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The Golden Retriever, with his superb golden coat and trustworthy, friendly nature, thoroughly deserves his place as one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. They are intelligent and patient, eminently suited to family life. The Golden Retriever is sure to bring years of pleasure to his lucky owners. He is easy to train and is never happier than when interacting with his humans.

The sociable Golden Retriever has had enormous success in all areas of service and is equally valued as a devoted companion and family pet. Apart from their original use as a gundog, the Golden Retriever excels at drug detection, search and rescue, obedience trials and agility classes. They are sociable dogs and like to be with people (their own or strangers, it doesn't matter too much). His friendly, patient nature makes him ideal as a guide- or assistance-dog. He also excels at 'Pets as Therapy'. Many take on roles as surrogate mothers to some very unlikely offspring, providing comfort and protection for orphan animals from ducklings to tiger cubs. They are excellent with children, being patient and good-natured. Aggression, lack of courage and nervousness are not in their nature. Unfortunately he is too gentle and trusting to excel as a guard dog but, hey, you can't have everything!

There are few 'unknowns' in the development of the Golden Retriever. From 1835 to 1890, the game-keepers of Guisachan estate, near Glen Affric at the mouth of the Tweed River in Scotland kept meticulous records of the breeding of their gundogs. Guisachan was owned by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks (later Lord Tweedmouth). An ardent sportsman, Lord Tweedmouth was anxious to develop a retriever more suited to Scottish conditions. The improved firearms of the day meant more game was being shot and a stronger, more vigorous dog was needed to retrieve the birds.

Tweedmouth's yellow retriever, Nous, was crossed with a Tweed Water Spaniel, Belle. Subsequent crossing of the progeny with the Irish Setter, Bloodhound and others plus judicious inbreeding and rigorous selection for type resulted in a retriever that had the patience to sit for hours in a hunting blind with its master but which was more active and powerful than its predecessors. The breeding records of Lord Tweedmouth were not released to the public until 1952.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the Golden Retriever in 1932 as a member of the Sporting Group, although the first registration of a Golden

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