THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER
The Golden Retriever has become the most popular retriever breed in some European countries. It owes this to a number of characteristics that are rarely observed in this combination in any other breed. With his high "obedience and training intelligence" he belongs to the dogs that are particularly easy to train: he learns most commands within a very short time. Intensive work with the dog creates a close bond between him and his owner. This creates his urge to always want to please his owner, his will to please. But his attachment also means sensitivity. He needs sensible care and close contact with the family. It contradicts the essence of the Golden to be kept predominantly in the kennel. The family is his pack that he does not want to part with.
Thanks to his "manageability", thanks to his tolerance, his child-friendliness and his particularly good-natured nature, he is often referred to as the ideal family and beginner dog. In order for it to actually be that, the owner also has to give the dog a lot: originally bred as a hunting dog, it needs activity, plenty of exercise, a larger apartment, and if possible even a house with a garden. Several walks a day, even in wind and weather, must be a matter of course. So that he does not act out his hunting instinct in the hands of a non-hunter when poaching in fields and forests, he should be worked with. He loves to fetch playfully, he is suitable as a guide or rescue dog, he is used as an avalanche or drug search dog. Even those who do not intend to give them such tasks should know that they have to devote a lot of time to their dog.
Basic training is the basis that everyone should give their retriever to; it becomes clear which other occupation is most suitable for dog and owner. In companion dog courses, which are offered by the ÖRC in many places especially for retrievers, the dogs learn to behave with their handlers in public in such a way that other people are not disturbed and other dogs are not irritated. An important goal of such courses is that the owner and dog form a harmonious team that has no difficulty in moving safely even in the hustle and bustle of traffic.