By: Kelly Marshall
Submitted: 2011-08-26 02:11:47 | Word Count: 565
The Golden Retriever is a large breed of dog. This breed was originally developed as a gundog to retrieve shot waterfowl and upland game during hunting. Because of this, they were bred to have a soft mouth in order to retrieve game undamaged as well as having a natural love of water.
This breed has an adaptability that sees it employed in a variety of roles such as illegal drug detection, search and rescue, hunting dogs, and guide dogs.
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This breed's temperament towards strangers is the same as it is for its owners. It has been said that a Golden Retriever would lick the hand of an intruder just as it would its owner. Therefore, they are not the best guard dogs.
The Golden Retriever is a powerful dog with an extremely sweet face. Their coat is soft and flat, or wavy with feathering. The Golden Retriever has a waterproof undercoat that is weatherproof. The coloring of this breeds coat can be either cream or gold. The Golden Retriever's ideal weight is between 55 to 65 pounds for females and 65 to 75 pounds for males. The ideal height is between 21 to 23 inches for females and 22 to 24 inches for males.
The Golden Retriever's temperament is described as being kind, friendly, and confident. If a Golden Retriever is to have any form of meaningless aggression or hostility towards people, dogs or other animals, whether it is in the show ring or the community, it is seen as being completely unacceptable and a serious fault. It is also unacceptable for this breed to be overly timid or nervous.
The Golden Retriever is a typically calm, intelligent and obedient breed. They are an excellent breed to have around children, which makes them the ideal family pet.
As stated in the name, the Golden Retriever loves to retrieve things such as a thrown stick, tennis ball, flying disc etc. The activity of retrieving can keep this breed entertained for hours, particularly if there is water involved.
Golden Retriever puppies may chew and retrieve everything in sight. However, when they have reached maturity, they will have become fun loving animals with an exceptionally patient manner. Adult Golden Retrievers enjoy working and have a keen ability to focus upon one task. They will generally work until they collapse; therefore, it is important to avoid overworking them.
This breed requires a reasonable amount of exercise each day. Golden Retrievers are also prone to obesity, even more so than the Labrador Retrievers. Therefore, the Golden Retriever should never be treated like a small dog, or inactive house pet. The elderly may find this breed too active, which may result in the dog not receiving a sufficient amount of exercise.
Golden Retrievers shed their coats all year round. It is important to groom this breed as least once a week. They also need to have their ears cleaned regularly to avoid ear infections. Severe shedding of their coats, whereby they have bald patches, can be a result of stress or illness.
Because Golden Retrievers are very close to their owners, they can become sad and distressed when left in a room on their own.
Golden Retrievers are prone to experiencing many diseases. Some common diseases amongst this breed include Allergies, Bloats, Cancer, Cataracts, Epilepsy, Heart problems, Hip or elbow dysplasia, Joint diseases, Liver shunt, and skin diseases.
The Golden Retriever has a typical life span of 10 to 12 years.
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Article by Kelly Marshall of http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/, check out our selection of designer dog beds and cool dog clothes.
