Choosing Golden Retriever as a pet dog is a wise option. But are you aware that Golden Retrievers come in different colours? Yes, it does. From white colour to cream. From dark brown to red golden colour. Golden Retrievers are generally called Golden and most of it we see it in the same shade. Ideally, there are 5 shades of colours that a Golden Retriever has.
Each one of them is elegant and unique in its style. It is a difficult task to select one of the many colours that you will find. Though their traits do not differ, they have drastic differences in terms of colour and the coat type. It is intelligent to know the differences too. Though the standard Golden colour is what comes to mind the moment we think about Golden Retriever, it would be amazing to note that they have different colours too.
Let us see the colours one by one and you decide as to which one you want to pick.
Cream Coloured Golden Retrievers
While this is not so prevalent in the US. This colour breeds are also called as English Golden Retriever or English Cream Golden Retriever. This is for the very reason that it is prominent in the United Kingdom. This colour for the Golden Retriever is often misunderstood with the Labrador. Mostly because, as we Golden retriever, we do not get to think of Cream colour first.
The coat of the dog is off-white and it is not officially recognized by the American kennel club. But, who cares if they do not recognize. They have immaculate personality traits which would make your life happy.
Are they rare?
Well, they may be rare in your nation but it is not. As we said earlier, it is not prevalent in the United States. That means to say, not as prominent as we see it in the UK. There are a few marketing tactics that the people can come up with to make you buy such breeds. You must get to understand the keywords like ‘white’ and ‘platinum’. We would like to tell you, please do not fall for that. There is no possibility of white colour in this breed.
Few differences that we can spot
Yes, there are some minor differences from the golden breeds. This cream coloured breed shall come with a thin coat. That means to say, they may shed less hair than the others. Other physical aspects are the eyes. They are round and also stocker build. You may also notice the cream coloured ones have a longer neck and broader head too. Lastly, they are indeed shorter than the other golden retrievers.
Red Coloured Golden Retrievers
This breed is often mistaken with the Golden coloured ones. This breed of dogs in red colour is strikingly beautiful. The thick lush coat and the dark brown colour makes them look elegant. The darker the brown gets and we started calling them red. The mahogany red is eclectic and it displays an amber hue.
Many people shall mistake this for the dark golden retrievers. This breed is way too different from the others. The news is, even this breed is never officially permitted in the American Kennel Club. This dark red colour shall vary from one dog to the other, but the classification is simple. The coats must be reddish than the dark golden which is standard.
Where and How did they originate?
This is a million-dollar question. More importantly, the breed is fabulous to look at. And people explored the possibilities of knowing where it came from. Though not completely known, the important information is, this breed of dog in this colour is through the cross-breeding of Standard Golden Retriever with Irish Setter. Having said that, the dog is from Ireland. It is because of the Irish Setter, the dog has the mahogany red colour coat on the body.
Of course, the Irish Setter has the same colour as the retriever. Moreover, the physical traits of the breed match well with the traits of the Irish Setter too. That means to say, this breed is more than a standard Golden Retriever.
Few differences that we can spot
There are a few differences from the standard Golden Retrievers. But there is no second thought, this is also a golden retriever. As with all the breeds and colours, they have their structural differences.
This breed to has shorter hair. At times you can spot them with straight hair too. This can make them look like a Labrador-retriever type. There is no official standard for breeding these coloured dogs, so the feathering in the legs and tail differs among them. A few may have more, a few others less.
This breed of dogs is known for its slim look. They are lean when compared to the standard golden retrievers. Moreover, they have a compact frame of the body.
Dark Golden Coloured Retriever
As we said earlier, this colour has no difference with the previous one that we saw. However, this breed does not have the red hue what the red Golden retrievers have. Moreover, this shade is darker than the red ones. An elegant breed with an amazing fur coat, this is one of the best breeds in the Golden Retriever family.
Oh yes, this is the first colour in the Golden Retrievers that is recognized by the American Kennel Club. This breed is allowed to participate in the competitions too. They are very prominent in the shows of the club too.
Are they rare?
Not at all. You can easily find them with the local breeders too. Many people would like to enjoy the privilege of being in the AKC shows. This is one breed that has maximum liking among the general public. Moreover, the energy and the enthusiasm it shows make the show lively too. You are sure to find this anywhere in the US. It is a standard Golden retriever and it has some differences too.
Few differences that we can spot
Though this can be matched exactly with the red Golden Retrievers, you must understand a fact that this breed has a few differences from others. Firstly, watch out for the lush coat. They have thicker than the other breeds we saw. Moreover, you may find a mix of curly as well as straight hairs on the body. Watch out for a lot of hair fall from the dog. Grooming is essential and you must do it at regular intervals. More importantly, you must groom them regularly with a much shorter duration than the other breeds.
Light Coloured Golden Retriever
This is one of the standard colours of Golden Retrievers. This also joins the group of breeds that is officially recognized by American Kennel Club. This breed can participate in competitions organised by the AKC. Also, this is allowed to participate in AKC shows too. This breed is very popular in the US and you can spot them in every street if you are lucky.
This colour variation is difficult for people to spot or differentiate. This light colour is between the standard golden colour and cream. This can also be said to be the second most popular dog breed among the golden retrievers.
Where did they originate from?
Yes, this breeds originated from Scotland. Though it is very common in the US, their place of origin is restricted to England and Scotland. Mainly, this is a Scottish breed. People also thought that these breeds are out of the Russian Circus, but no. The fabulous coat cover and the amazing attitude of the breed always makes us feel happy.
Few differences that we can spot
This breed is a fabulous one with consistent structure throughout. They are well built and muscular too. This has a medium-sized body but looks lanky for its length. The lustrous coat on the body makes them look bigger than normal. This breed needs to be taken care with caution. You must groom and wash them regularly. Watch out for its cold and warm feel, they may show signs of too much cold and warm if the weather conditions change.
Classic Standard Golden Retriever
The rich, bright golden coat on the body is what we imagine as we say Golden Retriever. Here we go, the standard Golden Retriever marks the sight of excellence every time you see them. The colour is too good, as they are not too dark and too light too. They have the characteristic features with which the other breeds are compared. Also, the liveliness and the obedience they show is highly appreciated.
This is the best family dog. Of course, the other breeds in the category too. But this is the most common breed of all and you can find them everywhere. Widely accepted by AKC for their shows. This dog is named for its playfulness and manners.
Why to pick a Golden Retriever?
As we saw there are 5 different colours in the breed. It is not the colour that matters but the temperament of the dog. That is what makes Golden Retriever most sought after. Moreover, they are pet friendly too. Also, they are children friendly. This is ranked 3rd among the dog breeds in the US. While it is ranked 4th among the smartest dogs.
They are muscular dogs and require moderate physical activity too. They do shed hair, but the maintenance is a bit easy compared to many breeds in the world. They are the best breeds that you can rely on. The best partner who can accompany you anytime you want.
The amount of affection that they may show is incomparable too. Many owners get this breed, not for the colour but their super affectionate behaviour. Keeping them as a pet is always a wise choice. They are very good during the training sessions too. They are easy to please at the same time, obedient while getting trained. They have an even temperament and that’s the best highlight about the breed. Though the colours are different, the basic attributes and traits remain the same. It is the way we protect them. Of course, keeping a dog as a pet is no big deal but keeping them safe is. All the best.
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-2052.2000.00639.x
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00335-012-9443-x
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