Golden retrievers are cheerful, even-tempered, hardworking, quick-learning, obedient, playful, loyal, sociable, calm, suitable for children and happiest when they are in people’s company.

A golden retriever is a family dog who enjoys sharing all parts of life, plays with children, and loves football, swimming and even surfing. They always want to entertain the family. Loving and cuddly, they’re always willing to take part in all of your activities. They are always ready to do anything just to be with you. Keeping company is their number one priority and they‘d rather go without food than love.

Before Getting a Dog or Important Considerations First

"Buying yourself a dog is the only way to get love from money", said G. B. Shaw. It’s hard to disagree with these words but before buying your own it pays to think carefully.

How should you choose a puppy? Will you have the time and the money to take care of one successfully? What must you consider first? If such questions concern you, read on.

Are you hesitant whether to by a puppy with a certificate of origin or without ?

If you’re getting ready to buy a golden retriever puppy there are a number of reasons to choose one with official papers.

Even if you intend to get a dog just as a friend without ambitions of breeding or taking part in dog shows, a certificate of origin serves first and foremost as a document of the dog’s heritage. It is proof that the chosen puppy truly belongs to a given breed and confirms the puppy’s good health and predisposition.

Why a golden retriever?

Have you decided to get a dog, but are not sure that the Golden retriever breed is the right choice?

If you’re looking for a loyal companion, I really recommend a golden retriever! They are of a very friendly and well-behaved disposition as well as being intelligent, loyal and calm – they love to learn. They’re grateful and will give you back what you devote to them a thousand times over...

Their only downside may be that they don’t make good guard dogs – they are love the arrival of every visitor ;-)

Basic characteristics:

A golden retriever is a remarkably adaptable and well-rounded dog. The breed was originally intended as a hunting dog. Nowadays they work more as guide dogs for the blind and also companions and drug seekers, but they are best suited to the handicapped. The many-sided character of golden retrievers makes them suitable for the role of family pet, show dog or hunting dog and in competitions they will also appear in obedience and agility. Gentle and always in a good mood, they are intelligent dogs who fulfil all of your requirements and provide you with more pleasure than you could ever give them back.

The origins of the golden retriever:

Until 1959 it was generally believed that golden retrievers came from a group of Russian circus dogs. It is known that the birthplace of the breed was Guisachan and fortunately first Baron Tweedmouth methodically compiled a book on the breed in which he compiled all essential data about its origins. Mrs Elma Stonex spent ten years examining these recordings and in 1959 sixth Lord Ilchester and Mrs Stonex made the real data known to the English Kennel Club where it was officially verified and newly recorded by clerks of the club in London‘s Clarges Street. In fact, first Baron Tweedmouth received a long-haired golden retriever called Nous from a shoemaker in Brighton, who having got it from hunter Lord Chichester, took it to Guisachan, where it was mated with a Tweed water spaniel from Lady Kirk on the Tweed. Golden retrievers resulted from this pairing. All of today’s golden retrievers come from the Guisachan breed.

Standard:

Origin: Great Britain.

General appearance: Symmetrical, balanced, active, powerful, level mover; sound with kindly expression.

Behaviour/temperament: Biddable, intelligent and possessing natural working ability; kindly, friendly and confident.

Head: Balanced and well chiselled.

Skull: Broad without coarseness; well set on neck.

Stop: Well defined.

Nose: Preferably black.

Muzzle: Powerful, wide and deep. Length of foreface approximately equals length from stop to occiput.

Jaws/Teeth: Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Eyes: Dark brown, set well apart, dark rims.

Ears: Moderate size, set on approximate level with eyes.

Neck: Good length, clean and muscular.

Body: Balanced.

Back: Level topline.

Loins: Strong, muscular, short-coupled.

Chest: Deep through heart. Ribs deep, well sprung.

Tail: Set on and carried level with back, reaching to hocks, without curl at tip.

Forequarters: Forelegs straight with good bone.

Shoulder: Well laid back, long in blade.

Upper arm: Of equal length as the shoulder blade, placing legs well under body.

Elbow: Close fitting.

Forefeet: Round and cat-like.

Hindquarters: Hindlegs strong and muscular.

Stifle: Well bent.

Lower thigh: Good.

Hock: Well let down, straight when viewed from rear, neither turning in nor out.  Cow-hocks highly undesirable.

Hind feet: Round and cat-like.

Gail/movement: Powerful with good drive. Straight and true in front and rear. Stride long and free with no sign of hackney action in front.

Hair: Flat or wavy with good feathering, dense water-resisting undercoat.

Colour: Any shade of gold or cream, neither red nor mahogany.  A few white hairs on chest only, permissible.

Height at withers:     Dogs    56 - 61 cm (22-24 ins);
                                 Bitches    51 - 56 cm (20-22 ins).
        
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon     the health and welfare of the dog and on its ability to perform its traditional work.

Disqualifying faults:

• Aggressive or overly shy.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.