# Golden Retriever Coat



## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Here is a good article on Golden Retriever coats:

The Correct Golden Retriever Coat | The Golden Retriever Club of Canada



The first photo (a popular one to demonstrate the range of colors) shows dogs with wavy coats, and the second is a truly curly coat.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

I found this very interesting. The coat of the Golden with the curly coat almost looks like a Chesapeake Bay or Curly Coated Retriever. (well not exactly but sort of...)
Goldens of all colors and types are beautiful...there is a reason Goldens are so popular, between their glorious appearance and their temperament.

Thanks!


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

I thought Max's fur was too short on the back and sides because a lot of the retrievers I see are much more fluffy in those areas but Max's coat is exactly like the picture in that article. I found that interesting and pretty neat to know at least he has the correct coat! Size- well, that's another matter totally.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

BayBeams said:


> I found this very interesting. The coat of the Golden with the curly coat almost looks like a Chesapeake Bay or Curly Coated Retriever. (well not exactly but sort of...)
> Goldens of all colors and types are beautiful...there is a reason Goldens are so popular, between their glorious appearance and their temperament.
> 
> Thanks!


I also found it interesting, and at first blush I thought the photo of the curly dog was my Barkley. He was a rescue, so we weren't expecting a standard coat, but it's interesting to see other photos of Goldens with similar fur. Chesapeake Bay and Curly Coated Retrievers actually have different physical characteristics from the photo depicted (IMO).

Barkley:


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Dallas Gold said:


> I also found it interesting, and at first blush I thought the photo of the curly dog was my Barkley. He was a rescue, so we weren't expecting a standard coat, but it's interesting to see other photos of Goldens with similar fur. Chesapeake Bay and Curly Coated Retrievers actually have different physical characteristics from the photo depicted (IMO).
> 
> Barkley:


Definitely, the structure and appearance of the Chessy and the Curly Coated are different...it was the coat that struck me as similar based on that photo. 
I love the picture of your curly Golden...


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Thanks for the info - very interesting!


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

BayBeams said:


> Definitely, the structure and appearance of the Chessy and the Curly Coated are different...it was the coat that struck me as similar based on that photo.
> I love the picture of your curly Golden...


The five retrievers (six including Nova Scotia Duck Toller) - Chessie, Curly Coat, Flat Coat, Golden and Lab - all have very distinct outlines and would not be mistaken for one another in silhouette.

Barkley's coat would suggest that there may have been a Chessie come to calling


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> The five retrievers (six including Nova Scotia Duck Toller) - Chessie, Curly Coat, Flat Coat, Golden and Lab - all have very distinct outlines and would not be mistaken for one another in silhouette.
> 
> Barkley's coat would suggest that there may have been a Chessie come to calling


We had him DNA tested twice and at least one of the tests included Chesapeakes and Flat Coats, but not Duck Toller or Curly Coated Retrievers. The only breed listed on the report was Golden Retriever--so who knows what mysterious breed caused those curls! Whatever it was--he sure garnered lots of attention (and speculation).


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Thank you so much for posting this, I really learned something today. 
It's so important to know the correct terms, isn't it? Thank you again.


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## john martin (Feb 26, 2012)

Just want to inquire if Goldens have shorter coats in warmer climate such as tropical and sub-tropical areas.. Would appreciate your comments.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

john martin said:


> Just want to inquire if Goldens have shorter coats in warmer climate such as tropical and sub-tropical areas.. Would appreciate your comments.


Coat is genetic. So they will generally have the amount of coat that they were genetically programmed to carry. I know dogs in Hawaii, and Australia with lots of coat - they are not bothered by it, as it is protective and insulative.
The #3 Golden in the US is from Florida:
Pedigree: GCH CH Eagleridge's Return From Bombay
and he carries a good coat. Not bothered by the heat. Dogs also become acclimated to their surroundings pretty well.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

laprincessa said:


> Thank you so much for posting this, I really learned something today.
> It's so important to know the correct terms, isn't it? Thank you again.


You're welcome.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Maxi, Kate and Angel are happy to learn they have a proper coat.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Swampcollie said:


> Maxi, Kate and Angel are happy to learn they have a proper coat.


YAY! 

Of our four, two have the _easiest _coats - both Tommy and Maybe. Wash 'em dry 'em. Their coats lay nice and flat, with good undercoat and nice topcoat. 
Their mother Zoom, and brother/half-brother Crew, on the other hand, have correct coats, but they have much more wave, and always have a pretty dense undercoat. Takes a lot to get them wet to the skin, and if being shown, to blow it out straighter. And Zoom hates baths (she works very hard to get as dirty as she does and feels that as a retiree, she should not have to suffer the indignity of bathing.) Crew LOVES LOVES them and pouts if someone else gets one and he doesn't.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Angel has a very dense wavy coat. She has to be in the water a long time to actually be wet to the skin. Alas she HATES anything that comes remotely close to being called shampoo. Fortunately her coat repels most dirt and she rinses clean with a few dips in the lake.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

With our Danny who had a truly full and dense coat (and a little wavy curls in spot)... getting him wet wasn't too difficult. It was the getting him dry part that drove me nuts.  

I wonder if that means he had an incorrect coat or I needed to train him to hold still for the dryer (I know the answer). Jacks never needs the dryer and he doesn't curl. 

One thing I wanted to throw out there about the curls - Danny got curlier as he got older and his coat changed a little.


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