Learn about the Golden Retriever
The gold standard of family dogs
The Golden Retriever was bred on purpose in the Scottish Highlands as a gundog with a soft mouth, so it could carry birds without damaging them. In our family tree, its main ancestors are the Wavy-Coated Retriever and the Tweed Water Spaniel, with some setter and Bloodhound. It is a parent of the Goldendoodle and one of the best-known family dogs in the world. Tap a circle inside to keep digging.
Likely life span
Learn more about the dogs that went into making the Golden Retriever
c. 3000 BCOld Desert coursing dogs
c. 3000 BCAncient eastern sighthounds
c. 700 BCOld trail dogs of the East
c. 500 BCOld hunting dogs of the Celts
c. 400 BCLaconian tracking Hounds
c. 100 BCSegusian tracking Hounds
Corded herding dogs
AncientCeltic Hound
c. 100Gaulish coursing Hounds
AncientCeltic Coursing Hound
AncientCeltic Scent Hound
AncientCeltic herdsmen's dogs
c. 400Continental Germanic herding dogs
c. 900Norse settlers dogs
MedievalShepherd's Dogs
MedievalBloodhound
MedievalRache
MedievalTalbot
c. 1300Chien-gris
MedievalSouthern Hound
MedievalOld working collies
MedievalLand Spaniels
1500sEnglish Foxhound
1500sOtterhound
1500sThe First Setters
1600sWater Spaniels
c. 1700Newfoundland landrace dogs
1700sOld Irish water dogs
1700sPointer
1700sEnglish Setter
1700sGreyhound
1700sOld black-and-tan Setters
early 1800sOld hill and bearded Collies
early 1800sTweed Water Spaniel
mid 1800sIrish Water Spaniel
1860sRough Collie
late 1800sGordon Setter
late 1800sIrish Setter
late 1800sGolden Retriever