About Golden's
Golden Retriever History
To get to know the golden you really need to understand where the Golden came from and what he was designed for.
Golden retriever's were developed in the late 1800/early 1900 in Scotland by Baron Tweedmouth (formerly known as Sir Dudley Marjoribanks ) as a dual-purpose waterfowl/game bird retriever and family companion. Although tweed water spaniels, flat- coat retrievers, red setter, Labrador retrievers and even a bloodhound was used in the development of the breed all Golden Retriever's are descendent of a breeding between a tweed water spaniel named Belle and a yellow flat-coat (or wavy-coat) retriever named Nous.
The important thing to see here is that the Golden Retriever was developed as a working retriever and companion. This means that from the beginning of this amazing breed they have been designed to do a job and work closely with their handler. They are generally easy to train, intelligent, gentle natured, calm, affectionate and patent making them great filmily dogs. Because of their friendly easy going nature they do not make good guard dogs.
Is a Golden Retriever right for you?
Golden Retrievers are the most amazing, beautiful breed however that does not mean that they are the right match for everyone.
Goldens were originally bred for a physically and menially challenging job. This means that they are smart and active.
~Goldens need daily exercise especially when they are young. The amount of activity a golden needs depends on his age and bloodline. It is good to give your golden both physical and mental exercise to keep him happy, healthy and out of trouble.
One of the traits that make the golden so easy to train also makes the prone to obesity.
~ Goldens LOVE food and if not monitored on a regular basses may become to heavy causing savior health issues down the road.
Goldens were developed with 2 goals in mind the first being a gundog the second is a companion.
~Goldens definitely excel at becoming a member of the family! They want to be with their people and are not a breed to be left on there own or tied outdoors. Goldens are the dog that wants to go to the kids ball practice with you or on vacation not left at home all alone.
Goldens are puppies for a long time.
~It is true they are sweet, gentle, smart and great with kids but they are also dogs that need help learning the right things to do. The puppy phase can last 2-3 years and during that time they may test the boundaries. If you stay consistent and make sure your golden has enough physical and mental exercise he will mature into the dog of your dreams.
Part of their beauty is their stunning coat!
~ Goldens are a shedding breed and if dog hair bothers you I recommend not getting a golden.
American vs English
What is the difference between an American Golden and an English Golden?
Well there are some differences but the truth is they are both Golden Retrievers. You see all Golden Retrievers can be traced back to the same original dogs in Scotland. As the breed gained popularity, other countries took notice and began to develop there own breed standered for the Golden Retriever. Although the standards are very similar, there are some differences and this is where the English vs American comes in to play. American Goldens are bred by the AKC standard where as the English Goldens are bred by the Uk standard. Contrary to what you may think most English Goldens in the USA were imported from France, Ukraine, Rusha, Spain, New Zealand, Australia and The Netherlands.
English Goldens
SIZE/BUILD - Males: 22-24in tall Females: 20-22in tall (no lb is given for English dogs). English goldens are known for being shorter and stockier, typically have blockier heads, with a more pronounced stop and ears that sit a little lower than the American goldens. English goldens have more of a straight topline.
COLOR - Most think of English Goldens as being very light cream some even call them ( English Cream Goldens) but the truth is the stander calls for any shade of gold or cream not red or mahogany.
ENERGY LEVEL - This depends more on the bloodline for field/working dog vs show/pet dog.
HEALTH - Studies show that English goldens are less likely to get cancer. I believe one of the reasons for this is that most breeders and dog owners outside of the USA feed more fresh foods including raw meat and bones and therefore there dogs have not had generations of genetics altered by high processed foods.
American Goldens
SIZE/BUILD - Males: 23-24in tall and 65-75lb Females: 21.5-22.5in tall and 55-65lb American golden retrievers are known for being slightly taller with a little less bone and a slightly sloping topline. There heads tend to be a little slimmer with a less pronounced stop.
COLOR - American dogs are typically a medium gold color the AKC calls for “Rich, lustrous golden of various shades… Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable.”
ENERGY LEVEL - Again, this depends more on the bloodline for field/working dog vs show/pet dog.
Health - Unfortunately American goldens do have a tendency to get cancer and I know of American bloodlines that are more prone to get cancer at a earlier age. Is this due to genetics, diet, exposer to toxins I'm not sure but it is heartbreaking!
In Conclusion
More importantly than deciding whether to get a English or American Golden is the decision of is a golden right for you, what bloodline fits your family best and what breeder you choose to trust.
