American Field Golden Retriever | The Agile Dog Breed

The American Field Golden Retriever is a special type of Golden Retriever that focuses on performance, work drive, and athleticism. Different from the show-bred Golden Retrievers that are bred based on the dog breed standard and aesthetics, the American Field Golden Retriever is bred with emphasis on working abilities, primarily for hunting, field trials, and other working tasks. These dogs are muscular and energetic, and it is suggested that they are suitable for active families or people who are interested in dog sports.

In this article, we will discuss the background, features, and grooming of the American Field Golden Retriever as well as the reasons why this breed is popular among people who want to have a working dog.

History of American Field Golden Retriever

The American Field Golden Retriiver is of the same lineage as the standard Golden Retriiver which was bred in Scotland in the late nineteenth century. The original Golden Retrievers were developed by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks (later Lord Tweedmouth) to obtain a dog that could retrieve game from both land and water without much effort and to do so he crossed the Yellow Retrievers, Tweed Water Spaniels and other breeds.

As time passed, breeders started to develop different areas of the breed. The American Field Golden Retriever was bred mainly in the United States with an emphasis on the working line that is mostly associated with physical activities. These dogs were bred in order for them to be good retrievers, have stamina, and have the desire to work, more especially in the field. They were used extensively in hunting, field trials, and even search and rescue exercises since they are highly energetic and intelligent.

Although both the American Field Golden Retriever and the more ‘show-ring’ specimen are both currently governed by the same standard, they are genetically and functionally distinct in that one has been produced for working ability and the other for conformation.

Classification of American Field Golden Retriever

By Purpose

The American Field Golden Retriever breed is developed with an emphasis on working ability. Some of the following are key uses of the following include:

Field Trials: These dogs are trained and used in field trials in order to test their performance in retrieving game in real life scenarios. They have an excellent sense of smell, they are hardworking, and can follow instructions that are given to them to the letter.

Hunting Companion: Due to its friendly characteristics, the American Field Golden Retriever is often used as hunting dog mainly for waterfowl and upland birds. They are characterized by their desire to fetch and their instincts to swim.

Service Dog: They are highly intelligent dogs and due to this plus the fact that they are obedience inclined they are ideal for service dogs, especially in the assistance, search and rescue, and therapy dogs.

Energy and Endurance: As you know, these dogs are very active, and thus, they make great performers in agility training and other dog related sports.

By Size

The American Field Golden Retriever is of the same size as any other Golden Retrievers but is slightly more muscular and hence sleeker in appearance:

Size: The males are relatively larger and measure 23 to 24 inches at the shoulder while the females are slightly smaller and stand at 21 to 22 inches at the shoulder.

Coat: The coat of the American Field Golden Retriever is double layered, water proof coat like that of the standard Golden Retriever but is slightly shorter and will not demand the same amount of grooming as the breed that is bred for the show ring. They have a natural golden to light brown color of the coat that may slightly differ in every dog.

Most Popular Traits of the American Field Golden Retriever

The American Field Golden Retriever is different in many ways from other Golden Retrievers developed for show, of conformation. Below are some of the characteristics of this breed:

Athletic Build: The American Field Golden Retriever has a slim and muscular built body that was made to run fast for long distances. They are light and muscular to be able to engage in heavy work for long without getting weary.

High energy and drive: The American Field Golden Retrievers are very active dogs; they never tire easily. They need a lot of exercises to be happy, that is why they are good for active people, for those who like to spend time outdoors, for athletes and people who like to play active games with their dog.

Intelligent and Eager to Please: Like any other breed of the Golden Retriever, the American Field Golden Retriever is intelligent and very easy to train. These dogs are highly intelligent, easy to train, and are suitable for any kind of activities, obedience trials, and competitions, or other tasks that require intelligence.

Working type: Still, they are very affectionate when it comes to their owners and are also very loyal. They are devoted animals that prefer to stay with their families and do not mind being around people.

Natural Swimmer: Due to their coat which is made up of thick fur that does not allow water to stick on the body and muscular body built, the American Field Golden Retriever is a natural swimmer. They are more inclined to hunt game from water, which is inherent with these animals.

Factors to Choose American Field Golden Retriever

In general, American Field Golden Retrievers have certain requirements that should be considered before getting one. The following are some of the factors that may be considered:

Exercise Needs: American Field Golden Retriever is intelligent and energetic breed that needs to be provided with regular exercise. It is very important that your dog be taken for a walk regularly so that it does not develop restlessness and other related health complications. Some recommendations for ensuring that one gets the required exercise include:

Daily exercise: It is recommended that one should engage in at least 1 to  2 hours of exercise in a day in the form of walking, running or hiking.

Swimming: Since these dogs are great lovers of water, a visit to the lake, beach or even the swimming pool could be a good way to exercise the dog and have a quality time with it.

Games such as the fetching, retrieving and agility exercises including the likes of the ball catching and the running after the ball, is also another way of keeping them busy.

Grooming and Coat Care: The American Field Golden Retriever usually does not need as much grooming as some of the show strains because of the shorter fur. However, one cannot deny the fact that proper care is still needed:

Grooming: As you can see, their coat is not long but at least you should brush your dog once a week to make sure it does not get dusty and to maintain a healthy coat.

Ears: It is recommended to check and clean the ears regularly as the breed is prone to ear infection due to the nature of the floppy ears.

Health Considerations: Like any other dogs, the American Field Golden Retriever has some health problems which are typical for this breed of Golden Retriever:

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia: These diseases are also found in the American Field Golden Retriever as well as in other breeds of this type. This means that the individuals should ensure that their pets undergo checkups from the vet in order to be diagnosed with any signs of developing ailments in good time.

Cancer: It is also worth noting that this breed is more susceptible to certain forms of cancer like Lymphoma and Hemangiosarcoma. Some of the diseases can be checked through screening and this can be done through regular check ups.

Heart Conditions: Some of the field-type Golden Retrievers are prone to certain conditions such as subaortic stenosis.

Training and Socialization: Like any other intelligent and energetic breed, American Field Golden Retrievers require proper training and socialization right from the time that they are still puppies. Some tips include:

Obedience: These dogs are good for obedience training and it is advisable to take the puppy for classes and learn basic commands.

Socilization: It is important for your American Field Golden Retriever to get used to other environments, people and other animals to be well behaved when they grow up.

How to care of American Field Golden Retriever

Here are some tips that would help you in nurturing your American Field Golden Retriever:

Exercise: Do feed your dog with physical and mental exercise on a daily basis so that he/she can live a happy healthy life.

Proper Nutrition: Ensure your dog takes healthy food and balanced diet for it to be active and healthy at all times.

Veterinary Check-ups: It is important to take your dog for routine check-ups as this will help the vet to detect any health complications early enough.

Positive Reinforcement: It will be important to use positive reinforcement when training your dog to ensure that the dog behaves well and also to enhance the bond between you and your dog.

Fun Facts About the American Field Golden Retriever

Working Drive: An American Field Golden Retriever is endowed with a strong work drive that makes them suitable for field trials and working situations.

Suitable for an Active Lifestyle: These dogs are great for families that are physically active and fancy activities such as jogging, hiking, and swimming.

Often used in Field Sports: The American Field Golden Retriever is frequently taken to field trials and hunt tests as it has an excellent retrieving instinct and obedience to commands.

Where to Find American Field Golden Retriever

In case you are interested in adopting an American Field Golden Retriever, it would be advisable to approach specialist breeders of working dogs. Make sure that health, temperament and ethical methods of breeding are of paramount importance to the breeder. You can also contact the rescue organizations because there is a possibility that some American Field Golden Retrievers are up for adoption.

FAQs about the American Field Golden Retriever

Conclusion

The American Field Golden Retriever is a beautiful and well-performing dog breed of the Golden Retriever that is ideal for work, field trials, and hunting. Due to their build, playfulness, and inherent herding skills, these dogs will be ideal for anyone who is physically active or has an active family with children and/or other animals. The American Field Golden Retriever is not only an impressive breed in terms of appearance, but it’s also an active and intelligent dog that can truly be a great asset in various activities.