Origin of Golden Retrievers

When we think of Loch Ness, we usually think about the mythical Loch ness monster that lurks in the waters but what dog lovers may not know is that the golden retriever breed was bred near the banks of this iconic lake. In need of a dog that could retrieve shot down water fowl from long distances, businessman Sir Dudley Majoribanks who later became Lord Tweedmouth bought a way coated retriever named Nous who then later mated with Majoribanks' now extinct Tweed water spaniel Belle. The result was that in 1868, the first golden retriever puppies named Cowslip, Ada, Crocus and Primrose were born. Since then there have been golden retrievers around the world and on special occasions, over 200 golden retrievers are brought to the grounds of Majoribanks' former estate to commemorate the breed's history.