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发表于 2006-2-19 02:22
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The Golden Retriever should be a dog of moderation, sound and well put together. Overall appearance, balance, gait and purpose must take priority over any component parts. To function as a powerful, active, athletic, sporting dog, the Golden Retriever must exemplify moderation in size, bone and coat.
Neck:
Medium long, sloping well back into shoulders, giving sturdy muscular appearance with untrimmed natural ruff. No throatiness.
Commentary: A strong, muscular neck is critical to the retrieving and carrying of heavy game. The ruff is a natural frame for the head and should not be noticeably stripped or cut to destroy the natural appearance of the dog. A hands on examination will reveal if the dog has the correct length of neck under the coat. The neck should show some arch or crest between the head and the set on of the shoulders. An ewe-neck, which joins the shoulders at an abrupt right angle, or an excessively long neck, which lacks muscular strength and stamina for carrying game, are to be faulted.
Forequarters:
Forequarters muscular, well co-ordinated with hindquarters and capable of free movement. Shoulder blades wide, long and well laid back, showing angulation with upper arm of approximately 90 degrees. Shoulder blade and upper arm (humerus) should be approximately equal in length, setting close fitting elbows back beneath the upper tip of the shoulder blades. Legs straight with good bone. Pastern short and strong, sloping slightly forward with no suggestion of weakness.
Commentary: Evaluation of the front assembly requires a careful "hands on" assessment. As a guideline for the judge’s eye, the shoulder layback should approach 45 degrees. The recommended guideline of 90-degree angulation of the shoulder blade and humerus should also be seen between the pelvis and the femur in the rear assembly for correct balance to occur. The distance from the ground to the elbow should be approximately one-half the height at the withers. The Golden should never be long in leg, nor appear clumsy or too close to the ground due to insufficient length of leg. The function of the Golden as a working retriever must always be kept in mind.
Straight front angulation and short upper arms have become significant problems in the breed. Poor front assemblies are reflected in a short, choppy inefficient stride and other gait problems when the front assembly out of balance with the rear assembly. Straight shoulders are often combined with a short and/or upright neck and lack of forechest.
Body:
Topline level from withers to croup, whether standing or moving. Well balanced, short coupled, deep through the heart. Chest at least as wide as a man’s hand, including thumb. Brisket extends to elbows. Ribs long and well sprung but not barrel shaped, extending well to rear of body. Loin short, muscular, wide and deep, with very little tuck-up. Croup slopes gently.
Commentary: The back line must be firm and level. Body length should come from a well-sprung rib cage extending back to a short wide loin, not from a short rib cage with a long loin. Judges must evaluate the forequarters and body with their hands, as a dense coat and heavy ruff can mask the lack of forechest, shallow brisket or lack of rib-spring. The prosternum should be prominent with good width between the front legs and depth of chest reaching to the elbows. The area of the chest beneath the prosternum should be well filled when examined by hand.
Hindquarters:
Well bent stifles (angulation between femur and pelvis approximately 90 degrees) with hocks well let down. Legs straight when viewed from rear. Feet medium size, round and compact with thick pads. Excessive hair may be trimmed to show natural size and contour.
Commentary: The rear quarters provide the power and drive but must be coordinated with the front to be efficient and balanced. The femur and lower thigh (tibia/fibula) should be approximately equal in length. A longer lower thigh can create over-angulation and destroy balance. The thighs should be well muscled when examined. When the dog is standing naturally, the hock should fall slightly behind a line drawn from the point of the buttock to the ground.
Correct feet are important to a hunting dog. Flat, hare or splayed feet without thick pads and well-arched toes must be faulted. Nails should be cut short but not so short as to be non- functional.
These feet are medium-sized, round, well-arched and compact, trimmed to show their natural outline. Note the short, slightly sloping pastern and well let down hock.
Tail:
Well set on, neither too high nor too low, following natural line of croup. Length extends to hock. Carried with merry action with some upward curve but never curled over back or between legs.
Commentary: The tail acts as a rudder in the swimming dog and as an instrument of balance in the moving dog, therefore its set and carriage are important. A high or vertical tail carriage not only destroys the correct profile of the breed but prohibits the proper functioning of the tail both in the water and when moving. The tail should be carried level with the topline or with some upward curve, but should never leave the croup at an abrupt angle.
Gait:
When trotting, gait is free, smooth, powerful, and well co-ordinated. Viewed from front or rear, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. Increased speed causes tendency of feet to converge toward centreline of gravity.
Commentary: Correct, efficient, ground-covering movement is an integral part of Golden Retriever type and function. While it appears stylish to have a "heads up" attitude when gaiting, a high head carriage, whether caused by incorrect structure or improper handling, can reflect or cause a lack of reach in the front. A dog with correct reach and drive and smooth side gait will often lower its head and neck to accomplish this efficient movement and should not be penalized. Lowering of the head assists the dog in maintaining a correct centre of gravity while in motion, or "kinetic balance".
Dogs should be moved on a loose lead, to allow for a natural head carriage, and at a moderate speed. The gait should be smooth and well coordinated, which requires good conditioning and muscling in addition to correct structure. The topline should remain level when gaiting. A rolling or bouncing topline are indicative of incorrect structure or poor condition. At maximum extension, the feet should clear the ground with just enough clearance to change stride efficiently. Padding and excessive rear kick back are not efficient, energy conserving movements and one should not be deceived into thinking that such movement represents good reach and drive.
Faults:
White markings beyond a few hairs on chest. Dudley nose (pink without pigmentation). Low, hound-like ear-set. Slab-sideness, narrow chest, lack of depth in brisket, excessive tuck-up, roach or sway back. Cowhocks and sickle hocks. Open or splayed feet.
Disqualifications:
Deviations in height of more than 1 inch (3 cm) from standard either way.
Undershot or overshot jaws. This condition not to be confused with misalignment of teeth.
Trichiasis (abnormal position or direction of eyelashes)
We hope that you have found the above comments helpful in understanding the Golden Retriever breed standard. It is only by judges working together with breeders that the wonderfully versatile Golden Retriever can be maintained true to its heritage as a sporting dog; a dog moderate in coat, size and substance. We would encourage all judges of retrievers to see these dogs in action at a local field trial, hunt test or working certificate test to better understand the practical implications of the breed standard’s requirements. Consult Dogs in Canada or one of your local Golden, Labrador or Field Trial Clubs for more information on the time and location of these events.
Vide
Videotapes, containing two presentations on the Golden Retriever, are available for a two-week loan period from the Golden Retriever Club of Canada. Included are the AKC video on the Golden Retriever Breed Standard and Rachel Page Elliott’s The Golden Retriever. Please contact the G.R.C.C. c/o Ainslie Mills, 19084 87A Ave., R.R. 15, Surrey, B.C., V4N 3G5 (oriana @telus.net) for more information.
Bibliography of Recommended Reading:
Andrews, Wendy. Golden Retriever: The Breed Standard Illustrated, Catcombe Publications, 1999. (British book based on the UK standard).
Bauer, Nona Kilgore. The World of the Golden Retriever, TFH Publications, Inc., 1993.
Foss, Valerie. Golden Retrievers Today, Ringpress Books/Howell, 1994.
Schlehr, Marcia R. A Study of the Golden Retriever, Travis House, 1994. Available for $10 US funds from Marcia R. Schlehr, P.O. Box 515 Clinton, Mi, 49236.
Schlehr, Marcia R. The New Golden Retriever, Howell Book House 1996
[ 本帖最后由 街舞爸爸 于 2006-2-19 02:24 编辑 ] |
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