Golden Retriever History
Golden Retrievers originated from Scotland in the 1800's. Golden's were originally bred to be hunting dogs. While many Goldens are still champions in the field today, the breeds famous happy loving personality has made it one of the worlds most popular family pets. Goldens are also highly intelligent and adaptive which is why they are a very popular choice of service animal as well.
Golden Retriever Characteristics
Personality:
Good with Children:
(Goldens are famously good family dogs)
Affection Level: Very High
(Golden's are known to be very love-dovey)
Good with other dogs: Good-Great
(Most golden's are easy going with other dogs; however, as with people they may have personality conflicts with certain dogs. Also, intact males with any breed are more likely to have conflicts especially if in-heat females are near.
Trainability Level: High to Very High
(Golden's are smart and very food motivated which means they are often ready and willing to learn new things fast.)
Barking Level: Low to Very Low
(Many Goldens rarely bark, some do tend to bark more than an average golden, but overall goldens are not a very vocal dog.)
Mental Stimulation Needs: Medium to High
(Goldens are very smart and need jobs or entertainment of some kind. If you do not give them something to do they may create their own games like who can dig the deepest hole or how many chews to the center of the fence post)
Openness to Strangers: Very High
(Everyone is a Golden's new friend!)
Playfulness Level: High
(Golden's often act like playful puppies even in old age)
Watchdog/Protective Nature: Medium-Low
(Golden's are not guard dogs by any means and are very docile by nature, but they are loyal and would likely defend their owcners from attacks)
Adaptability Level: Very High
(Golden's go with the flow)
Physical Characteristic
Coat Type: Double
(Outer and Under Coat)
Coat Length: Medium
(Male's typically have longer coats than females)
Color: Golden
(Goldens come in 3 AKC recognized colors: Dark Golden, Golden, and Light Golden)
Markings: None
Shedding: High
(Buy a really good vacuum or two)
Grooming Frequency: Weekly
(More frequently if they find mud puddles or any other way to get messy)
Drooling Level: Low
(Not too bad unless you're holding food in front of them.)
AKC Standard Height: Males: 23-24 inches; Females: 21.5-22.5 inches.
(AKC allows showing Goldens +/- 1 inch out of those ranges.)
Weight: Male: 65-75 lbs; Female: 55-65 lbs
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years