MAIN Home Life Pets Dogs & Puppies Golden Retrievers

Aptly named for its ability to retrieve game, the Golden Retriever was first bred in Scotland in the 19th century as a hunting partner and loyal companion.

Today, the Golden Retriver is naturally employed as an excellent search and rescue dog and, owing to its calm & intelligent nature, is often chosen as a guide dog for the blind.

Behavior & Personality

As the fans of the breed know well, Golden Retriever puppies are a fun-loving, active and unruly lot who eventually grow into gentle and loving family members when fully mature at about age 2.

As the name implies, the breed's innate desire to retrieve often results in hours of endless fun playing catch with a ball or flying disc, and its love of splashing around in water makes it an excellent boating & fishing companion.

Throughout its life, the happy-go-lucky Golden Retriever loves company, and is an excellent breed for big families with children. While not as aggressive a protector as the German Shepherd, its thunderous bark may make any interloper think twice about invading a home inhabited by a Golden Retriever.

Care & Health

Due to its energetic nature, Golden Retrievers are best suited to younger households with a strong commitment to providing the proper diet and regular exercise that this breed requires to stay happy and healthy, especially as it ages. Weekly brushing throughout the year is also required, with special attention given to shedding season in the spring, when they tend to drop their winter coats.

A variety of diseases and conditions have been known to plague the breed, most commonly hemangiosarcoma, an aggessive cancer that attacks the blood vessels. Hip and elbow dysplasia are also frequent dangers and can quickly become crippling if not treated in its early stages. Cataracts are also common to the breed. As with all domestic pets, proper feeding and exercise (especially with Goldens) becomes all-important in advanced years to ward off a marked tendency toward obesity.

More about Golden Retrievers around the Web:

The Golden Retriever Club of America - Resources to maintaining good health with advice on related issues & diseases, information for breeders, tips & FAQ on what to look for when buying a healthy puppy, pictures, links to Golden Retriever rescue and related organizations.

American Kennel Club - Golden Retrievers - Official standards with ideal size & proportions, coloring and temperament, pictures and fun facts, related resources to buying a healthy puppy.

GRREAT - Golden Retriever Rescue, Education and Training - One-stop browsing for rescue & adoption resources, facts on health & feeding, proper exercise and training, puppy buying guidelines, online forum.

Golden Retrievers - Exensive FAQ with answers to common questions on health, diseases & conditions, behavior, shedding, feeding & exercise, with related links & resources, bibliography.

House Rules for Golden Retrievers - What to do about nipping, biting and barking with tips on socialization and formal obedience training for your new puppy.

Land of PureGold Foundation - Helpful tips & advice for owners battling various cancers common to Golden Retrievers plus related general resources, feature articles on feeding, training, puppy care.

also see -> Westminster Dog Show | Pet Sitters

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