New England Goldens has a well-earned reputation for connecting individuals and families with purebred Golden Retrievers. Initially a personal project by founder, Craig Shaughnessy, New England Goldens has since become a trusted resource for families eager to welcome Golden Retrievers into their homes.
The Origin of the Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers can be traced back to Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, who was born to a prominent Scottish family in 1820. From an early age, Dudley had a strong interest in breeding dogs, which was a highly regarded hobby among the privileged class.
The most commonly shared story is that Dudley bred Golden Retrievers from a litter of Russian circus dogs that he purchased. But the real story isn’t quite as colorful. In 1865, Dudley was taking a walk with his son in Brighton when they came across a dog with a wavy coat.
The dog was named “Nous” and belonged to a local cobbler who had acquired him as payment for a debt. Curiously, Nous had a shiny gold coat despite both his parents being black-haired.
At the time, black-haired sporting dogs were all the rage as most people considered them superior hunters. On the other hand, dogs of other colors were disposed of, a fate that would have befallen Nous had he not been given to the cobbler.
A Perfect Match
In any case, Dudley was so taken by the unusual dog that he purchased him from his owner. Three years later, he bred Nous to a Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle that had been gifted to him by a cousin.
Sadly, Tweed Spaniels are now extinct. But they were marvelous dogs with a distinctive liver color, closely related to Irish Water Spaniels.
The union between Nous and Belle proved to be a successful one, combining the best elements of retrievers and water spaniels. The result was a litter of strong hunters equally capable on land and water, with a remarkable talent for hunting grouse, partridge, and red deer.
The pups born in 1868 became quite well-known among local breeders and were later recognized as the first Golden Retrievers. Despite being named after common woodland flowers‒“Cowslip,” “Crocus,” and “Primrose”‒they were quite prized and gifted only to close friends and family members. Over time, they developed a reputation as the ultimate gentleman’s hunting dogs.
Golden Retrievers Branch Out
Dudley gifted Crocus to his son, Edward, who also had a red setter named “Sampson”. This is perhaps the reason why certain lines of Golden Retrievers today have a noticeable tinge of deep red in their coats.
Belle and Nous also gave birth to a female named “Ada”, who was gifted to Dudley’s nephew, the Earl of Ilchester. This was the beginning of a separate line of Golden Retrievers that later became famous in their own right.
Dudley’s youngest son, Archie later brought two Golden Retrievers with him to America: a male named “Sol”, which he brought to Texas, and a female named “Lady”, which he brought to Canada. Both parented separate lines that flourished even after Archie returned to Britain in 1895.
Dudley Marjoribanks has long since passed, but the breed he started lives on. In 1956, long before New England Goldens was established, Golden Retrievers were officially recognized by the United Kennel Club.
