Origin:
The Golden Retriever was developed in the late 1800s in the Scottish Highlands. The breed is the result of crossbreeding a yellow Flat-Coated Retriever, Bloodhound, Irish Setter, and the now-extinct Tweed Water Spaniel. It was originally developed by Lord Tweedmouth and was first known as the Golden Flat-Coat. The name was changed to Golden Retriever in 1920.
Purpose:
The Golden Retriever was originally bred as a gun and water retrieving dog to assist hunters in retrieving waterfowl.
Today, they are widely used as exceptional assistance dogs in many areas to support humans. They are also highly effective working dogs, particularly in tracking and narcotics detection.
Coat Care:
The stunning double coat of the Golden Retriever requires daily brushing to prevent matting and to remove any sticks or debris. Their dense undercoat benefits from a firm brush, especially during shedding seasons. Particular attention should be paid to the ears and the backs of the legs to avoid tangles.
They only need to be bathed when necessary. As a water-loving breed, they will seize any opportunity to swim, so it's important to ensure their coat is thoroughly dried after water play to prevent hotspots.
Health & Temperament:
The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular companion breeds in the world—and for good reason! This lovable and cheerful breed is hard not to adore. When well socialised and raised with consistent boundaries, Golden Retrievers are affectionate with everyone—from adults and children to other dogs, cats, and small household pets.
They thrive on being part of the family and enjoy daily walks. Without sufficient mental and physical stimulation, they can become bored and potentially destructive. They also love to play fetch endlessly!
Golden Retrievers are prone to weight gain, so their diet and exercise routines must be managed carefully.
​Though incredibly loving, they also make excellent watchdogs and will alert their families to any perceived threats.
Unfortunately, the breed is prone to certain health issues, especially cancer—most notably mast cell tumours. It’s essential to research the health history of breeding parents before purchasing a puppy. Regular veterinary check-ups are crucial for early detection of health concerns. Other conditions to be aware of include hip dysplasia, heart problems, eye defects, and skin allergies.
The average lifespan of a Golden Retriever is 10–12 years.

We are excited to share, on this Therapy Dog Thursday Blog, an update on our beautiful assistance dog Frankie and her special young lady Abigail.
For those new to this space, Frankie is a very specially trained assistance dog that our business and amazing Doggy Doaters and Customers helped to bring into Abi’s life, to help her live her best life, almost 3 years ago.
Abi has a very rare condition called Auts2 and life can be a bit tricky for her.  Recently she has had to visit with a number of new doctors for the different medical challenges she faces.
We are excited to share with you how amazing these doctors have been to allow Frankie to attend these appointments.  One of the key roles for Frankie is to provide Abi with a calm and reassuring touch point when things in her life are different or difficult.
As you can imagine seeing new doctors, in unfamiliar surroundings, can be difficult for many, but especially for Abi.  With Frankie by her side Abi was able to attend these appointments and by all reports (thanks Sarah – Abi’s mum) was able to work with the doctors to get them what they needed.
For many years guide dogs have really been the only service dogs allowed in medical rooms.  It’s great that now the support these amazingly well trained dogs provide is being accepted by the wider medical community.

Frankie was trained by Assistance Dogs Australia – they do a great job training all kinds of dogs for all kinds of special needs.  If you want more information or would like to support them please visit https://www.assistancedogs.org.au/