Famous golden retrievers in history: notable dogs and their stories

Part 1

Where the golden retriever breed comes from

Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, later known as Lord Tweedmouth, bred the first golden retrievers in 1868 at his Guisachan estate in the Scottish Highlands. He crossed a Wavy-coated Retriever named Nous with a Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle, producing a litter of yellow puppies called Crocus, Cowslip and Primrose. Lord Tweedmouth gave one of the puppies, Crocus, to his son Edward Marjoribanks. Marjoribanks was later elevated to the peerage and became Baron Tweedmouth in 1880. For years, some believed the breed descended from Russian circus dogs, but research into Lord Tweedmouth's own studbooks in the 1950s challenged that story. Guisachan House's ruins still stand in the Scottish Highlands, with a plaque marking where the breed began.

The Guisachan dogs were bred to be strong working dogs, hunting grouse, partridge and deer. Marjoribanks kept detailed breeding records in what became known as the Guisachan Record Book, covering the years 1865 to 1890.

The first golden retrievers were registered with the American Kennel Club in 1925. The breed later reached New Zealand in 1925, and spread to Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, Australia, Norway, Denmark and Finland over the following decades. In 2014, supporters unveiled a bronze statue of a golden retriever at Guisachan to mark the breed's anniversary.

Part 2

Liberty, the White House golden retriever

Liberty was a golden retriever owned by President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty during the 1970s. She was born on February 8, 1974, and Susan Ford and White House photographer David Hume Kennerly gave her to the president as an eight-month-old puppy in the fall of 1974. The puppy had originally been named Streaker before Susan Ford renamed her Liberty. In a speech in Philadelphia in October 1974, Ford said his family had owned golden retrievers before and called themselves fairly partial to the breed.

Liberty was frequently photographed with Ford in the Oval Office, in the swimming pool at Camp David, and on the South Lawn of the White House. Photographs of her were sometimes signed with a rubber stamp of her paw print, known as a paw-tograph.

In his memoir, Ford wrote that he got down on the floor to play with the puppy as soon as he met her. Stories from the time say that if Ford wanted to end a conversation in the Oval Office, he would signal Liberty, who would approach the guest wagging her tail.

In September 1975, Liberty gave birth to nine puppies inside the White House, and Betty Ford stayed with her for eight hours during the birth. The Fords kept one puppy, named Misty, and gave the others away or sold them to friends. One puppy, named Jerry, went on to the Leader Dog School for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, and became a guide dog.

• Liberty was given to President Ford by his daughter Susan and photographer David Hume Kennerly in 1974.
• She gave birth to nine puppies at the White House in September 1975.
• One of her puppies, named Jerry, became a guide dog for the blind.
• Liberty is remembered in bronze as part of a Ford statue in Rapid City, South Dakota.

If you have ever been locked out while walking your dog late at night, you might sympathize with Ford, who once got stuck in a White House stairwell after taking a very pregnant Liberty outside before dawn.

After leaving the White House, the Fords featured Liberty and Misty on their 1977 Christmas card, each dog surrounded by her own litter of puppies.

Part 3

Golden retrievers as guide dogs

One of Liberty's own puppies became a working guide dog. Jerry, born in the White House in 1975, went to the Leader Dog School for the Blind after leaving the Ford family. Liberty herself was described by White House staff as gentle, patient and friendly. You may notice similar calm, easygoing qualities in your own golden retriever.

Part 4

How the golden retriever became one of the world's most popular breeds

Golden retrievers have become one of the most popular dog breeds, and many people today choose them as family dogs. The Golden Retriever Club of America has noted that the breed became one of the most popular in the United States during the last decade. Golden retrievers reached India and Ireland in 1925, and an entire litter was exported to New Zealand the same year. A golden retriever reached Switzerland in 1929, and two golden retrievers were exported to France in 1930, before Speedwell Pluto was imported to Canada in 1932 and became a foundation sire for many North American goldens.