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sitting astride a horse, with a Golden called Lady by his side. Sol is believed to be the sire of Lady, but what is certain is that Lady went on to be the foundation bitch for the breed in the United States. Early Golden Retrievers had appeared in Canada and the U.S. some years before their official recognition by either the Canadian (1925) or the American Kennel Club (1932). More imports from Great Britain in the first half of the 20th century ensured the breed’s suc- cess. The Golden Retriever Club of America was founded in 1939. Developing the breed It did not take long for Lord Tweedmouth’s excellent gundogs to develop a following—although only in his private circles. Some were given to friends and relatives. Working ability was always the top consideration, and these yellow retrievers were used by game- keepers and as gentlemen’s gundogs. A few dogs were given to the Earl of Shewsbury, whose Ingestre Kennel, well known for its Flat-Coats both black and yellow, appears in the background of nearly all Goldens today. In the early 1900s a number of pioneers adopted the Golden Re- triever as their chosen breed. A few Golden Retrievers, as we know the breed today, made their first appearance at dog shows about 1906, shown as “Retriever—Wavy or Flat Coated.” The breed was of- ficially recognized by The Kennel Club in the U.K. in 1911; dogs were

registered as “Retriever—Yellow or Golden.” Finally, in 1920, the name was changed to “Retriev- er—Golden.” The great divide In the early 20th century, the Golden Retriever was equally prized for his hunting ability and his good looks. But the days

Golden Retriever basics

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