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The Golden RetrieverI knew before we even had a dog that I wanted a Golden Retriever. They bring a smile to my face and make me feel all is well with the world.
 So why do I love this breed? It could be the fact that they're so bouncy and ready for anything. They just seem to ooze enthusiasm which is a very wonderful quality in anyone, human or canine. The picture below shows Georgie digging on the beach - one of her favourite pastimes.
 Characteristics Golden Retrievers are intelligent and highly trainable dogs. They make excellent family pets as well as being faithful working dogs. They are medium to large in size and need daily exercise to keep them healthy and out of mischief. The Coat The colour of the coat ranges from very pale cream - almost white - to a rich golden colour. The picture below shows our lighter coloured dog, Georgie, in the water with Hector, my Father-in-Law's deeper coloured Retriever. Both of course are gorgeous! 
These dogs are a 'double-coated' breed. The outer coat consists of long silky hairs and the undercoat insulates them from temperature extremes.
Every evening whatever the weather Georgie 'asks' to be allowed outside (she stands patiently by the back door quietly hoping someone will notice her). Apart from during heavy rain storms she will then make herself comfy on the patio and sit outside taking in the evening air. When she's sufficiently cool again she'll 'ask' to come in (one quick bark) and enter our centrally heated house which must sometimes feel like a sauna to her.
Exercise We live in the middle of town and have a small patio garden. This means we have to prioritise exercise. Even if you have a large garden it is not enough to simply let a dog outside and assume they will exercise themselves. They need new smells, new stimulation, the excitement of meeting new people and other dogs - in short, 'a walk'.
In the morning our dogs have an off-lead walk in the surrounding country-side for at least one hour, often two. If there's water, so much the better! Georgie seems to be able to smell water. She might suddenly disappear for a few minutes coming back dripping wet having found a pond around the corner that I didn't even know existed.
Here's Georgie swimming back to shore with a very soggy tennis ball! 
Cleaning up It is difficult to be house proud with any dog who gets out and about and enjoys the great outdoors. And there is a certain amount of 'the great outdoors' that undeniably finds its way back into the house. Have a collection of old towels to hand and invest in some good cleaning products. 
Sleep If you're doing your job properly you will be rewarded with a few hours of quiet time after the walk. As they get older they seem to sleep more but they still need the exercise to relax them. 
Children This breed are notoriously good with children. It must be emphasised however that they don't arrive in your house as perfect dogs. They need to be taught good manners and how to be gentle. The earlier in their life you start this process the better. 
If you're considering a second dog try this page. 
History This breed was originally developed to retrieve water fowl. A Scotsman and keen hunter, the former Sir Dudley Marjoriebanks, first Lord Tweedmouth, was responsible for crossing Nous, a yellow retriever and Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel (a breed now extinct). Nous was a large, handsome dog with a wavy, medium coloured coat apparently resembling the modern Golden Retriever; Belle was a liver coloured dog with a tightly curled coat, the Tweed Water Spaniel being the preferred hunting dog of that region in Scotland.
And so the breeding programme began and was continued by friends and family of Lord Tweedmouth who all shared the dream of producing a yellow retriever breed.
The breed was first accepted for registration by the Kennel Club in 1903, as 'Flat Coats - Golden'. They were first exhibited in 1908, and in 1911 were recognized as a breed described as 'Retriever (Golden and Yellow)'. In 1913, the Golden Retriever Club was formed by Winifred Maude Charlesworth, an early Golden Retriever aficionado. The breed name was officially changed to Golden Retriever in 1920.
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