All About The History And Origin Of The Golden Retriever
Where
Golden Retrievers Were Born
The history of the golden retriever begins
in the late 1800’s; when their ‘father’, a Scottish aristocrat by the name of
Tweedmouth, bred a now extinct Tweed water spaniel with a dark colored retriever.
This process produced the first flat-coated retrievers. The flat-coated retrievers
were further bred with other sporting dogs to produce the lovely light colored
dogs we know today.
Rumors Of The Breed
A scandalous chapter in
the origin of the golden retriever is a popular story told in the 1950’s; until
it was revealed to be a sham when the breed’s creator Tweedmouth’s breeding records
were released to the public. The story is as follows: Tweedmouth or Majoribanks
goes to a circus and sees some talented dogs performing. After the show, Majoribanks
purchases these dogs for breeding purposes. This is the supposed ancestor that
lends the talent, wavy coat, and light color to the line. There is no mention
of these dogs whatsoever in Majoribanks records.
Qualities They Were Bred
For
To understand the dogs we love today, one must first understand the
history of the golden retriever’s breeding. Tweedmouth was looking not only for
a dog which would catch his game, but also for it to be a good companion, be trainable,
good in large groups of people or animals, quiet, and handsome. It would seem
that that dream has been realized; today’s golden retrievers are terrific water
loving hunting dogs when properly trained, as well as very intelligent and trainable
social animals that make them great working dogs and pets.
The physical
traits that are seen today in the golden retriever originated in the mind of Tweedmouth
also; the ears, eye color, fur texture and stature are all intentional, for the
purpose of making golden retrievers attractive hunting dogs. There are several
breeds that played a role in the golden’s creation; some of those breeds are blood
hounds, the tweed water spaniel, Labrador retrievers, and Newfoundland/St. John’s
dogs.
American Kennel Club Recognition
Golden retriever’s origins
in the American Kennel Club began in England; in 1903 the first golden retrievers
were accepted for registration. They weren’t shown however until five years later,
and weren’t recognized as a true retriever until 1911. The history of the golden
retriever’s name is derived from its color and the particular branch of the sporting
dog class, which were all at one point known as retrievers; the name was not made
official until 1920.
One of the original breeder’s descendants, Archie Majoribanks,
was the first person documented to bring a golden retriever to North America.
He registered his dog “Lady” with the American Kennel Club in 1924. The American
Kennel Society did not accept the golden retriever as a breed until 1932; not
long after however, the Golden Retriever Club of America was founded.
The
modern history of the golden retriever is made of the applications of its most
prized traits. Today the golden retriever is the primary dog used for assisting
the disabled; its intelligence, stature, and golden
retriever temperament make it perfect for these jobs. Golden retrievers are
still used as hunting dogs today, as well as for showing, competitive sport, and
as pets; golden retrievers excel in sports, because they of their agility and
size.
Attention: To discover how
YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved Golden Retriever,
get a copy of this Golden Retriever Guide
NOW!
