In 1830, sportsmen began to work on a breed to use specifically for retrieving. Between 1830 and 1923, steel-barrelled, breach-loading shotguns came into being with it’s single trigger. Better gun’s led to better shots, thus a need to produce a breed for retrieving only, and that meant a dog with a good nose and a soft mouth, very intelligent and obedient. The first Golden Retriever was produced by Lord Tweedmouth. He bred a Yellow Lab with a Water Spanial and out of eleven black puppies, there was one golden puppy that started the Golden Retrievers. Presently you have the American Golden Retrievers and the European Golden Retrievers. AKC does not recognize the difference because they both originated from the two dogs earlier mentioned. According to Penny Butler (AKC Kennel Inspector) there is very little difference in American and European. Most of our breeding is done with American Golden Retrievers, yet we do breed some English Creams with American Goldens to get a better genetic mix, which strengthens the good characteristics and weakens the bad.
