Golden Retrievers

Breeding Dogs That Meet The Golden Retriever Standard

The American Kennel Club has identified the Golden Retriever as a certain breed that fits within the sporting group of dog breeds. A mid-size dog, they tend to be eager to please and very friendly with people and other dogs. The American Kennel Club has specific qualifications for the standard of the Golden Retriever. These items include many aspects of the physical appearance of the dog including the head, neck, topline, body; forequarters, hindquarters color, coat, gait, temperament, size, proportion, substance and, of course, general appearance. Each of these categories is measured against very specifically definitions of the Golden Retriever standard, which is the model of the perfect Golden Retriever. Defined within each category are also things that are considered faults. Beyond these faults, there are a couple of things that will automatically disqualify the dog from being a Golden Retriever standard. These things are a deviation in height of more than one inch from the standard, either too high or too small, and also if there is an undershot or overshot bite. These are the only two automatic disqualifiers. The American Kennel Club has laid out specifically how the Golden Retriever should look and behave. You can look up the specifics of the standards at the AKC website. They include many specific items. For example, when the Golden Retriever is trotting, it should be free, smooth, powerful and well coordinated, showing good reach and the legs should not cross each other. The eyes of the Golden Retriever should be intelligent and friendly in expression, and medium large. The preferred color for the eyes is dark brown, but medium brown is okay. The nose should be black or brownish black. The coat should be a lustrous golden color. The mid-gold range is best, though it can range from lighter to darker. There can be feathering on the lack of the forelegs and underbelly, front of the neck, behind the thighs and underside of the tail. The natural appearance of the coat should be maintained, without any clipping or cutting of the fur, but too long a coat is undesirable. A Golden Retriever should meet the American Kennel Club standards if at all possible. These standards can be found at the AKC website, and include many items such as coat, gait, head, eyes, tail, forequarters, hindquarters, etc. The dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards will have some certain things in common. They will be beautiful dogs, with lustrous coats, usually in the mid-gold range. Their coats will be dense, with feathering on the forelegs and underbelly, and tail and back legs. They will muscular, and have a lot of energy, as they are hunting dogs and like to stay active. They will be eager and self-confident. Their tail should be held out, and their eyes will be friendly, alert and intelligent-looking. They will be eager to interact with people, and love to please. Dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards are dogs that any owner would be proud to show off and enjoy owning. The American Kennel Club has what they consider the standard for the Golden Retriever, which can be looked up on the AKC website. They include even such specifics as what color the fur should be and whether it can be trimmed. Those who want Golden Retriever information about the AKC standard can find it in this article.

Family Dogs: The Golden Retriever

A Golden Retriever makes a great family pet because of its terrific personality. Golden Retrievers tend to be very good with children, and very people-friendly in general. They get along with other dogs, too, and have few guarding instincts, though they will alert their owner to situations with barking. Though the breed was first begun in the 1800’s, it was officially recognized as a breed in Great Britain in 1913, after an exciting history. Sir Dudley Majoribanks, who was from Scotland, created the mix from a variety of sporting breeds and adding in some bloodhound to increase its sense of smell. He first crossed a wavy-coated Retriever with a yellow Tweed Water Spaniel. The offspring from that breeding was crossed with an Irish Setter and a sandy-colored Bloodhound. Eventually, we got the Golden Retriever as it is today. The Golden Retriever has been gaining in popularity all over the world, which is not surprising, given the people-friendly qualities they possess. Golden Retrievers are best if they have a mid-gold coloring and haven’t got any white patches on their fur. They love to be around people. In fact, in order to be happy and not get into mischief, Golden Retrievers need a lot of exercise and human attention. All that energy can be guided, thankfully, through obedience training, particularly while they are young. Golden Retrievers can be trained to be good watchdogs, barking to signify that a stranger is near. They love to swim, and can be trained to hunt, track, and find narcotics, so they are often used by law enforcement for those purposes. They are also used as rescue dogs. Being highly trainable and sociable dogs, many are trained to be guide dogs. They are also fun to have as a family pet, because they love to please their owners and can do that by being obedient to their training and by performing tricks. Golden Retrievers can make excellent family pets, as long as certain things are kept in mind. First of all, they need to be obedience trained, starting as a puppy. This is important so that they learn what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t, such as jumping up onto furniture and people, and coming when called. It is much easier to teach them the right behavior from the beginning than to get them to unlearn a bad habit. The owner also needs to remember that their dog will need plenty of exercise. Without exercise, the dog is likely to be bored and will be more destructive, digging holes or hurting furniture. The dog will also need attention from its humans, as it is a highly social animal and is eager to please. Be sure your dog knows you love it, and give it plenty of positive attention when it does behavior you like. Easily trained, a Golden Retriever can be used by law enforcement to track, hunt and find people and drugs. They also make wonderful guide dogs and family dogs. Anyone seeking Golden Retriever information can find that in this article.

Golden Retrievers: Not Good For Everyone

There's a very popular YouTube video featuring a Golden Retriever that's made a big hit all over the world. The video was taken during the relatively new sport of canine freestyle dancing. The dog danced John Travolta's part very convincingly to the song "You’re The One That I Want" with the owner, dressed as Olivia Newton-John. This shows you what a Golden Retriever – show quality or pet quality – is capable of. But Golden Retrievers are not born wonder dogs. They need time, effort and lots of praise in order to fully blossom into the great dogs they can be. You also need a good sense of humor and a willingness to let the house get a bit messy. You need to learn as much Golden Retriever information as you possibly can before, during and after you bring your dog home. The best places to get Golden Retrievers with great personalities are from breeders and Golden Retriever rescue centers. Never get a dog from a pet store. Golden Retriever puppies are a bit notorious for being hyperactive and destructive. This breed does settle down, but usually not until they are at least two years old. If you are not used to puppies, then you might find Golden Retriever puppies exasperating. However, you can usually find trained, sensible and healthy adult Golden Retrievers from animal rescue centers. You need to give them exercise every day to keep them sane. Keep in mind about the Golden Retriever's copious, feathery coat. It needs daily brushing. It will shed a lot – this is normal. It has also been said that Golden Retrievers have a wet dog odor, even when perfectly dry, more than other breeds. Golden Retrievers also like to dig, play in water and bring interesting objects they find into the house. That is because they were bred to bring game to their masters. Try to take the decomposing dead mouse as a compliment. On the whole, life with Golden Retrievers is a pleasant one, after the initial hyperactivity of puppy-hood (which, in a dog, lasts until they are at least two years old). Golden Retriever definitely need training, attention and vet care, but they adapt well to all three of these. The more you put into your Golden Retriever in terms of time, energy and training, the more you'll get. It is not accident that Golden Retrievers are often the dog of choice for therapy and rescue dogs. If you look in the media or in advertising, a lot of times when a dog is needed to play a part, that part is played by a Golden Retriever. This shows you what these dogs are capable of. Since they are large dogs, if you are not sure of how to train them, please get a professional trainer to help you. Read dog training books and learn as much Golden Retriever information as you can. The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular pets for families. Golden Retriever information can be found many places, such as the local library and the Internet.