Visit Your Dog's Ancestral Home - Golden Retriever

Origin: Tomich, Scotland

Story: In 1865, the avid hunter Lord Tweedmouth plucked the sole yellow puppy from a litter of black retrievers in Brighton, England. He named him Nous, brought him to his home, and bred him with Belle, a Tweed water spaniel. The union led to the large, good-natured golden retriever. In present-day Scotland, retrievers are usually pets and farm animals.

The trip: Travel four hours north of Edinburgh to Tomich, a well preserved 19th-century hamlet built by Lord Tweedmouth. Stop in at the Tomich Hotel, where the owners can direct you to Tweedmouth's deserted and roofless former home, Guisachan (goosh-e-can) Manor, which is roughly three miles away. Park next to the manor for a stroll. Gorgeous waterfalls can be found in the neighboring Glen Affric Nature Reserve (glenaffric.org). Consider the eight-bedroom Tomich Hotel for your stay. For train trips between London and Edinburgh, check the excursion rates on Raileasy (raileasy.co.uk). Some train lines allow dogs the size of golden retrievers to travel for free as long as they are leashed. Call National Rail for rules on a specific train line (011-44/845-748-4950).

Hot tip: U.S. dogs can enter the United Kingdom without quarantine as long as they're microchipped, vaccinated for rabies, and have had their blood tested. Owners must carry documents to prove all of the above, plus a bill of health from a vet that notes that your dog has been treated for ticks and tapeworms.

Credit: msnbc.com; Photo: dogslife.com.au