Retriever (Golden)

The Golden retriever was developed as a gundog and does a very good job as one. They are versatile and can hunt both upland game as well as waterfowl. They will obediently retrieve game shot on land as well as n water. Their soft mouth enabled them to retrieve the game without damaging it. Nowadays they are also used in detecting illegal drugs, as guide dogs as well as in search and rescue missions. Their friendly nature makes them one of the most popular family dogs in the world.

A few variations exist between the American, British and Canadian type of Golden retrievers. The American type is lankier than the British type. The coat color of the Canadian type is darker than the British type and lighter than the American type. The color varies a lot between the three types.

The coat of a golden retriever can be straight or wavy. It is always dense and water proof. Black, white and even red are unacceptable colors. Dogs with noses that lack pigment can be disqualified during shows. The coat should never grow too long. This can hinder their ability to move while hunting. As the dog grows, there can be whitening of the coat around the muzzle.

The kind, friendly and trusting temperament makes them a lousy guard dog as they are equally friendly with strangers as they are with people they are familiar with. It is intelligent and is always eager to please its owner. This makes it easy to train it for any activity.

They have a lot of patience with children and this makes them perfect house dogs. Even though they are very active and love to have fun, they can be trained to stay still for long durations while hunting. As they are always happy to work, you should know when the dog is tired and need to rest.

Its size makes it an ideal retriever in water and they can be trained well as they are intelligent and happy to please. Harsh treatment is not necessary while training this breed as they respond well to gentle commands. They get along so well with other animals that they have also been used as surrogate mothers for other species.

The average lifespan of a Golden retriever is 10-12 years. Unlike some dogs, they adapt well to small living spaces and apartments. They are prone to hip dysplasia and hence you should check the puppy for this disease before buying it. Cancer is also common among dogs of this breed. Flea allergies are also commonly seen so they must be regularly checked for health problems.

These dogs are fun to have at home as they are friendly and will play with the children as much as they want. As they are very obedient, they make wonderful gundogs. They are ideal dogs for apartments as well as houses with large yards. They aren’t aggressive and don’t attack strangers without provocation. Their temperament makes them the perfect family dog.