Did you know that the Golden retriever ranks fifth as the most popular dog breed worldwide?

Well, that is just one fun fact. Today, we highlight 20 facts that make this dog breed so unique.
Let’s find out some fascinating golden retriever facts!

Origin and history It was formally bred in Scotland in the mid-19th century. The breed developed as a hunting breed for a well-known sport for the prosperous Scottish elite. In the 1920s, the breed originally came to North America and rose to fame for its outstanding temperament and beautiful features.

They were referred to as “retriever” by reason of their capacity to retrieve shot game intact with their soft mouth. To date, the common and widely used name for a Golden Retrievers is “Golden”.

Golden retriever fun facts

### **Golden Retrievers come in lots of shades**

As their name suggests, their coats have light golden colors to dark golden colors. These pups come in a variety of rich, lustrous golden shades like white golden, light golden, English cream, dark golden, mahogany and red golden.

As the puppy grows older, the coats might be lighter or darker, together with a detectable whitening of fur around the muzzle.

They own a double coat

Gently pass your fingers through a golden retriever’s fur down to its skin. You will recognize two well-defined layers of fur.

The double layer coat is made up of a thick undercoat and a long fine top coat. The soft undercoat serves to keep the retriever warm in winter and cool in summer.

On the other hand, a topcoat is partly wavy and water-resistant; it also sheds a lot. Read more Golden retriever coat here

Golden Retrievers are great swimmers

Popular for their inordinate love for the water, the Retrievers are excellent in the water.

Goldens have webbed toes

As interesting as it sounds, that’s right. It has thin webs of soft skin that join with the paws on the toes.
Their webbed paws have no daily function but since they are great in the water, the paws can be useful.

Golden Retrievers are generally a friendly breed

Research that reviewed over 30 breeds of dog discovered goldens were rated as the sixth least to show aggressive behavior.

Their calm and trustful complexion makes them poor guard dogs.

Golden Retrievers enjoy playing fetch

A golden really enjoys a game of fetch owing to its remarkable retrieving history. Playing fetch is a superb way to exercise them.

It also helps you to create a strong connection with them, as well as rewarding them during obedience training.

Their average lifespan is 11 to 12 years

Some golden retrievers can go beyond this estimate but sadly, most never make it. The common retriever spends an average of twelve years with a family.

Goldens Love Company

These dogs thrive well in an environment where they receive plenty of time and attention from their families.

They provide support to children who need it

Children with autism, anxiety or those who struggle with their daily life find great help from golden retrievers. They support kids and especially make them calm as they learn to read.

Proper diets keep Golden Retrievers healthy

As with any other dog, Goldens are at their fittest when they have the right weight. Maintaining low weight reduces the risks of cranial crucial ligament condition.

Golden Retrievers may suffer from separation anxiety

A possible problem of this friendly dog is that they struggle whenever they are far from their owners or families.

For some of them, it further worsens to a point where they develop a disorder called separation anxiety, where it gets distressed after being left.

Golden Retrievers are easy to train

Other breeds encounter difficulty during training. However, this is not the case for hunting dogs like the golden retriever. This is because over the years, they are bred to work consistently with the owners.

Goldens shed a lot

Golden retrievers blow their coats at least twice a year in the molting season. On a regular basis, you will notice a patch of fur that follows on its path.

Regular grooming and a cleaning routine coupled with an animal hair hoover will keep shedding under control.

Goldens need regular grooming

The long double coats require loads of attention. It is advisable to brush the pup from a young age to facilitate bonding and resting time for you both. At least twice a week is enough for the furry friend.

Fourth most intelligent dog breed

As reported by one study, goldens are the fourth most brilliant breed of dogs after the Border collie, Poodle and German Shepherds.

Golden Retrievers make great pets

For the right family and active home, Goldens can be awesome pets. They go well with other cats, dogs and most livestock.

They are popular for their calmness, friendliness towards people and willingness to learn.

There are three types of golden retrievers

Three types of golden retrievers exist namely the British, American and Canadian.

The British type is prevalent throughout Australia and Europe. They are characterized by a coat color of cream or any shade of gold.

The American golden retrievers have darker coats that appear in numerous shades of gold with moderate feathering.

The Canadian type has a darker and thinner coat. It also stands taller than the other two.

Goldens are prone to cancer

Cancer is the largest killer of dogs from this breed.

Health research organized by the Golden Retriever Club of America showed that 61.4% of Golden deaths are as a result of cancer. Because of that, their lifespan is lower than expected.

Goldens have high risks of joint problems

Sadly, three main joint problems are likely to affect Golden retrievers.

These are cranial ligament disease, elbow Dysplasia, and Hip Dysplasia.

Prior to picking a puppy, ensure its parents have excellent elbow and hip scores so as to improve its odds of good joint health.

They are great service dogs

Since they are so trainable, golden retrievers have secured important jobs such as:
• Guide dogs for blind people
• Service dogs for people having mobility issues
• Rescuing people from natural disasters as well as earthquakes
• Bomb and drug sniffing at airports

How many new fun facts have you learned so far?