In 1858 Sir Dudley Majoribanks, later Lord Tweedmouth, a Scotsman, was on a visit to the English seaside town of Brighton. While there he attended a circus and was so taken by a troupe of performing Russian sheepdogs he tried to buy a pair. The dogs' trainer would not sell a pair, claiming that this would break up the troupe. Whereupon Majoribanks bought the lot, took them home to his estate, "Guichan," in Scottish Border country, bred them and thus created the Golden Retriever.

The public loved the story but knowledgeable sporting dog people had their doubts. Well founded as it turned out, because in 1952 Majoribanks' breeding records from 1835 to 1890 were made public and they contained no mention of the Russian dogs. They did reveal that the Golden was all sporting blood, having been developed by crossing the wavy-coat Retriever with a yellow-colored Tweed Water Spaniel, a breed common in the Border country.

The first litter of four puppies was whelped in 1868 and named Crocus, Primrose, Cowslip, and Ada. In turn these dogs were crossed with the Red Setter and sandy-colored Bloodhounds. Eventually line breeding created the Golden.

The breed was first exhibited in Britain in 1908 and was granted separate breed status in 1913. First classified as the Retriever (Golden and Yellow) in 1920, the name was changed to Golden Retriever. Since that year the breed has continued to grow in popularity around the world.

Breeders have succeeded in retaining the Golden's sporting instincts as well as promoting it as a beautiful, top winning show dog. Mild mannered and extremely trainable, the Golden has excelled in obedience and has an outstanding record as a guide dog for the blind. It is reported that at the guide dog training schools there are fewer rejects among Golden Retrievers than there are for any other breed. The Golden Retriever was first registered in Canada in 1927.