The History of the Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular breeds of dog around today and it is really not too difficult to see why. Loving, loyal and obedient, the Golden Retriever makes an excellent pet, but just how did the breed originate?

How the Golden Retriever Was Developed

The Golden Retriever is quite a new breed. It was developed in the 1800’s and how it was developed is actually quite an interesting story. The breed is thought to have been bred with an Irish setter, the Tweed Water Spaniel (which is sadly now extinct), the Newfoundland and a few different Water Spaniels.

So there are quite a few different breeds that have been used to form the Golden Retriever. The first litter of Golden Retrievers was actually born in 1868 and they were crossed with the Irish setter followed by the Sandy colored Bloodhounds.

It was all thanks to one man why the golden Retriever was born.

Lord Tweedmouth wanted to develop a dog which was gentle and loyal and energetic and full of spirit. Living on an estate, the dog had to be good at retrieving and it also had to love the water. So the original goal of the breed was to retrieve waterfowl.

Another thing that was taken into account with the breed was that it had to have a soft mouth. As it would be collecting game and bringing it back to its owners, the game needed to be kept in good condition. Usually it would be cooked and so the last thing the gamekeeper wanted was for the dog to split the game open. So the Golden Retriever had to have a mouth which would be gentle enough to carry the game without damaging it.

How the Golden retriever Breed Was Used Over Time

While the original goal of the Golden Retriever was to retrieve waterfowl, as time went on, people started to see a variety of uses for the breed. Some simply wanted to show the breed and it was not until the early 1900’s that the breed was actually shown in dog shows around the world.

Also in the 1900’s, the breed started to be used as a gundog. It was seen as a graceful and strong willed breed that could easily retrieve waterfowl as well as rabbits that had been shot. The breed has always had a strong sporting instinct and its ability as a gundog was second to none.

Finally, as the breed gained in popularity, people started to use it simply as a companion dog. The temperament of the Golden Retriever made it an excellent family pet and its loyalty and compassion were traits that quickly made it one of the best family pets to own.

Overall, the history of the Golden Retriever is an interesting one.

Today the goldie is used mainly as a family pet, though there are still some gamekeepers who use them for their original purpose. They are possibly one of the friendliest types of dog around today and while they will always have a strong sporting instinct.

Golden retrievers can quite happily be kept as good, gentle and loyal companion dogs too.