' games and will quickly perceive how the game is played and what is expected.
Golden Retrievers enjoy running along with an owner, but breeders recommend waiting until the dog is fully grown before engaging in running activity, or you can permanently damage the dog's joints. Owners should keep in mind that puppies should not have exercise forced upon them, especially if they are under eighteen months of age.
Grooming
The Golden Retriever has a smooth coat of medium length that is easy to groom. The coat responds well to a palm-sized comb or brush, containing firm bristles. Attention should be paid to the dog’s undercoat as it has greater density than the outer coat. It is recommended that a dry shampoo be used to clean the dog, bathing the animal only when necessary (to prevent coat dryness), and preferably not more than twice a month.
Golden Retrievers also benefit from regular brushing, once daily if possible. Brushing helps to promote a shiny, healthy coat and decreases shedding. The owner needs to check nails and have them trimmed if there is no natural wear. Feet can be trimmed of excess fur to expose nails and prevent slipping when the dog walks. Excess fur can be trimmed around the footpads but not between the pads themselves (to prevent chafing).
Golden Retrievers who hunt on land and are allowed to swim require special attention. Running in the woods can cause small foreign bodies such as burrs and other flora to become lodged under the eyelid or in an ear causing the surface of the eye and the ear to become irritated and inflamed.
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Health and Care
While the SWD seems to be a very healthy breed there are some issues that the SWD have, just like all other breeds. There are cases of Hip Dysplasia in the breed, so choose your breeder carefully.
All breeding dogs should have their hips tested, either by OFA or PennHIP. There have been a few cases of PRA reported in Europe so it is advised that all breeders should test their breeding stock for PRA and other such genetic eye diseases with a yearly CERF exam. A responsible breeder will be able to produce the results in writing.
Like other Water Dogs and related breeds, they grow hair in their ear canals and can be prone to ear infections. The ears must be kept dry and clean. . Because these dogs are (as a general rule) so active and energetic as puppies, they may seriously injure themselves from too much running and jumping when their skeletal structure is still developing.
National Breed Clubs
Life Expectancy: About 10-14 years.
Group: KCGB: Gun Dog, AKC: Sporting Dog
AKC Popularity Ranking:3
Also Known As: Golden
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You'll learn new commands to obedience-train your dog as well as how to housebreak your dog in 6 days or less.
You'll also learn how to eliminate bad habits like barking, nipping or biting, jumping, or pulling on the leash.Here's just s small fraction of what else you'll learn in the course:
How to lead and think like a pack dog - the new psychology.
3 dangerous mistakes that most Golden owners make when they are trying to potty train their dogs.
The 2 main reasons why your dog barks excessively and how to control its excessive barking.
How to obedience train your Golden Retriever to permanently end behavioral problems like Jumping, Aggression, Pulling on Leash.
A surprisingly easy way to teach your dog cool new tricks.
How to improve your dog's lifespan and keep it from getting overly heavy with a healthy and nutritious diet.
Getting Pro help fast - how to get access to our expert trainers when you need them most.
One hidden psychological trigger that all Golden Retrievers have... that practically allows you to "analyze" and "control" your dog's every action.
Priority access to the free online seminars conducted by our training experts.
Whereas other dog training related web sites and books offer generic information for dogs in general, ours is the ONLY web site that offers Golden information specifically, from a renowned panel of experts - because as you probably know, Goldens have their own special training requirements that other dogs don't have.
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