The Golden Retriever!
With his friendly temperament and striking golden color, this breed is both beautiful to look at and a joy to own. While Goldens can adapt to virtually any living situation, they need considerable daily exercise to maintain physical and mental fitness. Your Golden should never be allowed to run free. Time spent in the companionship of people indoors can and should be complemented with time spent on daily walks or playing in a secure fenced area. Without the companionship of people and adequate exercise, your Golden may display behavior atypical of the well-cared-for pet and family member. Basic obedience training is an essential part of responsible dog ownership. It will make your dog a better companion and will help establish a stronger bond between the two of you. Your Golden wants nothing more from life than to please you.
It’s not surprising that Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. Along with being exuberant and friendly, they are strong dogs and hard workers. Goldens are good at whatever they do, be it hunting, serving as guide dogs, working search-and-rescue, or being devoted companions. Though they are serious about their work, they also enjoy being downright silly!
In the early 1800s, game was plentiful in England and Scotland, and hunting was both a sport and a practical way of obtaining food. Retrievers came into prominence because of the desire for a medium-sized dog that would do well in wild-fowling, both upland game and waterfowl.
Records kept from 1850 to 1890 at the Guisachan estate of Dudley Marjoribanks, first Lord Tweedmouth, near Inverness, Scotland, record the development of the original strain of Golden Retrievers.