The Golden Retriever is a long-time favorite because of their gentle nature and adaptability to living in suburban or country environments.The perfect example of a large Teddy Bear dog!
We have friends who live with their Golden in a Condo and he’s very happy, granted they walk him every day. Also, a prior neighbor had one that loved hanging out with their horses and running off field mice.
History
The Golden Retriever was originally bred in Scotland in the middle 19th century by crossing their water spaniels with their existing retrievers, resulting in the establishment of the breed we know today. The Golden’s kind temperament has made them the third-most popular family dog breed (by registration) in the United States.
Golden Retrievers were originally developed for the purpose of wildfowl hunting and are still used for field trials and hunting, as well as obedience and guide dogs for the blind. They were bred to retrieve, which has led to the soft mouth-grip they have today.
Look
The Golden Retrievers coat color can range from light golden to dark golden. They have subtle feathering on the back of their front legs and heavier feathering on the front of their necks, back of their thighs and the bottom of their tail.
Their topcoat is water-resistant and slightly wavy, and sheds in small amounts throughout the year. The undercoat is soft and keeps the dog cool in summer and warm in winter; shedding it in the spring and fall.
Personality
Golden Retrievers have an instinctive love of water, and are easy to train in basic or advanced obedience standards. They are intelligent, friendly, devoted, and make good family pets because of their patience with children. They are generally equally friendly with both strangers and those familiar to them. Their trusting, gentle disposition makes them a poor guard dog, but that’s not why you’d want one anyway!
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