Potential Golden owners should consider their preferences and needs before deciding on a dog and breeder. The split between field, show and obedience lines has created Goldens with marked differences in temperament, hunting ability and structure. The field Golden, who is bred for hunting, is generally leaner and less coated, often with a narrower head and a higher energy level. The Golden who has been bred to win blue ribbons in the show ring is typically heavier boned, with shorter legs and a noticeably broader skull. The show Golden is usually more laid-back and less intense, if intense at all, in the field.
However, even a show-bred Golden puppy can be a handful. His enthusiasm and zest for life can easily overwhelm a novice owner who is unprepared for the breeds natural vigor and vitality. Perhaps due to Goldens high public profile, many people are unaware that, while highly trainable, the Golden still requires training. He is more than anxious to please his person, but he needs to learn how to do that. Obedience training is the commonsense route to transforming an exuberant Golden into a well-behaved canine good citizen.
Golden rescue groups (breed organizations that rehome abandoned Goldens) routinely deal with disenchanted owners who give up their Goldens because of temperament and behavior problems. Quite simply, the dogs were never trained or poorly trained at best. Fortunately, many stout-hearted Golden owners who fail to train their dogs learn to tolerate and adjust to their Goldens unruly ways because they love their dogs. Most likely, one of those dogs lives just down the street!
Breed and breeder selection are weighty decisions and should be based on what's best for both you and your future dog. All this and more should determine whether or not you and a Golden Retriever could live happily ever after.
Next step: Golden Retriever Overview
Reprinted from Breeders Best: Golden Retriever © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.
Page
1 | 2