Page 234 - ShowSight - September 2020

HOW TO JUDGE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS LIKE A BREEDER-JUDGE
Golden Retrievers should not be a hard breed to assess. Origi- nating as a hunting companion for the aristocracy in the 1860s, Goldens are a moderate breed, free from excess or exaggeration, and reveal their beauty through balance, harmony of structure, and fitness for purpose as a hunting dog. Combined with out- standing deportment and temperament, these characteristics make it one of the most versatile of breeds. While there is variety in color and style within the breed, these are allowable as long as the dog conforms to the requirements of the standard.
The breed standard is a reflection of the characteristics required for the dog to fulfill its function. First impressions are important, and judges should not focus on pieces or parts of the dog, whether correct or faulty, but consider over-all appearance, balance, gait and fitness for purpose. The opening paragraph of the AKC standard provides a good summary of what every judge should consider when taking their first look at a class of Goldens:
“A symmetrical, powerful, active dog, sound and well put together, not clumsy nor long in the leg, displaying a kindly expression and pos- sessing a personality that is eager, alert and self-confident. Primarily a hunting dog, he should be shown in hard working condition. Over-all appearance, balance, gait and purpose to be given more emphasis than any of his component parts.”—AKC Breed Standard.
The essence of breed type for the Golden Retriever includes temperament, coat, color, outline (proportion), and head. The temperament, a hallmark of the breed, should be eager, alert and self-confident, and not constantly “turned on” or busy in nature, nor should a Golden require constant rewards for attention. There should be no excuses made for any shyness, aggressiveness or unwillingness in this breed toward man or beast. The Golden is friendly and should calmly accept a judge’s examination.
In my opinion, “type vs. soundness” arguments are not par- ticularly valid when you have a breed that is expected to retrieve and be agile as it runs, jumps into water, and swims multiple times a day. Admittedly, many Goldens don’t hunt in today’s world, but the standard requires that they are fit for purpose as an athletic, working gundog with overall balance, condition, muscle tone, correct coat texture, and a dense undercoat providing a waterproof jacket. Soundness is a part of breed type! However, judges need to learn to prioritize in decision-making and, for most breeder- judges, issues of type will supersede minor movement faults.
The Golden Retriever should NOT be judged as a generic show dog, nor with undue emphasis on presentation, showy attitude and abundant coat, which are mere glamour points. More impor- tantly, judges should not mistake excessive speed or extreme reach and drive for correct gait. Goldens should be shown on a loose lead with moderate speed. Feet should lift only high enough to move ahead, as excessive lift is wasted energy. Correct movement should be easy, smooth, ground-covering and efficient, allowing a Golden to work all day in the field. The tail carriage should, ideally, be level with the topline or slightly raised.
The essentials of breed type for the Golden Retriever include temperament, head, coat, color, outline (proportion). A hallmark trait of the Golden Retriever is its friendly, soft, self-confident expression and beautiful head. With the breed’s prime function of retrieving game, the proper construction of muzzle and skull is imperative, as is musculature of the neck and head. Good depth and breadth of muzzle and skull are necessary. The muzzle should be approximately as long as the skull. Ears should be relatively short, attached slightly above and behind the eye. While eye shape is not stated in the standard, they should be medium large and dark, in an open, almond shape. They should not be obliquely set, round or triangular, all of which detract from the correct expression. Examine the head with the ears at rest to ascertain the
correct breadth and arch of the skull and the proper attachment point of the ear.
The coat should be a close-fitting, water-proof jacket with a firm, resilient texture and a dense undercoat. The coat may be straight or wavy without preference. The breed standard requires a natural appearing coat, with moderate feathering and an untrimmed, natu- ral ruff. Any trimming should be limited to neatening stray hairs on the ears and feet, and virtually undetectable if done on any other areas of the dog. The Golden’s coat should not be moussed, clip- pered, stripped or sculpted and the underline should appear natural, not scissored into a straight line.
Goldens require a thorough hands-on exam, so check under the coat for correct prosternum, return of upper arm, shoulder layback, depth of chest, solid, level topline, correct croup, and tail set. What you see from across the ring may not be what is truly there, so you must feel! Unfortunately, there can be a lot of deceptive grooming in this breed, but a proper exam can be done quickly and efficiently. The topcoat should never have the ends trimmed evenly. The coat must protectively wrap the body and not be fluffed-out into an open coat. We want a weather-resistant, resilient, protective coat. While some may argue over-grooming is a man-made issue, the correct
232 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2020