Page 24 - ShowSight Presents The Golden Retriever
P. 24
“Rotten” - He is BIS BISS GCH CH Happy Hour Highmark Toasty SDHF - this photo is Rotten taking BIS at 8 years of age. Connie and Marcia love the overall balance of this boy - not overdone or exagerated in any way - and still wining top dog show honors at 8 years of age.
“Yogi” - He is AM CH OTCH CT/CAN CH Highmark Mirasol Once A Knight VCD4 UDX3 JH MX MXJ WC VCX OS SDHF OBHF. This boy did it all.
“A symmetrical, powerful, active dog, sound and well put together, not clumsy nor long in the leg, displaying a kindly expres- sion and possessing a personality that is eager, alert and self-confident. Primarily a hunt- ing dog, he should be shown in hard work- ing condition. Overall appearance, balance, gait and purpose to be given more emphasis than any of his component parts. Faults— Any departure from the described ideal shall be considered faulty to the degree to which it interferes with the breed’s purpose or is con- trary to breed character.”
This statement has remained pretty much unchanged since the first AKC stan- dard was approved. Those qualities are so much of what makes the Golden so valu- able in so many different areas, not just as a hunting dog, but in modern work such as search-and-rescue, as guide dogs, service dogs, and so on.
CGM: I agree about that first para- graph. Looking structurally, we see many Goldens today that are wrong in propor- tions. We see a lack of balance, fronts are too straight, rib cages are too flat - which is especially noticeable at the elbow. I swear that the sloping top line is being
shown off in the ring like people don’t even know that it isn’t correct! And the temperament. The Goldens of today seem to be much more “up” and active, not mean, but are of a higher temperament than the dogs of old. I’ve heard that these are hard to live with in the home. Not what I expect in a Golden!
MS: I agree! Very important to the ver- satility of the breed, along with basic struc- ture, are proper proportion, suitable coat and color, the distinctively Golden head – all without any sort of exaggeration. And of course, that willing, trainable personal- ity! Sometimes it’s difficult to get across to the newbies that moderation is NOT mediocrity! It is, rather, having everything in just the right amount, being in balance.
CGM: Oh, yes! Balance is very impor- tant. Things like short legs or a short rib cage with a long loin can really spoil the whole dog, no matter how showy or well- groomed the dog might be. Proper leg length helps the dog move efficiently over rough terrain, rib cage gives space for heart and lungs, strong loin for strength and endurance.
MS: It’s inevitable that changes will happen; surely some thingshave improved since, say, that 25th Anniversary Nation- al Specialty in 1964 where we first met? Good grief, it can’t be that long ago!
CGM: I think the one thing that has changed for the better is that the GRCA has greatly improved communication and education related to health of the breed - eyes, hips, heart, etc. Unfortunately, some of these “basics” get set aside during that quest for having the winning dog. It both- ers me, as both a breeder and a judge, that when you have conversations about the Golden Retriever breed, the discussion centers on the “pretty” dog or the “showy” dog. Statements like “he was asking for it” are prevalent. Very seldom do you hear that he’s balanced, has a great back, or that the dog moves correctly with the head low- ered and the feet close to the ground.
MS: I think that in some ways the dogs are more uniform, but yes, it wor- ries me that the trend in the show ring is toward a stylized, pretty, show dog rather than the athletic, workmanlike hunt- ing dog that a retriever should be. We so
often see dogs that are long and low. The standard’s 11:12 height-to-length ratio is only slightly off square. Some of the ones in the ring today remind me of Clumber Spaniels in their proportions!
And then the coat. Maybe if someone has never seen (and felt) a really good coat, they might not understand what it is. Words to keep in mind are “Dense and water-repellent with good undercoat. . .firm and resilient. . . Untrimmed natural ruff. . . Moderate feathering. . . Natural appearance of coat or outline should not be altered by cutting or clipping.”. Is that too hard to remember?
I have actually seen Goldens classed right along with Cocker Spaniels and Poodles in “difficulty of grooming”! And one big reason I originally fell in love with the Golden was that the coat was so easy to take care of. They really were “wash-n- wear” dogs. If they got wet and muddy in the field, just let them dry, and then a good brisk brushing and the dirt was gone. For a dog show? It used to be a bit of brushing, and half an hour tidying up the feet, and that was about it.
CGM: Oh goodness. Years ago I was accused of doing too much grooming. Now I can’t believe it, I’m the one who does the least. The hours for the dog on a grooming table, with the blow dryers at full speed, and afterwards the dog cannot even lie in a crate to rest before going into the ring – they have to stand on that table so they don’t get a hair out of place! Excuse me, he is a Golden Retriever, a sporting dog, able to work in the field. Not with a coat that needs THAT much work!
MS: Have you noticed a change in the Golden head? Nobody ever called the Golden a “head breed”, like Boxers or Collies, but boy, there is truly a variety of different sorts out there. Everything from almost “Flat-coat”-like, to cute “teddy- bear” faces, to big and blocky. But, as a dog intended to retrieve game, even as big as a Canada goose, proper head for- mation makes for easier and more effi- cient pick-up and carrying, on land and in the water as well. And a classic Golden head is very attractive, handsome but never exaggerated in any way, and has a sort of nobility. The Winners Dog today had a pleasing head, though.
