From locco1.
Golden retrievers, of course, were bred at Guisachan house. Guisachan house was built in 1755 by William Fraser 9th. The lands around the house were held by the Clan Fraser of Guisachan and Culbokie, dating to the fifteenth century. You can see a depiction of the eighteenth century house and environs here.
I remember reading somewhere that the names Fraser and Frasier refer to Germanic settlers to Britain, mainly from the Frisian Islands or from Friesland proper. The modern Frisian language is the Germanic language closest to English and Scots.
Where is Guisachan house? It is in the conservation village of Tomich. The whole property is now part of conservation land. The land is at the west end of Strathglass, about 30 miles from the city of Inverness. The Great Glen or Glen Albyn runs through this region, not very far from the Guisachan lands. This whole area is considered part of the Central Highlands.
This means that the golden retriever is the most northerly of all the retrievers, although the St. John’s water dog, the Chesapeake Bay retriever, and the Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever evolved in regions with much harsher winters. However, among British retrievers, the golden had the need for the thickest coat, and this environmental necessity could explain why the golden always has had issues with excessive coat.
I’ve been to England, but I’ve not been to Scotland. However, this golden retriever “Garden of Eden” is on my life time travel list.
Golden retrievers at the ruins of the Guisachan house.
Scotland is on my travel list too. Closest I’ve gotten is the Lake District in England.
As an aside, I was scrolling through my feeds on Google Reader and saw this: http://www.dailypuppy.com/puppies/quinn-the-labrador-retriever_2009-02-03 (today’s daily puppy)
Please tell me I’m not completely off in thinking this dog doesn’t look right somehow….
It’s an extreme example of the English type or Bentley Labrador. When it matures, it will look very much like a big, blond, short-haired Newfoundland dog.
That puppy also has an exposed haw, which means that he can’t be used for work in salt water or in thick cover. He is very likely to get infections of the haw, which are called cherry eye. In retrievers, an exposed haw is one thing that really is major affront to working conformation.
I had to look up “exposed haw.” :O) Inner eyelid. Thanks for the info. He sure looks very…jowly…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_eye: Infected haws look like this.
Wow, that puppy doesn’t even look like a lab anymore. Newfie mix for sure!
How about an article on the working vs show lab? Or maybe something about why people always seem to think that chocolate labs are crazy? I’ve caught a lot of flack lately because my chocolate lab is NOT fat as a matter of fact, she’s perfectly conditioned, and the fact that ches chocolate, which automatically means she’s crazy.
I’ll admit, she has little leash manners and is all over the place, but that’s my fault for slacking on her training. She’s got a nose on her though, and is as soft as kid leather. It just irks me that people think she’s mixed because she’s not overweight (though her tail is a fault, too thin and whippy) and that because she’s chocolate (or liver) she’s crazy.
I would like to ask when was this shot of Guisachan with all those Goldens taken. Where did they all come from and why were they there. I am a Golden owner and long-time lover of the breed. I have always wanted to visit Guisachan and perhaps bring my Golden with me. Can you send me any further information about the current situation at Guisachan.
I also have wanted to go there. The town is called Tomich. http://www.goldenretriever-france.com/english/hist/histto01e.htm
It’s not far from Inverness, which is a the administrative city for the Highlands. The area is now a conservation area, and you can visit it free of charge.
The house itself was built by the Clan Fraser of Guisachan and Culbokie in the eighteenth century: http://www.clanfraser.ca/guisacha.htm
That picture of the modern dogs at the ruins of Guisachan house is less than ten years old.
Another place to visit is the Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England. It is at the mouth of the River Tweed, and the place of the 1st Baron Tweedmouth’s parliamentary constituency. Dudley Marjoribanks, who became the 1st Baron Tweedmouth, was actually born across the river in Scotland in the Borders, but the Liberal Party gave him the constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed. It is here that the Tweed Water dog or Tweed water spaniel was common, retrieving shot game and helping salmon fisherman net their catch.
Upon much more investigation and contacting some of the people that run the various places around Tomich, i have the answer to the question of what that picture was all about. See it here: http://www.goldenretrieverclubofscotland.com/gg.htm
this should take you directly to the story of the Golden Gathering. Now i’m waiting to get some replies as to whether or not they will be repeating the Gathering. I sure would be ther when they do!!!