Originally Posted by
gdgnyc
I have read those articles. I also was a little surprised at first. However, having goldens in mind, the non bird might be the thing to get people interested in the field aspect of their dog. My own club which is a breed club has about 100 members. Maybe 10 come out to the field, only five of us hunt. It is a shame but a reality.
I recently gave a retrieving demo at our National Hunting and Fishing Expo. People didn't know what breed of dog I had and didn't know goldens could be worked. I hope that the other retriever breeds are in better shape.
Back to the article in question. A dying man will grasp at a burning straw. I would take any involvement from golden owners just to get them interested and keep retrieving in the breed, even those bumper tests as a start.