GOLDEN RETRIEVER STANDARD

Kennel Club, London 1994 F.C.I. Standard No. 111

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-chiselled, 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. 

EARS - Moderate size, set on approximate level with eyes. 

MOUTH - Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. Upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. 

NECK - Good length, clean and muscular. 

FOREQUARTERS - 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. 

BODY - 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.  Cowhocks 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. 

SIZE - 
Height: Dogs  56-61 cms (22-24 ins) at withers 
Bitches 51-56 cms (20-22 ins) at withers 

FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault 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. 

Gundog Group      A.N.K.C.  ©   January 1998