Golden Retriever

Family:

gundog, retriever

Area of origin:

England

Original function:

retrieving

Average size of male:

Ht: 23-24, Wt: 65-75

Average size of female:

Ht: 21.5-22.5, Wt: 55-65

Other names:

yellow retriever

             One of the best documented and most fortuitous efforts to produce a breed resulted in the golden retriever. The man responsible for the breed was Lord Tweedmouth, who lived just north of the Scottish border along the Tweed River. With an increasing interest in retrieving dogs in the mid-1800s, a dog that could push through heavy vegetation, brave cold water, swim strongly and retrieve gently was in demand. Lord Tweedmouth bred Nous, a yellow wavy-coated retriever (a descendant of the small Newfoundland and the earlier Labrador breeds used by fisherman) to Belle, a Tweed water spaniel (a popular liver-colored retriever with tightly curled coat). They produced four puppies, which showed promise of being outstanding upland bird dogs.

              Subsequent judicious crosses were made with other black retrievers, Tweed spaniels, setters and even a bloodhound. The breed was first considered to be a yellow variety of flat-coated retrievers, but was recognized as a separate breed, the yellow or golden retriever, in 1912. A few of these dogs had come to America by way of Lord Tweedmouth's sons by 1900, but the AKC did not register them as a separate breed until 1927. The breed was valued for the hunting abilities so ably produced by the careful blending of foundation stock. She only later became popular as a pet, show dog and obedience competitor. After she made the transition, however, her rise to the height of popularity was meteoric, and she remains one of the most popular of all breeds in America.