February 3rd is National Golden Retriever Day! To celebrate I’d like to share some fun facts about our favorite breed. The first Golden Retrievers were bred in 1868 by Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, also known as Lord Tweedmouth, at his Scottish Highlands estate of Guisachan. In his quest for the prefect gun dog and retriever for sportsmen, Lord Tweedmouth bred a Yellow Wavy-coated Retriever with a Tweed Water Spaniel, a now extinct breed. Thus the first Golden Retriever puppies were born! Well sort of, from this litter three yellow pups went on to breed with Wavy and Flat-coated Retrievers, another Tweed Water Spaniel, and a Red Setter, to eventually become the Golden Retriever that we recognize today.
Originally known as the “Yellow Retriever,” it was Lord Harcourt, of England, who renamed the breed “Golden Retrievers” around 1906 when he first exhibited them at The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom. The breed was officially recognized by The Kennel Club (UK) in 1911 as “Retriever – Yellow or Golden” and finally, “Retriever – Golden” in 1920. During the 1920s and 1930s the breed continued to develop in Great Britain. Eventually they crossed the pond, and received official recognition by the by the American Kennel Club in 1925, and the Canadian Kennel Club in 1927.
Now contrary to what our Grandmother thinks is a Charlie Brown insult, it is actually a compliment to call a Golden Retriever a “Blockhead.” According to the official standards for the breed, they are known for their “broad skull.” Overall, the American Kennel Club describes them as “a sturdy, muscular dog of medium size, famous for the dense, lustrous coat of gold that gives the breed its name. The broad head, with its friendly and intelligent eyes, short ears, and straight muzzle, is a breed hallmark. In motion, Goldens move with a smooth, powerful gait, and the feathery tail is carried, as breed fanciers say, with a ‘merry action.’” They also go on to describe us as “possessing a personality that is eager, alert and self-confident.”
Golden Retrievers are also known for their intelligence. In fact they are ranked as the 4th most intelligent breed behind Border Collie, Poodle and German Shepherd. At first I wanted to disagree with our low ranking, but then I watched Asa gazing at his imaginary friend’s reflection in the oven window, and realized they may be right about our intelligence ranking. However, whether Golden Retrievers are brilliant like me, or with room to grow like Asa, we are easier to train than other breeds. This is why Golden Retrievers are popular choices for assistant dogs, search and rescue teams, therapy dogs, and even actors.
To learn more about the history of our awesome breed, we recommend visiting the Golden Retriever Club of America. For a more fun facts about the breed’s standard, we also recommend the American Kennel Club. To learn more about the Scottish estate where the first Golden Retrievers were bred, head over to Friends of Guisachan. Also, if you’d like to party with Golden Retrievers from across New England and beyond, join us this May at the 6th Annual New England Golden Jubilee!
