All About Goldens (from their kids!)

My name is Katie and I am 13 years old. I began doing agility with my Golden Retriever, four-year-old Dusty Snickerdoodle, when I was 11. My parents gave me my own dog when I was 9, and I chose a Golden Retriever. I knew that I wanted to do a competitive dog sport with Dusty, but couldn’t find the right one. I discovered agility on Animal Planet. It is perfect for Dusty: He is fast, strong, and lives to please me. I knew that this was the sport for us.

I have been Dusty’s only trainer and handler for his whole life. I began his early agility training in the backyard when he was around 6 months old. I used anything I could find to make jumps and tiny obstacles. Using lots of food and hugs, I trained Dusty to go over the jumps happily. By the time he was a year old, he could run short jump sequences off-leash. I enrolled him in a group agility class shortly after his first birthday. With the help of our trainer, as well as more food and hugs, I taught Dusty to soar over jumps, race through tunnels, climb over the A-frame, zoom across the dogwalk, and snake through the weave poles. He loved to do those obstacles, but he hated the teeter-totter. Our trainer and I tried everything: putting food at the end, pushing him up, helping him tip the board, racing ahead, calling him over. Nothing seemed to help. He would leap onto the miniature teeter in my backyard, but the big teeter at class scared him to death. Since the teeter and dogwalk look similar to a dog, he started avoiding the dogwalk as well. Finally, I discovered his love of whipped cream and squirt cheese. I would squirt piles of whipped cream and cheese up the teeter, and he happily licked it up. While he is still slow on the teeter, he always does it and he races across the dogwalk like he used to.

Dusty learned to run longer courses while on the leash. A few months after we began training, we entered a special show called a show-and-go in which we were allowed to use a leash. Although he was still having a teeter problem and I had to push him up the teeter, we both had a lot of fun. I started running him on a lighter leash, and finally off-leash. It was a slow process. We entered the more advanced class at our training center, and I began to hope that our trainer would allow us to compete soon. Dusty’s first competition was in February 2002, a year after we’d begun training. He was doing very well at lessons, but in the show he ran off the course to “visit” people quite a few times. Most Golden Retrievers go “visiting” at their first show, but Dusty continued to visit at our second show. And third. And fourth. He still goes “visiting” occasionally if I do not stay right next to him. Our first clean run (a perfect run) was in June 2002. He got a first place, and I was so happy! At the next show, all four of his runs were perfect. On July 28, 2002 (Dusty’s third birthday), we got our Novice Agility title.

Dusty and I have always competed against adults, and we have done very well. He has won 14 blue ribbons and we have the following titles: AKC Open Agility and Agility Excellent Jumper; USDAA Agility Dog; NADAC Novice Agility and Novice Jumper; ASCA Regular Standard Novice and Jumpers Standard Novice.

Agility has been great for Dusty and me. It has made our relationship much stronger and taught me how to be a good dog trainer. My goal is for Dusty and me to be the first junior handler and Golden Retriever team to earn the USDAA and AKC champion titles. We are always working on running faster and being more accurate.

I would recommend doing agility to anyone with a dog. It is a lot of fun to train your dog to run the course. Competing is thrilling, although I always get nervous. There is nothing like the connection that I feel with Dusty on the agility course. Dusty is a real agility dog. Katie, age 13

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I love to swim, play fetch, and go for walks with my dog,
Koa (Golden Retriever). He is getting old, but still as fun as when
he was a puppy! My dog loves to go to the Colorado river with me
and my sister! Anonymous, age 13, California USA

My dog is called Muska. My mom named him that because he was such a
mush. He's 11 years old and his breed is a Golden Retriever. I love him very
much. He's my best friend. He's special to me because he loves me and
I love him. Ben, Age 8, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, Asia

I have a Golden Retriever, his name is Shine, and a Cocker Spaniel,
his name is Shadow. They can do a lot of things like sit, stay here, jump
over a fence. Also they are beautiful and intelligent dogs.
Juliana, age 14, Caracas Venezuela

Max (Golden Retriever) is 9 months old. He likes to be in the house. He is getting
big, but still likes to get on my dad's lap. His favorite game is tug of war.
Jayden, Age 7, South Dakota USA

I have a Golden Retriever puppy named Penny. She knows
how to sit, stay (for a long time), lay down, and my "Get up against the wall".
That is my favorite trick!! All I did to teach her that was to put a treat
on the wall and when she jumped up to get it, I told her "UP AGAINST
THE WALL, YOU'RE BUSTED!" Then I search her for a gun or drugs.
She has always come clean. Lacey, age 15, Louisiana USA

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My dog, Goldie (Golden Retriever) is great, because she accompanies me
when I'm alone, and knows when to sit quietly, and who to bark at.

I wouldn't exchange her for any dog in the world.
Dianne, Age 10, Subang Jaya/Selangor/Malaysia

I love my dog, Mr. Bear. He's a Golden Retriever. He is a big baby and loves
to be rubbed. I love him a lot. Zachary, Age 8, Tennessee USA

Molly (Golden Retriever) is so lovable. She does not bark. She loves to beg
for food. She hates uncooked carrots and lettuce. She also love Christmas presents.
Rachel, Age 16, Kansas USA

We play hide and seek with our two dogs, a Golden Retriever and
a Cocker Spaniel, in a field of alfalfa.The grass and alfalfa get really high and
I hide in it while my mom holds them where they can't see me.Then she
tells them to find me and they run and jump all over in the field until
they find me. Many times they jump right on top of me to find me.
It's great fun. Keri, age 8, Nebraska, USA

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I have an 8 week old Golden Retriever named Max. He can already beg, heel,
sit, and get my dad's newspaper. AND he plays for my basketball team, my football,
and my soccer! Jake, Age 13, Texas USA

My dog's name is Rusty (Golden Retriever) and he's a sweetie...he was named
after his color. Whenever someone's outside or someone comes to the door, he barks a lot,
but he's so friendly he would never bite anyone! He loves dog biscuits, being petted,
chasing after little lights, playing and chewing on his ball, and being lazy.
Mitchell, South Dakota USA

I have a dog named Cookie. She is a Golden Retriever. She has a lot of energy
and I love her a lot. I love to play with her and teach her to do agility.
Jaimee, Age 13, Manitoba, Canada

My dog is a golden retriever, and he is VERY playful. Instead of guarding the house,
he would ask any stranger to play with him! As he is rather big, many people in the
neighborhood are terrified of him! Victoria, age 12+, Singapore

I have two Golden Retriever puppies. Their names are Doo and Clay. When I first bought
them, they were 10 weeks old and I could hold them both in my lap. Now they are 18 weeks
old and they both fight over trying to sit in my lap. They are so cute. Their favorite thing to do
is wrestle together. They look like little teddy bears rolling around in the grass.
Dana, Age 14, South Carolina USA

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My dog is a Golden Retriever. He is so adorable. He is almost 10 years old. He has
arthritis, but he always is running around with me. We got him when I was born.
Elizabeth, Age 10, Pennsylvania USA

When I get our new house I am going to get a new puppy but he'll be a big
dog pretty soon. He will still be a puppy for a long time. He will be a Golden
Retriever puppy. Pretty soon he will be a Golden Retriever dog. Samantha, Age 7, Texas USA

My dog is a Golden Retriever. She is the best dog in the world. She looks like
an Irish Setter. She's so funny sometimes. Kelsey, Age 9, Grosse Ile, Michigan USA

My dog, Jodie, is my best friend. She is a little silly sometimes, like when
people pretend to attack me. She bites me! She is a Golden Retriever. Let me
tell you, people mistake her as an Irish Setter! Jodie is the best (she likes me a
ton too)! I wish she would never die. Michelle, age 9, Missouri USA

I love my dog, Sunny (Golden Retriever) because he is very cute and he
helps me by protecting me always. He loves to play games and is very good
and loves the world! Jodie, Age 12, Tilbury Ontario, Canada

There are many Golden Retrievers around the country without homes. Have your parents call a Golden rescue to adopt a warm, loving Golden just waiting for a home. Check here for rescue information and an organization in your city.

Rusty's Ridiculous Riddles!

Jami: I play chess with my dog every day. Jessy: Wow, your dog must be very smart! Jami: Oh, not really. I usually win!

Thanks to  Jessica, age 9, Illinois USA for this great riddle!

Visit these sites for available rescued Goldens: (Close the window to return to this site.) The Golden Retriever Club of America

 

Visit our Golden Retriever Shop. Click here to teach your Golden Retriever some tricks. Click here to start training your Golden Retriever. Click here to name your Golden Retriever. Click here to add your Golden's photo to our Gallery!

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