Food for Thought for Judges of Golden Retrievers

I know that it is not realistic to expect most Golden owners in this day and age to hunt with their Goldens. I do think it is realistic to expect them to know just what constitutes hunting and what is needed in a good hunting dog.

When Goldens were developed, they were expected to have the courage to bust through that dense, harsh, wiry heather and bracken to retrieve their game. They were expected to trail down crippled game using their nose and intelligence. They had to willingly swim across swift, icy streams or rivers to retrieve those pheasants that had set their wings and flew a considerable distance before going down. They had to have the stamina and athletic ability to cover that steep and rocky terrain for long days spent in driving, cold rain, snow flurries, and harsh winds.

They needed the trainability to work with their handler as a team and not go into business for themselves. They needed the temperament to hunt with other dogs without the fear of fights developing. They needed a strong work ethic and the drive and desire to pursue their game under the most adverse conditions. And remember, they retrieved both fur and feathers. If the dogs did not have these attributes, they were not used for reproduction. The Scots are pragmatists!

A good hunting dog is what can turn a miserable hunting day into a success. They hear ducks coming in long before the hunter sees or hears them. They use their abilities to prevent dead birds or cripples from being left in the field. They are marvelous companions while you are waiting and are great to have curl up against your cold feet to keep them warm. Even old dogs eagerly await the start of hunting season. They love it. They live for it.

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The Golden Retriever Breed: Discover These Gentle and Versatile Dogs

A noble head… a gentle twinkle of the eye… a smiling face… a vibrant burst of energy, running free as the wind… a wagging tail, happily beating from side to side… a thundering splash into icy waters in quest of game on a cold November day… a shiny coat, glistening like a nugget of gold… a proud stance winning him the best of the show… a guiding nudge to the blind… an enthusiastic search for snowballs tossed by the family… and, most of all, a contented ball of loyal, unquestioning devotion curled up at your feet at the end of a busy day: this is the essence of the Golden Retriever. They are beautiful, intelligent, and very talented. The Golden Retriever is one of the most versatile dog breeds known to man.

A friend and companion first, the Golden Retriever excels at hunting, competition obedience, agility, tracking, search and rescue, and service or therapy work. The Golden can be taught to do any activity within his physical ability, and he excels at almost any dog sport one might care to try. Goldens are relatively easy to train and quickly pick up new concepts and ideas. They have a healthy admiration for food and can be bribed into doing just about anything.

Combining beauty and brains in one dog is no mean feat, but the Golden Retriever does it all. As a hunting partner, the Golden is a steady working dog able to work long days in the field with enthusiasm. Their endless drive and easy disposition makes them ideal hunting dogs for the beginning dog handler although that is not the limit of the breed. Some of the top field dogs in history have been Golden Retrievers and their numbers still fill the trial reports.

Golden Retrievers are exceptionally intelligent and trainable. Due to their desire to please they excel in obedience trials. They are particularly valued for their high level of sociability towards people, calmness, and willingness to learn and will remember what they are taught for the rest of their lives. In fact, the first three AKC Obedience Trial Champions were Golden Retrievers. They are also very competitive in agility and other performance events. However, harsh training methods frequently cause Goldens to “shut down,” therefore positive methods are a better way to train these dogs.

The affable Golden is a welcome addition to any dog team. As search-and-rescue dogs, Golden’s are enthusiastic and biddable, often working long hours for a game of fetch or tug. As service dogs, Goldens bring independence and freedom to their human partners day in and day out.

The Golden Retriever is the ultimate therapy dog. He is unrivaled in his ability to comfort and give hope to the many lonely folks who eagerly count the days until his next visit. Not every dog can be a good therapy dog. A therapy dog must not only possess the right temperament, he must also have extensive training and social skills with other dogs and people to be a useful partner in the visiting therapy team.

Goldens, with their trusting nature, do not make the best guard dogs. They are excellent when it comes to barking when a stranger approaches, but as soon as the stranger arrives, they are met with a wagging tail and lick.

The Golden Retriever is an athletic working dog, a companion beyond compare, beautiful to behold, and possessed of a kind and generous spirit. They adore their owners and exhibit what can be described as unconditional love. The grace and beauty of the Golden Retriever makes them easy on the eyes, while the breed’s compassionate nature keeps owners loyal to this versatile breed.

“…A COMPANION BEYOND COMPARE, BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD, AND POSSESSED OF A KIND AND GENEROUS SPIRIT.”

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The Golden Retriever

In my years with this wonderful breed, I have noticed many judges; new and old, can lack confidence judging Golden Retrievers due to the many styles within the breed. My advice to anyone potentially applying for their license for Goldens is; research thoroughly, choose your mentor(s) carefully and lastly, go with your gut. I encourage judges to take the information given, but develop their own style of judging that one can follow. I can always appreciate consistency in judging, even if I wasn’t the one leaving the ring with the ribbons. Often times, you see provisionals judging and they look lost or anxious. There are a few things I would like to address that are current issues facing our breed today. Understanding the current standard and potential revisions that need to be made to the current standard.

The first thing I would like to address is the common misconception of amount of leg a Golden Retriever should have. The breed itself at one time tended to be long and low. I think we have strayed from that recently and almost to an extreme. The standard calls for ratios of 12:11. A dog with ample furnishings can trick the eye and the dog can appear low in leg. My suggestion to judges who are unsure, is to measure with your hands and eyes the length of the dog disregarding the coat. The standard calls for the length from the breastbone to the point of the buttocks slightly greater than the height at the withers. Many dogs that have the correct ratios, can look low due to coat. My suggestion to exhibitors showing a dog heavy in furnishings is to lightly clean up the underline of a dog, perhaps with a thinning shear, to show off the natural outline.

Just as much as we can criticize lack of leg, we should be criticizing too much leg. The standard specifically states “not clumsy nor long in leg.” I envision a sound, sturdy dog, that is light on their feet and athletic, without being slight in any fashion.

Fault judging may be something we encounter in all breeds, but it is another huge issue in Goldens as well. Judges can tend to hyper-focus on one aspect of a dog and miss the “big picture”. Goldens are supposed to be a balanced breed, with the entire package being more important than any of it’s component parts. When we fault judge or choose a dog because of one component, we lose sight of the breed’s purpose. Overall balance should be the focus, versus picking a dog’s imperfections apart. Unless those imperfections are disqualifications, of course.

Speaking of disqualifications, I was recently talking with a mentor of mine who had taken a stud fee puppy from a frozen breeding I did with her male. This puppy won a major from the six to nine class but was measured to see if she was in Standard before she was given the win. Many long time breeders feel it is unreasonable to require a six month old to be within the minimum height standard of an adult. For males, our standard requires them to be 23-24 inches, bitches 21½ to 22½ inches. There is an inch leeway below or above height standard, anything less or greater than, can be disqualified. But Labradors, for example, do not require puppies to be in standard until one year of age.

I will join many other breeders who believe this is something our national club should adopt into our standard. Requiring puppies to be within minimum adult height at six months old could put them at a health risk for hip and/or elbow dysplasia if the owners overfeed to push growth.

Sloping top lines seem to be a trend as well as of late. I find when you have a Golden with a sloping top line you can usually discover a structural fault that will prevent the overall balance that the standard asks for. Generally speaking, a dog with a sloping top line will be straighter in the front assembly, either having a very short upper arm, or an undesirable shoulder layback, paired with an over angulated rear. Be careful to not confuse a sloping top line on a dog in a stack with an exuberant temperament. Many Goldens can crouch in the rear when excited, the best way to evaluate a true sloping back is to study the top line on the move.

Lastly, I want to discuss color. Golden Retrievers should be Golden; not red, nor white. To quote the standard, “Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable.” Yet, I see judges rewarding very light colored exhibits, one step away from being white, or extremely dark exhibits, whose color is possibly suited best for the Irish Setter ring. While color may not be a priority to some, I believe it is the hallmark of the breed. They are GOLDEN Retrievers after all, right? As a breeder, health and temperament are always a first consideration, followed closely by breed type and structure. We have come a long way in Goldens; there is a lot of depth of quality within this breed, which makes it even harder to choose a winner on each given day. Remember, when judging this breed, everything about them should be “GOLDEN”.

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How to Judge Golden Retrievers Like a Breeder Judge!

Judging like a breeder-judge – should it not be the aim of every judge to know a breed well enough to put up a dog with correct breed type? One of the highest compliments I ever received as a judge was when I put up a certain Dachshund, surprising the gallery, who later told me that he was a “breeder-judge” type dog, a very good dog not often recognized by all-rounders.

I am a Canadian Kennel Club all-breed judge who has been a passionate breeder and owner of Golden Retrievers since 1974. I am currently Chair of the Golden Retriever Club of Canada Breed Standard and Judge’s Education Committee and served as a member of the Golden Retriever Club of America Judge’s Education Committee for seventeen years, fifteen as Chairperson. I also serve on the Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standards Committee.

As a person involved in helping new judges learn about Goldens, members of the fancy have often expressed their frustration to me about judges who “just don’t ‘get’ the breed”. I can relate, as I still exhibit occasionally. Many judges are drawn to the breed because Goldens have large entries and are enjoyable to judge. However, there is a growing trend in our breed where many exhibitors tend to show more at specialties or under breeder-judges whom they respect for their knowledge of what is required in a correct Golden Retriever. While this may be beneficial to the exhibitor, it does not allow many multi-breed judges to see some of these wonderful Golden Retrievers in competition.

Golden Retrievers should not be a hard breed to assess. Originating as a hunting companion for the aristocracy in the 1860s, Goldens are a moderate breed, free from excess or exaggeration, and reveal their beauty through balance, harmony of structure and fitness for purpose as a hunting dog. Combined with outstanding deportment and temperament, these characteristics make it one of the most versatile of breeds. While there is variety in color and style within the breed, these are allowable as long as the dog conforms to the requirements of the standard.

The breed standard is a reflection of the characteristics required for the dog to fulfill its function. First impressions are important, and judges should not focus on pieces or parts of the dog, whether correct or faulty, but consider over-all appearance, balance, gait and fitness for purpose. The opening paragraph of the AKC standard provides a good summary of what every judge should consider when taking their first look at a class of Goldens.

A symmetrical, powerful, active dog, sound and well put together, not clumsy nor long in the leg, displaying a kindly expression and possessing a personality that is eager, alert and self-confident. Primarily a hunting dog, he should be shown in hard working condition. Overall appearance, balance, gait and purpose to be given more emphasis than any of his component parts.

The essence of breed type for the Golden Retriever includes temperament, coat, colour, outline (proportion) and head. The temperament, a hallmark of the breed should be eager, alert and self-confident and not constantly “turned on” or busy in nature, nor should a Golden require constant rewards for attention. There should be no excuses made for any shyness, aggressiveness or unwillingness in this breed, toward man or beast. The Golden is friendly and should calmly accept a judge’s examination.

In my opinion, “type vs. soundness” arguments are not particularly valid when you have a breed that is expected to retrieve and be agile as it runs, jumps into water and swims multiple times a day. Admittedly, many Goldens don’t hunt in today’s world, but the standard requires they are fit for purpose as an athletic, working gundog with overall balance, condition, muscle tone, correct coat texture and a dense undercoat providing a waterproof jacket. Soundness is a part of breed type! However, judges need to learn to prioritize in decision making, and for most breeder-judges, issues of type will supersede minor movement faults.

The Golden Retriever should not be judged as a generic show dog, nor with undue emphasis on presentation, showy attitude and abundant coat, which are mere glamour points. More importantly, judges should not mistake excessive speed or extreme reach and drive for correct gait. Goldens should be shown on a loose lead with moderate speed. Feet should lift only high enough to move ahead as excessive lift is wasted energy. Correct movement should be easy, smooth, ground-covering and efficient, allowing a Golden to work all day in the field. The tail carriage should ideally be level with the topline or slightly raised.

The essentials of breed type for the Golden Retriever include temperament, head, coat, colour, outline (proportion). A hallmark trait of the Golden Retriever is its friendly, soft, self-confident expression and beautiful head.

With the breed’s prime function of retrieving game, the proper construction of muzzle and skull is imperative, as is musculature of the neck and head. Good depth and breadth of muzzle and skull are necessary. The muzzle should be approximately as long as the skull. Ears should be relatively short, attached slightly above and behind the eye. While eye shape is not stated in the standard, they should be medium large and dark in an open almond shape. They should not be obliquely set, round or triangular, all of which detract from the correct expression. Examine the head with the ears at rest, to ascertain the correct breadth and arch of the skull and the proper attachment point of the ear.

The coat should be a close-fitting, water-proof jacket with a firm, resilient texture and a dense undercoat. The coat may be straight or wavy without preference. The breed standard requires a natural appearing coat, with moderate feathering and untrimmed natural ruff. Any trimming should be limited to neatening stray hairs on the ears and feet and virtually undetectable if done on any other areas of the dog. The Golden’s coat should not be moussed, clippered, stripped or sculpted and the underline should appear natural, not scissored into a straight line.

Goldens require a thorough hands-on exam, so check under the coat for correct prosternum, return of upper arm, shoulder layback, depth of chest, solid, level topline, correct croup and tail set. What you see from across the ring may not be what is truly there, so you must feel! Unfortunately, there can be a lot of deceptive grooming in this breed but a proper exam can be done quickly and efficiently. The topcoat should never have the ends trimmed evenly. The coat must protectively wrap the body and not be fluffed out into an open coat. We want a weather-resistant, resilient, protective coat. While some may argue over-grooming is a man-made issue, the correct coat is an extremely important feature of breed type and must be given seriously consideration.

Variation in colouring, with lighter feathering on the back of the legs, thighs and tail, is one of the endearing features of this breed. The breed does appear in a range from cream to darkest gold, often in the same litter, and the coat darkens as the dog ages. Puppies will have deeper colour in their ears, which is indicative of how the coat will darken with each year.

The AKC standard states: Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable. “Undesirable” is not a disqualification, a major fault or fault and there are many structural and type issues that should be considered more seriously than color. Greying of the face and body due to age is not to be faulted, but any noticeable area of black or other off-color hair is a serious fault. Most breeder-judges rarely make a decision on their winners based on color when there are more concerning issues to address in the breed.

Some of the current concerns are straight shoulders, lack of forechest, lack of length and return of upper arm, slanted, round or small eyes, soft, silky coats, lack of rib spring. There have been tendencies for the breed to become low on leg and long in loin. Lack of convergence when moving leads to wide moving fronts which are inefficient and are often reflected in rolling or dipping toplines, which should remain level, standing or moving.

The breed standard is clear, but what is often appearing and being rewarded in the ring is not in keeping with the requirements of the standard. Length from breastbone to point of buttocks slightly greater than height at withers in ratio of 12:11. This is only slightly off-square. The measurement of withers to elbow and elbow to ground should be approximately equal. The underline should be relatively short. The Golden needs sufficient leg to scramble out of the water and over some tough terrain in its native Scotland. Often excessive body length comes from length through the loin which is not the short, muscular, wide, deep loin called for in the standard.

Golden Retrievers have a disqualification for size. Please note that puppies are NOT exempt from the size requirements. Judges should always be aware of the size standard of the Golden Retriever and its importance to the breed function. The Golden Retriever is a moderately sized, athletic, hunting dog that may be required at times to work out of a small boat and have the stamina to perform a full day in the field. We encourage judges to measure any Golden Retriever in competition whose size creates uncertainty, whether at the upper or lower limit of the allowed size range. Currently, it is often in the Junior Puppy class, where females especially, may appear to be below the standard height, so be prepared to measure. Dogs that are outside of the desirable size range but within the extra one-inch allowance either way should to be proportionately penalized. Dogs and bitches which fall within the stated acceptable size range should be regarded as having equal merit, whether they are at the upper or lower end of the desirable range.

The versatile Golden Retriever can fulfil many roles in today’s society, and the qualities that made it a keen hunting dog and fireside companion are those that endear the breed to so many today. It is possible that the best Golden in your ring may have never appeared in a dog magazine. Please judges, understand the importance of correct proportion, coat texture, head properties, gait and temperament in your assessments, to ensure the breed remains true to type and true to its heritage.

For More Information: https://grca.org/about-the-breed/judges-education/

Photos used courtesy of the Golden Retriever Club of America

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In 2017, I was invited by a Scottish friend to come with her to a parade, not knowing what to expect. What I found was a joyful event filled with music that lifted the soul, Scottish dancers dancing in the street, and many Scottish breeds of dogs.

New York City Tartan Week 2024 culminated with the joyful Tartan Day Parade, which celebrates the contributions that the people of Scotland have made to the United States for hundreds of years, and the continuing bond of friendships between them.

The Tartan Day Parade was started back in 1999 by two bagpipers and a bunch of friends who definitely hit a note that will never be silenced. The following of this parade has grown experientially with each passing year.

On April 6th, 2024, on 44th Street and 6th Avenue, there was no shortage of Scottish dancers and bagpipers, drummers, beautiful kilts, marching bands, or Scottish breeds of dogs. The energy of this small yet mighty parade continues to grow, and this year’s parade had packed sidewalks for the whole length of the parade.

The historical impact these Scottish breeds of dogs have made in the world of dogs is unquestionable, and seeing them in the middle of this parade is amazing considering how rare many of these breeds are.

The breeds that came to meet, greet, and walk in the parade were a fine gathering that included five magnificent Scottish Deerhounds, a Skye Terrier, four Dandie Dinmont Terriers, four Scottish Terriers, 15-20 West Highland White Terriers, four Shetland Sheepdogs, two Gordon Setters, one Collie, one Cairn Terrier, and one Golden Retriever. By the time these dogs hit the parade route, all the spectators were cheering the dogs on and wanting to meet them.

In the end, the dogs did get to have one-on-one time with many spectators. The big crowd-pleasers were the Scottish Deerhounds, which one couldn’t walk past without wanting to shower them with hugs while asking lots of questions.

We look forward to hearing the sounds and sights of Scotland next time while sharing the space with all those majestic Scottish breeds along the parade route.

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1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?
2. What is your “process” for selecting show puppies? Performance puppies?
3. In your opinion, is your breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
4. As a Preservation Breeder, can you share your thoughts on the sport today? How’s the judging these days? What do you think about the number of shows?
5. In your opinion, is social media good for the sport? Is it harmful?
6. What are the biggest challenges facing the dog show community as a whole today and how can these be addressed?
7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport over the past decade?

1. Thanks for this opportunity! We are Ginny and Aaron Kincer from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ethos Golden Retrievers was established in 2015. Before that, Ginny, a third-generation breeder/owner/handler, has been involved in many breeds: Basset Hounds, English Setters, Irish Wolfhounds, Beagles, Norfolk Terriers, and Sealyham Terriers, with her family, Tim, Jodie, and Molly Childers, and Grandparents Bill and Anne Lindsay, under the prefix Chez Bonheur Kennels.

2. We have always enjoyed watching and observing our pups for hours. We temperament test and love to have puppy parties. As a kid, Ginny remembers how an ex-pen of puppies would mean a party. Dog friends would gather around the grooming table set-up and each pup would have a chance to be stacked, gone over, and then observed for movement, with everyone bringing a dish to pass and lots of laughs. A final decision would happen on pick, and so on, before everyone headed home.

3. Golden Retrievers are ever-changing. This could be due to their popularity, but it is one breed that definitely has a lot of variety. As you travel showing or judging throughout the country, heads have always been the biggest display of variety, like other breeds too, of course. I believe, overall, our breed still has some of the same concerns: open coats, high tails, over-grooming, but we have always seen this.

4. We see this sport as dated in its execution, in a manner that seems to avoid applying technology. There are a lot of amazing opportunities to apply technology to every aspect of the dog show world.

5. Social media is a tool, no matter what you can learn from it. What to do or not to do.

6. We need to build communities, not cliques. Winning or losing is a part of every sport, so surround yourself with people who are passionate about the breed you love, play the game with integrity, and are there to celebrate the wins but also learn from the losses.

7. We see more diversity in the sport, but we need more. A decade ago, this sport was a very male-dominant sport, but you see more women and minorities now. But, we need more of this and to encourage all to participate, especially children. They will carry this into the next decade. Thank you, SHOWSIGHT, for this interview and to all who took the time to read it.

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Key Points When Judging the Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is usually represented in good numbers at most shows across the country. Many judges find the breed somewhat challenging to judge, with its diverse colorings and styles. The breed is a normally structured dog with many of the same qualities desired of any of the retrieving breeds. It is therefore important to discover the unique qualities that define breed type in the Golden Retriever and look for the soundest-moving dogs best displaying these qualities. These are the dogs with breed type, and we encourage judges and fanciers to review some of the important criteria of the Breed Standard, which are sometimes being overlooked.

General Appearance

The Breed Standard states: “Primarily a hunting dog, he should be shown in hard working condition. Overall appearance, balance, gait and purpose to be given more emphasis than any of his component parts.” Despite its popularity as a pet, service dog, search and rescue dog, detector dog, dog guide, etc., this breed was developed in Scotland first and foremost as a hunting companion to the aristocracy. It is a moderate breed, free from excess or exaggeration, and attains its beauty by balance, harmony of structure, fitness for purpose, and wonderful breed character. These characteristics make it one of the most versatile of breeds. While individual parts, whether correct or faulty, must be considered, judges should focus on overall appearance, balance, gait, and fitness for purpose.

The essence of breed type for the Golden Retriever includes temperament, coat, color, outline (proportion), and head. The Golden Retriever should not be judged as a generic show dog, nor with undue emphasis on presentation, showy attitude, and abundant coat, which are mere glamour points. More important considerations are fitness for purpose as an athletic, working gundog with overall balance, condition, muscle tone, correct coat texture, and a dense undercoat providing a waterproof jacket. Judges should not mistake excessive speed or extreme reach and drive for correct gait. Correct movement should be effortless, smooth, ground-covering, and efficient, allowing a Golden to work all day in the field.

It is a moderate breed, free from excess or exaggeration, and attains its beauty by balance, harmony of structure, fitness for purpose, and wonderful breed character.

Temperament

The Golden temperament is a hallmark of the breed and should be eager (willing to respond), alert, and self-confident, neither constantly “turned on” or hyper in nature, nor sluggish and disinterested. It should not be necessary to constantly feed a Golden in the ring to keep it entertained. Bait should be put away so that the head can be examined, with the ears at rest to ascertain the correct width and shape of the actual skull. The tail in action should be ideally level with the topline or slightly above, and preferably wagging, never tucked down between the legs. There should be no excuses made for any shyness, aggressiveness, or unwillingness in this breed.

Coat

A correct Golden Retriever coat is a close-fitting, water-proof jacket with a firm, resilient texture and a dense undercoat. The coat may be straight or wavy, with no preference! Wavy coats generally have the correct texture. The Breed Standard requires a natural appearing coat, with moderate feathering, untrimmed natural ruff, and trimming limited to neatening stray hairs on the ears and feet. Goldens should never be clippered or sculpted in appearance. Obvious scissoring or shaping, stripping of the topcoat, and over-trimming are completely uncalled for and are not within the guidelines outlined by the Breed Standard.

Color

A lustrous golden of varying shades. Greying of the face and body due to age is not to be faulted. Variation in coloring, with lighter feathering on the back of the legs, thighs, and tail, is one of the great features of this breed. The Standard states: “Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable.” Undesirable is not a disqualification, a major fault or fault, and there are many structural issues and type issues that should be considered more seriously than color. Extreme dark color is not preferable to light or cream colors either; the Standard is clear. Ideal is somewhere in the middle, all other qualities of structure, gait, coat, head type, etc., being equal. Breeder-judges will often comment that they have never made a decision on a winning dog based on color. Just find the best Golden Retriever first, then consider color if necessary.

Proportion and Size

The Breed Standard is clear, but what is often appearing and being rewarded in the ring is not in keeping with the requirements of the Standard. “Length from breastbone to point of buttocks slightly greater than height at withers in ratio of 12:11.” This is only slightly off-square. The measurement of withers to elbow and elbow to ground should be approximately equal. The underline should be relatively short. The Golden needs sufficient leg to scramble out of the water and over some tough terrain in its native Scotland. Often, excessive body length comes from length through the loin, which is not the short, muscular, wide, deep loin called for in the Standard.

Golden Retrievers have a disqualification for size. Please note that puppies are NOT exempt from the size requirements. Judges should always be aware of the size standard of the Golden Retriever and its importance to the breed function. The Golden Retriever is a moderately sized, athletic hunting dog that may be required at times to work out of a small boat yet have the stamina to perform a full day in the field. We encourage judges to measure any Golden Retriever in competition whose size creates uncertainty, whether at the upper or lower limit of the allowed size range. Dogs that are outside of the desirable size range, but within the disqualification limits, are to be proportionately penalized. Dogs and bitches which fall within the stated acceptable size range should be regarded as having equal merit, whether they are at the upper or lower end of the desirable range.

Head

Another hallmark trait of the Golden Retriever is its friendly, soft, self-confident expression and beautiful head. With the breed’s prime function of retrieving game, the proper construction of muzzle and skull is imperative, as is musculature of the neck and head. Good depth and breadth of muzzle and skull are necessary. The muzzle should be approximately as long as the skull. Ears should be relatively short, attached slightly above and behind the eye. While eye shape is not stated in the Standard, they should be medium-large and dark in an open, almond shape. They should not be obliquely set, round or triangular, all of which detract from the correct expression.

The correct Golden Retriever can fulfill many roles in today’s society, but the qualities that made it a keen hunting companion and fireside companion are those that endear the breed to many today. We encourage judges to understand the importance of correct proportion, coat texture, head properties, gait, and temperament to ensure the breed remains true to type.

For More Information, Golden Retriever Club of America Study Guide: https://www.grca.org/about-the-breed/illustrated-study-guide-understanding-the-breed-standard/

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Interview with Collette Jaynes, Breeder of Jazzin Kennels

Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?

Collette Jaynes: I live in White, Georgia. I have been in dogs for 50 years; 48 years as a breeder.

What is your kennel name? How many dogs do you currently keep?

Collette Jaynes: My kennel name is Jazzin Kennels. I currently keep 9-11 dogs and bitches total for both Golden Retrievers and Clumber Spaniels.

Which show dogs from the past have been your noteworthy winners?

My noteworthy winners include:

• Golden – CH Jazzin’s Advice Line – WB GRCA National Specialty 2010
• Clumber – CH Jazzin’s Ducking The System – WB CSCA National Specialty 2010
• Clumber – CH Nexus Total Eclipse (breeder) – BOB CSCA National Specialty 2012
• Clumber – CH Jazzin’s Duchess of York – BISS at both the CSCA National 2016 and CSCC National 2015
• Golden – GCH Jazzin’s Final Jeopardy – Top 20 goldens 2012

Which have been your most influential sires and dams?

My most influential sire and dam:

• Golden – GCH Jazzin’s Final Jeopardy (sire)
• Clumber – CH Nexus Jazzin Jenga (dam)

Can you talk a bit about your facilities? Where are your puppies whelped? How are they raised?

Collette Jaynes: My facilities are a home with a full basement. The kennel is in the basement with stainless steel dog wash, washer/dryer, runs with Kuranda beds, and six acres to run on. Puppies are whelped upstairs in the office area. I have a daybed there and I sleep with the litter for the first two weeks. Once the puppies are old enough, they go in the kennel in a huge area with lots of toys, litter box, and music. They are socialized daily and taken on walks, and the grandkids play with them often. They become well-adjusted puppies.

What is your “process” for selecting Show Puppies? Performance Puppies? Field Puppies?

Collette Jaynes: I hold a Zoom meeting now, but before Zoom I always had other breeders and judges come over to evaluate the litter one by one. I do temperament testing for performance and field with retrieving and birds.

Do you compete in Companion Events? Performance Events?

Collette Jaynes: I try to obtain an AKC Championship on all my dogs, and most of my Goldens do Performance in Field and Obedience.

Are Field Trials or parent club Hunt Tests important to you?

Collette Jaynes: Yes, to make sure the original purpose is still part of the breeding program.

How would you define “conditioning” as it relates to your breed?

Collette Jaynes: Conditioning means lots of exercise and room to run and jump. Retrieving daily helps to condition those dogs that are not interested in playing with others.

Are there any health-related concerns in your breed? Any special nutritional needs?

Collette Jaynes: There are lots of health-related concerns in both breeds. I am OCD about testing and only use dogs/bitches that have been health and DNA tested for everything related to that breed: Hips/Eyes/Elbows/Heart and all genetic testing as well.

Do you think your breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?

Collette Jaynes: In Golden Retrievers, yes, but it’s not the case in Clumbers.

Is your breed well suited to be a family dog? Who are the best candidates to own your breed?

Collette Jaynes: Yes, both breeds are great family dogs and I encourage each owner to enroll in Puppy Obedience ASAP. Goldens do well in most environments. Clumbers need a fenced yard, as once their nose turns on their ears turn off.

What is the biggest misconception about your breed? What is your breed’s best-kept secret?

Collette Jaynes: With a well-bred Golden there are no misconceptions. With a Clumber, the misconception biggest is the drooling. They do drool, but not nearly as much as it is led to believe. The best-kept secret is that Clumbers are one of the best family dogs around and they are clowns as well. I’m not sure why they are still a low entry breed. They were registered in AKC before Golden Retrievers!

If you could share a comment or two with judges of your breed, what would you like to say to them?

Collette Jaynes: Judge for form and function and type. Make your cuts on type and your placements on structure and you will never go wrong. Clumbers are long and low but they are NOT Sussex Spaniels! Clumbers need to have “enough” leg to do the job they were bred to do. Bigger, heavier, and hairier is not always correct!

Do you have any words of wisdom to pass along to newer breeders?

Collette Jaynes: Find a mentor in the breed. They will help you navigate through so much unfamiliar language and dogs. I can’t stress this enough. Trying to do it alone is a recipe for disaster. AND, breeding is not for the faint of heart. So much tragedy will occur if you do this long enough and it takes love of the breed to keep going.

For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing you’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog?

Collette Jaynes: It was in the 1980s and I was running one of my Goldens in an Obedience Trial. He was good too good. It was a VERY hot day in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the trial was held in a pavilion outside. My turn was up, and half the ring was in the sun and the other half in shade. We started the off-lead heeling and, as soon as I hit the sun, my Golden stops with his front toes on the edge of the sun/shade. I had to continue the heeling pattern without the dog and when I passed him coming back, he whipped into heel position! That evening, we worked on heeling in the parking lot of the hotel. He was flawless!

The next day, when it was close to my turn, a crowd had gathered to watch. Everyone had heard about the Golden refusing to go into the sun. Well, I thought, “We will show them!” and, by damn, he did it again! As soon as I crossed over from shade to sun he stayed in the shade. I continued the heeling pattern, and again, once I’d returned to where he was standing, he whipped into heel position. Everything else was flawless, but, of course, we did not pass. Lesson learned: Never show him in the sun. The crowd had a good laugh that day!

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