More About Golden Retrievers

Golden retrievers have always been loved since a crossing of dog breeds brought them about in the Scottish Highlands. They are great hunters, can withstand both cold and rain because of their thick fur and they are great at becoming one of the family. They have since been discovered to be great search and rescue dogs and have saved many a life in situations that would otherwise have been considered lost.

Golden retrievers, when they pop into the mind, come with several thoughts:

• Of course the amazing golden coat comes to mind – they have a coat that is near perfection, which must be from breeding and cross breeding excellent breeds of dogs over the years to get the golden retriever.

• They are powerful – they tend to grow big. Since they are very friendly, you ought to be careful when playing with them because of their weight. Without intending to hurt you, they could easily do you some damage. Their size, much as they like to eat is almost purely muscle, until they get to the point where they start to grow old and obese. The muscle is what helps them pack so much power. The average one weights between 65 and 75 pounds and can stand as tall as 22 inches on four feet.

• They are super hunters – they have speed and can move quietly in the underbrush stalking an animal. They are great for hunting especially because of their playfulness – they will lead you to far off prey.

• Did you know that they come in various shades of the golden color? Some will tend towards a darker golden, others towards a lighter one and others will be magnificently golden. It all depends on the dog’s parentage.

• Their coats are water repellent – they can remain buoyant and dive underwater for some time. The thick fur traps air bubbles which enable it to stay afloat and keeps it from getting cold.

• Keep you retriever clean – groom him twice a week and clip any extra shaggy looking fur. Pay attention to the tail – it tends to have more hair than the rest of the body. Look into the ears too, clean them out and make sure to look behind the tail. When a retriever is well groomed, whether his fur is wavy or straight, it will lie back and look neat and presentable – until the next time he goes out of course.

• British and American Golden Retrievers tend to be different. If you’re looking for a stocky one that’s lighter in color, go for the British breed. Their American cousins tend to be darker and the shape of the heads are also slightly different. The Canadian is a mix of the 2, so you may want to have a look at this one too.

A golden retriever is friendly and dependable and makes an excellent member especially of an active family. Retrievers are trainable and can be hard workers. The only thing that you should not expect a retriever to do is be a watchdog – its too friendly f0r that.