Physical Appearances of an English Golden Retriever

There are many types of golden retrievers and one of the rarer and more popular variety is the English Golden Retriever. This type comes from England but has been imported and bred in other countries. They are beautiful specimens of dog and the shade of their coat can be nearly white to a light gold/cream color. English Golden Retrievers have incredibly dark pigments in their eyes and combined with these coat colors make them an increasingly popular breeding dog while their usually laid back and gentle temperaments make them ideal family pets. Their coats can be straight or wavy and are usually shorter than the coats of American Golden Retrievers.

An English Golden Retriever usually has a shorter and thicker type of muzzle and shorter legs than their American counterparts, which gives them the appearance of a stockier build. Their heads are blocky with a wide skull and their shoulders, back and rear are well angled. An English Golden Retriever stands out due to their surprisingly short legs and muscular frames as well as the shape of their heads. They are very attractive dogs and breeders around the world are often keen to import English Golden Retrievers as show dogs and good breeding dogs. Originally bred for hunting, they make good drug dogs and guide dogs.

English Golden Retriever Standards and Illnesses

English Golden Retrievers have certain standards to uphold before a dog can be considered a good and authentic specimen. To have a dog accepted onto certain English Golden Retriever websites and organizations, the owner must prove that their dog meets certain standards. For example, the height of a male should be between 22 and 24 inches, while the female should be 20 to 22 inches. The general appearance of the dog should be symmetrical and balanced and the temperament of the dog should be friendly, loyal and hard working. The eyes should be dark brown and the coat should be cream or golden but not white, red or mahogany colored. The gait of the dog should be straight and strong as these dogs can have some defects.

English golden retrievers are like any variety of retrievers in that they need a lot of exercise and can easily become overweight. This can be a serious problem amongst these dogs if left untreated. Defects such as hip problems can occur which affect the gait of the dog and these types of problems are usually not obvious until the dog matures. Hip dysphasia such as this can cause the dog to occasionally limp or hop. It is usually a hereditary condition. These dogs are often susceptible to epilepsy also. This illness affects retrievers more than any other breed. The dog can suddenly suffer from an epileptic attack and remain motionless or disorientated for several hours afterwards although they generally recover quickly. The illness can be controlled by specific medication.