History and Potential Future of the Golden Irish
Some internet sources claim that the Irish Setter was one of several breeds incorporated in the development of the Golden Retriever. That may be since their pairing seems to make perfect sense. A surprising number of people, while inquiring about our puppies, have told me that they grew up with a Golden Irish or lived with one in the past. Invariably they describe their Golden Irish as "the best dog I ever had," and still miss them. I've always loved both parent breeds so when it came time to start breeding, the breed choices was a no-brainer. I became curious about crossing the two breeds and found that there were several breeders with websites and the same idea. We've whelped several litters now and have become even more enthusiastic about the cross. We have two unrelated GI pups of our own, Penny and Lucky, and another unrelated girl planned for the near future. By 2022, we expect to be offering a second (f2) generation (Golden Irish X Golden Irish). I'd love to see the Golden Irish become its own recognized breed. I understand that breed-defining characteristics usually stabilize by the third generation. Maybe by 2023?...