American Golden Retriever | The Smart Dog Breed
The American Golden Retriever is one of the most popular and familiar dog breed all over the world because of obedience, playful, and intelligence. The American Golden Retriever is a large breed of dog characterized by a golden coat and an amiable temper; this breed is used for companionship, for service, and for work. This characteristic makes it one of the most popular dogs for families and single people, as well as for work, such as therapy and rescue dogs.
In this article, we will focus on the American Golden Retriever breed, examine the breed’s history, personality, health concerns, and much more. If you are planning to take this friendly and playful pet, then this guide will give you all the information that you require.
History of the American Golden Retriever
The breed of the Golden Retriever was developed in the United Kingdom in the middle of the nineteenth century by breeding retrieving breeds with the Water Spaniels and Setters. The purpose was to develop a versatile hunting dog that could retrieve game both on land and on water and be obedient, intelligent and friendly.
The American Golden Retriever is a sub breed of the Golden Retriever that was developed in North America. However, both breeds have their roots from the same source but the American Golden Retrievers are bred according to the AKC standard that requires a slightly muscular built and a darker and richer shade of gold color. These variations are characterized by energy, enthusiasm, love for outdoor activities, and other features. The American Golden Retriever has evolved over the years to become one of the most liked breeds in the United States especially for families because of their friendly nature, energetic and intelligent.
Classification of the American Golden Retriever
By Purpose
The breed of the American Golden Retriever was developed as a hunting dog for waterfowls and small game. It has been used in various roles and it has been made to adapt to various functions in the society and it includes the following:
Family Companion: Being calm, friendly and sociable, the American Golden Retrievers are the best family dogs.
Therapy Dogs: Since they are friendly and intelligent, they are used mostly as therapy dogs to people with disability or other related issues.
Service Dogs: They are intelligent animals that are easy to train hence suitable for any service dog task.
Search-and-Rescue: They possess good tracking skills and are motivated to work, and therefore perfect for search-and-rescue operations.
By Size
The American Golden Retriever is a medium to large sized dog with a well built body structure. The American version is slightly smaller and more muscular than the other types of Golden Retrievers with the following standard size:
Height (Males): 23-24 inches
Height (Females): 21-22 inches
Weight (Males): 65-75 pounds
Weight (Females): 55-65 pounds
Coat: The coat of the American Golden Retriever is golden with thick, waterproof undercoat and feathering around the neck, chest, and the tail. Their coat varies from dark gold to light gold which is characteristic to this breed.
The breed is muscular, and therefore, it is suitable for activities like fetch, agility, and swimming.
Most Popular Traits of the American Golden Retriever
The American Golden Retriever is among the most famous dog breeds globally, and as the name suggests, it hails from the United States of America. Some of the most notable traits of this species are as follows:
Golden Coat: The breed is characterized by its thick, long, silky, golden coat of hair which is water proof hence making them good swimmers and also good for outdoor activities.
Friendly and obedient disposition: The American Golden Retriever is gentle, friendly and loyal, which is why it is suitable to families and individuals.
Highly Intelligent: This breed of dog is considered as one of the most intelligent dogs and they are very easy to train and are highly obedient and ready to work.
Lively and Lively: They need to be active physically and mentally to be happy and healthy, which is ideal for an active-family and the outdoor type.
Social and Friendly: These American Golden Retrievers are very friendly and social and will easily interact with other dogs, pets and even strangers hence making them suitable for families with other pets or children.
Factors to Choose an American Golden Retriever
There are few important factors that you ought to consider before you decide to get an American Golden Retriever as a pet:
Health Considerations: Like any other breed of dogs, the American Golden Retrievers are not immune to diseases that affect the breed. It is crucial to remain informed of these conditions and take proper measures toward their management:
Hip Dysplasia: An inherited disorder that results to improper growth of the hip joint and associated pain and arthritis.
Elbow Dysplasia: Another genetic disease that affects the elbow joint of the dog and causes lameness and pain.
Diseases: Like any other breeds, Golden Retrievers are susceptible to different diseases including cancer diseases that include lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma.
Heart Diseases: Some of the common diseases that may affect the Golden Retrievers include subaortic stenosis.
To reduce on the occurrences of these health problems, it is important that an individual select a reputable breeder who takes genetic tests for the above conditions.
Grooming Needs: The American Golden Retriever has a medium length, thick and double layer coat that is prone to matting therefore will require grooming. Here are some grooming tips:
Bathing: You can bathe your dog 2-3 times a week to ensure that you remove the loose hair and also to untangle their coat.
Bathing: This should be done every 6-8 weeks to ensure that their coat becomes shiny and to remove any dirt that might be on their body.
Grooming: Wash the ears often because the breed is inclined to ear infections due to its droopy ears.
Nail Care: Do not let your nails grow too long so that they may be uncomfortable to use and also cause discomfort to you.
Exercise Requirements: The American Golden Retriever is an active breed which means that it needs to be taken for exercises frequently. Aim for:
One to two sessions of exercise in a day which includes walking, running, and playing.
Swimming is a good exercise to be taken by the Golden Retrievers because they are dogs that are naturally built for swimming.
Other ways to engage their brains includes through play, training or games, and other related activities such as dog sports.
Temperament and Socialization: The American Golden Retriever is invariably sociable, friendly, and affectionate. But it is important for them to be socialized early enough so that they become responsible adults in the society. By taking them to various places, interacting with different people and coming across different pets from a tender age, they will grow to be strong and stable individuals.
How to care of an American Golden Retriever
To help your American Golden Retriever live a healthy life, it is advisable to consider the following tips:
Ensure they get enough energy through exercises to prevent obesity among them.
There should be a proper feeding regimen laid down for them and you should provide them with a good quality dog food that is suitable for the age, size, and level of activity of the dog.
In order to avoid development of behavioral problems, the child should be trained early on.
It is important for them to have their health checked up often and also to look out for any signs of any disease early enough.
Bath on a regular basis to ensure that they are smart looking with no matting of the coat.
Fun Facts About the American Golden Retriever
Below are some interesting facts that may interest you about the American Golden Retriever:
Social Butterflies: they are friendly with everyone and not only with their relatives but also with strangers and other animals as well.
Bathing: Golden Retrievers are excellent swimmers and thus they are known to love water activities such as swimming, fetching and playing with water.
Therapy Superstars: American Golden Retrievers are friendly and caring; they are mostly used as therapy dogs in hospitals, nursing homes, and such facilities.
Great athletes: They are characterized by their ability in dog sports like agility, obedience, as well as retrieving trials.
Where to Find an American Golden Retriever
The breeders of the American Golden Retrievers can be found at:
Having a list of breeders who are reputable in the breed and those that can offer a health guarantee.
Other related organizations include those that specifically deal with the rescue of Golden Retrievers or other retriever breeds.
Adoption platforms like Petfinder or AKC Marketplace for available listings.
FAQs About the American Golden Retriever
Conclusion
The American Golden Retriever is friendly, active, and intelligent dog, which is perfect as a family pet. These dogs with the golden coat, tender character, and great passion are perfect for being therapy, search and rescue, or obedient dogs. Therefore, regardless of whether you are an active person or a family with children, the American Golden Retriever will become an indispensable member of your family, and will bring love and joy for many years.