Golden Retriever
Relatively new to the scene, the Golden retriever is a lovable dog, their stout stance and friendly smile, love of water, and always something soft for the mouth. There are several stories about the origin of the Golden retriever. The one I like best revolves around a yellow retriever born in 1864 among a litter of black siblings. Lord Tweedmouth of Invernessshire, Scotland saw the unusual colored puppy, took him back to his breeding kennels and named him Nois. Lord Tweedmouth bred Nois with Belle, a Tweedwater Spaniel, to strengthen the swimmer as well as for temperament. This focused breeding brought forth the golden retriever.
Goldens participated in field training in 1899, but were registered as flat coats due to their color. In 1908, the first golden retriever was entered to show in competition, again as a flat coat with golden fur. Mrs. Charlesworth showed her goldens who are thought to be the sires of Golden retrievers as we know them today.
My golden friends in different places are fun to be with. They never throw a paw and usually hang tight with their alpha so it’s fun when Johnnie gets together with the boys and we get to hang out.
To see the AKC standards for Golden retrievers click here.
Golden Retriever Facts
Males 23-24 inches, 65-75 pounds
Females 21.5 to 22.5 inches at withers, 60-70 pounds
They like to keep their coats and dens clean
Easy to housebreak
Loyal to all member of the pack
Intelligent, gentle,
Easy to train as
Family pet
Service dog
Hunting dog
Well mannered
Goldendoodle
Goldendoodles are a mixture of golden retrievers and poodles. Typically, a standard poodle, like I discussed with the labradoodle, is bred with the olden retriever to produce a medium sized larger dog. Dog size is all confusing to me. Oh, I’m getting tired.
Goldendoodles require exercise and lots of food and make excellent companions and family members. Their easygoing nature, versatility and happy nature combined with their trainability make for perfect service dogs for vets. It’s always good to help a vet. So, If you have the space and time, a labradoodle may be just what a human needs.