Golden Retriever
Also called golden.
Separated from a Labrador by coat length and feathering rather than colour — a yellow Labrador and a pale golden are the pair people actually confuse, and the tail settles it.
- Group
- Sporting
- Weight
- 25–34 kg
- Coat
- long
- Ears
- drop
- Muzzle
- medium
- Build
- Sturdy
- Origin
- Scotland
What it looks like
Powerful and balanced with a dense water-repellent double coat in any shade of gold, with heavy feathering on the chest, legs, underside and tail.
The characters that confirm it
- A feathered tail carried level with a distinct fringe underneath.
- Heavy feathering on the chest, back of the legs and underside.
- A medium-long outer coat, straight or wavy, over a dense undercoat.
- Broad skull with a straight muzzle and a well-defined stop.
Temperament
Friendly, biddable, and demanding of company. Not a dog that copes with being left.
Health
Hip and elbow dysplasia, and an unusually high lifetime cancer rate — haemangiosarcoma and lymphoma in particular. Progressive retinal atrophy and ichthyosis have genetic tests.
Confused with
Short coat throughout and a thick unfeathered otter tail. A yellow Lab is not a pale Golden.
Much smaller, foxier, deep red with white markings.
Questions about this breed
How do you recognise a Golden Retriever?
A feathered tail carried level with a distinct fringe underneath. Heavy feathering on the chest, back of the legs and underside.
What is a Golden Retriever like to live with?
Friendly, biddable, and demanding of company. Not a dog that copes with being left.
What health problems do Golden Retrievers have?
Hip and elbow dysplasia, and an unusually high lifetime cancer rate — haemangiosarcoma and lymphoma in particular. Progressive retinal atrophy and ichthyosis have genetic tests.