UK Kennel Club Standard for the Golden Retriever

General Appearance
Symmetrical, balanced, active, powerful, level mover; sound with kindly expression.

Characteristics
Biddable, intelligent and possessing natural working ability.

Temperament
Kindly, friendly and confident.

Head and Skull
Balanced and well chiseled, skull broad without coarseness; well set on neck, muzzle powerful, wide and deep. Length of foreface approximately equals length from well defined stop to occiput. Nose preferably black.

Eyes
Dark brown, set well apart, dark rims.

Mouth
Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Forequarters
Forelegs straight with good bone, shoulders well laid back, long in blade with upper arm of equal length placing legs well under body. Elbows close fitting.

Body
Balanced, short coupled, deep through heart. Ribs deep, well sprung. Level topline.

Neck
Good length, clean and muscular.

Hindquarters
Loin and legs strong and muscular, good second thighs, well bent stifles. Hocks well let down, straight when viewed from rear, neither turning in nor out.
Cow-hocks highly undesirable.

Feet
Round and cat-like.

Tail
Set on and carried level with back, reaching to hocks, without curl at tip.

Gait/Movement
Powerful with good drive. Straight and true in front and rear. Stride long and free with no sign of hackney action in front.

Coat
Flat or wavy with good feathering, dense water-resisting undercoat.

Colour
Any shade of gold or cream, neither red nor mahogany. A few white hairs on chest only permissible.

Size
Height at withers: dogs; 56-61 cms (22-24ins) bitches: 51-56cms (20-22ins)

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the faults should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

© The Kennel Club