# Field/Show breeding is this okay?



## Whitebeltduck (Apr 13, 2017)

I apologize if I am using the wrong terminology and also if this is a dumb question. Would it be okay to buy a puppy from a litter whose mothers lineage is field while the father's is show bred? Or do most good breeders only breed one type field or show? I know there are health clearances and other information to consider , but I'm just curious about this one question. Thank you


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

Why would that be a problem? Sounds like the breeder is concerned with structure as well as field ability. I personally like a Golden whom is bred for form and function. They're still the same breed of dog, just bred for a slightly different purpose.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Whitebeltduck said:


> I apologize if I am using the wrong terminology and also if this is a dumb question. Would it be okay to buy a puppy from a litter whose mothers lineage is field while the father's is show bred? Or do most good breeders only breed one type field or show? I know there are health clearances and other information to consider , but I'm just curious about this one question. Thank you


Really depends on the pedigree and the reasons why the breeder chose to put together this breeding. 

The reason why you generally see one or the other is because good breeders will breed for a purpose. The show ring is very competitive for this breed, and for that reason people don't exactly dip too far into the field spectrum when breeding for show. 

Field work particularly today where you have more dependence on drive and instinct and more people admire dynamic, speedy, hard-working dogs in field - you are not going to have people dipping too far into the moderate in-between spectrum. And forget about your big show lines.

Same thing with obedience which has been shifting more towards field heavy lines for the same reason as above. It's easier to work with a dog who wants to work all the time. A lot of people really don't want to be cheerleaders and food dispensers just to get a dog "up" every time they want to do stuff. 

So generally a breeder who is breeding for a specific purpose tends to pick very carefully.

All bets are off though when you have breeders putting together dogs that they have and don't really have a specific purpose in mind other than puppy homes. 

Doesn't necessarily mean you have a bad breeder. It might limit what you can do in conformation, while I don't believe you are ever automatically limited in obedience or light field stuff. The dogs themselves might be good or not. You never know unless you try.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Some of the very best breeders will combine field and show lines. They are called "tweeners" btw.
The fact that you even had to ask the question is indicative of the huge split in what is technically just one breed. IMO it has been caused by breeders breeding to win (be it in the show ring, the field, obedience, agility, whatever) to the extent that they lose sight of the breed standard, although good luck getting any of them to see it let alone admit it.
When you breed for one thing, sadly you often only get one thing. So we can see show dogs with little trainability, field dogs without the calm, steady temperament Goldens should have, and a whole bunch of other problems.
Oftentimes a breeder who is reaching out to cross show and field lines is attempting to address these issues in the breed.
There are 3 types of breeders:
1. Those who love their particular dog and breed only to get a puppy out of her
2. Those who love a sport like conformation, field, obedience, etc. and breed to win
3. Those who love the breed and breed to improve their lines and keep them as close to the standard, in all ways, as possible.
Ask yourself what your personal goals are for the puppy, and then decide which is best for you.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I totally agree with Hotel4Dogs 

Every so often, it is a good thing to bring fresh lines into a pedigree -- to calm a working line, to improve the head, the structure, the gait, the working drive, biddability etc. 

Look to the standard and try to improve the areas where your dog/line may be a bit weaker.

I personally have bred my performance girl to a breed boy for just those reasons and the pups are magnificent! 

I have also bred performance to performance (with calmer temperaments) -- those litters exceeded our expectations as well.

The point being, depending on what your breeder is looking for will determine whether the match is a good one or not  Are they trying to balance and improve their lines?


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Whitebeltduck said:


> I apologize if I am using the wrong terminology and also if this is a dumb question. Would it be okay to buy a puppy from a litter whose mothers lineage is field while the father's is show bred? Or do most good breeders only breed one type field or show? I know there are health clearances and other information to consider , but I'm just curious about this one question. Thank you


Are you planning to show in conformation? I can see where this scenario might be hard to work with unless one puppy is stellar in the conformation type out of the litter...
someone recently came to my Edward to 'pretty up' a little the half show/half field pedigree the bitch has. I think those puppies will be super workers AND be correct because the bitch herself is very nice and was probably one of those pups in the litter w stellar conformation.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

To me, those breedings produce the best Golden Retrievers. A versatile, all-around dog, who will have great energy and trainability, plus conform to the standards of the breed.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

"It depends"

With the RIGHT dogs a breeding like this can be super. You might not get something that will be competitive in the show ring or field trials (the two extreme sports in dogs) but you'll get a nice looking dog that is great for obedience, agility, hunt tests.

The downside are the people who do breedings like this merely to sell puppies.....because who wouldn't want the best of a mix like this?
An example I will keep nameless...
Well known performance breeder occasionally breeds 100% performance pedigree bitches to the Champion show dog down the road. Proximity and show title being the two most important reasons for breeding to that dog. We all know that there are SOME show Champions that are GREAT performance dogs in their own right, and some that are TERRIBLE performance dogs. The CH title really doesn't denote either.
So this breeder told me that they have found that "SHOW/FIELD" crosses gave them MEDIOCRE dogs that weren't good at anything.
Well, maybe if you were a little more picky about WHAT show CH sire you chose, you'd have better luck! 

My advice is look for breeders who have done crosses like this in the past and had SUCCESS (high level titles) with the resulting offspring. Not just all sold as pets and forgotten.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> . . .
> There are 3 types of breeders:
> 1. Those who love their particular dog and breed only to get a puppy out of her
> 2. Those who love a sport like conformation, field, obedience, etc. and breed to win
> ...


I think this bears repeating and is often overlooked by less experienced puppy purchasers.

Having had both field and show bred Goldens, we chose for our third Golden a dog that is a blend of both, hoping that she would have the best of what we had seen in each of the others. Recently while we were in the park we stopped while Gracie looked intently into the woods searching for a bird she sensed there. A couple passed by with a large showy Golden and paused while the man complimented me on Gracie's appearance and asked what she was on alert for. As he turned back to his wife, I heard him say "That's a real Golden Retriever." It made me very happy given that it was coming from another Golden owner. I know anecdotes are just that and others experience may vary but I'm a supporter of thoughtful combining of field and show lines.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I think there is definitely a 4th type of breeder.... :smile2:

That is somebody who wants to get into breeding however they can. There are a lot of people out there who only care if the dogs have full registration (and sometimes they don't even care that much) before trying to set up breedings.

I've had my dogs propositioned so many times by people like this. It's random people at the petstore who are actively looking for studs to breed their girls to. They only care if the dogs are intact, look good, and have papers. 

I've been REALLY happy when I've gotten propositions for my Jacks, because it can be a teaching moment for some people. I happily explain that my dog failed his hip clearances. This stuns people who see an active and strong looking dog. 

Other types of people out there - breed to their friend's dogs. Regardless of what pedigree is behind the dogs. There was a breeding that I know of that of friend of mine agreed to with her stud dog. This was a breeding where the female was not at all anything that you want to see being bred. The owner of the stud ABSOLUTELY did not want a puppy from the litter. This is a dog who a lot of us were convinced had hip dysplasia because of how she moves and jumps. Hips cleared but eh... But she agreed to the breeding regardless. <= I had a thought about whether I'd agree to the same breeding with my own dog. And probably I wouldn't. It's not worth it to me if there isn't the slightest possibility that I'd want to keep a puppy. 

I could babble on further, but bottom line is talk to the breeder and really have a good idea why they set up this litter. What was the purpose? What were they trying to accomplish? Is this a repeat litter too? 

If your goal is just a pup that is very much a golden retriever, you should be fine. Our second ever golden was a field/conformation cross. His mom came from mondo field lines (Kiowa) and the sire was a conformation dog from asterling lines. That was a very healthy dog (very low COI). He lived to be almost 14. He had faults all over the place, but he was one of the most memorable dogs anyone could have. He had 2-3 bites before he was 2 so there was some "red-head temperament" going on with him early on, but he was the sweetest and best dog anyone could have the rest of his life. 

^ This dog btw, had no field dog instincts. Unless you count being obsessed with chasing sunbeams. :grin2: He did not retrieve. Had no interests in birds or anything like that. He did not even see them, I don't think. LOL. 

Anyone who tells you straight up simply based on "concepts" that a field/conformation cross is ideal, they are ignoring the facts that the parent dogs themselves may absolutely not have the qualities that you would assume they have. And then there is not telling that the pups will have any traits or qualities that you hope they will have. 

So it really all depends on the experience, intentions, and so on that the breeders have going into such a litter.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Oh, I didn't include them because I don't consider them breeders! They are GREEDERS!



Megora said:


> I think there is definitely a 4th type of breeder.... :smile2:
> 
> That is somebody who wants to get into breeding however they can. There are a lot of people out there who only care if the dogs have full registration (and sometimes they don't even care that much) before trying to set up breedings.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

While I feel my girl is perfect ;-) her breeder's line could use a little boost from the "outside". I've never had a sweeter girl but has absolutely zero work ethic. Very smart and extremely creative but no drive at all. Who knows, maybe this was exactly what the breeder was going for... the perfect mellow yellow couch potato.


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## Whitebeltduck (Apr 13, 2017)

Thank you for all the replies. Our new puppy will be a family pet not going to be entering her in shows or anything. I was just curious.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Field or confirmation your puppies parents should have clearances listed with the ofa. Good breeders want to know their pups can do the jobs they are being bred for, regardless of what that job is. Even if you are just looking for a pet, it's important to know they came from good stock so do your homework. 

People on this forum will gladly help you research this information if you provide registered names or numbers for the litter's parents. Good luck on your hunt!


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