The Cotton-Mouthed Dog!
Look in any town and I guarantee you will see a Golden Retriever bounding along somewhere.
These beauties are one of the most popular dog breeds in history, and their popularity shows no sign of slowing.
At present, there are 78 MILLION Goldies in the world! That means that for roughly every 100 people, there is a Golden Retriever, which is just an astounding amount!
Goldies were completely man-created. Golden Retrievers were first bred into existence by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks in Scotland in the late 18th century. He wanted a dog that had the proud look of a Flat-Coated Retriever and Tweed Water Spaniel, but with the focus and ability of a bloodhound as he was an avid hunter.
Through selective breeding, he had almost cracked it until he realised that in order to achieve his dream dog, he needed to incorporate other mixed breeds too.
This led him to breed the as-yet unnamed Retriever with a selection of Red Setters, and Labradors. Eventually in 1868, a litter of four was born. These pure golden puppies were called Ada, Cowslip, Primrose and Crocus.
These pups are considered to be the original ancestors of the Golden Retriever and they were first acknowledged as a registered breed with the Kennel Club in 1913.
However, despite the strong ancestry, there was controversy over the breed. Some Russian mobility began to claim that they, not Sir Dudley, had created the breed.
With this claim constantly being thrown about, in 1952, Sir Dudley’s great-nephew studied and researched his great-uncle’s stud book. It took 8 years of evidence-gathering and thousands of hours of work but he was able to refute any claims to the breed other than his own family’s and published his book.
The book covers 32 years of the breed’s lineage and can be viewed in the library of the American Kennel Club base in London.
The breed’s popularity soared post WWI, and they began to be brought worldwide as soldiers returned home from war. They were soon to be spotted in France, Belgium and even Australia, their soft, beautiful coats a huge draw.
The coat of a Goldie is a stunning double coat, that is water-repellant. It comes in a multitude of different golden shades, from dark to light. Fans of the breed have given nicknames to certain shades, for example, some lighter coats may be referred to as being “clotted cream” or “buttermilk” while darker shades have nicknames such as “butter” and “honey.”
Their coat’s ability to repel water makes them the ideal companion for those who hunt or fish. They tend to enjoy the water and can often be seen splashing about, usually in pursuit of ducks! Some Goldies will even try to “paddle” in their water bowls and have been known to put their entire faces into their bowls to blow bubbles!
They are very fond of fetching and holding items in their mouth, hence the “Retriever” part of the name. In fact, a challenge to try with your Goldie is the Egg Challenge. Simply present your dog with an egg and see if it cracks or breaks when they hold it in their mouth. The delicate egg will usually remain intact!
This is because a Golden Retriever’s mouth is extra soft and they have greater control over their jaws, meaning they can carry fragile objects without damaging them. This is actually called “soft mouth” and the ability has been utilised in hunting for years.
Golden Retrievers are very affectionate and loyal dogs, excellent with children and keen to please. They have a lot of energy and even when walking, their gait tends to be quite bouncy and their tail usually frisks around in a merry motion.
They can sometimes find it difficult to settle when they are overstimulated and many people notice their Goldie will retrieve an item such as a blanket, soft toy, or cushion, and strut around holding it before presenting it to their owner. This is their way of calming themselves when they are very excited, and we think it is absolutely adorable!
Whether your Golden Retriever is a “honey” or a “buttermilk,” there is no denying just how popular they are, how playful and how wonderful they are to have around!
– By Peigí Conneff
