In the 19th century, the search took place between the British lower aristocracy for a perfect hunting dog. As a result, the majority of today’s retrievers and other hunting breeds have the remaining roots in the UK. Many have tried to achieve this by mixing various hunting dogs with a desire to obtain their best qualities. Sometimes this worked but more often not.
Golden Retriever Origin lies in the careful work of Sir Dudley Marjoribanksa (later on the first Lord Tweedmouth) who also decided to breed a good hunting dog. According to one story shows that his base were the Russian circus dogs, which were slightly larger than today’s Golden Retriever, a highly intelligent and yellow ocher breed.
In 1865, Lord Tweedmouth purchased a yellow retriever “Nous” from an unregistered litter, which was from the litter of black curly retrievers. This phenomenon is a yellow retriever in a Black litter which took place very often. Nous was later mated with “Belle” (Tweed Water Spaniel), and as a result gave birth to four puppies that meet the wishes. Through the years, these dogs are mixed with curly Retrievers, Irish Setters, and later with sandy-colored Bloodhound, in order to refine the breed. Coat colors Golden Retriever that time differ from fox red to light cream, as well as the length of hair.
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The Elegant English Golden Retriever
There are only two pure breed golden retrievers recognized by most of the kennel clubs and associations; the English golden retriever and the American golden retriever.
Though there may be other references like the European golden retriever, the English golden retriever is really the pure breed in most cases. In fact the American golden retriever has minimal subtle differences from the English type which I like to call the ‘original’ golden retriever.
The golden retriever as a breed was first developed not in England, but Scotland around mid 1800s. You may perhaps be wondering why it was not named after its country of origin, so do I. Lord Tweedmouth is credited for developing this breed primarily for hunting, reportedly from a cross of the water spaniel and the bloodhound.
It was used for retrieving the birds that were shot during the then increasingly popular duck hunting spot in both the fur and feather and water retrievals. This was because of their characteristics like being good swimmers, their waterproof coats, and very high intelligence levels.
Though it was developed to fill a need, it is one of the most popular pets in the world over two centuries later. It is now available across the globe as a pure breed or as a cross.
The English golden retriever is slightly heavier and shorter, has a blockier forehead, a slightly wider muzzle than the American type. It has a deeper chest, a shorter tail, and a less hairy and firmer coat which is predominantly light cream or any of the lighter shades of gold color.
This further became a key characteristic which enabled the golden retrievers to traverse the rugged and wet terrains to retrieve the birds. It is now a stunning spectacle of the golden retriever that every owner loves to brush and rub.
Perhaps its most endearing qualities include its warm temperament and versatile nature that have made it quite popular as a family pet and even assistance for the handicapped. Its relatively high intelligence has made it a top choice for a rescue dog, drug sniffing dog, tracking and hunting companion and of course an excellent show dog.
It has a knack for banging the obedience and conformance awards in several competitions. One of the kennel associations beautifully and accurately describes the English golden retriever in the ‘general appearance’ category in this manner;
“A symmetrical, powerful, active dog, sound and well put together, not clumsy or long in the leg, displaying a kindly expression and displaying a personality that is eager, alert and self-confident…”
I recently saw a UK kennel club cum British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee report about the health of the English golden retrievers. I thought it was quite impressive that just shy of 20% of the golden retrievers had run out the clock or died of age related complications. Cancer took up the largest chunk of deaths, about 39% of all the deaths.
So it really is correct to say that every other golden retriever breeds are really a variation of the English golden retriever.
Kevin Taylor is a Golden Retriever Trainer and breeding enthusiast, and enjoys helping others get started in this amazing hobby by sharing information about the English golden retriever
His newest book,”The Ultimate Golden Retriever Training & Care Guide,” teaches Golden Retriever owners and trainers everything they need to know about training and caring for their Golden Retriever. http://www.goldenretrievercentre.com
The Bloodhound
Bloodhound History and origin:
This scent hound is an old breed, dating back to Roman times. He is said to have been brought to England by William the Conqueror in 1066. This dog has the most powerful sense of smell of all the breeds. In the United States, he has been used as a tracker of fugitives and lost individuals.
Description:
The Bloodhound stands 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 90 and 110 pounds. This is a large, powerful animal with great stamina and drive. The shedding coat is short and requires regular brushing with a hound glove to keep it in good condition. The color may be black-and-tan, red-and-tan, or all tan. Bloodhounds have loose, wrinkled skin and long ears.
About the Bloodhound:
The Bloodhound is known to be the best tracker of all the scent hounds. He is excellent at picking up a scent and following it relentlessly until the prey is located, but he does not kill it. This breed is a highly specialized dog specifically designed to perform a single task: tracking. Breeders have created not only a dog with the best nose in the business but also a dog with a relentless, determined mind-set. The Bloodhound will follow a scent forever and ignore everything else, including you. Choosing a Bloodhound for a family pet would be like using a bulldozer to drive to the corner store. More than any other breed, the Bloodhound needs to perform the task for which he was bred. Although most of them have a very good temperament, there have been few cases of very aggressive Bloodhounds. The relentless, determined, non-thinking mind-set that is so effective in tracking can be transformed into aggressive behavior as well. When a Bloodhound becomes aggressive, he is almost impossible to stop. Keep in mind that this is a very big dog. The Bloodhound needs obedience training and socialization early in life. He is stubborn and is easily distracted by scents that you cannot perceive.
Feeding:
Recommended feeding for the Bloodhound is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.
Ideal home:
This breed will be suitable for hunters, trackers, police departments, and search and rescue teams and is not really recommended as a family pet. He can be intolerant of children and may bite if teased or provoked. However, if you choose to have this breed as a family pet, he needs to live in the country and requires a fenced yard or kennel. The owner must be a strong, no nonsense leader and must use this breed to do the work he was bred for. Keep in mind the Bloodhound needs plenty of exercise to keep him happy and healthy.
Black and Tan Coonhound
Black and Tan Coonhound History and origin:
First used in Medieval England, the Black and Tan Coonhound was perfected in the southern United States. This breed is one of six types of Coonhound and was used as a tracker of opossum, raccoon, and bear. It is a working hound that is not usually seen in the show ring.
Description:
Standing 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 70 and 90 pounds, this is a big, strong, agile scent hound. The shedding coat is short, dense, and requires regular brushing with a hound glove. Regular ear check is important with this breed.
About the Black and Tan Coonhound:
This is a very strong, hardy, active, driven breed that is primarily a” hunting dog and should not be considered for use as a family pet. The Black and Tan Coonhound is not as adaptable to the home as the Beagle or Basset. He is best owned by a hunter who can put his natural abilities to the best use. The Black and Tan is eager, alert, and possesses a superb sense of smell and will be easily distracted by any scent wafting through the neighborhood. Similar to the Bloodhound and to a lesser extent, the Basset, this breed can be provoked to aggression if required to obey when he does not want to or when he does not understand what he is expected to do. This is an explosive, non-thinking type of aggression that comes with very little warning. The instinct to track in this breed is usually stronger than his owner’s ability to control; the dog goes into a driven, trance-like state that is hard to break through. The Black and Tan Coonhound is normally suspicious of strangers and is not recommended for families with children because of his potential for aggression. Though bred to be a pack hunter, he can be very dog-aggressive. The Black and Tan Coonhound is also very vocal, making him best suited to life on a farm or in the country. He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and ear infections and must have his ears cleaned regularly. His owner must handle the dog liberally from day one or risk being bitten.
Feeding:
Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of branded meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete dry food.
Ideal Home:
A house with a fenced yard or a kennel is essential. This breed does not make a good family pet because he does not understand and will not tolerate children. He does much better if owned and used by a hunter on a regular basis. He is a working hound that needs regular exercise as well as supervision and firm no-nonsense leadership. Obedience training and socialization from day one are necessary for the Black and Tan Coonhound.