Form + Function = The Golden Retriever

Please note the title of this article.  It is NOT form follows function, or form versus function, or function equals form.  Unless you want a generic retriever, you must keep both form and function in mind when you breed.  The standard is written with function in mind.  Each part of the Golden Retriever is described in detail so that we understand what is needed in that particular area to perform the function of retrieving game of feather and fur.  The more closely one follows the standard, the more likely one is going to produce a dog that can fulfill its function, provided that the natural attributes are also there.   There are also aspects of custom and aesthetics that are not directly related to either “form” or “function” such as color or type (not style, which is different), which make a Golden a Golden instead of one of the other retrievers or a generic retriever.

There are times when one looks at the dogs today in the field and in the breed ring, one might wonder if they are looking at two different breeds.   Is this what we, the Golden fancy, want?  Or is it that breeders in both venues have strayed from the standard in pursuit of winning, regardless of the costs to the future of the breed?  Those in the field venue will complain that the conformation people are not paying attention to the function of the breed.  They feel that the dog seen in the ring today could not do high level work in the field.  The conformation people are no better.  They claim that the typical field bred Golden barely looks like a Golden and is only able to do the job because of its intense desire to retrieve.  Could either group, or both groups, be wrong in their thinking or could it be that both groups are, to some extent, right in their criticisms of each other.  Do these same breeders take off the rose colored glasses when viewing and critiquing their own dogs and the other dogs that they are competing against every week? 

The late Breeder/Judge Betty Gay gave an explanation for this divergence:

“There has been a field/conformation split in this breed for as long as I can remember, and that's a long time - both groups veer away from the Standard in the direction that suits what they want to do.  Field trials are speed/obedience events - the Standard describes a stamina dog which is built differently from speed dogs.  There is a distinct difference between hunting dogs and field trial dogs.  As trials became longer and more difficult, the selection of dogs changed.  People who actually use their dog primarily for hunting will select a dog that can last for many hours and really work ground (surely not allowed in trials), but even the hunting tests become less like actual hunting and more like trials as time goes along, and remember that in all these structured events the dogs get to rest in the truck when it is not their turn.

 People focusing on conformation events have gone to excess in many characteristics which are contrary to the Standard as well...particularly in weight, bone and coat and even balance.  Now we have people who select for obedience or who select for agility and they take those structural directions, so don't try to suggest that people don't select for what they personally like whether it varies from the Standard or not.”

  This split seems greater today than it was in the seventies when I first started breeding, let alone in the fifties when I got my first Golden Retriever. Unless we stop and reevaluate where we , as individual breeders, are going, I do not see this trend changing in the future.  If we are not careful, the Golden Retriever fanciers might find the breed in the same shape as several of the other sporting breeds, where there is such a distinct difference in what is being shown and what is being used in the field, that there might as well be two distinct and different breeds.  In some cases, such as the Cocker Spaniel, the field version has all but disappeared.
 
 Perhaps we need to look at the origins of the breed to determine why the standard is written as it is.  The Golden Retriever, as we all know, was developed by Lord Tweedmouth as a hunting companion.  But what did that really mean?  Lord Tweedmouth and his contemporaries hunted as “Gentlemen Hunters”.  They went in large groups, often using different modes of hunting, with multiple dogs across their estates in the Scottish Highlands shooting enough game, both feathered and fur, to feed their households including the servants and other dependent people.   Unlike today’s hunter, Lord Tweedmouth and his peers would have had multiple breeds of dogs to do specific jobs (pointers to locate the birds,spaniels to flush the birds, retrievers to bring them back to hand).     

This brings us to a very important part of our standard…………temperament. One of the major concerns in temperament for a dog during Lord Tweedmouth’s time was the ability to work in groups. Any dog that "did not play well with others" would have been unwelcome in any of the working or social venues.  It would be expected that the dogs be totally lacking in aggression and that they be biddable - more concerned with pleasing its owner than sniffing around the other dogs or exhibiting dominance behaviors. The working retriever of that time and place was a "gentleman's" dog - and was expected to behave properly.  If it didn't, the owner, or at least his dog(s), certainly was not going to be invited back for the next shoot!!  Although today’s hunter tends to hunt  alone or in a small enough group where only 1 or 2 dogs would be required, it  certainly is still the "kind" and "biddable” dog that is the desired companion in the field.

We also need to understand why each part of our dogs, as described in the standard, is as it is.  What function does that “part” have in relation to the dog being able to do the job.

General Appearance -- 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. Over-all 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 contrary to breed character.

Size, Proportion, Substance -- Males 23-24 inches in height at withers; females 21 1/2-22 1/2 inches. Dogs up to one inch above or below standard size should be proportionately penalized. Deviation in height of more than one inch from the standard shall disqualify.

Length from breastbone to point of buttocks slightly greater than height at withers in ratio of 12:11. Weight for dogs 65-75 pounds; bitches 55-65 pounds.

Our standard calls for a moderate dog that the hunter is able to keep in the blind without overcrowding it because of the dog’s size.  He should be big enough to handle a goose but small enough for a hunter to pull into a boat if required.  Yet breeders in the past ignored the need for a moderate sized dog that was capable of doing the job and bred bigger and bigger dogs.  Cosequently there was a backlash and the heath disqualifications were added to the standard to discourage the breeding of dogs that would be unsuited to the function of the breed.  As Marcia Schlehr explains:

“Height was made a disqualification in the golden standard in 1955.  This was in response to the fact that several very tall (upwards of 27" or more) Goldens of rather settery type were
winning big at shows, and the GRCA was disturbed by this trend.  At some shows, heights ranged from under 20" females to 28" males...  The inclusion of the disqualification did stem that trend and led to moderation of height, although the breed did trend towards heavier and heavier in the 1970s-80s.”  

Head -- broad in skull, slightly arched laterally and longitudinally without prominence of frontal bones (forehead) or occipital bones. Stop well defined but not abrupt. Foreface deep and wide, nearly as long as skull. Muzzle straight in profile, blending smoothly and strongly into skull; when viewed in profile or from above, slightly deeper and wider at stop than at tip. No heaviness in flews. Removal of whiskers is permitted but not preferred.

Eyes -- friendly and intelligent in expression, medium large with dark, close-fitting rims, set well apart and reasonably deep in sockets. Color preferably dark brown; medium brown acceptable. Slant eyes and narrow, triangular eyes detract from correct expression and are to be faulted. No white or haw visible when looking straight ahead. Dogs showing evidence of functional abnormality of eyelids or eyelashes (such as, but not limited to, trichiasis, entropion, ectropion, or distichiasis) are to be excused from the ring.

Ears -- rather short with front edge attached well behind and just above the eye and falling close to cheek. When pulled forward, tip of ear should just cover the eye. Low, hound-like ear set to be faulted.

Nose -- black or brownish black, though fading to a lighter shade in cold weather not serious. Pink nose or one seriously lacking in pigmentation to be faulted.

Teeth -- scissors bite, in which the outer side of the lower incisors touches the inner side of the upper incisors. Undershot or overshot bite is a disqualification. Misalignment of teeth (irregular placement of incisors) or a level bite (incisors, meet each other edge to edge) is undesirable, but not to be confused with undershot or overshot. Full dentition, obvious gaps are serious faults.

Here too breeders have strayed from the standard.  In the breed ring we see many dogs with too short a muzzle and round open eyes.  If the muzzle is too short, how is it going to hold a big goose properly?  If there are obvious gaps because of missing teeth, will that not also hinder the dog’s ability to hold a big bird in its mouth long enough to retrieve it?  As for the eyes, when they are big and round, there is a greater chance that there will be injury to the eye as the dog scours the brush for his bird.  Too long of an ear is going to create heat loss while swimming in frigid waters or spending hours retrieving on land , while an ear of correct length will help the dog to retain its body heat and is less subject to injury.

“Goldens, yes, many of them today are far too short in muzzle.  This goes along with an overall trend in the breed toward massive bone etc.  as well as the "teddy bear look" of a wide face, short muzzle, round eyes, etc.  This too is a departure from what the Standard describes.  Unfortunately, cuteness and athleticism are often incompatible in any one dog or breed. The ear is a highly efficient means of heat exchange, and the larger the ear, the more surface area there is through which to lose heat.  (Even bare-headed people often wear ear-muffs!).  A large surface dragging is also less hydrodynamic.  In both cases, it is relative size that must be kept in mind -- not so much a Golden ear as compared to a Labrador ear, but a retriever ear compared to, say, a hound ear.... That's why the Arctic Fox have very small ears, the African Fennec Fox has huge ears.”

                                                            - Marcia Schlehr

Nor can we ignore the stop if we are to keep the function of the Golden in mind.  The dog must be able to see above the bird he is carrying in order to return it safely to hand.  The stop should be of "normal" skull configuration. The positioning of the eyes enables both the forward vision needed for marking, and the peripheral vision so useful for the hunter.  Dogs with NO stop and narrow skull, such as a collie, have very poor forward vision and poor depth perception.  Hardly helpful to the animal that is to mark and retrieve game. In addition the rise of skull above the plane of the muzzle gives larger internal space for the frontal sinuses, where air is warmed before going to the lungs.  There is also some evidence that a (relatively) broad muzzle gives larger nasal sinuses and more space for the scenting apparatus.  However, the stop should never be exaggerated, nor the skull domed...or any other distortion from a 'normal' canine skull structure.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck -- medium long, merging gradually into well laid back shoulders, giving sturdy, muscular appearance. Untrimmed natural ruff. No throatiness.

Back line -- strong and level from withers to slightly sloping croup, whether standing or moving. Sloping back line, roach or sway back, flat or steep croup to be faulted.

Body -- well-balanced, short coupled, deep through the chest.

Chest between forelegs at least as wide as a man's closed hand including thumb, with well developed forechest. Brisket extends to elbow. Ribs long and well sprung but not barrel shaped, extending well towards hindquarters. Loin short, muscular, wide and deep, with very little tuck-up. Slabsidedness, narrow chest, lack of depth in brisket, excessive tuck-up, flat or steep croup to be faulted.

Tail -- well set on, thick and muscular at the base, following the natural line of the croup. Tail bones extend to, but not below, the point of hock. Carried with merry action, level or with some moderate upward curve; never curled over back nor between legs

A strong medium long neck is required to carry a heavy bird.  Make it too long and the neck loses strength, and thus multiple retrieves would cause the dog to quickly tire and lose the ability of carrying a heavy bird.  If the neck is too short, it lacks the suppleness and ability to work scent (head lowered but it can be strong.  Be aware that upright shoulders can create an illusion of too short of a neck.  Upright shoulders, of course, will limit the forward motion of the dog.   Regarding the body, I will again quote Marcia Schlehr:

“The Golden standard does not call for an excessively broad chest.  It does state that the chest between the forelegs should be as wide as a man's (closed) hand, including the thumb.  The Golden's ribcage is not the barrel-chest of either the Labrador or the Chesapeake.  The
Flat-Coat is a somewhat racier dog than the Golden (possibly due to early infusions of setter blood), but still the chest is not to be narrow, nor should the forelegs "come out of the same hole".  The differences in ideals of the two breeds are not nearly as exaggerated as is seen in some current show types.  Show people world-wide have an ingrained propensity that "if a little is good, more must be better"...and make small differences into large ones, resulting far too often in exaggeration...to the detriment of the breed.  Show-type Labradors today are far too often caricatures of the breed, far too overdone (to quote a long-time Sporting judge who shall remain nameless, "it's not 'power', folks, it's FAT") and looking like long-tailed Rottweilers.   Again, what once was a 'good thing' taken to extremes.  Chessies are in better shape-- in fact, they are the
ONLY retriever breed to have any Dual Champions in recent years.  Chessies are VERY functional.  In addition to their retrieving duties, which included very long hours swimming in very cold water, they served as general-purpose and guard dogs.  There is no better coat for a cold-water dog than that of the Bay Dog.    The high rear is a breed characteristic originating from well-angulated forequarters and slightly less angulated, but still very powerful, rear legs. This puts the rear a bit high, compared to other retrievers (although you can see the same topline on a lot of Labradors and Goldens from early years); however, the Chessie standard does allow a level topline without penalty.  Chessie people, bless 'em, have not (yet) succumbed to the lure of purely esthetic appeal, even in their show dogs (many of which are also working dogs).”

In addition we must remember that interior volume of the thorax is needed for heart and lung capacity.  Depth is important as well.  Really narrow-chested dogs (whippet, greyhound) aren't nearly as agile in the water as retrievers.  While a dog with narrow beam and sharp prow may be faster, the relatively broad, rounded dog is more stable and has an easier time turning, which becomes important when one is carrying a duck in its mouth.  Correct shape of the ribcage also enables the front limb assemblies to be able to work efficiently in the water AND on land.  So even though the narrow chested dog may be able to do the work, it is fair to say that if it was wider and properly structured in this area, it probably could do a better job with better efficiency as it would have more chest room for heart and lung capacity. 

Furthermore a properly constructed chest and body assembly will help the dog retain its body warmth.  The Scottish mornings, not to mention a typical Dakota or Montana morning, as well as their lakes can be darn cold and body mass helps to retain body heat.  A narrow chested dog is actually going to have a greater surface area to volume ratio than the correctly built dog and thus have a higher degree of heat loss. Of course coat type/density, and subcutaneous fat are also elements to consider when one looks at heat loss.

Forequarters -- muscular, well co-ordinated with hindquarters and capable of free movement. Shoulder blades long and well laid back with upper tips fairly close together at withers. Upper arms appear about the same length as the blades, setting the elbows back beneath the upper tip of the blades, close to the ribs without looseness. Legs, viewed from the front, straight with good bone, but not to the point of coarseness. Pasterns short and strong, sloping slightly with no suggestion of weakness. Dewclaws on forelegs may be removed, but are normally left on.

Feet -- medium size, round, compact and well knuckled, with thick pads. Excess hair may be trimmed to show natural size and contour. Splayed or hare feet to be faulted.

Hindquarters -- Broad and strongly muscled. Profile of croup slopes slightly; the pelvic bone slopes at a slightly greater angle (approximately 30 degrees from horizontal). In a natural stance, the femur joins the pelvis at approximately a 90-degree angle; stifles well bent; hocks well let down with short, strong rear pasterns. Feet as in front. Legs straight when viewed from rear. Cow-hocks, spread hocks, and sickle hocks to be faulted.

Gait -- when trotting, gait is free, smooth, powerful and well co-ordinated, showing good reach. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance. It is recommended that dogs be shown on a loose lead to reflect true gait.

In order for the dog to move efficiently through water or brush, he must have a strong front assembly with a good sternum.  He must be balanced front and rear.  All too often in the conformation ring we are seeing straight upright front assemblies coupled with over angulated rears.  While this may look good in the “stack” it does not serve the dog well in movement.  If the dog possesses both of these traits, it may cause the feet to interfere with each other as they strike  the ground in the mid-section of the dog.  The dog may compensate by either pacing (which is much more tiring than trotting) or by crabbing.  Structure can also compensate for these two faults by adding two additional structural changes to the body.  These changes would be shorter legs or long bodies.  However keep in mind that as the body lengthens, the spine loses some ability to support the dog’s body.  Obviously if a dog is expected to hold game that may weigh up to 10 pounds, one wants the structure to have the ability to support that additional weight.  This means that the dog must have good bone, something that is often lacking in some dogs, especially where speed has become a factor in winning.  Furthermore sickle hocks are often associated with over-angulated rears and/or too long a second thigh.  They usually lack sufficient range of motion; "freezing" the joint is one way to provide some stability in what would otherwise be an unstable joint.  There can be not any justification for bowed hocks but they should not be confused with hocks that are well spread. As for "slipped" hocks, it is a joint that hyper extends.  They are often associated with short second thighs and lack of proper angulation and resulting in serious unsoundness.  While the dogs may manage well enough, they will lack the strength they need, and if the joint is continually allowed to hyperextend, it will, in all probability be damaged.  Hyperextension is most easily observed when the dog is walking.  Pagey Elliott's Dogsteps video has an excellent example.

Coat -- Dense and water repellent with good undercoat. Outer coat firm and resilient, neither coarse nor silky, lying close to body; may be straight or wavy. Untrimmed natural ruff; moderate feathering on back of forelegs and on under-body; heavier feathering on front of neck, back of thighs and underside of tail.

Coat on head, paws and front of legs is short and even. Excessive length, open coats and limp, soft coats are very undesirable. Feet may be trimmed and stray hairs neatened, but the natural appearance of coat or outline should not be altered by cutting or clipping.

Color -- rich, lustrous golden of various shades. Feathering may be lighter than rest of coat. With the exception of graying or whitening of face or body due to age, any white marking, other than a few white hairs on the chest, should be penalized according to its extent. Allowable light shadings are not to be confused with white markings. Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable. Some latitude should be given to the light puppy whose coloring shows promise of deepening with maturity. Any noticeable area of black or other off-color hair is a serious fault.

Which brings us to a problem that is seen far too often in the breed ring, excessive and open coats.  We know that these are wrong, and yet breeders/exhibitors continue to present these coats to the judges and they in turn continue to reward the dogs that possess these incorrect coats.  The open coat as well as the excessive coat is not in keeping with the breed function.  No hunter wants to spend hours brushing out burrs from his dog’s coat.  Nor does he want to have half of the lake in the boat or blind with him after his dog has retrieved a duck. An open coat does not protect the dog from the cold water temperatures.  It allows the water to reach the skin and the dog to lose body heat.   Once more I must quote Marcia Schlehr as I think she has hit the nail on the head in describing a proper coat.

 “The Golden's should be a "closed coat" (new term) - the tough, resilient topcoat overlies the undercoat and protects it, forming a neat covering over the entire body-- like a duck's feathers overlie the insulating down. The dog's feathering is only enough to form a nice "drip edge"
that helps water run off and away from the body and legs. Coat on the back of the thighs and on the tail is especially thick, in order to insulate these areas when the dog is sitting on cold wet ground. Thick coat on the neck and chest also protects the dog when going through tough cover. (If you've had the opportunity to experience wild heather on the Scottish hillsides or brambles in North America, you'll realize why this sort of protection is needed). “
-  Marcia  Schlehr 

 So now that we understand why the standard was written as it was, what can we do to “improve” our stock?  First I believe one must evaluate their dogs not by whether it wins or not but by the ideal Golden as described in the standard.  How closely does Fido fit YOUR mental image as described by the standard?  Are you, as a breeder, willing to stay true to that mental image of your ideal Golden Retriever, or will you succumb to the fad du jour (and all the venues have them)?  Will you be in it just for the win, or the long haul?  Can you be honest with yourself about the structural deficiencies and strengths that appear in your individual dog(s) according to the standard?  Are you willing to cross over to the “other side” in order to correct and improve traits that are lacking in your stock?  Are you willing to remain committed to your task over several generations, especially when your breeding program encounters “set backs”?   These are just some of the questions any serious breeder must ask himself.   You must know what you are breeding for before you can start to breed.  You must be willing to remain true to your own ideas as to what makes a Golden Retriever a Golden Retriever verses just another retriever.  While there is plenty of room for personal tastes, one must remain true to the basic blueprint of the standard if they desire to produce Golden Retrievers that will function in the manner that was envisioned by their creator, Lord Tweedmouth.   Hopefully each and every one of us will remain true to that vision and continue to produce Golden Retrievers that Lord Tweedmouth would be proud to call his own.

My special thanks to Marcia Schlehr and the late Betty Gay in the writing of this article.

                                                                                Pat Herschman