Retriever Dog Breed Information
The Retriever Dog Breed will make a wonderfuyl family pet, or
a fantastic hunting partner.
Retrievers are part of the sporting dog group and are particularly
well known for their ability to retrieve game that has been downed
by their companion hunter. While other hunting dogs like pointers,
setters and spaniels are adept at finding game and either notifying
the hunter of its location by a pointing stance (pointers and setters)
or flushing the game (spaniels), the retriever’s only job
is to return downed game to the hunter. For anyone familiar with
hunting in the field or on water, retrieving game is no small task.
The primary characteristic of bred retrieving dogs is what is called
a soft mouth. This means that a retriever understands to hold retrieved
game gently in the mouth so the game is not damaged in the process
and the game is returned without teeth marks. Anyone who has played
Frisbee with a dog that does not understand retrieving knows full
well that a mangled toy frequently results.
While there are quite a few breeds of retrievers, Americans are
in love with the Labrador retriever and the golden retriever. The
Labrador retriever is one of the world’s most popular dogs.
The Labrador retriever typically has a black or golden color coat
with a number of brown-coated members affectionately called chocolate
labs. It’s important to remember that the golden retriever
is a separate breed from the golden Labrador (golden lab).
Both labs and golden retrievers are excellent family pets, accounting
for a great deal of their popularity. These dogs like children and
are sociable with strangers, making them a good neighborhood dog
as well. Once trained, these dogs are obedient and emotionally stable.
Both breeds are relatively large dogs, as are other breeds of retrievers.
Golden retrievers stand 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weigh
55 to 75 pounds depending on gender. Labrador retrievers are approximately
the same height but exhibit a stocky build and weigh more than golden
retrievers.
