It is my firm belief that mankind's early
societal development and indeed survival was intimately linked to the
canine, and that the apex of the very traits which made this so reside in the loyal and
intelligent eyes of the Golden
Retriever.
There is an old saying,
"There are really only two kinds of
dogs in the world. Golden Retrievers...and those who wish the were..."
On the intelligence side of things, Goldens rank #4 out of the 79 AKC recognized breeds, for
Obedience/Working Intelligence. And while there may be three other dogs ranked
higher, the Golden carries none of there flaws. The Golden is not as high strung as
the Border Collie (#1), not as stubborn as the Poodle (#2), nor as skittish as the German
Shepard Dog (#3). The ideal Golden is a a calm, responsive, affectionate animal who
can be utilized in almost any role (save guard dog...though they are outstanding watch
dogs, their trusting and gentle nature makes it virtually impossible to train the
"non-abused" Golden for this role).
Even the origins of this dog speak to its
unique characteristics. Lord Tweedmouth, of Inverness
Shire, Scotland, wanted to breed the perfect dog. A dog which was intelligent,
loyal, attractive, perceptive, and (since as with many British nobels, Lord Tweedmouth was
a hunter) was a powerfully-built, agile, hunting dog that could retrieve waterfowl under
conditions of extreme wet and cold. The end result was the Golden or "Canius
Supremus" as I like to call them
The bottom line is, while there are many
wonderful dogs in the world, it is my opinion (as well as that of many many other
respected experts in the field) that the Golden Retriever is difficult to match in most
areas.
To learn more about the Golden Retriever,
Please visit the following Websites;
