Your Golden has the DNA of generations of the finest Goldens bred to find birds and retrieve them packed into their cells. Golden Retrievers were first bred in the Scottish Highlands by Dudley Marjoribanks, who was known as Lord Tweedmouth in his later years. (Hmmm, there HAS to be a juicy story behind THAT). They used Flat-Coated Retrievers, probably an Irish Setter and the now extinct Tweed Water Spaniel. Tweedmouth kept the blonde dogs to build his vision upon.
Even if all YOUR Golden sniffs for is the occasionally dropped cookie the DNA so painstakingly merged by Lord Tweedmouth urges them to use the info he gathers to process and make decisions. Their nose NEEDS to work at 100%.