Interesting Facts about the Golden Retriever Dog Breed

19 Oct Interesting Facts about the Golden Retriever Dog Breed

The golden retriever is one of the best breeds! It’s considered the most popular dog among families. In 2019, he became the third most popular dog in the world. If you’re looking for a kind, intelligent and beautiful dog with a good relationship with children, this breed is the best choice. This dog is viral because of his attractive appearance and kind and good manners, and he’s considered a family dog. In this article, we will talk about this famous and lovely breed in detail; Where did this dog come from, what are the characteristics of the golden retriever dog breed and how to care for him? If you have a golden retriever dog or plan to keep him in the future, we suggest you read this article. 

The history of the Golden Retriever dog breed

The story of the emergence of the golden retriever dog breed goes back to the middle of the 19th century and the country of Scotland. At that time, hunting and using hounds was considered a popular pastime for the wealthy. A gentleman named Lord Tweedmouth, who himself was a hunter, saw the Golden Retriever (of Russian origin) in circus shows and was amazed by his intelligence and learning.

The high intelligence, strong coat, and good swimming ability of this dog breed made Lord Tweedmouth decide to train this breed for hunting. Over time and with the racial combination, the golden color of this dog was also created, and in this way, the modern Golden Retriever was born. Of course, even though the name of this breed is golden retriever or golden dog and everyone knows the retriever by this color, there are other colors, such as white golden dog, and he has his fans.

Golden Retriever Dog Breed description

The Golden Retriever is a strong, muscular and medium-sized dog that is famous for his dense and shiny golden coat. The name of this breed is also derived from his coat. A large head characterizes this breed with friendly and intelligent eyes, short ears, and a straight muzzle. On the move, Golden retrievers walk with a steady and robust stride, moving their feather-like tails as an “action of joy,” 

The complete records of the Golden Retriever’s growth are recorded in books kept from 1835 to about 1890 by the huntsmen at Lord Twitmouth’s Guizoken estate in Inverness-shire, Scotland. In 1952, the great-niece of Lord Twitmouth, the 6th Earl of Ilchester, who was a historian and sportsman, published the records left to him by his ancestors. These documents were the actual confirmation of the stories passed down from previous generations. Golden retrievers are reliable, fun-loving family dogs that are relatively easy to train. Their outlook on life is a happy and playful approach, and they retain this puppy behavior well into adulthood. 

Positive points

• He’s adorable, lovable, calm, happy, and a family dog.
• This breed is brilliant and easy to train, and suitable for those who want to have a dog for the first time.
• Golden retrievers love people and small children. He has very social and friendly behavior when dealing with people.
• He gets along well with other dogs and other animals.
• This dog doesn’t bark much, and if he has played and been active enough, he behaves calmly at home.

Negative points

• He has a large size and isn’t suitable for small apartments.
• This breed needs a lot of activity and daily exercise.
• Golden retriever hair loss is relatively high (especially in spring and autumn).
• This dog doesn’t like to stay alone at home for a long time and suffers from behavioral problems and anxiety.
• Because of his friendly behavior, he isn’t suitable for guarding.
• Golden retrievers have a habit of digging holes.
• He’s overweight, and he will gain weight if you aren’t careful.

Appearance characteristics of the golden retriever dog breed

Height

• Male height is 56-61 cm
• Female height is 51-56 cm

Average weight

• Male weight is  29-34 kg
• Female weight is 25-29 kg

The lifespan of Golden Retriever

His lifespan is about 10-12 years

Color

His color is varied between all kinds of gold or cream spectrum

Golden Retriever Dog Breed nutrition

High-quality, age-appropriate dog food (puppy, adult, and senior) provides all the nutrients this breed needs. Some Golden retrievers can be overweight, so monitor your dog’s calories and body weight. If you decide to give your dog a treat, do so in moderation. The use of treats can be an essential help in training, but their excessive use causes obesity. Avoid giving your dog leftovers, cooked bones, and high-fat foods. Raise your awareness about which human foods are safe for dogs. If you have concerns about your golden retriever’s weight or diet, discuss them with your veterinarian.

Grooming

• Golden retrievers shed heavily and shed their thick, water-repellent coat once or twice a year.
• Most of the time, a good brushing with a slicker brush once or twice a week will remove most of the dead hair before it has a chance to get on the furniture. During heavy shedding, these brushing sessions become a daily task.
• A bath will help loosen dead hair, but your dog’s coat should be dehydrated before brushing. Otherwise, Golden retrievers only need occasional baths to keep them clean.
• Like all other breeds, Golden retrievers’ nails must be trimmed regularly.
• Goldens’ ears should be checked weekly for signs of infection, and teeth should be brushed regularly.

Practice

Like most sporting breeds, Golden retrievers also need a lot of daily exercises. A Golden that doesn’t get enough exercise is likely to engage in undesirable behaviors. Golden retrievers make good companions for long walks and bike rides. It’s better to consult a veterinarian before strenuous activities that may stress the dog’s bones and joints. Many Goldens enjoy their exercise and training on hunting trips or field training, as well as in canine sports such as agility, obedience, and tracking.

Training

As with all breeds, early socialization and puppy training classes are recommended for this breed. Gently exposing your puppy to a wide variety of people, places, and situations between the ages of seven weeks and four months will help your Golden retriever develop into a well-behaved adult dog. Puppy training classes act as part of the socialization process and help the owner recognize and correct bad habits that may be developing. Obedience training strengthens the bond between dog and owner – a Golden retriever wants nothing more than to please his owner. Golden Retrievers are outgoing, loyal, and eager to do your bidding, making them very easy to train.

Teaching basic commands

You must start training him after two months to get the best results. The golden puppy may be so cute and lovely that you don’t want to take him seriously. But pay attention that the training of the Golden Retriever should start from the very beginning when he enters your home. Some of the essential training you should give your Golden Retriever are:

• Come on,
• Sit down
• lie down
• stay
• silent
• leave him
• sleep

Health and diseases

Goldens are usually healthy dogs, and responsible owners generally protect this breed from diseases, including knee problems and hip dysplasia, eye diseases such as early-age cataracts, pigmentary uveitis, and progressive retinal atrophy, as well as some cardiac screening, including aortic stenosis. Health tests recommended for this breed:

• Examination of the hip joint
• Knee examination
• Cardiac examination
• Ophthalmological evaluation
• Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 10 (NCL10)

General Appearance

A symmetrical, powerful, and active dog that gets along well with others, his legs are neither too short nor too long, he displays a friendly demeanor and has an enthusiastic, alert and confident personality. First, he’s a hunting dog and shows his work in difficult conditions. His balance and gait are generally more visible than his other components. 

Maintenance conditions

• This dog breed was initially created for outdoor activities. So if you love hiking, nature tourism, and swimming, he will be your best base and friend.
• Golden retrievers are social and family dogs and like to live with you and other family members. For your golden to be always happy and cheerful, it shouldn’t be kept alone for long hours in a place with little traffic like the yard.
• These dogs don’t bark much, but if you leave them alone for a long time, they will show their stress and worry by barking.
• These dogs are very social, and if they’re left alone for long hours, they suffer from separation anxiety and depression and try to attract the attention of others by barking!
• It’s a very active and lively breed and needs at least 40-60 minutes of training and exercise daily.

To wrap up

If you have enough time for this lovely dog ​​and take him out for a few hours daily to play and run, you can keep the golden dog in the apartment. If your apartment isn’t huge, we suggest you choose a Golden Retriever with a smaller size or a female that has a relatively smaller size. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, exercise, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.