The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland and England in the late 19th century for the purpose of retrieving wildfowl on land and water. Its physical attributes teamed with its willing, trainable nature have led to its use as an excellent obedience and tracking dog. Its size, intelligence and temperament make it one of the few breeds acceptable for Guide Dogs for the Blind. It is used in scent discrimination work, including locating hidden narcotics and explosives. However, the most popular role of the Golden Retriever is as a beloved family companion.

The personality of the Golden Retriever is of utmost importance. A typical Golden should be friendly, easy-going, relaxed after an initial greeting, tolerant and obedient. They are not intended to be watch dogs, but Goldens will usually alert their owners by barking or showing signs of uneasiness when things are amiss.

The Golden is a dog which requires minimum care. It requires few, if any, visits to the grooming shop as opposed to some other breeds. Basic grooming for a Golden Retriever should take no more than 20-30 minutes per week.

The general conformation of the Golden Retriever is also important for the Golden to function well in all its capabilities. An adult male should vary in size from 23 - 24 inches at the shoulder. He should weigh 65-75 pounds. Females are 21.5-22.5 inches tall and weigh 55-65 pounds.

The coat of the Golden Retriever should be dense and water repellant with a good undercoat. The outercoat should be firm and resilient. It should not be coarse or silky. Coat colour varies from a cream/gold to a red/gold and may be wavy or straight. A golden body colour with lighter feathering is quite common. A predominant body colour of either ivory or setter-red or white markings on the head, feet or chest are not desirable in the show ring, but have no effect on the dog's usefulness to work or as a companion.