How Goldens Originated

The Golden Retriever is a Scottish breed of retrieverdog of medium size. It is characterised by a gentle and affectionate nature and a striking golden coat. It is commonly kept as a pet and is among the most frequently registered breeds in several Western countries. It is a frequent competitor in dog shows and obedience trials; it is also used as a gundog, and may be trained for use as a guide dog.

The breed was created by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks at his Scottish estate Guisachan in the late nineteenth century. He cross-bred Flat-coated Retrievers with Tweed Water Spaniels, with some further infusions of Red Setter, Labrador Retriever and Bloodhound. The breed was recognised by the Kennel Club in 1913, and during the interwar period spread to many parts of the world.

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, Goldens began to compete in dog shows, under the category of 'Retrievers, wavy or flat coated. Other colors' (basically not black). 

The UK Kennel Club recognized the Golden as a breed in it's own right in 1911 under the name 'Retriever - Yellow or Golden'. When the Golden Retriever Club was established in 1920 the official breed name was officially changed to 'Golden Retriever' The breed was officially recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1925 and by the AKC in 1932.

Today, Golden Retrievers are perhaps one of the most popular dog breeds around and although, they were originally bred purely as working dogs they are now often seen as the quintessential family pet! Of course, Golden's are still fantastic working dogs. They love to be outdoors, are huge fans of water, and are highly intelligent and responsive to commands which makes them easy to train and a joy to be around.

I'm sure that Dudley Marjoribanks couldn't have forseen how incredibly popular his yellow retrievers would be centuries after he bred his first litter. He may also have been very surprised to see the gorgeous range of colors that they can now be found in!