Still the fourth most popular dog in AKC registrations.
Popularity isn’t always such a good thing.
Golden retrievers remain in the top ten of AKC registrations, but these high numbers could actually wind up hurting them.
Mass production of dog breeds isn’t that good for their health, their temperaments, and working abilities. After all, to produce that many dogs, you have to breed dogs that are, well, “crap.” These are dogs with genetic disorders, temperament issues, and very poor working conformation.
For the sake of the golden retriever, I hope its popularity drops, so that it can have some rehabilitation time with people who know what they’re doing.
The golden retriever is in the same position the curly-coated retriever was in one hundred years ago. The curly-coat is a rare breed today, but in the mid-nineteenth century, it was the dominant retriever. As it developed into a show dog, it was bred bigger and coarser. Attention was paid to only two characteristics: the tightly curled coat and black coat color. (Liver was an accepted color, but livers almost never did well at shows). It was also the first retriever bred to be gigantic. It was a popular show dog and family pet, but mass production soon began to take its toll.
Temperament began to suffer. Then the breed developed an almost universal reputation for hard mouth, a sin of all sins in retrieverdom.
By the early twentieth century, the curly was ruined as a working dog.
Today, the breed hasn’t recovered entirely from its degeneration by the fancy. It is now a tall, lightly built retriever. However, I’ve never seen one in person. I’ve heard that they have a much nicer temperament and are very rarely hard mouth retrievers. However, this breed will never return to its former glory as a top working retriever, and I’m sure its deepest admirers hope it stays that way.
If golden breeders aren’t careful, the golden will go the same way as the curly. If this breed develops a reputation for aggression, its numbers will drop. However, this reputation hasn’t been widespread. I suppose no one wants to talk about these aggression statistics. If pit bulls suddenly started biting more people, we would hear it on every news channel. (There are some lines of pit bull that are naturally quite aggressive. There are many more that have really nice dogs in them. )
You won’t hear many golden retriever lovers say this, but I hope the golden’s popularity drops just a little bit.
I saw this on my “Border Collie” google alert…. they’re quite proud of the 50% increase in Border Collies in 10 years!!!! They kind of forget the part about only being recognized for 2-3 years when that starting number was taken.
Given the low numbers then and now, it’s kind of like saying “we sold 2 in 1998 and now we sold 3! 50% increase hellz yeah!”
As long as they keep the BC book open and I can bring in whatever dog I want to breed in my lines, I don’t care… but it worries me if they shut the door. I’d have to move on to one of the other paper pushers.
In goldens we’re talking 30,000 to 40,000 a year registered. And not all pups are registered. So you’re talking about a huge population of dogs. And all of them from a closed studbook. That means that a large percentage are going to be crap– biters or dogs with horrible health.
I think that if goldens started mauling people on the streets, their numbers never would decrease, because people believe that they are nice dogs. It doesn’t matter what the facts are. We’re talking belief here.
Yes, most of the world spends most of their time completely unencumbered by facts.
I find it amusing when such people, when presented with facts, will find every reason not to believe them. I am of the mindset that the facts are your friends. Adverse facts mean that you’re either wrong or you need to deal with it. Denial of said facts means that you are both unprepared and living a lie. At that point, nothing matters as nothing can be said to be true.
One false statement and you can prove anything.
I’m seeing more Goldens in the pet store than ever before. Its disturbing because the breeders are obviously just doing it for the quick money and the dogs are not getting the proper socialization or hands on interaction needed. And the People buying them are sold by impulse and really aren’t the type to ask the right questions about the parents, lineage, health and care for the pups. The pups sell for around $500 and seem like a bargain, I’ve been tempted to pick one up but just know better than to take such a risk. You get what you pay for in life applies here.
And lets not get into the Labrador situation…. we’re talking $200 or less with AKC papers. And with the “Marley and Me” Movie… even though that dog in the movie is a terror….. this is going to get worse. Perhaps if the Movie makers took the time at the end of the movie to explain to the viewing audience more about the type of Labrador that dog was then they would have been more of a help to the breed than the pending disaster they will prove to be in the upcoming months.
Even in economic hard times people seem to still find the time and the money to buy a pup with whatever disposable income they have. Thats not hard to figure out when you consider how a dog fills the void of another child or companion, but the times also bring about the frugal nature in people over the common sense and the pet store dogs wind up being sold……. then after a year or two they also wind up dumped at the ASPCA. I was at the vet Yesterday getting my imported Yellow FCR a well visit only to overhear a guy in the waiting area bragging about the Yellow Lab, the GSD and the Golden he rescued in the past year from the ASPCA. Not Hybrids, but purebred dogs. And he had the GSD and the Golden with him….. they clearly were purebred dogs. Both with social behavior issues. BUt that seemed okay to the new owner because he has them outside all year round on a chain next to a doghouse. Pathetic.