Age-old canine practice states: the second Rubicon after making a fundamental decision to get a dog is the gender choice of the pet’s sex.
To the question “ is the golden retriever a boy or a girl ?” There is no definite answer: everything is so individual and subjective...
Let’s try to consider the basic factors of “gender casting”: characteristic differences (character and temperament), behavioral characteristics, specifics of life support and care for magnificent toothy gentlemen and young ladies of the most popular breed of Golden Retriever.
Story
The breed was developed in the 19th century in Great Britain as a hunting dog.
For a long time it was believed that the Golden Retriever was just a variety of the Flat-Coated Retriever, but today it is a completely independent breed that has its own standards.
There is a beautiful legend that golden retrievers were bought by a Scottish lord from a circus, where they showed excellent skills and a clear mind in the arena.
Golden retrievers are often taught special skills that allow them to serve as guide dogs, help rescuers, border guards, and special units.
The Lord began breeding the breed and popularized it in every possible way, saying that the ancestors of these beautiful dogs were Russian Shepherds. It’s difficult to say why this story was needed, but the fact remains that the golden retriever quickly began to gain popularity.
The popularity of keeping dogs of this breed to participate in hunting does not decrease, where the main task of the golden retriever is to bring prey.
Her characteristics
Dogs of this breed are considered beautiful. They have a large but not massive head, neat jaws with a scissor bite, large brown eyes with dark eyeliner. The look is soft and friendly. All dogs of this species have a pronounced transition from the muzzle to the forehead. The ears are of medium size.
The dog's body is muscular, the back is straight, the chest is moderately wide, the ribs are well arched. The front legs are straight, tightly fitting to the body, the hind legs are more massive, elongated, and have pronounced knee joints. This body structure allows the pet to run easily and a lot, covering significant distances in a short time.
The animal easily tolerates frost, can walk for a long time in cold weather, and sleep in the snow. Breeders should remember that it has long hair that should be combed and washed. With poor nutrition and insufficient hygiene, these dogs develop a specific body odor that needs to be eliminated within a few days.
The dog rarely gets sick. However, it is important for the owner to regularly show her to the veterinarian to prevent the development of any pathologies.
Retriever standard
An adult must meet the following breed parameters:
- Height is up to 56 cm at the withers for a girl, up to 61 cm for a boy.
- The weight of an adult dog is up to 41.5 kilograms for a male, 37 for a female.
- The coat is long, slightly wavy or straight, the undercoat is dense and waterproof. Representatives of this breed tend to shed heavily.
- The coat color of golden retrievers can be various shades of yellow, cream (in some cases, pure white). Another variety of the breed has a black tint.
The dog is well built, harmoniously built, looks fit and athletic.
Pet Personality
This is a large or medium breed that gets along well with humans. It has the following main features:
- Curiosity.
- Hyperactivity - the dog should be walked frequently.
- Friendliness.
- Sociability.
- Flexibility.
- Good attitude towards children.
- High intelligence (such dogs occupy 4th place among all domestic breeds).
- Mental stability.
Adults get along well with other pets, do not show aggression towards other dogs and cats, and can be left alone and play with them. They rarely attack humans or animals. This only happens in situations where the dog sees a clear threat to its owner or its own puppies. In other cases, strangers are treated friendly. A dog may rush at a passerby only to sniff him and get to know him better. Owners should stop this kind of behavior from their pet.
How long do golden retrievers live?
The lifespan of such a dog is 10-12 years. The quality of a dog’s life depends on compliance with recommendations for nutrition, training, timely vaccination and treatment of diseases. If a person scrupulously follows the veterinarian's instructions, the pet can live 15-16 years, even more.
Character
There is hardly anyone who can say anything bad about the character of a golden retriever.
- They are so amenable to learning and training that even small flaws in behavior are instantly corrected.
- In addition to hunting work , as well as service for the benefit of humans, golden retrievers are able to help in the treatment of certain diseases, for example, autism in children, nervous and mental disorders in adults.
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- And an ordinary person will feel in a dog of this breed a friend to whom they can tell about their problems and experiences.
- The Golden Retriever is able to capture all the notes of the owner’s mood, truly empathize with him or sincerely rejoice together.
- If the owner is busy with something , then the retriever will never just lie and watch. He will definitely take part in what is happening. Therefore, it is useful to teach the dog real actions that will be beneficial, for example, bringing some objects.
- Golden Retrievers do not become attached to one family member; they love everyone equally who treats them well. All these people can equally engage in training and education.
- won't cause much trouble on a walk They never attack dogs or other animals. Friendly by nature, they get along well with all creatures.
- They will not stay away from children's games , where they will happily run, jump, and fetch balls and sticks.
- Dogs have a very lively and quick mind , which allows them to instantly react to what is happening and quickly make decisions.
There are a fairly large number of cases where a golden retriever saved people without thinking about its own safety.
Criterias of choice
In addition to personal psychological factors, in canine gender casting the goal of acquiring a puppy, life programming, and the applied side of the issue of dog ownership are of great importance.
Animals for podiums and rings
When thinking about an exhibition career, show rooms and international competitions, you should focus on the “strong half” of the dog world: a male Golden Retriever is always in good shape and in appearance (unlike a female that sheds after shedding). It is really easier and more effective to exhibit and compete for prizes and medals with male dogs. There is only one “but”: there are always more males at shows, so the competition is higher.
Golden young ladies are graceful and delightfully charming, exhibition judges are loyal to their fragile beauty, but the practice of showing females in heat at the fashion show is condemned and considered bad manners. Combining the practice of exhibition fashion shows and reproductive activities for owners of golden ladies is very difficult in organizational terms.
Breeding
To organize a nursery, breeder functionality and commercial breeding, it is better to select a golden lady or a female puppy. Compliance with the standard register, absence of disqualifying flaws, good pedigree - and male golden retrievers will line up for mating.
With the “male sex” in breeding, everything is problematic: a very limited circle of repeatedly tested males are attracted to the breeding “party”. Only males who have achieved a show career, have an elite pedigree and impeccable exterior are mated.
Puppy price
The Golden Retriever is perhaps one of the most popular breeds in poultry markets.
Prices there range from 4000-6500 rubles .
The cost of puppies from “underground” breeders is 6,000-12,000 rubles .
But usually this is a problematic purchase: the animal does not have a veterinary passport and/or pedigree, the owner cannot imagine the puppy’s parents, or it is generally a “well-produced” crossbreed.
Small “golden” retriever puppies, more like bear cubs, are difficult to confuse with another breed. Nevertheless, there are enough reasons not to buy a pet without documents.
Firstly , even a thorough examination of the puppy and its parents does not guarantee a successful purchase, let alone “bird houses”.
Secondly , advertisements are teeming with offers for free “mixed-breed retrievers” - descendants of goldens and mongrels. And in the market there is a high probability of stumbling upon such puppies.
Thirdly , a real golden retriever is a dog that can replace a person. It would be stupid not to take advantage of the opportunity to raise an excellent assistant and friend from a purebred puppy.
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Choosing a Golden Retriever puppy is not a matter of five minutes. Take the time to visit exhibitions, nurseries, and trusted breeders. Chat with them about the character and abilities of the parents of the future pet. Be sure to watch the whole family a little longer.
To be confident in your animal, purchase it from a nursery, especially since the prices for purebred non-show and market puppies are not much different.
Kennels offer goldens at the following prices:
“ pet class ” - puppies for home, not up to the exhibition standard - 20,000-26,000 rubles ; “ breeding class ” - a retriever puppy, for breeding the breed - 26,000-36,000 rubles ; “ show class ” - a descendant of titled champions with the makings of a winner - 36,000-65,000 rubles .
The range of prices within classes is dependent on the external (compliance with the standard) and internal (mental and physical health) characteristics of the puppy, the status of the parents and sometimes maintenance costs.
The recommended price for a Golden Retriever puppy is 20,000-25,000 rubles.
Brief description of the breed
The standard is considered to be individuals of average height and build with coats of all shades of golden, beige and cream. The color should be uniform, without interspersing other colors.
The appearance is elegant , all parts of the body are proportional. The dog moves with an even, calm step, gracefully.
Curved ribs make the dog's chest powerful and wide. The hind legs are strong and muscular, the front legs are long and graceful, straight. The knees are pronounced.
The coat should be straight, thick, and cover the entire body of the dog. The hair should lengthen along the body, forming a kind of mane.
Care
As for choosing a place of residence for a golden retriever, both an apartment and a private house are suitable for him.
- Space for this dog is not as important as attention and care.
- A retriever who walks alone in a huge yard is an unhappy dog; his mental health will be undermined. Therefore, the dog is categorically unsuitable for those people who cannot devote enough time to it.
- A dog of this breed will not cause much trouble in caring for it if you accustom it to a number of hygiene procedures from infancy.
- It is important to monitor the condition of your retriever's eyes. Small periodic purulent discharge caused by sand getting into the eyes is a normal option. However, if this discharge is repeated day after day, then you need to contact your veterinarian. This symptom is characteristic of some not very pleasant diseases.
- You should look into your ears only periodically - once a week is enough. You can clean them with a cotton swab.
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- Teeth are cleaned with a special toothbrush or cotton swab. If the dog has been accustomed to this procedure since infancy, then the pet will not show much resistance.
- You should not wash your retriever too often . Their coat is quite sensitive to the effects of detergents, and in order to ensure that the protective substances are not washed off from it, it is necessary to use only certain types of shampoo.
- The washing procedure itself should not be carried out more than three times a year.
- But you will have to comb it every day. If you are not lazy and perform this item of caring for your golden retriever efficiently, then its coat will always be silky and well-groomed in appearance.
- Exhibition specimens are trimmed. It is best to trust this work to professionals, then the presence of a haircut will not be noticeable.
Nutrition
Like any dog, the Golden Retriever needs to eat food that includes all the necessary components.
The easiest way to feed your dog is dry food.
Premium food is suitable , in addition, you must ensure that your pet always has clean water.
If the dog has just come from the kennel, there is no need to suddenly start feeding it unfamiliar food.
You can also feed them natural food . But in this case, vitamin supplements and cottage cheese must be present in the diet.
Even with a firm intention to change the animal’s diet, for some time you will have to feed what the dog is accustomed to.
And then gradually introduce new foods, carefully monitoring your mood and health.
Upbringing
Despite the fact that the Golden Retriever is an unusually kind, intelligent, and affectionate dog, it is still necessary to train and train it.
No matter how good a dog’s character may be , he must know the words “No”, “Ugh”, “Come to me”. At least to avoid scaring someone else’s child, or to prevent your pet from picking up trash on the street.
For creative people, the Golden Retriever is just a godsend. With it you can organize theatrical performances, perform magic tricks and much more.
Health
The health of retrievers leaves much to be desired, as they often suffer from diseases of the musculoskeletal system. They are often diagnosed with joint dysplasia. If you do not pay attention to the development of the disease in a timely manner, it will lead to the pet’s disability. Severe forms of the disease require immediate surgery, which costs a lot of money.
Moderate physical activity and muscle training will help avoid problems with the musculoskeletal system. The puppy is allowed to be trained after 12 months, when the skeleton is stronger.
Eye diseases are inherited , so they need to be given great attention from childhood. Every day the dog needs to wipe its eyes with a warm, damp cloth.
Once a year, the dog must be shown to a doctor and have its heart examined . They often develop diseases of the cardiovascular system, both in adolescence and in adulthood.
An annual examination will help maintain your pet’s health and detect diseases in the early stages.
Nutrition is important in health . The dog needs balanced food that will contain the correct balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as all the necessary microelements. Food can be dry, wet or combined.
Reviews
Catherine. Golden named Atlant
What, you can’t take away the dog’s enthusiasm and fun! I tried to take part in the exhibition with him, but he was just fooling around. The next year I had to turn to professionals who taught both him and me methods of education. A very affectionate dog and beautiful. We can rarely walk down the street without at least one admiring exclamation following us!
Insomnia. Golden named Venya
I never thought it was possible to become so attached to a dog! This is a true friend, companion, ally. In addition, with such an active dog, it won’t take long to lose weight. But his boundless love for all people does not allow him to be subordinated to one master; this would be convenient for his upbringing. Plus, Venya is such a kind dog that he’s not much of a guard. Well, he’s not evil, and he’ll never be that way.
What to feed your Golden Retriever?
It is better to base the puppy’s diet on specialized foods. This allows you to provide a balanced diet containing all the vitamins and microelements necessary for representatives of this breed. An adult can be fed with ready-made formulas of the highest category. You need to choose specialized mixtures, since retrievers often exhibit food allergies.
If a dog owner wants to feed him natural food, he must introduce the following products into his pet’s diet:
- meat and offal;
- chicken eggs;
- vegetables, herbs, garlic, fruits;
- milk soups;
- cereals;
- vegetable oil.
The diet of black and golden retrievers must contain bones (only tubular foods should be avoided). It is also advisable to add special vitamins and minerals to your pet’s food. This will avoid the development of various diseases in the dog and prolong his life. If you have any problems with your retriever's nutrition, it is important to contact your veterinarian immediately. He will help you choose the right balanced diet for him.
