Page 17 - ShowSight Presents The Golden Retriever

“I MAY SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT THE
PROPER GOLDEN COAT MUST BE WEATHER RESISTANT, RESILIENT AND CLOSE TO THE BODY.”
A waltz, not hip-hop. Loose lead. No, really: a loose lead. There should be a slight dip in the lead between the dog’s head and your hand, not a tight, straight line. Dogs moving on a loose lead can move in a straight line, or should (if a dog cannot move in a straight line on a loose lead, well, re-evaluate that dog’s show career or train- ing). Puppies can be a challenge, absolutely, and a tighter lead for the babies makes sense, but as soon as they can get the idea—loose lead. Focus on better fronts is only
of benefit if the corresponding hindquarter is equally as proper. Speed is not bad in and of itself; if a dog covers ground quickly, but smoothly and with no wasted effort, that is fine. A dog who covers ground more methodically, but also smoothly and without wasted effort, should not be penalized. On the contrary, a dog that races around the ring with bouncing or rolling topline, high steps and high head carriage, is not going to last long on a pheasant hunt. It is frustrating as a judge to watch a dog built well, but pushed to move at a speed that causes him to break gait or have poor foot timing. Slow down, everyone. It really is not a race.
11. How do you prioritize correct Golden coat and color when considering Golden breed type? Is grooming getting in the way of evaluating correct coat texture and color? Is the breed becoming too Setter-like in color and outline?
CGM: Color is not of major importance to me. The breed has a lot more to worry about than color. However, coat texture and length are very important to me. The coat is to be “dense with good undercoat”. It should not be silky. We are seeing excessive length and many open coats, which is “very undesirable”. To top it off, grooming is performed with mousse and other product with the coat then being blown backward. The dogs are trimmed and sculpted throughout the entire body, which goes against the standard completely. It should not take two or three hours to groom a Golden and with that being said, most of these dogs would not perform well in the field with these artificial coats!
NT: Coat is of the utmost importance. I may sound like a broken record, but the proper Golden coat must be
weather resistant, resilient and close to the body. Some length of feathering is expected and called for in the standard, as opposed to sparse or complete lack of furnish- ings. However, feathering that hangs almost to the ground, swishes as the dog comes toward you, or needs constant combing to look presentable, is not reasonable. Equally as faulty is coat that is brushed or blown open, or trimmed so that top coat is missing altogether. This cottony coat would be wet to the skin quickly and collect enough burrs to fill a bucket. I am often feeling coats that have a harsh guard coat texture, much like a Collie, with profuse undercoat and this is perplexing to me. Whether from over-grooming or genetic, it is aberrant. On the use of products, I will
say only this. If you are going to use it, use it correctly or do not use it at all! Never should a judge feel product in
a coat, whether sticky and gummy or powdery or slick. Nose dye—just don’t. And please, please, stop covering the wonderful gray faces of our dogs. Judges are told at seminars that Goldens often gray early, especially bitches. Breeder/judges already know that. Pancake make-up on a beautiful Golden face is tragic. Color—various shades of lustrous gold. There is no preference toward either end of that spectrum. There are currently dogs in the ring that are too pale (by the American standard, as this is accepted in almost every other country). There are currently dogs in the ring that are too dark (almost red). Most in the ring are within the range that Goldens naturally exhibit. One extreme is not more acceptable than the other. Ideally,
a medium gold that catches the sunlight and glistens is
my idea of perfection, but only if all else is equal in two dogs. That almost never happens, so color is the last thing that is a determining factor. One a last note, two favorite Peanuts cartoons are on my refrigerator and have been for probably 20 years. In one, Snoopy is sitting in the snow with Charlie Brown, clearly having a grand time together. Charlie Brown asks, “How could it get any better than this?” And Snoopy’s speech bubble answers, “If you were a Golden Retriever”. In the other cartoon, Snoopy is typing a story. “She had always been kind. Sometimes, how-
ever, she wondered if she was appreciated. ‘Even so,’ she thought, ‘I shall always smile and be kind.’ Once a Golden Retriever, always a Golden Retriever.” Indeed.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2018 • 373