The story of the golden retriever is the story of a breed with a star, a breed that managed to far exceed the imagination of those who dared to dream of the perfect hunting dog. It is also the story of joy, love, dedication and solidarity, embodied in the dog's devotion to human beings. In a nutshell, it's the story of a hunting dog who became a humane dog.
In this article on our site we are going to tell you how this breed arose by crossing several others, until it became one of the best known. If you like these dogs, you may also be interested in golden retriever hair care or names for golden retriever dogs.
In search of the perfect dog
19th century European aristocrats who were fond of hunting had become obsessed with the search for the perfect dog They were looking for a multifunctional dog able to function in different terrains and carry out different tasks. In the UK, the obsession had focused on retrievers, as pointers and setters had not done well as retrievers (those that retrieved prey for hunters).
Thus, many nineteenth-century European noblemen dedicated themselves, among other things, to breeding hunting dogs. They carried out crosses between different breeds of dogs in the hope of achieving the qualities that each one was looking for. Unfortunately, kept the crossings they made a secret, leaving no record of what they did. Although many of today's retrievers are the result of these unsystematic breeding programs, most of these nobles failed in their attempts to obtain a suitable dog for hunting.
Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, later renamed Lord Tweedmouth, was one of the dreamers searching for the perfect bird hunting dog in the Scottish forests of Guisachan. Fortunately, Lord Tweedmouth was an orderly and meticulous man, following well-planned breeding programs and keeping records of all crosses made and breeds used. In 1865, Tweedmouth acquired "Nous", a yellow wavy coated retriever from an unregistered litter. That dog was crossed with a Tweed water spaniel called "Belle", also owned by Tweedmouth, and the offspring was the fundamental pillar for the development of the breed we know today as the golden retriever.
Wavy coated retrievers, now extinct, were common retrievers in the UK at the time, coming from crosses between the St. John's Newfoundland and the setters. Therefore, they were dogs with great qualities for pointing out game and collecting it, both on land and in water. These dogs are the most direct ancestors of the flat coated retriever and, since they were an important contribution to the golden retriever, it is not surprising that there is a strong physical resemblance between the flat coated and the golden of today. Tweed water spaniels, also now extinct, were small spaniels that came from crosses between spaniels and spaniels. Therefore, they also had the ability to retrieve in water, at the same time that they were good at raising game.
Over the next 20 years or so, Lord Tweedmouth carried out several crosses between the descendants of that first litter and dogs of other breeds, always in search of the perfect hunting dog. He introduced Irish setter blood into the breed he was creating and changed the ratio in which he used Tweed water spaniels and wavy coated retrievers. After "Nous", however, all the wavy coated retrievers used were black. After 20 years of selective breeding, Lord Tweedmouth's dogs already had the general appearance of the golden retriever. Although there was still much individual variation in the texture and color of the coat, and although it did not yet have its current name, it can be said that by 1889 the breed was born.golden retriever.
Myths about the origin of the golden retriever
Initially it was thought that the origin of the golden retriever was in a troop of eight Russian circus dogs that Lord Tweedmouth had seen performing in Brighton in 1858, and had been impressed by his obedience.
However, in 1952, the sixth Earl of Ilchester, a relative of Lord Tweedmouth, historian and breeder of golden retrievers, refuted that theory by presenting the genealogical record left by his ancestor. In it was the complete registry of the dogs used to create the golden retriever breed, and there was no reference to circus dogs.
Introducing the golden retriever to society
The golden retriever began to gain notoriety in British dog lovers and within British society at the beginning of the 20th century. During the first years of that century, the first golden retrievers were registered in the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom, under the name of "yellow flat coated retriever".
Few years after the first dogs of this breed were registered, in 1908, the first specimens were presented at an exhibition organized by the United Kingdom Kennel Club. Those dogs belonged to the breed's sole exhibitor at the time, Lord Harcourt, and were presented in a class for any variety of retriever. Of course, were introduced under the name "yellow flat coated retriever", but it is said that Lord Harcourt had already thought of the name golden retriever for the breed. The golden caught the attention of the public during that exhibition and many people wanted to have one of those dogs so rare for the time. Thus, the popularity of the golden began to take off from the very moment the breed was presented at a single dog show. Already in 1910 there was another exhibitor apart from Lord Harcourt, a great fan of the breed, surnamed Charlesworth. Charlesworth devoted much of her life to the establishment and promotion of the golden retriever breed, and it is impossible to imagine what the breed would become today without the participation of this tenacious and hard-working woman.
In 1911, Charlesworth organized the first Golden Retriever Club, wrote the breed standard, and began a campaign to have the Golden Retriever recognized as an independent breed. At that time the current name of the breed had already been decided, apparently under the influence of Lord Harcourt.
The UK Kennel Club recognized the Golden Retriever as an independent breed in 1913, just two years after the first club was founded of the race It is from that moment that the popularity of the golden began to grow exponentially, gaining followers among expert dog lovers, hunters and dog owners.
The advent of the First World War cut short all the activities organized by the Kennel Club, but by that time the golden retriever had already established itself solidly in dog expert circles and in the public mind usually. Thus, although the war had an impact on the breeding of this breed, this impact was much less than for other dog breeds. In the 1920s, the golden retriever was brought to America, being recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1925. Interestingly, the popularity of the breed grows in America during the years of the Second World War, something that did not happen with other breeds of dogs. From its foray into America and its greater spread throughout Europe, the golden retriever gained worldwide notoriety thanks to its qualities as a pet, working and hunting dog, and became one of the most popular dogs in the world.
Golden Heroes
Although the golden retriever is still a very efficient hunting dog, its great capacity for learning and its versatility have led it to perform the most diverse tasksfor the benefit of humanity. Currently this dog can be seen on the show tracks, dazzling with its beauty and elegance. It can also be found accompanying hunters on long hunting days, or having fun with their guide in fun and dynamic dog sports. Or simply having a good time with your loved ones, sharing the moments of laughter and tears of those who offer you a family in exchange for your joy and loy alty.
But history has reserved a much greater challenge for these dogs, the challenge of being everyday heroes who save human lives, support those most in need, destroy criminal networks and even diagnose diseases. Among the different tasks that golden retrievers carry out today, is the search and rescue of victims of catastrophes and lost people, the detection of narcotics and explosives, assistance to people with disabilities, emotional support as therapy dogs, and even, the still experimental, detection of cancer cells. There is no denying that golden retrievers are golden heroes who day by day help us overcome difficulties and understand the joys of life.
