The Golden Retrievers is a specific breed of dog that belongs to the sporting group of dog breeds. They are a mid-sized dog, with a friendly and eager to please personality. They love being around people, and are easily trained. There are specific things that qualify a dog to be up to the standard according to the American Kennel Club. These items fall under the categories of general appearance, size, proportion, substance; head, neck, topline, body, forequarters, hindquarters, coat, color, gait and temperament. Under each of these, there are very specific ideals, descriptions of traits that define what the perfect Golden Retriever looks like.

There is also a criterion by which a dog is considered disqualified. For Golden Retrievers, there are two disqualifiers. First, the Golden Retriever will be disqualified if the height is more than one inch from the standard, either too high or too short. The second item is if there is an undershot or overshot bite. Other than these two items, there are no automatic disqualifiers.
For specifics of the Golden Retriever Standard, one should consult the American Kennel Club. Some of the things that the AKC considers are the size (males, 23-24 inches at withers, females 21 ½ – 22 ½), weight (males 65-75 pounds, females 65-75 pounds), and body shape (“neck medium long, merging gradually into well laid back shoulders, giving sturdy, muscular appearance. No throatiness.”). Golden Retrievers are also expected to have a tail that is thick and muscular at the base, and to be carried happy, wagging and level or curving upward. It should never be curved over the back or between the legs.

The coat should be water-repellent and dense with a good undercoat. It should lie close to the body, and can be either straight or wavy. It is good to have an untrimmed natural ruff, with some feathering on the back of the forelegs and underbody. Cutting or clipping the hair should not change the natural appearance of the coat or outline of the dog, though stray hairs can be neatened and feet can be trimmed. Golden Retrievers can be golden of various shades, though having white hairs is not good. Mid-range of golden color is best.
A Golden Retriever should meet the American Kennel Club standards if at all possible. These standards can be found at the AKC website, and include many items such as coat, gait, head, eyes, tail, forequarters, hindquarters, etc. The dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards will have some certain things in common. They will be beautiful dogs, with lustrous coats, usually in the mid-gold range. Their coats will be dense, with feathering on the forelegs and underbelly, and tail and back legs. They will muscular, and have a lot of energy, as they are hunting dogs and like to stay active. They will be eager and self-confident. Their tail should be held out, and their eyes will be friendly, alert and intelligent-looking. They will be eager to interact with people, and love to please. Dogs that meet the American Kennel Club standards are dogs that any owner would be proud to show off and enjoy owning.

The American Kennel Club has what they consider the standard for the Golden Retriever, which can be looked up on the AKC website. They include even such specifics as what color the fur should be and whether it can be trimmed. There is Golden Retriever information throughout this article, for those who want to learn more about the standard for Golden Retrievers.

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