Golden Retriever Breed Standard - A Brief Summary

Appearance & Temperament

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Symmetrical, powerful, and active, shown in hard working condition
Primarily a hunting dog
Displays kind expression and eager personality
Alert, self-confident, friendly, reliable, and trustworthy

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Males 23-24" in height at the withers and females 21½-22½"
Length from the breastbone to point of buttocks slightly greater than height at withers
Weight for dogs 65-75 lbs and bitches 55-65 lbs

Head

Size, Proportion, and Substance

Broad in skull
Eyes friendly and intelligent in expression
Ears short with front edge attached well behind and just above the eye
Teeth scissors bite

Neck, Topline, and Body

Neck medium long
Backline strong and level from withers to slightly sloping croup
Chest between forelegs at least as wide as a man's closed hand including thumb
Tail carried with merry action, level or with some upward curve

Forequarters

Forequarters

Muscular and capable of free movement
Shoulder blades long and well laid back with upper tips fairly close together at withers
Legs straight with good bone
Feet medium, round, compact, and well knuckled

Hindquarters

Forequarters

Broad and strongly muscled
Profile of croup slopes slightly
In a natural stance, the femur joins the pelvis at ~90 degree angle
Legs straight when viewed from rear

Coat

Color

Color

Dense and water-repellent
Outer coat firm and resilient
Straight or wavy
Feathering on back of forelegs, underbody, front of neck, back of thighs and underside of tail

Color

Color

Color

Rich, lustrous golden of various shades
Feathering may be lighter than rest of coat

Gait

Color

Gait

Gait is free, smooth, powerful and well coordinated, showing good reach
As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance