Golden-Retriever Standard ...
Kennel Club Standard for the Golden Retriever
Show Champion Erinderry Gaelic Minstrel
General Appearance |
Symmetrical, balanced, active, powerful, level mover; sound with kindly expression. |
Characteristics |
Biddable, intelligent and possessing natural working ability. |
Temperament |
Kindly, friendly and confident. |
Head and Skull |
Balanced and well chiseled, skull broad without coarseness; well set on neck, muzzle powerful, wide and deep. Length of foreface approximately equals length from well defined stop to occiput. Nose preferably black. |
Eyes |
Dark brown, set well apart, dark rims. |
Mouth |
Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. |
Neck |
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Good length, clean and muscular. |
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Forequarters |
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Forelegs straight with good bone, shoulders well laid back, long in blade with upper arm of equal length placing legs well under body. Elbows close fitting. |
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Body |
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Balanced, short coupled, deep through heart. Ribs deep, well sprung. Level topline. |
Hindquarters |
Loin and legs strong and muscular, good second thighs, well bent stifles. Hocks well let down, straight when viewed from rear, neither turning in nor out. Cow-hocks highly undesirable. |
Feet |
Round and cat-like. |
Tail |
Set on and carried level with back, reaching to hocks, without curl at tip. |
Gait/Movement |
Powerful with good drive. Straight and true in front and rear. Stride long and free with no sign of hackney action in front. |
Coat |
Flat or wavy with good feathering, dense water-resisting undercoat. |
Colour |
Any shade of gold or cream, neither red nor mahogany. A few white hairs on chest only permissible. From 2000, only Cream, Gold or Golden will be accepted by the KC on registrations. |
Size |
Height at withers: dogs; 56-61 cms (22-24ins) bitches: 51-56cms (20-22ins) |
Faults |
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the faults should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. |
Note |
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. |