Probably every person, even a little interested in dogs, has heard of such a breed as the Golden Retriever. These beauties are distinguished by their good character and courage and are always happy to participate in any adventure or game started by the owner. So to get acquainted with such a breed closer will be useful. From the article you will learn how many years the golden retriever lives, what features it has and to whom it will suit.
Breed history
It is worth saying that the Golden Retriever is a fairly young breed. Officially, it was registered only in the middle of the twentieth century, or rather, in 1954.
The first representatives who possessed all the pronounced features of the breed were puppies belonging to a litter of practically incompatible species. The dog became the fruit of the love of the Setter and Newfoundland, and the bitch turned out to be a representative of the Tweed Water Spaniels, a little-known breed popular in England.
To improve the breed, she was crossed with a bloodhound. As a result, retrievers received a more sensitive sense of smell, as well as a voluminous, strong body. Standards were established in 1913.
But in our country, representatives of the breed appeared recently - about 30 years ago. For the first time - in 1989 - they were brought by Alexei Surov, who later founded the Russian Retriever Club. He carefully studied the breed, its habits and characteristics, established how many golden retriever live and what lifestyle they prefer. And the first puppies were born in 1991.
It is curious that for a long time the legend about the breeder Lord Tweedmouth, who allegedly acquired in the circus of Russian shepherds and brought up retrievers using this breed, was very popular. However, this is nothing more than a legend.
Appearance
Before you start a golden retriever, the description of the breed is definitely worth exploring. These dogs are quite large - males at the withers reach 60 centimeters. Bitches are slightly smaller - up to 56 centimeters. And by weight they are very impressive - up to 36 and 32 kilograms, respectively.
The retrievers are simply magnificent - a beautiful, gracefully fashioned muzzle, a strong skeleton, muscular limbs and rounded paws. The transition from the muzzle to the forehead is pronounced. The neck is strong, long. Broad chest gives considerable stamina. Dark brown eyes are set wide, which gives her offspring of hunting dogs.
At the same time, retrievers have a dense undercoat that does not allow water to pass through well - a legacy from Newfoundland. Representatives of the breed are found with both straight and wavy hair. But the color scheme is not too rich. The standard allows cream or golden color. In some cases, a small amount of white spots on the chest is possible. If the dog has white coat, this is a tribal marriage.
Character
Experienced breeders know that the most important parameter showing how happy and enjoyable the union of man and dog is character. The Golden Retriever is naturally pretty good-natured, affectionate. Unlike many dogs, he does not single out in the family one person whom he recognizes as the leader. He equally loves all family members, devoted to them to the last drop of blood.
He loves children very much, in games with whom he will be happy to spend his whole life. And the life span of a golden retriever is usually at least 10 years.
Aggression to the breed is practically unfamiliar. Of course, there are excessively cruel and evil representatives, but in most cases this is explained by errors in upbringing, frequent beatings and abuse by the owner. The dog is just trying to survive, protecting itself from violence.
Because of this, a good guard from the retriever will not work. No, he will stubbornly bark at a stranger if he tries to get into the house. But, most likely, he will refuse to attack him - representatives of this breed are happy to live in peace with every person in the world.
They don’t want to dominate, calmly occupying the niche in the family’s position for the dog - they don’t have to live in tension, readiness to show the pet who is in charge, as is the case with many other breeds. Well, this is an additional plus for families raising a dog for children.
Main purpose
Initially, the golden retriever, whose photo you can see in the article, was displayed as a hunting dog. They gladly throw themselves into the water to get a duck hit by the owner, are able to run for a long time after the wounded beast, helping the owner not to lose track. Soon, however, many dog lovers appreciated the many virtues that he possesses. Therefore, retriever ceased to be only hunting companions, finding their destination in many other areas.
For example, they became service dogs. Quite often they can be seen at customs, among sappers, as well as in the ranks of rescuers - retrievers also cope with all these tasks simply excellently.
Cleverness and livability even made them popular movie actors. It is difficult to list all the films where these magnificent dogs appeared. It is worth recalling at least “Tenth Kingdom”, “Road Home”, “King of the Air” and “Napoleon” - here the noble handsome men played very significant roles. And the directors clearly knew which dog to give preference to please the audience. Knowing how much the golden retriever lives, we can assume that these four-legged actors have long been dead. But viewers still watch movies and get a lot of positive from their game.
And, of course, golden retrievers have become favorites in millions of families around the world. Cheerful, affectionate, good-natured, tolerant and calm, they can sleep for hours with the elderly, run on the street with sports owners, mess around with children - from adolescents to infants, giving each family member many happy moments that are sure to be remembered for a lifetime.
How to care for him
Well, the content of the golden retriever begins with proper care.
It is very important to regularly comb them - at least once, or better - twice a week. Otherwise, all the furniture and floors in your apartment will be covered with a thick layer of wool. And the skin of the pet will grow into dense clumps, which can be eliminated only by cutting them off. Regular combing will delight the dog and the owner, and at the same time will fundamentally solve the problem.
They can be troublesome and fast growing claws. They will have to be trimmed at least once a month. Overgrown claws can cause the dog to scratch your favorite owners, tear upholstery on upholstered furniture. And he himself will suffer greatly, feeling pain while running and jumping. And they love to run and jump!
It is very important to monitor the condition of the eyes. Remove the slightest suppuration, rinse your eyes after hunting or bathing in a river or lake. Then there will be no unnecessary problems to which the retrievers are quite predisposed.
Wash your pet too often is not worth it - just wipe your paws after walking, and also use a special dry shampoo. But these dogs never refuse to swim in nature - here they can splash out an excess of energy, play enough with the hosts.
Most common diseases
Unfortunately, any breed of dog is susceptible to some kind of disease. In general, retriever can boast excellent health, but they can also get sick.
Most often, eye pathologies occur, so their purity should be monitored especially carefully.
A congenital disease is hip dysplasia. Movable large dogs are particularly susceptible to it. At the age of one year, a diagnosis is made and, if necessary, treatment is prescribed. Otherwise, the dog can go limp for life, which for these four-legged lovers to run will be a terrible punishment.
Sometimes epilepsy also manifests itself. It is accompanied by convulsions, seizures. It can be inherited, therefore sick dogs are not allowed to mate.
Proper education
Retriever can be trained just fine. Therefore, to teach them a dozen teams in a month of hard work. However, not all people understand the importance of this and subsequently seriously regret the shortsightedness.
Try to teach your pet at least three teams: "Fu!", "Next" and "To me." These are perhaps the most important teams. Thanks to them, you can always stop a dog playing a trick or tearing off a leash, and prevent eating dangerous leftovers (today it is popular to spread poisoned meat in places where dogs walk).
It is possible that a few hours that you spend on the dog mastered these commands will subsequently save the life of your pet.
Social life
Retrievers are surprisingly accommodating. They rarely chase cats and coexist perfectly with other dogs, including quite aggressive ones. The secret lies in their readiness to serve, softness. Representatives of this breed do not strive to dominate at all, do not like conflicts. For this, many experts value them.
Nevertheless, it is desirable to train them in other animals from an early age. Playing with other puppies, your dog will become more cheerful and sociable, and at the same time will receive many positive emotions, like you when you watch this spectacle.
With a lack of communication, they grow up less socialized, can show hostility and even fear to other dogs, especially those who behave excessively aggressively (including toy terriers, chihuahuas and other small but often barking dogs).
Protect from loneliness!
When starting a retriever, be sure to think - can you provide him a happy life? They really do not like loneliness - spending all day in an empty apartment, dogs frankly miss you. Communication they need no less than the usual care in order to stay happy.
In no case should you put them on a chain. Lack of mobility leads to the fact that dogs begin to eat poorly, lose weight, become susceptible to numerous diseases. It may well lead to death.
Retriever will be a great choice for lovers of a mobile lifestyle. Pets will be able to accompany the owners during walks and evening runs, they will be honored to go hiking, hunting or fishing for many days. And after spending their whole lives at home, and even in an empty apartment, they really will not be happy. Remember this before you start a dog and doom it to an unhappy existence.
Average life
Many people who decide to purchase a pet are seriously interested in how much the golden retriever lives at home. Usually this period is not as long as we would like - about 10-12 years. But with good care, healthy physical exertion and proper nutrition, they can live for 14-15 years, although this does not happen so often.
Conversely, lack of mobility and poor nutrition often lead to the fact that the life of dogs is reduced to 6-8 years.
Conclusion
Our article ends. Now you know much more about such a beautiful breed as the Golden Retriever. How long does the dog live, what character does it possess, what kind of owners will it suit, and even in what films did these dogs star. If you want to make a kind, affectionate and sociable four-legged friend who would be extremely happy to keep you company during walks and games in the fresh air and who would not mind frolicing around with children at all, perhaps you should not look for the best candidate.