The Golden Retriever was a "put together" breed, developed through judicious crossbreeding of various gundogs on the estate of Lord Tweedmouth at Inverness Shire in Scotland. The purpose was to create a powerfully-built, agile hunting dog that could retrieve waterfowl under conditions of extreme wet and cold.

Today not only is the Golden Retriever a superb sporting animal, but he is also a companion dog par excellence. He makes an ideal family pet. A dog for all seasons and all reasons, with a style and personality all his own, the "Golden" is a friendly, fun-loving character who enjoys life to the full. Gentle, affectionate and ultra-patient, he makes an outstanding children's playmate, plus gets on well with other pets.

Possessed of great intelligence, ultra-sensitive, and very responsive to training, he excels at obedience. This is a breed that loves to help out, and craves participation in all aspects of family life. The Golden Retriever can always be relied upon to act in a gentlemanly fashion, with his beautiful manners and endearing demeanour winning friends for him wherever he goes.

His attractive butterscotch-coloured jacket is a hallmark of the breed, as are his lovely dark rimmed eyes, and smiling expression.

A moderately active breed, the Golden Retriever needs regular exercise, and is best suited to a well-fenced house or property and his glamorous double coat requires weekly grooming.

Ideal height: Dogs 56-61cm
Bitches 51-56cm
Weight approx 27 - 36 kg.