David Miner Jr., age 10, of Lowell, Mass., for his question:

WHERE DID THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER ORIGINATE?

Today's popular golden retrieves is a breed of dog that originated in Scotland about 1865 from a cross between a yellow wavy coated retriever and a tweed water spaniel. The dog originally was bred to retrieve wildfowl from cold water or heavy vegetation.

The golden retriever's keen nose and obedient temperament have expanded its range of usefulness. It is now used also as a guide dog for the blind and to detect narcotics. It also makes a wonderful family pet.

In the 1890s golden retrievers were imported to the United States and in recent years have become increasingly popular. Males are 23 to 24 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 60 to 75 pounds. Females are several inches shorter and about 10 pounds lighter.

The dog's dense, water repellent coat, which is a rich golden color, may be either straight or wavy. The animal has a broad skull, muscular neck, dark eyes set wide apart, small ears, straight forelegs and muscular hind legs and a straight tail.