Golden Retrievers |
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Golden RetrieversGolden Retrievers are lovable, well-mannered, intelligent dogs with a great charm. The Golden Retriever is one of the world's foremost family companion dogs. Friendly with everyone, including other dogs, the Golden Retriever has very little, if any, guarding instincts. While unlikely to attack, Goldens make good watchdogs, loudly signaling a stranger's approach. Some of the Golden's talents are hunting, tracking, retrieving, narcotics detection, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks. Because of his great desire to please and capacity for love and learning, the Golden Retriever is also used as a guide for the blind, therapy dog, and service dog for the disabled. The Golden Retriever needs daily exercise, but likes to retrieve balls and other toys, so exercising is fairly easy. Retrieving a thrown stick, tennis ball , or flying disc can keep a Golden Retriever occupied and entertained for hours, particularly if there is also water involved. The Golden Retriever was first developed in the British Isles, probably from crosses between a yellow Flat-Coated Retriever, light-coated Tweed Water Spaniels, other spaniels, setters and even the Newfoundland and possibly the Bloodhound. Some believe the Golden Retriever breed was originally developed in Scotland , at "Guisachan", near Glen Affric , the highland estate of Sir Dudley Majoribanks (pronounced "Marchbanks"), later Baron Tweedmouth. Golden Retrievers are similar in appearance to the yellow Labrador Retriever, especially when young. The most obvious difference is the Golden Retriever's luxuriant coat, which is usually goldish yellow. Golden Retrievers color ranges from nearly blonde to a dark golden coat. The American Kennel Club (AKC) standard states that the coat is a "rich, lustrous golden of various shades", disallowing coats that are extremely light or extremely dark. The Golden Retrievers coat can also be a 'mahogany' color, referred to as 'redheads' in people. As a Golden grows older, its coat can become darker or lighter tints of brown, along with a noticeable whitening of the fur on and around the face. Breeding Golden Retrievers can be profitable for puppy mills and backyard breeders; as a result of careless breeding for profit, Golden Retrievers are prone to genetic and other diseases. Hip dysplasia is very common in Golden Retrievers; when buying a puppy its parents should have been examined by the OFA or PennHIP for hip disease. Common diseases in Golden Retrievers include: Cancer, the most common being hemangiosarcoma, followed by, lymphosarcoma , mastocytoma , and osteosarcoma . Cancer was the cause of death for 61.8% of Golden Retrievers in a 1998 health study conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the Golden Retrievers most deadly disease. Stumble It! • Submit To Netscape • del.icio.us • Y! MyWeb |
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