The Golden Retriever has been for many years at the top of the ranking of our favourite dogs. The good character of the Goldie is recognised and appreciated all over the world, especially in the United States. Versatile at work, affectionate and sociable towards everyone, he is the perfect companion, at work and at home.
Originally from Great Britain, the recognition of the breed is quite recent since it dates back only to 1931; but we know practically nothing of his history. Only legends are known: the most famous one says that in 1858 Lord Tweedmouth bought a couple of Caucasian Shepherds that he had seen working in a circus. Eventually, he kept only the golden puppies to fix the recessive personality of the parents. Another theory argues that the breed originated from the cross between a sandy-coloured dog from St. Hubert (Bloodhound), and a Tweed Water Spaniel that’s now extinct. Other authors still argue that the ancestor of the breed was a yellow dog born from a cross between this water Spaniel and a Flat-coated Retriever.
FCI Group
FCI Group
Group 8 - Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
Section
Section 1 : Retrievers
Physical characteristics of the Golden Retriever
Adult size
Female :
Between 20 and 22 in
Male :
Between 22 and 24 in
Weight
Female :
Between 53 and 62 lb
Male :
Between 62 and 71 lb
Coat colour
The Golden Retriever’s coat can be any shade of yellow, ranging from cream to dark gold. Some white hair can be seen on the chest, but red or mahogany shades are forbidden.
Sand
Type of coat
The hair is mid-length.
The top-hair is flat or wavy with fringes and the undercoat is tight and provides good waterproofing.
The double coat, thick and silky, allows him to be very comfortable and perfectly protected in the water and against bad weather.
Long
Wavy
Eye colour
His eyes are brown, the edge of his eyelids are dark.
Brown
Description
The dog looks balanced, powerful, sturdy and soft at the same time. A well-proportioned dog.
Good to know
In addition to being an excellent hunting, companion, and guide dog, the Golden Retriever is also used by search and rescue teams or by police units to detect drugs and explosives due to his unrivalled tracking capabilities.
Goldens are very well known for their "soft mouth", which enables them to grab a victim's arm without hurting them. In fact, it is said that Goldens can pick up raw eggs without even cracking them!
Temperament
100%
Affectionate
This dog has a pristine appearance and a superb personality! He is very close to his social group, and his big heart is set on making them happy and providing all the love that his companions need.
100%
Playful
This dog is very playful and active, so he will be perfect to keep the children entertained. He will perform small and more ambitious tricks simply to amuse, entertain and attract the attention of all.
Games that are both playful and educational will be perfect to reinforce the obedience of this dog but also to strengthen the relationship that bonds him with his owner.
66%
Calm
If his needs are respected and fulfilled and he is well educated, he will be a quiet dog at home.
However, it depends enormously on the breeding. Indeed, the strong success of this breed has sometimes led to the production of puppies whose weaker characters have managed to endanger the superior quality of this breed.
Watch out for Golden Retriever farms that favour quantity of pups over quality of dog.
100%
Intelligent
He is versatile. This dog excels in many disciplines which reflects his great intelligence and adaptability. The abilities and personality of the Golden Retriever have even led him to become an excellent assistance dog for the blind and disabled.
The intelligence of the Goldie is recognised by the greatest scientists and specialists in cognitive behaviour. Indeed, a ranking based on instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence and intelligence at work placed this dog as the third most intelligent breed. Let us embarrass this modest dog no longer with talk of his tremendous intellectual capacity.
66%
Hunter
Even though he was naturally made to accompany hunters in the countryside, he needs some training to use him effectively for hunting.
The Golden Retriever dog will be particularly good at playing games, especially in water since this is an environment in which he performs with pleasure and skill.
33%
Fearful / wary of strangers
By no means aggressive or reserved towards strangers, the Golden Retriever is sociable, friendly, and demands interaction with familiar and unfamiliar humans.
66%
Independent
He is especially close to his masters and he demands attention, but all the same maintains a certain autonomy within his environment.
Behaviour of the Golden Retriever
33%
Tolerates solitude
He is not a dog made to stay alone long hours. He needs to be accompanied and stimulated regularly.
Life outdoors or in a kennel does not serve him well; this dog needs to live in the family home.
100%
Easy to train / obedience
The Goldie is very easy to educate since he will want and need to please his master. Due to his docile nature, he will be eager to learn if the methods employed are respectful of the principles of positive education.
Education should be initiated in puppyhood. Throughout his first 20 weeks of life, his brain will be super-busy. He will need to learn and be stimulated so that his natural abilities develop.
Instinctively, the Retriever puppy will look for a person to count on, which is a role that his owner should fill in order to guarantee the beautiful balance of this breed.
66%
Barking
This dog will not be an excessive barker; he will, however, raise his voice in excitement or frustration. A good education and proper handling of his daily needs will help to control this aspect of him.
