Golden Dogs, Inside and Out! This is why Golden Retrievers are the best pups in the world

Ari, a Golden of 6 years and three legs, sure knows his way around people. His amputated limb does not bother him one bit; he is a Golden Retriever with the most delicate and benevolent eyes scanning through the crowds, impatiently waiting to brighten up anyone in need of a portion of happiness.

His area of expertise? Hospice patients, nonverbal individuals, youngsters in wheelchairs, and those with special needs.

Ari’s human mom, Sue Cowan, says he has a skill for knowing who needs him. “Minutes before we drive up to a group home, his tail starts swishing, and I know he’s excited. But two years ago, Ari did something unusual,” she remembers. “I opened the car door to lift him out, and he made a beeline for the facility.”

Ari sensed there was a girl having a full-blown meltdown, and like a three-legged hero without a cape, ran to her like lightning.

“No one could soothe her, but when Ari pressed his head into her chest, she calmed down,” says Cowan, of Carver, Massachusetts. “I never trained him to give a hug with the right amount of comfort, but it worked.”

The girl tried to touch Ari’s heavenly coat, but needed some assistance.

“When I gently placed her palms on his head, she smiled,” recalls Cowan.

In the past five years, Cowan and Ari, an AKC Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog Excellent, have often visited nursing homes. They as of late added primary schools to start discussions about bullying.

“I’ll say to the kids, ‘Look at Ari. He was born with a badly twisted leg requiring amputation,’ ” Cowan says. “Ari looks different than other dogs with four legs, but he found a way to walk and run that works for him.”

She tells the kids that they need not feel sorry for Ari. “He’s loving and kind, and that’s what important.”

Cowan says she can’t recognize who is the most in need of a Golden’s touch, but this dog with a heart of gold can.

“He zeroed in on the kids who were hurting and knew that a goodbye hug for them could mean the world,” Cowan says.

Cheerful Hearts

There lies the healing power of a Golden Retriever.

With the highest standard of therapy, sporting and companionship, the Goldens are a breed known for their go-all-out-to-please-you personality.

Mary Margaret Callahan is the chief mission officer of Pet Partners, an organisation that registers therapy dogs for interventions that benefit from animal assistance. According to her, 1,400 Goldens hold the top position of enrolled breeds on their list of 12,200 canine groups.

With their double coat extending from amber to a light red, these butterscotch delights radiate with bright, comprehensive, up-for-anything mentality.

Their role is manifold; in an event of emergency they can serve as guide dogs, search-and-rescue parties or comfort on four legs.

They are enthusiastic hikers and swimmers and avid competitors in dog sports. In the field, they are champions among different retrievers for their delicate mouths. Their valued attribute of getting and retrieving game without tearing it to pieces makes them a valued hunting partner.

In the evening, they will like nothing better than a comfy sofa or a bed that they can claim to themselves.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that of 195 breeds, Goldens rank third in AKC breed popularity and have been in the best 10 rankings since 1976.