Golden Retrievers Essays - Dog Breeds, Golden Retriever, Retriever

Golden Retrievers OUTLINE Thesis statement: The Golden Retriever is one of the most versatile dogs in the world. I. Introduction. II. History of the Golden Retriever A. "Tale of the Breed" 1. Russian circus dogs 2. Bloodhound B. Accepted Origin 1. Wavy-coated Retriever 2. Tweed Water Spaniel 3. Newfoundland III. Popularity of the Golden Retriever A. Hunting 1. Duties 2. Natural Characteristics B. Shows 1. Bench Competition 2. Field Competition 3. Obedience Competition C. Work 1. Guide dog for the blind 2. Other fields D. Family 1. Pet 2. Breeding 3. Watch dog IV. Conclusion A noble head . . . a gentle twinkle of the eye . . . a smiling face . . .a vibrant burst of energy, running free as the wind ... a wagging tail, happily beating from side to side . . . a thundering splash into icy waters in quest of game on a cold November day . . . a shiny coat, glistening like a nugget of gold . . . a proud stance winning him the best of the show . . . a guiding nudge to the blind . . . an enthusiastic search for snowballs tossed by the family . . . and, most of all, a contented ball of loyal, unquestioning devotion curled up at your feet at the end of a busy day: this is the essence of the Golden Retriever. They are beautiful, intelligent, and very talented. The Golden Retriever is one of the most versatile dogs in the world (Syder 30). The heritage of the Golden Retriever has been in dispute for decades. The less-believed tale with little evidence supporting the Golden's origin is that of the circus dogs. A British sportsman known as Lord Tweedmouth had visited the seaside resort of Brighton where he saw a troupe of performing dogs. He was so fascinated with the intelligence and skill of these dogs that Lord Tweedmouth promptly decided he must have a pair to breed and train for field work at his estate in Scotland. The Russian trainer, however, refused to break up the troupe, saying that to do so would ruin his entire act. So after discussion, Lord Tweedmouth agreed to purchase the entire group of eight. He then took them back to his estate and was said to have them started on a breeding program. The dogs were believed to come from a breed known in their country as Russian Retrievers, or Russian Trackers. The Russian Retrievers were noted for the superior intelligence, but at the same time they were big and cumbersome, so many of Lord Tweedmouth's fellow sportsmen were not impressed with them. Lord Tweedmouth, after long thought and consideration, decided to try a Bloodhound outcross for the purpose of further developing the good tracking tendencies of his dogs. The result was said to be a smaller dog, a more refined coat texture, and a slightly darker shade of coat, with general build and conformation similar to that of a Foxhound. The outcome was the Golden Retriver (Nicholas 13). The accepted origin is the account according to Lord Tweedmouth's grand-nephew, Lord Ilchester. He claims that Lord Tweedmouth bought a yellow-wavy coated Retriever during his trip in Brighton from a cobbler who had taken him in settlement of an unpaid debt. The Golden Retriever is believed to be the cross breeding of the yellow-coated Retriever and a liver-colored Tweed Spaniel in 1868. The goal of this new breed was to make a breed that would only be used to find and bring back wounded and dead game (Nicholas 14). The aim for this working dog's make-up were brains, keen nose, tender mouth, biddability, stamina, and pace, but with less disposition to hunt than Spaniels (AKC 66). In various outcrosses the smaller Newfoundland was introduced because they make the best retrievers (Fischer 19). The Golden Retriever was created by breeding these dogs to bring out the best qualities of working dogs (Fischer 21). Over the years Golden Retrievers have steadily grown in popularity, and today they rank 7th in A.K.C. popularity (Tortora 49). Both beauty and brains are combined in a Golden. Their size, their biddable temperament, and their desire to please, are all part of why they have increased so rapidly in notoriety (AKC 67). They are valued workers and are held in high esteem by people from many walks of life. The responsibilities of caring for a Golden Retriever are a joy to fulfill for such a versatile breed of dog (Nicholas 437). The Golden Retriever has a natural instinct for hunting.