Golden Retriever Extended Breed Standard
Golden Retriever Extended Breed Standard
Golden Retriever Extended Breed Standard
KENNEL COUNCIL
Produced by
The National Golden Retriever Breed Council (Australia)
in collaboration with its Affiliated Clubs and
The Australian National Kennel Council
Photo: Kipps
1911
Mrs Charlesworth, with the help of fellow enthusiasts, founded the Golden Retriever
Club. The club drew up a Standard of Points, which included a scale of points as a
guide to the importance of the various features mentioned therein. This was also the
year that the English Kennel Club officially classified the breed as a separate variety of
Retrievers – “Golden or Yellow Retrievers”.
1936
The darker dogs gained much more popularity than the lighter ones in the breed’s
earlier days. However the paler shades were gradually accepted and in 1936 were
acknowledged by the admission of “cream” in the standard.
1940
This was the year that the Kennel Club’s official Standard for the breed was issued. It
omitted the scale of points and the words immediately following “nose should be
black”. It also changed the misleading “Teeth should be even” to “Teeth should be
sound and strong. Neither undershot or overshot, the lower teeth just behind but
touching the upper teeth”.
For 50 or more years the Breed Standard remained essentially unchanged.
In the 1980’s, the Kennel Club reviewed all Breed Standards and the ideal weight of
a dog and a bitch was omitted whilst the ideal height was retained. 3
The Golden Retriever Breed Standard currently in use is reproduced in bold italic
type throughout this Breed Standard Extension.
10
11
12
Goldens are well known as family dogs and will easily “fit
in” because of its kind nature and will to please. However
over assertiveness should be discouraged.
Any unprovoked aggression or timidity to either humans or
dogs, be it in the show ring or general community is totally
unacceptable in a Golden and should be severely penalised.
19
A bitch should have a head which is distinctly feminine, but not weak. The head of a
male should be distinctly masculine, impressive (and larger in proportion to his larger
size).19 The gender of the dog should be recognizable when looking at the head.
The chiselling should be beneath the eyes and between them in the formation of a
well-defined stop. Any appearance of frowns or wrinkles around the forehead either
when alert or in repose should be penalised.
The muzzle is a very important feature for a retriever. It should have sufficient
capacity and strength to carry game. In the case of a Golden, this could mean a quite
large duck or pheasant. A muzzle which appears too short, apart from being unbal-
anced, could affect the dog’s carrying capacity. The muzzle should have a good
length, width and depth. A weak muzzle and underjaw or one with too much flew will
hamper the dog in carrying out its job as a retriever.
A black nose is preferred. Sometimes in cold weather the pigment will appear lighter,
but should not be flesh coloured. Bitches in season also tend to lose pigment at
times. The black pigment on the eye rims will confirm the nose colour to be temporary.
20 23
21 24
22 25
19
29
26
30
27 Photo by V Sterrett
28 31
19
INCORRECT INCORRECT INCORRECT
Too low-set and houndy Too high-set Too small and ‘flyaway’
33
When a Golden is alert the ears create a “frame” for the typical Golden expression.
However, not all will oblige at the perfect moment and should not be penalised for this.
CANINE DENTITION
The total number of teeth in the adult dog is 42, this being made up
of 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 pre-molars and 10 molars.
The dental formula for the dog may be expressed in the following terms:
Upper Jaw Lower Jaw
6 6 Incisors
2 2 Canines
8 8 Pre-molars
4 6 Molars
34
A Golden’s neck is a key visual guide to overall balance. The neck should flow smoothly
into the dog’s correctly laid shoulders with no abrupt angles or dips.
35
36
(a) Correct front with good (b) Faulty ‘fiddle-front’, loose (c) Straight, but far too
width and depth of chest, elbows, turned pasterns, feet narrow and lacking both
straight sound legs. pointing outwards. depth and breadth of chest.
The front construction of the Golden Retriever, together with good depth of chest
presents the required picture of legs set well under the body, which applies to both
profile and front views. The shoulders should ideally appear as shown in diagram (a)
below, with the shoulder blade and upper arm (humerus) being of equal length. From
the side view the pads of the feet will rest directly beneath the centre of the shoulder
blade. The prosternum is visible, but never exaggerated.
Shoulders which are too upright and lack upper arm do not allow for maximum forward
reach of the front legs. The ideal shoulder angulation enables this maximum forward
reach when the dog is moving, and contributes to the smooth flowing gait of the
Golden Retriever.
The following drawings illustrate desirable and undesirable shoulder assemblies.
37
The blades at the withers should be neither too wide apart nor too close together as
either of these scenarios could cause the dog difficulty in lowering its head to pick up
game. If too wide apart the shoulders will look overloaded.
A CORRECT B INCORRECT
A classic example of The length of back has increased by 10%.
correct balance and symmetry This makes the body far too long and the
legs appear to be too short by comparison.
C INCORRECT
The length of leg has increased by 10%
making the dog unbalanced and high on leg.
38
CORRECT
SHORT COUPLED with correct length
of back (being in proportion to the
dog’s height.) A
Rib Cage deep and long.
Short in loin and therefore short
coupled.
INCORRECT
LONG COUPLED but with correct
length of back (in proportion to its
height). B
Rib Cage lacks depth at the last ribs
so length of the loin is increased.
Long in loin.
INCORRECT
LONG COUPLED
Rib Cage deep and long which is cor- C
rect but length of back too long,
therefore the length of loin is in-
creased. A weaker structure.
Too long in loin.
40
The Golden is short coupled and deep through the heart. Although shortness of loin
is desirable, the back should not be ultra-short or cobby, for excessive shortness of
back usually goes with upright shoulders and a short neck. The rib cage should be
carried well back, thus the expression “well ribbed up”. It must allow room for vital
organs, particularly the dog’s lungs, and should be nicely rounded but not barrel
shaped. Equally, slab-sided or flat rib cages are undesirable.
Judges should be wary of dogs displaying a short ribcage (ie “short ribbed”), and
which are therefore longer in loin, despite appearing compact in outline when stand-
ing. Lack of forequarter angulation and therefore loss of “chest in front of the dog”
can often cause this compact outline.
TOPLINES
42
36
INCORRECT INCORRECT
The distance from the hock joint to the ground should be short. Broad, hard muscular
loins and thighs are desired and when viewed from the rear, a straight line from the hip
joint to the foot should be formed by the components of the hindquarters as shown
in figure (a) above.
Well bent stifles as illustrated below will create the desired movement which is strong
and driving. Straight stifles and long hocks will make the hindlegs swing backwards
rather like a pendulum, resulting in more of a flicking or kicking up action – this is not
correct.
INCORRECT CORRECT
43
CORRECT INCORRECT
Round and cat like. Splay feet.
44
CORRECT INCORRECT
Cat foot. Campact with arched toes Hare foot. Toes long and flat.
and well developed pads. Nails short Nails too long.
A key factor in good feet is good pasterns. The following diagrams show correct
pasterns and some common faults.
PASTERNS
44
45
The tail is the dog’s “rudder” and balancing device, as well as an indication of emotion
and temperament. Strong enough to be used as a serviceable rudder for a swimming
dog, it should be heavily muscled, particularly at the base, and very densely coated
overall giving a thick appearance. It should not be rope-like, whippy or setter like.
As a balancing aid,
the tail assists in movement.
48
SUGGESTED READING
The National Golden Retriever Council would also like to thank the following:
• The Kennel Club (Great Britain) for permission to reprint the Breed Standard.
• Lyn Mansfield of “Topline Graphics” for the artwork and presentation layout.
• Wendy Andrews, Catcombe Kennels UK for permitting the use of so many of her
wonderful drawings from her book – “Golden Retriever–The Breed Standard
Illustrated”.
• Valerie Foss, UK, for allowing the use of photos from her books “The Ultimate
Golden Retriever” and “Golden Retrievers Today”.
• Lyn Kipps, UK, (lynn_kipps@ineone.net) for permission to use photos taken by
her.
• Marcia R. Schlehr for permission to use the illustrations on pages 25 & 26.
Finally, the Council thanks the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC). Not only does the Breed
Council exist and operate under the auspices of the ANKC, but the ANKC was the final approval
authority which enables the circulation of this Breed Standard Extension for general use.