Golden Retriever General Informations

About Golden Retriever

History of the Golden Retriever Breed

Today’s Golden Retriever is most commonly known as a companion animal. Unless you go to, or are involved in, conformation, obedience, field or hunting trials, you may not realize that the Golden Retriever is a far more versatile animal. It also had a reason for having been developed as a separate breed back in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

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Golden Retrievers were “developed” in Britain during the 1800’s. Believed to be included in the formation of the Golden Retriever breed are the now extinct Tweed Water Spaniel, the Newfoundland, the Irish Setter and a variety of water spaniels.
The need for a retriever to gather the vastly larger number of birds being brought down by hunters was a concern to Sir Dudley Majoribanks, the first Lord Tweedmouth at Inverness, in Scotland. He wished to develop a dog which was loyal and kind, yet spirited and energetic, with a love for the water and an ability to retrieve. His early vision of a Golden Retriever was for a dog that would have great enthusiasm for retrieving waterfowl.
guisachan2006-800x534 Until the discovery of Lord Tweedmouth’s stud books in 1952 the breed was thought to have originated from a troupe of Russian circus dogs which Lord Tweedmouth saw performing in Brighton in 1858. These dogs were thought to be about 30 inches at the shoulder with thick wavy coats, varying in colour from cream to light biscuit. Lord Tweedmouth was said to be so impressed by their intelligence, looks and docility, that he purchased all 8 of them and had them transported to his Scottish Estate at Guisachan, where they were used for tracking deer.
However the sixth Earl of Ilchester, a great-nephew of Lord Tweedmouth, in 1952, dismissed the Russian theory, basing his evidence on a stud book meticulously kept from 1835 which recorded all the dogs kept at Guisachan and in which there was no mention of the Russian dogs.
It is says that Lord Tweedmouth purchased a yellow coloured puppy, whose litter mates all possessed black wavy coats, from a Brighton cobbler in 1865. This yellow coloured puppy was named Nous and he was the foundation of the Golden Retriever breed. This yellow colored puppy was named Nous, and in 1868 was bred to a Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle that gave birth to four yellow bitches, Crocus, Cowslip, Primrose and Ada.

Lord Tweedmouth kept one female from the get of this breeding, and gave away the rest of the litter to neighbors, friends and relatives. For twenty years he would line breed any yellow pups produced by this one female, named Cowslip, and her litter mates, and any yellow pups produced by subsequent offspring.

In 1876 Cowslip was bred with a Red Setter and Jack was born. Topsy was bred with a black wavy coated Retriever named Sambo witch led to the birth of Zoe. Zoe was then inbred with Jack who become parents to Gill and NousII. Gill was then bred with a black Retriever called Tracer wich led to the birth ok Quennie in 1882. In 1889 Quennie was inbred with Nous II which resulted in Prim and Rose. Prim and Rose were 47% Setter, 35% Lesser St. Johns Newfoundlad, 12% Springer Spaniel and 6% Water Dog.
rockhaven-raynard The dogs produced proved to be grand workers, biddable and attractive. Puppies from the matings were given to friends and family, notably his nephew, Lord Ilchester, who also bred them. The dogs bred true to type, and so the forerunners of the breed we know today were established.
Once developed, early Golden Retrievers were shown in England as Flat-Coated Retrievers under the variety Golden. Over time the Golden Retriever made it’s way to North America, brought back by people visiting Britain. It is believed that Golden Retrievers came to North America in the 1890’s, however, Golden Retrievers were not “exhibited” in dog shows until the 1920’s. Golden Retrievers, in the early years were used primarily in hunting. Over time, as the breed gained popularity, the Golden Retriever became a valued family companion, a hunting companion, and a show dog.
It was not until 1908 that the breed came into the public eye. Lord Harcourt had formed a great liking for the breed, and had gathered on to his estate at Nuneham Park, Oxford, a collection of the dogs descended from the original matings. He decided to exhibit them at the Kennel Club Show in 1908, where they created great interest. They were entered in a class for Any Variety Retriever, and described as Yellow Flatcoated Retrievers. The term ‘Golden Retriever’ was first coined around this time, and has been attributed to Lord Harcourt. In 1906 Mrs Charlesworth obtained her first Golden, a bitch puppy without a pedigree, whom she named Normanby Beauty. She proved to be a highly intelligent and tireless worker. In 1908 she mated her to Culham Brass and in 1909 she joined Lord Harcourt as the only other exhibitor of the ‘yellow’ retrievers. In 1909 although there was still no separate classification for them, eight Goldens appeared at Cruft’s, while ten appeared in 1910.
1the-hon The breed was accepted by the Kennel Club in 1913, and an allocation of Challenge Certificates was made the same year. The race had already been on to see who could win the first Field Trial award with a Golden, and the honour had fallen in 1912 to Captain Hardy with his bitch Vixie, who went on to become an influential dam in the breed. The honour of winning the first C.C.’s on offer proved to be an anti-climax.

With the restarting of Field Trials in 1920 and of shows in 1921 the inter-war years saw the beginning of a gradual rise to popularity for Goldens supported by a substantial number of new breeders.
In 1921 the GRC ran its first Trials and these of course were the first to be confined to the breed, although Goldens were already proving that they could well hold their own in any variety stake competition. Cruft’s entries in 1921were only 34, but this rose to 231 in 1925 and to 263 in 1927, which remained the highest figure until after the war.
In 1932, the Golden Retriever was recognized by the American Kennel Club. The Golden Retriever Club of America was formed in 1938. An interesting point was that even though the Golden was being used by hunters, and it was growing in popularity, the A.K.C. considered it a rare breed.
int-ch-cabus-cadet A very important kennel wich had a very profound influence on the breed was Camrose Kennel. Golden Camrose Tess’ was the foundation bitch of this kennel and every Golden with a ‘Camrose’ ancestor is descended from her – and this is most of today’s Goldens. Some of the most importand Camrose dogs are: Camrose Antony, Camrose Fantango, Camrose Cabus Chiristopher, Camrose Matilda, Styal Stephanie of Camrose, Cabus Cadet, Camrose Nicholas of Westley and many others.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the Golden experienced a resurgence of popularity as more people began to use this dog in obedience trials and conformation.
A beautiful dog, engaged in a work that it loves – serving its master, loving its family, and benefiting mankind by its very existence.

JUDGING A GOLDEN RETRIEVER

written by Cate and Jim Crosbie, Garbank Lislone Kennel, Great Britain

(Although this is written in the first person both of us are looking for the same thing when judging although we do naturally have our own individual emphasis on breed points and some individual variations in judging procedure)
As a judge what am I looking for when judging Goldens? It is easy to say type, conformation, movement and of course quality and that is true but for many this needs some further explanation. The way I mean to tackle this is to have you imagine a good size class of Goldens coming into the ring to be judged and to talk through what happens then in my mind and what procedures are used to come to a fair judgement on the relative merits of the dogs in the class.
Enter the gladiators! This is the first opportunity. Look at the dogs as they enter the ring, look at them relaxed rather than posed. Some may catch your eye. They may do this because they present a balanced and therefore pleasing picture – I will go into balance etc later on. I remember a show in Sweden when after seeing the dogs (and in this instance I do mean males) come into the ring I turned to my ring steward and secretary and said “ Do you see the dog second from the end? If he has teeth and testicles that is my winner”. This was greeted with a little bit of disbelief but he was the winner. Even on a first look what did I see that made him stand out? I could see breed type in his wholly typical outline and balance and he held it all together as he moved into the ring.
Two very important things there, which do need expansion. I’ll start with breed type. Obviously a good Golden Retriever must look like a Golden Retriever – breed type. This to my mind has two vital components. In all judging you come into the ring armed with your knowledge of the breed and with the breed standard. Both are very important, but here I have to give my view that the breed standard has to be reinforced by a good in-depth experience of the breed as an owner and breeder. It must be difficult to judge if you do not have the built in “eye for a dog” that comes from living with good examples of the breed. I do not personally think that the first time a judge has a Challenge Certificate in their hand should be when they hand it out – they should have demonstrated their judging ability by winning a few before they judge at top level. If you breed and show dogs you exercise judgement every day, what dog to show, which dog to use on which bitch, which pup to run on, when to end the running on period etc etc. If you have shown that you are a good judge as evidenced by your show results then you may well make a good judge of other people’s dogs. OK, now back to the main plot, but there will be many asides in this piece! Breed type lies very much in two areas, remember I write only of the show ring here, I do wonder at judges who allege that they can identify working ability from what they see in a show ring “Looks as if he could work all day” is an example of this. A Golden should have the right outline and balance to be a typical Golden. Your eye and experience will tell you this. Also most importantly type lies in the head. If you can think of looking only at the dog’s head, then could it only be a Golden? Or could it be a Labrador or a Duck Toller or a Rottweiler? The head shape, size, proportions and very importantly expression must be such that you know you are looking at a Golden. If the dog departs from these it cannot have good breed type. The first part of the Breed Standard is General Appearance it says “Symmetrical, balanced, active, powerful, level mover, sound with kindly expression” The kindly expression is thus given a prime position. The head shape and the position and colour of the eye all have to be considered. If the eye is pale the expression is no longer kindly, if the eye rims are pale, if they are wrongly set in the head, if there is no chiselling around the eye area of the head, if the head is coarse then in all of these cases the dog lacks some breed type.
Now overall balance, your experienced eye will tell you this – or rather it should tell you this! It is noticeable that a lot of newer owners of the breed have got their eye in for balance from seeing over- long dogs being given awards in the show ring by inexperienced judges and then these exhibits being praised in critiques for their balance. When these newer owners come to judge they consolidate this misconception of correct balance. Joan Tudor put it very well when she said that for a Golden to be balanced the length from its withers to the root of its tail should be the same measurement as from the withers to the ground. Also the height from the withers to the elbow should be the same as the height from the elbow to the ground. I include an illustration here, which shows this concept of balance.

As you will see a balanced dog fits into a square with the horizontals being the length from withers to the root of the tail and the verticals being the height from the withers to the ground. This balance can also be seen in profile movement, and going back to general appearance the Golden should be a level mover – this means holding its balance and outline as it moves.
So far the dogs have come into the ring but a lot has happened in the judges mind – or should have! Generally in the UK when all exhibits are in the ring the handlers will set up their dogs. Some top and tail, others free show. A matter of choice for the handler, for their job is to present the dog in its best light. Which method they use will also depend on the temperament of handler and dog. Your job as a judge is to select the best dogs, so the way in which they are shown is immaterial. I stand a good distance from the dogs I am looking at, for this first individual appraisal is all to do with outline and what it can tell you. It may even be helpful as an exercise to look through half-closed eyes so that you see in effect a silhouette of the dog and do not get confused as some do by non-essentials like shades of colour. The outline of the dog will show you its overall balance (that word again, but it cannot be said too often), its proportions of length of neck, of leg, of body depth, of height of hock. It will also give you a good idea of what you can expect to find on hands on examination in the layback of shoulder, angle of upper arm, bend of stifle, angulation of the croup, tail set etc. This all requires experience and concentration, but takes a lot longer to write about it than it takes to do.
Now the dogs should be moved round the ring – if the surface is suitable! Do not move too many dogs at a time round the ring .Let us assume that the ring is big enough and the surface is not slippery and that the class is not a puppy class (for pups may just romp around and tell you very little!) What I see here is once again the balance of the dog, but it also tells me whether the static picture was the result of clever handling or of the dog’s construction. Does the topline hold level, is the throat clean, does the dog’s coat roll about because of layers of fat, does the tail come straight off the back as it should, does the dog fall away at the croup, does the dog move smoothly and fluently in other words does it present the picture I expect and hope for? So by this time a lot of facts have been gathered and the judge probably has a good idea by now of the dogs from which his or her final selection will be made.
Now we move on to the “hands on” individual assessment and here again another illustration could be of some help. We already have a good idea of angulation, but sometimes skilful trimming and presentation can deceive the eye. To give an example of the eye deceiving, I can remember going over a dog that won very well and looked to have a good angulation to the upper arm. In fact a prominent breastbone created the outline and the upper arm was less than well angulated.

The handler is now setting up the dog in front of the judge. What I normally do at this stage is to look at the dog from the front, checking straightness of front, tightness of elbows to the body and that there is no slackness of the pasterns. All is well so I move to the rear of the dog and look at it from behind, check that the hocks are firm and parallel, that there is a good width across the quarters. Perhaps the handler is being very careful in positioning the hocks, if this is to try to disguise a tendency to cow hocks then a little pressure on the rump when going over the dog will show that up as will movement going away.
Move now so that you see the dog in profile and reassess balance etc visually. Then I go to the dog’s head and assess it, with a lot of emphasis on the expression. Here the judge covers the bite, normal scissor bite being what is wanted. Ear set is also to my mind linked to the Golden look and expression, ears should frame off the face nicely and should be well set on. Particularly unwelcome to me is the heavy, low set and houndy type of ear. I then run my hand down the neck, which hopefully is of good length, to the highest point of the shoulder blade, I then place my other hand on the point of shoulder and with the rear of the elbow joint as the other point of reference assess the angulation and length of the shoulder blade and the upper arm. Other judges have other methods, this is the one I use, I also place my hand palm up on the plane created by the inward slope of the upper arm, which also tells me something of the forechest and depth of brisket. Hands are then run down the body towards the hind quarters checking firmness of topline and spring of rib, also how far back the ribs are carried. Muscular tone and condition, excess weight, presence of undercoat and coat condition are also covered. Now to check the couplings, they should be short (the width of a man’s palm would be good), the loin should be well muscled. Hands then go down the hind legs covering bend of stifle, development of the second thigh and (often apparently overlooked) the width of the thigh. Test the height and firmness of the hocks.
Remember that the breed standard makes a big point here calling cowhocks “highly undesirable”. I then hold the end of the tail and check that it is set on correctly, that is level with the back, that the croup is correctly angled. At this point I always look down the back of the dog towards the head. This is a most instructive angle of view, not only of the body properties, but it more rapidly than any other view will show up poorly angulated shoulders. You should see a smooth gradation from the body through the withers into the neck. Poor shoulders give a “blocky” appearance. Step back take a final view of the dog in profile then ask the handler to move the dog.
Personally I am moving away from the triangle method of assessing movement – principally because so few exhibitors execute it well enough to give the judge a good view of profile movement. I think that so much information is gained from seeing a dog moving in profile that some care should be taken to see it properly. So for me at this point in my judging career I want to see a dog move away from me and back towards me – and I really do want to see straight away and back again. Then I want to have a good look at movement in profile, either by asking the dog to go round the ring or to watch it take a wide sweep back to its place at the end of the line.
The object of movement is to take the body from one point to another. This should ideally be by the most mechanically efficient method without surplus and unnecessary movement. The stride should be as described in the breed standard “long and free”, so we look for good extension in front and good drive from the rear – the reward for good angulation front and rear and good muscular condition.

Look for the level topline, the reward for good balance, and for tail carriage being held on the move. If movement does not look effortless, fluent and level then it falls short of the ideal. I like to see good proud head carriage when a dog moves. I do not like proud tail carriage. I do not believe that the fastest mover is the best mover – many exhibitors seem to think that it is a race!
Remember that this is a personal view but also that it is one born of a lot of experience and interest. I, having seen all the dogs, now have a final look at the class as a whole, again for me I do not stand over the dogs to do this part, but get to a distance where I am seeing the whole dog. I may move them all round again or may leave this until I have pulled out my final selection. I may or may not “short list” depending on the size of the class and the depth of quality. If you do short list always pull out at least six if you have to place the first four – it is disheartening for someone to be the only one unrewarded. Let us say that I am down to my last four. At this point I like to move them round once more before confirming the places. Then be advised to be very positive in indicating the places of the dogs. I got a piece of advice, more years ago than I care to admit to, which was I believe very wise. It goes like this – judges are as fallible as the next person, if you judge you will sometimes make mistakes, but make them quickly!!! Nothing looks so bad as the judge who spends ages coming to a decision, moves and moves the dogs, checks and rechecks their shoulder placement and then half an hour later gets it so wrong.
The final bit is very simple; you place the dog you consider best in the first place then the next best second and so on down the line. I have not so far spoken of quality but when you judge you must keep in mind that this is the sine qua non of a top class animal. So difficult to define but to the experienced eye quality leaps out at you and at the end of the day when judging at Championship shows you do hope to finish up with a Golden of “such outstanding merit as to be worthy of the title of Champion”. Finally I firmly believe that it is a privilege to judge other people’s dogs and that it is something to be done with integrity. The judge should judge only the dog and that such extraneous matters as the ownership, breeding, friends etc should have no part in the decisions. As I say it is a privilege and it is also something to enjoy.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER STANDARD

ORIGIN : Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987.
UTILIZATION : Retriever

link3 CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 8 Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs. Section 1 Retrievers. With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Symmetrical, balanced, active, powerful, level mover; sound with kindly expression.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Biddable, intelligent and possessing natural working ability; kindly, friendly and confident.

HEAD : Balanced and well chiselled

                CRANIAL REGION :
                Skull : Broad without coarseness; well set on neck.
                Stop : Well defined.

                FACIAL REGION :
                Nose : Preferably black.
                Muzzle : Powerful, wide and deep. Length of foreface approximately equals length from stop to occiput.
                Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
                Eyes : Dark brown, set well apart, dark rims.
                Ears : Moderate size, set on approximate level with eyes.

NECK : Good length, clean and muscular.

                BODY : Balanced.
                Back : Level topline.
                Loins : Strong, muscular, short-coupled.
                Chest : Deep through heart. Ribs deep, well sprung.

TAIL : Set on and carried level with back, reaching to hocks, without curl at tip.

                LIMBS
                FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight with good bone
                Shoulders : Well laid back, long in blade.
                Upper arm : : Of equal length as the shoulder blade, placing legs well under body.
                Elbows : Close fitting.

                HINDQUARTERS : Hindlegs strong and muscular.
                Stifle : Well bent.
                Second thigh : Good.
                Hocks : Well let down, straight when viewed from rear, neither turning in nor out. Cow-hocks highly undesirable.

FEET : Round and cat-like.

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.

HAIR : 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 :
Ideal height at withers :
dogs: 56 – 61 cm (22-24 ins);
bitches: 51 – 56 cm (20-22 ins).

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.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Golden Retriever’s Coat Care

Coat is the main treasure and embellishment of English Golden retrievers. Their coats come in many colors, some are very light in color, that is where the name English Cream Golden Retriever was born, some are almost white,
that is why many are calling them White Golden Retrievers, some are darker in color.
But to make it look really as a piece of luxury you have to treat it with attention. Labradors are easier to handle in this sense but they don’t look as imposing.
Short coat or long it doesn’t matter if taken good care and put in order then any dog would look good.

Best picture of his haircut,France 2004, Best in Show

How can you make you dog look his best? (here and further I would use pronoun his/her instead if impersonal IT ).
First of all your dog should keep to a well balanced diet If he gets irregular unbalanced meals it will definiotely affect the condition of dog’s golden fur coat. A healthy dog has healthy coat – it’s an axiom. From my personal experience proteins in abundance will make coat short and dull. Extra carbohidrates will make it oily and somewhat crumpled. You should choose food for each dog individually taking into account his lifestyle – because whatever is good for a working male would hardly be good for a ” couch potatoe” female.
Ready made dry foods make our life enormously easier but it’s still possible to come up with a rational menu using natural products. In any case you will have to add supplementary foods and vitamins from time to time to enhance coat. Now there is a wide specter of high quality supplements available that will improve coat and skin condition. Here I am listing only those that I used myself. First of all it’s brewer’s yeast with sulphur. I add them to meals in spring and autumn. If you want to speed up coat shedding and to boost a rapid growth of new coat, I would reccommend vitamins Brewers Yeast Plus. To reduce the loss of new coat use a wonderful selection of vitamins Fellglanz……..For skin perfection for example after illness or pregnancy ( when skin and coat get dry) there is no better remedy than Nutricoat saturated oily vitamins made by ” 8 in 1″ For better pigmentation you can use vitamins that contain kelp and carrots. All vitamins should be given by a strict scheme, not permanently. Usually 2 or 3 two-week courses with a 10 day break.
Healthy retrievers have no bad odour. They shake off all the dirt and mud as soon as coat gets dry. If your golden has never been to any show, if he is healthy, walks a lot and takes good food then he may never have a need to be washed or groomed.
But don’t ask me then why your neighbor’s dog looks better.

….it’s definitely impossible to cut coat behind ears without owner’s help

Retriever’s coat consists of short dense soft undercoat that prevents skin from getting wet, and long rough by touch overcoat.
Left with no proper care coat grows up especially at so called “pants” area and behind ears. It also loses in gloss and becomes very dense. Such coat starts to pick up everything that might stick to its undercoat while you walk. Any dog after grooming looks more neatly. His coat shines an d his general appearance says that the dog is loved and well taken care of. The more you wash and comb your dog the better is the coat. When we comb it we remove dead coats, massage skin which enhance blood circulation.
You cant comb or moreover…cut a dirty dog. If you do, you will inevitably damage the ends and coat structure. It is not true that washing may be harmful for coat. This information is old-dated and comes from the times when dogs were washed by coal-tar soap against fleas.
Having modern cosmetic products for pets at hand washing can only be useful.
And what is most important – a clean dog near you produce a much better impression. It’s actually more convenient when all cosmetic products are produced by the same company. The various components will naturally add to one another. For show-class dog you’d better choose one of the professional grooming lines- All System, Bio Groom….Ring-5. Which one exactly you can only define by testing. You have to keep in mind coat structure, water hardness, individual endurance and your own preferences.
Wash your dog when necessary but not less than once a month. When you use shampoo keep to a certain technique. Don’t apply concentrated shampoo. It’s hardly possible to wash away. There going to be spots on coat that would look like oily. Before use thin your shampoo with water. Always wash your dog twice. First time with slightly concentrated solution, then rinse thoroughly and wash again with more concentrated mix of water and shampoo. You can you two different shampoos. For example – one for deap cleansing and another whitening, but you can use the same as well. Rinse with a conditioner by all means. It will leave coat shiny and protect coat from extra drying. It’s very important to rinse coat thoroughly after using coat care products. Water must be lukewarm not hot. Now let your dog shake off extra water. The blot him dry with a towel. Don’t rub just blot with a few towels. Then wrap your dog into a big cotton towel and leave for 15-20 min. After that dry him with a powerful electric coatdrier on medium level.
At the same time comb using massage brush along coat. No matter how long it takes you to dry your dog the final result will be see within 5-6 hours when coat lies down into its place. You wont let your dog sit or lay down or get into a car if you don’t want to ruin all your work that will be impossible to correct. If you have to go to bed after let your dog sleep wrapped neatly into a big towel. Let him sleep in a place he wouldn’t like to leave…on a sofa for example. Now when our golden is washed we can turn to coatcut. Coatcut should be done 8-10 days before the show. We’ll demonstrate the main steps of grooming dog’s coat using pictures of Don.
Don is a homelike dog. He is 5 years old and has never been to any show. This is his first professional coatcut. His young owner cut a little extra coat on his front legs so we’ll show them on a noher dog. Don has a lovely character. While his owner stayed beside him he let us do whatever we wanted ( of course with his owner’s approval)


Don before cutting	Don after cutting

Right before the cutting comb your dog out thoroughly. That’s the “ secret secret” how to become a pretty show class dog. The better you get rid of dead undercoat the healthier will be the looks of the coat. You don’t have to cut coat very often. Just comb undercoat 2-3 times a month even if you plan to take part in a show within 6 month.
The tools that you need are – 2 thinning shears ( professional name for scissors) with one and both thinning sides. Metal comb with a handle, long straight shears, medium shears with rounded ends, brush and trimming knife that is not sharp.
Mind that you have enough time to do the whole coatcut don’t divide it into stages. It may take from 2 to 5 hours as a matter of fact.
Well let’s start cutting. Our dogs possess natural beauty. They don’t need fashionable styling. All we need is to put everything in order to outline advantages and to hide disadvantages.

1. Put your dog on the table, comb out along the coat.
2. Leave the dog stay on the table and step back to look from the side. Now imagine a picture of your dog standing in the ring. Compare the ideal and the real images Try to feel the difference and start working.
3. Start with the most difficult part – cutting neck area and forming front Use thinning shears and comb only Never use electric cutter. It’s better to do it together with somebody who will hold your dog under the chin while you use shears. Our goal now is to show the shoulder angle and to underline the neck setting line and front. Theoretically we should remove coat from throat to breast but depending on your dog type this point can be higher or lower. Cut coat gradually, in the beginning less than you would like to.
It’s important! The main principle of work. Carefully immerse shears under coat and cut lower levels of coat first NOT upper levels. After a couple of clicks put down shears and comb this area. Step back and have a look at what came out. Don’t haste! Never cut across coat! Only cut from bottom to top against the direction of coatgrowth. Try your best to cut both sides at once – right and left.
Having cut half of the throat area when you can see the basic outline of coatcut – go up from the sides behind ears to the top of the head. Once again I remind you – don’t be lazy to comb coat after every click


first comb out and draw a visual image of a coatcut	..direct shears this way not another…

…shears under coat working on the bottom levels	…from central part going up to the sides and behind ears

By removing some sticking out ” furthers”, we form flat neck surface. Level it with a shoulderblade. The coat on the surface is often darker than the undercoat. So try to make the change of colour less visible. If coat on the shoulderblade area is very thick (as it always happens to be) than use the same technique that we prescribed before when we worked on neck area. You can thin it out and to make the transition from cut areas to uncut unnoticeable.
4. When the work on the neck is almost over, it’s high time ” to make ears” with usual method, using thinning shears and comb clean the outside of ears. Start with the tip and move along to the bottom, thinning coat so as to form flat surface.


ear before we worked on it	…with usual method of cutting	don’t forget about “ behind ear vegetation” it has to be thinned

Coat on the ears should not be short and at the same time cling as if there were no shears used at all. Then the edge of the ear is cut with straight shears and the tip with rounded shears, around ears only with thinning shears. Inside ears we leave coat as it grows because when coat starts growing it will hurt and may cause inflammation.


opening ear cut the edge with straight shears not touching inside coats	now the same with outside coat

for the tip better use the rounded shears

5. Now continue with legs.


The paws should be cat-like : compact and round. Properly cut paws give the dog perfectly groomed looks.	First the front of paw is combed out with a blunt trimming knife

Primarily you have to clean the paw from coat plicas between the fingers, if there are any. Pinch out long coats that stick out between fingers. The dog should stay on the table.	You shouldn’t see fingers separately. The paw should look as a whole and rounded …not as on this picture.

Now with straight shears cleaning the edge of the pad. Hold shears parallel to the table. If nails are too long you should cut them with nailcutter	Inner paw should also be cut but don’t clean coat inside it. Just remove the sticking out coats holding shears along the paw pad.

Front legs. From pad to heel coat is cut with thinning shears.	Decorating coat on the front legs comb backwards and with straight shears cut the ends vertical to the table.

Hinder legs. Front surface is cut with blunt trimming knife	Back surface from pad to jumping joint is slightly cut with thinning shears to get a straight line as a result.

Cut the decorating coat at the back of hinder legs with thinning shears over the jumping joint. It will give them correct outline.
6. Tail is the main pride of a dog, his “ smile” and it should be NICE. Basic principle is the same – first comb out. Then grasp the tail into your hand and slide down to the tip ( on the same level with the jumping joint) . Add a couple sm for leveling cut with straight shears strictly across the tail. Now shake well and comb out. Holing the tail by the tip give it a shape of a further. Comb once again and correct what you failed to do the first time.


combed but not cut tail	grasp the tail and slide along it to the level of the jumping joint

cut with straight shears across tail	comb and holding the tip shape it like a further

comb again and correct the line if necessary

7.The bottom line should be straight as much as possible. To make it…comb your dog from top to bottom and carefully cut parallel to the table.


All the coat you comb out from your dog store for “ better times”. Comb regularly for mutual benefit – he will get attractive looks and you stockings made of dog’s wool as a prise for your work.

The main rule in cutting – not to give way to haste and to believe in yourself. Step by step will bring good result. Just don’t haste… – “it’s not gods who scorch pots…”( russian proverb) which in english sounds like “cats may look at a king”…you will manage with it.

The “ENGLISH” Golden Retriever – differences between American Golden Retriever and English Golden Retriever

by Bev Brown

emma6 It has become the custom for people in North America to describe as “English Golden” any Golden Retriever that looks like the Goldens bred overseas, when in fact the dog might have been bred in Scotland, Holland, Norway, Australia, Canada or even the United States, and not England at all. All Goldens descend from the same foundations that originated in Scotland in 1868 and were further developed throughout the United Kingdom (UK). However, in the United States and parts of Canada, the breed has developed a somewhat different look than it did overseas. To try and answer “What Exactly Is an English Golden Retriever?” let’s look at the following questions: 1. What do people really mean when they refer to an “English” Golden Retriever? 2. How do they differ from Goldens from American lines?

A “breed standard” is the official written description of the ideal specimen of that breed. The standard is intended to guide breeders toward maintaining the breed’s quality and to guide judges in evaluating dogs in the show ring.

The breed standard adopted by GRCA and GRCC was essentially the same as the British Standard, and the breed in the 1930s and 1940s in the U.S., Canada, and the UK looked quite similar and shared many close relatives. To follow are some examples of early Goldens in the UK, Canada, and the US, with the dog’s year of birth in parenthesis. Then along came World War II (1939-1945) with food, gasoline, and tire rationing. The war had a very negative impact on dog breeding and dog shows. Championship dog shows were suspended in Great Britain, and dog shows were severely curtailed in North America. Just keeping the bloodlines going was difficult for all. Post World War II As things slowly returned to normal after the war, importing of Goldens from the UK to North America resumed.

However, by the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, the emergence of different influential sires and dams in the U.S., Canada, and the UK helped bring about a more noticeable divergence of type of the typical specimen in each country. As time went by, the breed standards in the U.S., Canada, and the UK were modified independently, which may have further promoted a divergence in type. However, it’s not that the revised standards called for different qualities. The differences in type that began to develop between the U.S. and the UK are more likely a result of the more closed gene pools separated by the Atlantic Ocean and the volume of quality dogs in the U.S. after the war. In Eastern Canada, where a more British type of Golden already existed, a preference for that type probably inspired more importation from the UK and judicious use of those dogs.

As the breed became more popular and more successful in American dog shows in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, trends developed and popular sires emerged that descended from the American dogs of the 1950s and ’60s and resembled them in general type. No doubt assisted by the improvements in animal air shipping and the advent of frozen semen and fresh chilled semen, stud dogs from successful American lines were used in a wide variety of different breeding programs across America. As these dogs dominated the American show rings, there was less and less interest in importing dogs. The various American bloodlines, with a variety of type, were firmly established. Still, some interest remained in the dogs in the UK in the 1970s and ’80s and significant imports were successfully incorporated into the bloodlines of the Gayhaven, Kyrie, Beckwith, Malagold, Starfarm, Liberator, Cal-Vo, Beaumaris, Morningsage, Synergold, Hunts, Braeside, and Trowsnest kennels. Probably due in part to this influence, a nice variety of type could be seen in Goldens in the U.S. Much the same was happening in the UK in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, with outstanding dogs of their day having a strong influence and helping to further set the type there.

Goldens have also been exported from the UK to other countries all over the world, most significantly to Europe and Australia, where the British Breed Standard was maintained. These countries tended to import more frequently from the UK in the post World War II era than did fanciers in the U.S., and the imported dogs were often used more extensively. Since the Goldens living in these countries were already of similar overall type as the British dogs, additional imported dogs were easily incorporated into many existing breeding programs, and the type and trends continued generally to follow the UK.

Overview of the Breed Today The perception among many of today’s American Golden Retriever breeders is that the “English type” Goldens are very different from the American Goldens. And if they see an “English type” Golden that is extremely light in color, an American fancier may assume that the color alone eliminates it from consideration in the American show ring. They are unable to appreciate anything else about the dog. Yet, in most of the rest of the world, these light shades are well accepted. Extremes in color do not distract judges and fanciers there from evaluating the many critical parts of the rest of the dog – such as structure, overall balance, soundness, head and expression, pigmentation, coat texture, temperament, and so on. Outstanding examples of American Goldens and outstanding Goldens from overseas are not so terribly different from each other, and carefully combining the types/bloodlines often blurs even the most noticeable of differences, including the blending of color. The basic structure, head properties, movement, soundness and temperament called for in the two standards are quite compatible. Variations in type can occur even among littermates, and selection greatly impacts the next generation

In Great Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the breed appears generally to be a heavier dog with a flatter croup; broader skull; a deeper, wider muzzle; and with more wavy coats seen. Many Goldens overseas fit this description, however, there are variations in type among them.
The breed in the U.S. today has a variety of types, but is generally a less angulated and somewhat lighter weight dog, with a straighter and more profuse coat than its British cousin. Many North American fanciers feel that the overseas bloodlines excel in head properties, balance, and forequarter structure; while the American bloodlines tend to excel in rear quarters, movement, and showmanship.

Why “English” instead of UK or British? Another question that occasionally comes up is why do people say “English type” Golden Retrievers instead of “UK type” or “British type?” The truth is that some fanciers do say “British type,” but many people have become accustomed to using the word “English” to describe the type of Goldens bred overseas, or bred in North America from recent imports. The large 1968 GRCA Yearbook includes a listing of conformation titled Goldens from Great Britain, from the first one in 1914 through those in 1966, and refers to them as English Champions. But England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have officially been the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” (UK) since 1800, so why don’t we refer to them as UK Champions or British Champions? The likely answer is that, in the early days, the dog shows in the UK were all held in England, and their kennel club and Golden Retriever parent club (called simply “The Kennel Club” and “The Golden Retriever Club”) were situated in England. The championship system used in England ultimately became the system used throughout Great Britain, but in the meantime the custom of calling them English Champions developed here and seems to have stuck. (In the UK, they simply call them champions!) The breed standard was developed by the (UK) Golden Retriever Club, situated in England, and thus it would have been the “English” Breed Standard to us in the early days. Today it would be equally correct, or more so, to refer to their champions, type, and breed standard as UK or British, but the terms English Champion, English type, and English Breed Standard are deeply entrenched in our conversation, books, documents, and k9data.com (an online Golden Retriever pedigree database). This may also be why many people in North America call the dogs bred around the world – with a similar look, similar bloodlines, and bred to that same breed standard – as “English.” However, the people in those other countries simply call them “Golden Retrievers,” or specify them by the country in which they were bred, not by how they look. To them, the type (or look) and bloodlines that are “different” are the American Goldens.

About Color The British Breed Standard There tend to be more Goldens in the lighter shades of gold overseas than seen in the U.S., including those through a very light shade known as “cream.” In fact, the British Standard specifies cream as an allowable shade. However, Goldens still display the full range of color

In conclusion, the word “English Golden Retriever” is often used in North America to describe a general type of Golden Retriever currently popular in Great Britain, and which is also well established in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, where Goldens are largely based on dogs from Great Britain. The term might be used when the specific country in which it was bred was not referenced or not known, thus really meaning that the dog is of “English type.” However, as mentioned above, it would be equally correct, or more so, to say the dog is of “British type.” And it might not be a dog from overseas, but rather one that was bred in North America from modern day imported dogs, imported frozen semen, or recent descendents thereof, thus generally maintaining the post-war British type and background. The expressions “English Golden,” “English type Golden,” and “English Golden Champion,” rightly or wrongly, are commonly used in North America. However, customs can change, and expressions such as “British type,” “British Golden Champion,” and “UK Champion” may be heard more in the future. Here at Clear Passion kennel, we own and breed the English Golden Retriever, or British type Golden Retriever.