In the earlier days, the Golden Retriever was used for the purpose of hunting in old England and Scotland. It is due to their true flexibility and medium-size. The boldness, intelligence and vitality play a significant role in the hunting instincts of the the Golden Retriever. The AKC recognized the Golden Retriever in 1925 and following this recognition the breed became increasingly popular. The dog received the title for Obedience Champ from the AKC in 1977.

They include things such as the dog's gait, the angle the legs are attached at, and the density of the coat. The American Kennel Club has specific requirements for their Golden Retriever standards, and they can be found at the AKC website. Dogs that meet these requirements are beautiful, healthy, active, engaging dogs, and any owner can be proud to have a Golden Retriever like that in his life.

There is also a criterion by which a dog is considered disqualified. For Golden Retrievers, there are two disqualifiers. First, the Golden Retriever will be disqualified if the height is more than one inch from the standard, either too high or too short. The second item is if there is an undershot or overshot bite. Other than these two items, there are no automatic disqualifiers.

At the end of 19th century in England, the popularity of the Golden Retriever increased significantly. In the year 1908, the first exhibition of Golden Retrieve was held in the Crystal Palace show, England. A separate status had been established with the formation of the Golden Retriever Club in the year 1913 in England. In 1920, these dogs put their footsteps in North America for the first time in the line of dog-breeding history.

You can greatly help your Golden Retriever's behavior, trainability and health by getting your dog spayed or neutered. The dog will already be neutered if you adopt from a Golden Retriever rescue center. Neutering makes the dog more relaxed, more willing to accept people as the ones in charge and less likely to run away in search of love. Neutered dogs also tend to live longer and get less cancer.

Golden Retrievers are prone to some health conditions, so you should be prepared for such a possibility. They are often prone to eye problems, hip dysplasia, heart conditions and itchy skin problems. However, a Golden Retriever will usually not be so terrified of going to the vet like other dogs. There is a big effort by responsible Golden Retriever breeders to weed out all unhealthy Golden Retrievers from the breeding population. On average, Golden Retrievers live to be between ten and twelve years old.