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Golden Retriever History
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The Golden Retriever owes its existence to the great popularity of retrieving breeds in the 19th century, and is the fruit of a laborious hunt for a dog that would swim in cold water, push through vegetation, and retrieve gently. Scotland’s Lord Tweedmouth is credited with developing the breed, which is primarily the product of a cross between a Wavy-Coated Retriever and a Tweed Water Spaniel. From this initial pairing came four puppies, whose progeny were at one time or another were bred with other retrievers, spaniels, setters, and even a Bloodhound, in an attempt to accentuate the features desired by Lord Tweedmouth.
Lord Tweedmouth’s sons brought the first Golden Retrievers to American in 1900, where they caught on immediately. At first considered to be a variety of Flat-Coated Retriever, the Golden Retriever was later recognized as a separate breed in 1912 and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1925. Today, the Golden Retriever is the second most popular dog in the United States, second only the Labrador Retriever in number of dogs registered with the AKC.
