SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — They came from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Florida, California, Alaska and more.
They were nurses, teachers, businessmen, retirees, breeders and professional handlers.
And they all love their Goldens.
Approximately 2,500 Golden Retrievers gathered at the Big E Exhibition Center last week for the Golden Retriever National Specialty Dog Show in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Goldens competed as show dogs, in agility, obedience, and as something called rallying at the breed’s annual event that celebrates the years of hard work of their owners, breeders, and handlers.
There’s a good reason why golden retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in this country. They are known for their gentle temperament, intelligence, playfulness, and competitive spirit, at least during dog shows.
Some Goldens become service dogs for their owners because of their ability to assist the blind and hearing impaired. They have a history as hunting dogs and are sometimes trained for search and rescue.
My daughter, 4-year-old Sally, warns me about being near nuts because she has an allergy.
But her daughter Katie was at a Golden Retriever Club of America event to show off her other dog, 6-month-old Golden August.
The Golden Retriever Club holds a national dog show every year. Last week, the giant Expo Hall was filled with goldens that look similar but are specially bred to American Kennel Club standards.
Janet Milton, 81, has owned nine goldens over the past 43 years. She traveled from San Francisco this year to attend the show with her 2-year-old daughter for her “annual pilgrimage.”
“You have to love them,” Milton said.
The Golden world is a close-knit group known for its camaraderie.
“If you know one, you know them all,” said Golden Retriever Club board member Sherry Farmer, who last week received a lifetime award for her dedication to the breed and the organization. said.
Another woman at the club said that if any Golden enthusiast needed help, all they had to do was call and a bunch of members would come running.
“We’re a little unusual, but we’re doing it for Golden,” she explained.
But when furry friends compete, some participants can get a little cruel. At the highest level of competition, players sometimes pull dirty little tricks to gain an edge with gamesmanship.
Goldens compete in a “ring”, actually a fenced rectangular area, where they are judged in confirmation classes.
According to the club’s website, a single judge evaluates the dog’s head shape, height and length, and the distance between the eyes, nose and teeth.
Approximately 400 of the most eligible goldens competed Saturday and Sunday in the Best of Show, a major event in the five-day competition.
In the ring, a handler runs alongside Golden as the judges look on. Spectators watch from camp chairs while Golden struts around for just two minutes. The best players in each age class will advance to the finals.
Before the competition, the goldens preen themselves to the sound of a hair dryer and occasional chirps. Owners prepare their Golden’s fur to achieve a specific look. Comb all the curls and get golden fur to achieve a flat look.
Katie’s Golden competed against about 25 other dogs in the 6-9 month age category. Apparently, August, named after a Taylor Swift song, and Katie, a 2016 graduate of Sacketts Harbor Central High School, accomplished something special.
August, 6 months and 5 days old, became the youngest puppy in dog show history to “enter” and Katie became the youngest owner and handler to accomplish the feat last week.
August comes from quite a pedigree. His father, Rip, who is known throughout the Golden community, is one of the top-rated Goldens in the country. One of his other ancestors starred in the 1993 film “Homeward Bound.”
Katie, who runs a dog-sitting and pet-sitting business in Maryland, started participating in dog shows after her oldest golden passed away in March after a three-week battle with cancer. Until then, she had no desire to compete in dog shows, but it ended up helping her with her grief.
Golden retrievers are susceptible to four types of cancer and many other diseases.
Morris Animal Foundation, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, conducted the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, which followed 3,000 Goldens to identify risk factors associated with the development of cancer and other major diseases in dogs. . This is the largest and most comprehensive prospective study ever conducted in veterinary medicine.
The goldens who participated in the study are called “heroes.” The study collects health and behavioral data from veterinarians and dog owners each year, including nutrition, environment, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases.
At the National Dog Show, the Golden Retriever Club holds a “Heroes Parade” to honor dogs that participate in research. About 70 dogs and their owners were greeted with applause as they entered the ring. The deceased dog’s owner carried a photo of his beloved pet with him.
Bree, whose beloved dog Cruise passed away from cancer in May 2023, said: “It’s tough.”
Owners and breeders said the study was important. They just want their goldens to live long, healthy lives.
Both in the ring and outside the ring.
