The Golden Retrievers lineage is modern and well documented. During mid-18th century Scotland, A man by the name of Baron Tweedmouth sought to engineer a dog with a propensity to hunt efficiently on both land and water (Scotland has many ponds and rivers). Goldens are excellent swimmers and retrievers, making them invaluable to hunters seeking to retrieve submerged fowl/ game. Hunting was not Lord Baron's sole goal however as he sought to endow with it physical attractiveness and outstanding social intelligence.
Dogs species (which differ from their modern counterparts) bred to arrive at the modern day Golden include,
- Tweed Water Spaniel
- Red Setters
- Black Retrievers
- Labradors
- Bloodhounds
- St. John's Dogs
This amalgam of species combined in one created a dog with impeccable smell, friendly temperament, and exceptional hunting savvy. Most of all, their most overt feature was their luxurious golden coat. They are non-slip retrievers meaning they sit until commanded to gather game. They are a man's best friend, especially for physical activities. If you live somewhere with a lot of space for a Golden to roam then it's the perfect scenario.
Even now with the modern Golden Retriever there lay subtle differences between any individual dog based on its location. Canadian Goldens, American Goldens, and British Goldens vary to some degree.