# Has anyone ever asked you if your Golden is a purebred?



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Only when it comes to the red goldens, some just don't know there is red goldens.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

oh yes, I've had people ask me if Tito is a purebred golden, and he's a CH ! Typically they say, "oh, I have a purebred golden that looks nothing like him, so I thought he was a mix" ! ! 
I find it kind of funny.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Max has a blocky head, stands at 24 and a half inches, and is a reddish copper. I'm always getting asked what kind of dog he is. One person with a very tall golden asked me why he was so short and why his head was so big and why he had so much coat and why he had as much coat as a collie.
I took my iPhone, sent to the AKC standard, showed that to him (his dog was clearly too tall), searched for sites explaining how early neutering may impact a dog's bone development and height, showed him my breeder's site, and basically said "My Max is to standard, a well bred golden bred to standard and not neutered until after he was two years old. You might want to educate yourself before you go questioning a golden sired by an international champion and out of a well bred field dam."
He REALLY ticked me off because he was SO SELF RIGHTEOUS. So I turned it right back on him. I can be the biggest b1tch in the world.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Mercy is beautiful. I tend to like a "doggy bitch" but I don't think she's too doggy. That sentence sounds ridiculous! ?She has a really pleasing head. Her ears may just not be as velvet thick as some. The really thick ones are super easy to groom. Thankfully mine has those! Gibbs is almost an Am champion, needing just a few points to finish, and I've had people ask me what breed he was, if he was purebred, etc. Try to do a little education about conformation lines vs field vs BYB'S but it doesn't always work! 


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## Mosby's Mom (Oct 19, 2011)

We have a few people here and there ask us what breed Mosby is, and when we say "Golden" they usually comment that they've never seen a Golden that color before. He's really not even that dark/red! Then just over Thanksgiving, my cousin asked us if he was mixed with some sort of hound, since his head isn't as blocky as other Golden heads that she's seen. In general, Mo looks a lot leaner and lighter boned than a lot of conformation Goldens, but since he's from field lines it's what we were expecting when we got him


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

I always love the *"is he part chow?"* question.:doh: I was walking with my breeder and her gorgeous AM CH dark gold boy through the illustrious Scottsdale horse show and we got that several times. We were also holding a 3 month old half brother and everyone was saying he didn't look like a dog, he was a bear. Needless to say, we took two to three steps between each person stopping us. These two well bred golden boys had everyone stumped and in love.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

People keep asking me about Shadow - they think he's too fluffy to be a golden. I think they are confusing a golden with a lab when they do that though.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

As the mom of a red golden I get asked that all the time. Most people ask if she is a mix or what breed is she. Tayla is the first purebred dog I have ever owned so it's a little disheartening. She is probably not the best bred of dogs, but I think she is lovely and when she gets a little older her coat will be magnificient.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Tayla's Mom said:


> As the mom of a red golden I get asked that all the time. Most people ask if she is a mix or what breed is she. Tayla is the first purebred dog I have ever owned so it's a little disheartening. She is probably not the best bred of dogs, but I think she is lovely and when she gets a little older her coat will be magnificient.


Your girl is lovely, I happen to prefer the Field Lines myself for many reasons.


Yes, especially when my Bridge boy was alive, he was a dark red, almost a mahogany color. He was AKC but not a well bred Golden. My two current Goldens are also purebreds, AKC, but again not well bred Goldens either-both adopted. One from a GR Rescue and the other from my County Humane Society. I have also gotten many comments from people saying they can't believe they are Rescues because they are so beautiful and I'm like, Really??????


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Mercy is a sweet girl and looks every bit golden!

Nearly every time Im out in public with any of mine...I get the what breed is your dog. Is (s)he "pure"? Followed by: I have (my neighbor has) a Golden and he doesn't look ANYTHING like that! 

I have a half a mind to print out the measurement part of the standard and a link to GRCA on the back of a business card!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Your girl is lovely, I happen to prefer the Field Lines myself for many reasons.
> 
> 
> Yes, especially when my Bridge boy was alive, he was a dark red, almost a mahogany color. He was AKC but not a well bred Golden. My two current Goldens are also purebreds, AKC, but again not well bred Goldens either-both adopted. One from a GR Rescue and the other from my County Humane Society. I have also gotten many comments from people saying they can't believe they are Rescues because they are so beautiful and I'm like, Really??????


Yes, all of ours have been an adoption of some sort. Tayla came to us through a co-worker of my husband who got her as a 5 week old puppy in TN from a "breeder". He had enough of her after 4 months and that's how we got her. She wasn't a puppy that many could handle. I'm just stubborn that way and worked and worked and now she is going to be an incredible dog.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Only hen he was a little pup did I have people ask. Now that BaWaaJige is all grown I get stopped by people wanting to know where I got him and if I plan on breeding him. I tell them where I got him and that yes down the road I plan I it but not yet then they usually get upset saying they WOULD LOVE A PUP OFF HIM. Oh well I have my plan and I am sticking to it.


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## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

I just figure when people ask what breed a Golden is, they are not very into dogs or familiar with breeds. Goldens are so popular around where I am that I can't imagine someone not knowing what breed it is. But then, I love watching dog shows on tv, watching animal planet shows about different breeds, etc. LOL! I've definitely asked people what breed their dog was...but it's usually when it's an unfamiliar breed to me.

I don't recall really ever being asked if Rocket was purebred. But then, he's a fairly "standard" color and shape. Most people comment on how beautiful he is and ask where I got him. And I get a lot of comments on how big he's going to be, based on his "huge" paws.


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

I've been asked a couple of times if Jack was an IrishSetter.People always look at Sweetie & say what a beutifull Golden puppy.To me she looks less of aGolden than Jack but that may be because I know Jacks history & not hers.Doesn't change the love & she deffinatly has the personality of a Golden


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Oh yes-people would ask me that question about my Am Ch, GRCA Outstanding Sire  He's the boy in my avatar. Some even insisted that he could not be purebred because he was too small! He weighed 78 pounds and was a bit over 23 1/2" tall. Their Goldens inevitably were "much taller" and weighed "at least a hundred pounds!" 

Oh well.


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

We have been forever asked what breed is she or is she a rescue. I suppose people are used to seeing an overweight fluffy GR.


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## Barneysgirl (Nov 23, 2012)

I can't believe people are so forward (rude). I'd never think of asking someone that. We had a golden who was not purebred (half chow) but he looked like he was purebred, except for the black spots on his tongue.

This little girl we are getting does not have the apparently desirable blocky head, but I like her that way. Her dad is huge, with a blocky head. He's an english golden. Her mother is dark red with a more narrow snout, like a field golden? We like them because they are both so friendly, not necessarily because they conform to a certain standard (which seems kind of arbitrary, anyway). She's not as fluffy as most of her her siblings, either. So I suppose we can expect those questions? I'll just say its none of their business! It'd be like asking if that's someone's natural hair color....


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## LeilaM (Sep 14, 2012)

She is sooo cute. Congrats. Yes... people can be rude. Just smile and tell people how much your family loves her. We don't have a puppy yet but I can confirm that people do this with kids too. My husband and I both have dark brown hair yet we have two blonde haired children and yes we get comments. Our response usually has something to do with the milkman


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Two things I've learned - don't ask a woman if she's pregnant and don't ask what breed of dog someone has.  Just say they look great and keep walking.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

It's the is your dog purebred that bothers me. If someone asks me what breed and I say golden, and then you ask if my dog is purebred, I find that really annoying. Years ago, I had Georgie and Mantha at a soccer game when they were pups. This man proudly came up to me with his ginormous female golden, totally incorrect coat, and said this is Bailey, she is three and has had two litters. What kind of pups are they? When I told him, he said they didn't look like Goldens.... And Mantha became a Can Ch and finished with 10 AKC points.


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## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

I'm the one who brings up the doubt of my guys' "purebredness"...he passes for a golden & have gotten his DNA back---he is a golden!

I'm surprised at the number of golden owners that have said they've never seen a golden this dark. I've seen plenty, and he's not even that dark.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Yes.. People do ask if Molly is purebred.. Most of the time I don't mind because I know they are just misinformed/don't know a well bred golden when they see one. But one time, another golden owner told me Molly didn't look like a purebred because her head was so big. Even though I like bigger heads, I thought that was very rude! She probably thought Molly was a freakshow, lol! 

As for color.. It's actually the blonde ones that are uncommon here. If your golden isn't reddish orange some will wonder if they're purebred. It seems like most BYB goldens here are red/orange. 

It is sad when people don't know a well bred golden when they see one.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Lilliam said:


> Max has a blocky head, stands at 24 and a half inches, and is a reddish copper. I'm always getting asked what kind of dog he is. One person with a very tall golden asked me why he was so short and why his head was so big and why he had so much coat and why he had as much coat as a collie.
> I took my iPhone, sent to the AKC standard, showed that to him (his dog was clearly too tall), searched for sites explaining how early neutering may impact a dog's bone development and height, showed him my breeder's site, and basically said "My Max is to standard, a well bred golden bred to standard and not neutered until after he was two years old. You might want to educate yourself before you go questioning a golden sired by an international champion and out of a well bred field dam."
> He REALLY ticked me off because he was SO SELF RIGHTEOUS. So I turned it right back on him. I can be the biggest b1tch in the world.


Mercy's father is an international champion as well. I just didn't mention it at first. I have edited my original post to include that. He was also the number #1 Golden in 2007 according to the UKC.

Try to have more patience with people dear!


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## Lil_Burke (Aug 14, 2010)

We took Sawyer with us to the Christmas parade this weekend (he was very well behaved I might add and enjoyed all the petting from kids and adults) and we had at least 3 people ask if he was a Golden. He also always gets mistaken for a girl. I mean, he is a little smaller (68lbs) but i don't think he looks like a girl either!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Mercy's Mom - she's a beautiful girl with a very sweet face. I wouldn't fuss about it too much. I think people just have their perspectives skewed based on what they own or see most of the time. 

This is kinda funny, but I always thought of my Jacksipants as this short little golden, and he is really compared to a lot of goldens we train with. Performance style goldens have the longer legs and leaner frames. Jacks is short legged little boy.  

But since I've been keeping close watch on the fat little golden dumpling running around my house the past few days, Jacks suddenly GREW a couple inches in my brain. Especially his legs. And of course I'm aware of how huge his head and bones are. And I now know why people always describe goldens' coats as coarse.  

I immediately noticed this when I hung out with Bertie's litter and breeder for a few hours and then went up to visit with his mom and uncle. My immediate thought when I met the uncle was "wow, he's solid and had a tough feeling coat". That was compared to feeling the soft fluff and loose skin of pups. 

The rest.... well, so far the people I've met in the neighborhood and at the vet immediately go "golden puppy" when they see Bertie. I know that will change when he goes through the uglies in a month though.


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## LilBitBit (Jan 15, 2012)

Oh yes! I get that a lot because my boy has purple spots on his tongue so people like to tell me he can't be purebred because he has a "chow tongue". Buddy's kinda a big boy at 73 pounds so I also get the "he's HUGE" comments. Our trainer is absolutely amazed because he has a nice big blocky head, she swears she's never seen it for a Golden.


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## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

Lil_Burke said:


> He also always gets mistaken for a girl. I mean, he is a little smaller (68lbs) but i don't think he looks like a girl either!


While we don't get asked much if he's purebred, Rocket gets mistaken for a girl a lot, too! 

I honestly don't know why....he looks ALL boy to me. And is a total goof. Maybe because he is very sweet and loves to cuddle up to anyone. He does this thing where he rubs up against your legs like a cat, then sits on your feet, leaning his entire weight on your legs, looking up at you with puppydog eyes to elicit pets. Exactly what his momma did to me, and I loved it.  I took him to the dog park on Saturday and he kept taking breaks from playing to do this to each person who was there.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Frequently. Max is too big, too tall, too curly, and too light. I've been informed that no purebred Golden has a tail that fluffy, or is that curly, blah blah blah. 

If people are nice about it, I'll tell them that I know he's out of breed standard for size, but since I never had any intention of breeding him, it doesn't matter to me. If they're rude, I tell them that yes, he's pure and then ask why they need to know. 

Patience can be highly over-rated.


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I get that question a lot with Chester. Since he is the only golden retriever around here everyone is always saying things like " o that's the commercial dog" or "that's the dog from the puppy chow commercial" it gets so annoying and tiring after a while and then when people tell me my dog is a lab is even more annoying. How do you tell someone what their dog is. 


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

CStrong73 said:


> I just figure when people ask what breed a Golden is, they are not very into dogs or familiar with breeds. Goldens are so popular around where I am that I can't imagine someone not knowing what breed it is. But then, I love watching dog shows on tv, watching animal planet shows about different breeds, etc. LOL! I've definitely asked people what breed their dog was...but it's usually when it's an unfamiliar breed to me.
> 
> I don't recall really ever being asked if Rocket was purebred. But then, he's a fairly "standard" color and shape. Most people comment on how beautiful he is and ask where I got him. And I get a lot of comments on how big he's going to be, based on his "huge" paws.


I agree. I just assume when people ask they are just not into dogs as I am! People are always telling me how huge Ben is going to be because his paws are "huge". They're not huge. He's 59lbs 21 1/2 inches at 9.5 months. Sorry people but he's not going to be 100 lbs! 

Also people ask me if he's a retriever. I'm like "yeah a golden". I just think that's a weird question because there are lots of different kinds of retrievers. I thought goldens were popular enough that people would recognize one when they see one. Guess not! Well to be fair when he was younger his hair was shorter so I can see why uneducated people always thought he was a lab. 


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

People have asked me about the Chow part in Tess (because of the spots on her tongue), and her being a Lab, and Liza....well, of course Liza is a Lab, anyone can see that (as long as you ignore her tail, and her feathers and....). Oh, and Tess is far too skinny (63 lbs) and not big enough, because Goldens are much heavier and bigger, and Liza (45 lbs), she is all skin and bones, and too tiny for a 7 1/2 months Golden. 
I usually smile and move on.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Last week on a walk with Bentley a woman said "Oh my, what a beautiful little chow you have there" I just said thank you and kept walking. 
~~~You can't fix stupid~~~~


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

Bentleysmom said:


> Last week on a walk with Bentley a woman said "Oh my, what a beautiful little chow you have there" I just said thank you and kept walking.
> ~~~You can't fix stupid~~~~


I just had to laugh. A chow?? Really?? Oh geez. Haha nope you definitely can't fix that!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Yes.

I had a couple people when Brady was a puppy tell me he was not a golden but a yellow lab. What made me laugh was even as a puppy, Brady had a very fluffy coat.

MacKenzie is a rescue, so who knows if she is 100 percent. When I first brought her to the vet as a puppy, the vet tech swore she was not a pure bred, without me knowing she put on the records that she was a golden mix. When she was about a year, the vet noticed it, and said, "Why does it say she is a golden mix? She is definitely a pure bred." Tell you the truth, it has only been the past year that I have believed she is a pure bred - but she is very tall, and had a very thin coat.

I remember years ago, before I knew anything about goldens and reputable breeders, an executive for the company I worked for went out of state to buy a "very expensive" golden retriever. We heard it had a black tongue. All of us discussed how we were going to break the news to him that his dog was part chow! :doh: 

Another thing that is amazing is when we were looking for a dog to rescue, it was amazing how many of them were listed as chow mixes. Now how many chows do you see everyday? Not nearly enough to father even some of the chows that are listed in the pounds.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

MercyMom said:


> Hi there. I thought I would ask whether anyone has experienced people asking if their dog was a purebred. I have seen threads about the Golden Standard and how alot of people with Goldens don't even recognize a true Golden when they see one. But those threads were closed before I could add my two cents. Anyway, I used to think many years ago like many other people that Goldens with pointed snouts were beautiful. But every time I saw a Golden at the Westminster Dog show on tv, I would think, my that's different than the Goldens I've seen! I went to different pet events and saw more beautiful reputably bred Goldens, so I had an idea what I wanted when I was ready.
> 
> A year ago I was looking for a blond Golden with a blocky head. To keep a long story short, I ended up with Mercy. She was from a repeat breeding, the last one too. She looks kinda weird when compared even to other reputably bred dogs. Two of her sisters are UKC champions and her father is UKC grand champion and american champion as well as international champion. Anyway, when I look at Mercy's head it looks rounder than even other well bred Goldens, especially from behind. Her sisters are also big headed as her father's head looked like that of a bear. Her head is big like a male. She looks like a lion for sure. Her ears also have a funny bent to them. I wonder if this is normal. In some ways to me, she looks like a Great Pyrenees/Golden Retriever mix.
> 
> ...


People always think Brady is a girl and when I would walk my 120 lb Great Pyrenees, so many people thought he was a golden retriever.

I think a lot of people just don't know their breeds.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Barneysgirl said:


> I can't believe people are so forward (rude). I'd never think of asking someone that. We had a golden who was not purebred (half chow) but he looked like he was purebred, except for the black spots on his tongue.
> 
> This little girl we are getting does not have the apparently desirable blocky head, but I like her that way. Her dad is huge, with a blocky head. He's an english golden. Her mother is dark red with a more narrow snout, like a field golden? We like them because they are both so friendly, not necessarily because they conform to a certain standard (which seems kind of arbitrary, anyway). She's not as fluffy as most of her her siblings, either. So I suppose we can expect those questions? I'll just say its none of their business! It'd be like asking if that's someone's natural hair color....


A lot of well bred goldens have black spots on their tongues too. On this board we call them "treat spots" because that is where you place the treat. :


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

I agree that a lot of the comments are the result of people just not knowing their breeds. Before I got into dogs, I thought there there was something called a Golden Lab.

I think Zoe's pretty much in standard and I don't remember ever having anyone ask or not know what she was or think she was a boy. I have had people comment on "how small" she is (65lbs. & 21")!! Zeke, who was from field lines, was a different story . . . is that an Irish Setter . . . is that a Toller . . . what an unusual color. . . what a pretty girl. He was neutered at about 7 months and from what I've learned since I wonder how much that affected his appearance.


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

While I do have a mix, I'll never expect a "purebred" comment; however, the comments we do get have my blood boiling sometimes. 

People will ask what breed he is and I'll say "golden mix" and then they will proceed to tell me that they've NEVER SEEN a black golden before. Uhhh. Duh! He's a mix! 

Oh is he a cocker spaniel? No. He's a golden mix. 

Are you sure? 

Actually, I am. You see, I met his mother. She's a purebred golden (though poorly bred). 


On a seperate (but related note), I like guessing breeds, so I'll ask an owner what breed their dog is and then move along with my day. lol!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Vhuynh2 said:


> Yes.. People do ask if Molly is purebred.. Most of the time I don't mind because I know they are just misinformed/don't know a well bred golden when they see one. But one time, another golden owner told me Molly didn't look like a purebred because her head was so big. Even though I like bigger heads, I thought that was very rude! She probably thought Molly was a freakshow, lol!
> 
> As for color.. It's actually the blonde ones that are uncommon here. If your golden isn't reddish orange some will wonder if they're purebred. It seems like most BYB goldens here are red/orange.
> 
> It is sad when people don't know a well bred golden when they see one.


I don't mind educating people myself. I enjoy it. I am so fascinated with dogs and I can understand other newbies being fascinated in them like I was when I was younger and didn't know as much about dogs. There are people from all walks of life who will have different viewpoints. It actually flatters me when people ask if she's a purebred since she I know it is because she is closer to standard. I don't really like her being called a Lab though.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Brave said:


> While I do have a mix, I'll never expect a "purebred" comment; however, the comments we do get have my blood boiling sometimes.
> 
> People will ask what breed he is and I'll say "golden mix" and then they will proceed to tell me that they've NEVER SEEN a black golden before. Uhhh. Duh! He's a mix!
> 
> ...


I ask people what kind of dog too including cool looking mixed breeds.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Lil_Burke said:


> We took Sawyer with us to the Christmas parade this weekend (he was very well behaved I might add and enjoyed all the petting from kids and adults) and we had at least 3 people ask if he was a Golden. He also always gets mistaken for a girl. I mean, he is a little smaller (68lbs) but i don't think he looks like a girl either!


I'm so glad you had fun! I plan on taking Mercy and my son to our hometown Christmas parade this weekend too!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Megora said:


> Mercy's Mom - she's a beautiful girl with a very sweet face. I wouldn't fuss about it too much. I think people just have their perspectives skewed based on what they own or see most of the time.
> 
> This is kinda funny, but I always thought of my Jacksipants as this short little golden, and he is really compared to a lot of goldens we train with. Performance style goldens have the longer legs and leaner frames. Jacks is short legged little boy.
> 
> ...


Congratulations on your little Bertie!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

CStrong73 said:


> While we don't get asked much if he's purebred, Rocket gets mistaken for a girl a lot, too!
> 
> I honestly don't know why....he looks ALL boy to me. And is a total goof. Maybe because he is very sweet and loves to cuddle up to anyone. He does this thing where he rubs up against your legs like a cat, then sits on your feet, leaning his entire weight on your legs, looking up at you with puppydog eyes to elicit pets. Exactly what his momma did to me, and I loved it.  I took him to the dog park on Saturday and he kept taking breaks from playing to do this to each person who was there.


That's my kind of Golden!


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

xoerika620xo said:


> I get that question a lot with Chester. Since he is the only golden retriever around here everyone is always saying things like " o that's the commercial dog" or "that's the dog from the puppy chow commercial" it gets so annoying and tiring after a while and then when people tell me my dog is a lab is even more annoying. How do you tell someone what their dog is.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


Alot of people said Mercy looked like an Air Bud puppy when she was 4 months old. It was quite flattering.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

CStrong73 said:


> I just figure when people ask what breed a Golden is, they are not very into dogs or familiar with breeds. Goldens are so popular around where I am that I can't imagine someone not knowing what breed it is. But then, I love watching dog shows on tv, watching animal planet shows about different breeds, etc. LOL! I've definitely asked people what breed their dog was...but it's usually when it's an unfamiliar breed to me.
> 
> I don't recall really ever being asked if Rocket was purebred. But then, he's a fairly "standard" color and shape. Most people comment on how beautiful he is and ask where I got him. And I get a lot of comments on how big he's going to be, based on his "huge" paws.


Oh yes, I have gotten plenty of comments about Mercy have big legs and paws and how she is going to be a big dog!


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

People crack me up, with Sparkles she is a nice size of 21 1/2 inches and 57 pounds I used to get asked, before she got her sugar face if she was a puppy. But she is so small. Um no she is not lol. 
I was walking Boots and Tink in a brace at a campground and got asked if he was the Mom. Nope neutered male, but he is small nope he is just right actually. But the worst is Tink, I get asked is she a golden, yep. She's female? Yes she is just a puppy. Then they ask when are you breeding her! I have never been asked so many times when I am going to breed a female before. Its nuts the vet keeps asking too. Just cause she has a uterus doesn't mean we have to make use of it people!

Your right you can't fix stupid but you can try to educate it or just beat the dumb person once in a while


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## LilBitBit (Jan 15, 2012)

I get that too, Altairss! Because I have a big, pretty purebred boy I get asked if I can breed. Luckily, Buddy's fur on his chest and stomach is pretty long, so I can usually get away with saying "he's already fixed". No, I have been educated by this forum and I won't be contributing to any BYB, and since I don't plan on showing my dog that means no puppies.

The best one was a man who prefaced his question with "oh, what breed is that?".


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## Pup (May 12, 2012)

I get the opposite. Rain is a Lab/Golden. Everyone just assumes she's a purebred Golden and when I say she's mostly Lab, they try to argue with me saying how she looks 100% Golden, She does have long fur and a feathering tail, but her ears are set more Labish


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

this is not something I've ever thought of. I love love love the Golden standard look. It is my favorite dog breed as far as looks go and I can't believe how lucky to have such a sweet temperament to go along with it.
I look at all of your dogs on here and they are just gorgeous. It makes me so excited to see my Peaches grow. I hope she looks just like her parents and all her extended family! And I'll be proud to point out that she is purebred if anyone asks…I have no problem putting people in their place around here in my neighborhood, ha ha.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

MercyMom said:


> of I don't really like her being called a Lab though.


Molly has been called worse.. A GOLDENDOODLE!! No offense to goldendoodle owners..


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## Portia1224 (May 26, 2011)

Yes, I've been asked if Willow is part Lab (understandable when she was still in the awkward teenage stage when her full coat hadn't come in yet), a cocker spaniel (um... okay), and also if she is a Great Dane (ditto.) I had another Golden growing up named Sasha who was from conformation lines and looked like a pretty typical conformation golden. Once a woman insisted that Sasha could not be a purebred golden because her head was too big and her coat too fluffy. She apparently had to be part St. Bernard. :doh:


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

All the time. It's especially fun when they try to argue with me. Like, duh, I don't know what my dog is. I used to get a little angry, but I'm so used to it by now. I just answer, smile, walk away and let them argue with themselves.


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## Dwyllis (Nov 22, 2012)

Over here in NZ I'm not even sure we have those beautiful more reddish goldies. Even the traditional deeper golden goldies are getting quite hard to find. It is definitely the very pale creamy goldies that everyone seems to want & are breeding for over here. Although white is not a recognised colour, registered breeders are breeding virtually White babies also. Loki came from a litter of five boys. Four of them were light to darker champagne (that's what the registered breeder called the colour & it is a good description). The other boy was born white & he was the first to have a deposit paid on him, at six days old when photos of the babies were put up ... I have put those photos in my album. Loki was the next to be spoken for, as he was the one with the next lightest coat colour & the biggest baby, which my husband wanted. Before choosing to get a baby from this breeder, I looked at what the breeders in Auckland, way up North were producing, & all their litters consisted of very pale beautiful babies. The only golden goldies I saw, were babies bred from non-registered people, breeding from their un-spayed pet girl, mated with un-neutered pet dogs, so no papers. Most of those babies were the rich golden tones. So purebred goldies with the richer colourings from registered breeders are virtually impossible to find in this part of the world, which really is such a shame, I think. 

My boy Loki takes after his father, with the big block head & sturdy body on the shorter legs ...there is a photo of the father also in my album. The breeder says she has shown him at times, just to get her kennel name out there, but I don't think she is serious about it .....she is the wife of a farmer & her registered breeding boys & girls spend their days romping about the fields ...she was delivering lambs on my first visit to see Loki. She certainly does not keep them looking in pristine condition, but they are lovely goldies. Goldies are popular in NZ for their retrieving abilities ....people use them for duck shooting ....but Labs are much more common. There are just two GRs in the rural town we live in .....Loki & an older adult goldie who is the more traditional colour. I imagine Loki will darken up as he matures & might end up as a fawn colour. So far, everyone has recognised him as a GR. it's my little papillon Jontay, who is out of Champion bloodlines & very definitely looks like a papillon, which at least one person insisted was not purebred, as she had a purebred papillon who looked nothing like Jontay. I saw her walking her 'papillon' one day, & it was definitely not purebred. I was quite annoyed with her, as all she had to do was look at photos of purebred papillons to see that hers was not. But I cannot be bothered with people who insist they know something, when clearly they have not done any research.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I have often been asked, too, mostly due to his spot on his tongue.


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## Sammy&Cooper (Dec 28, 2011)

I was walking with my cousin one day. i had Sammy (my 2 year old golden) and she was walking her 2 year old Pomeranian. a lady walking by asked if they were brother and sister because they were the same colour :s. I didn't even know what to say! lol we explained that they were 2 separate breeds and not related. 


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Sammy&Cooper said:


> I was walking with my cousin one day. i had Sammy (my 2 year old golden) and she was walking her 2 year old Pomeranian. a lady walking by asked if they were brother and sister because they were the same colour :s. I didn't even know what to say! lol we explained that they were 2 separate breeds and not related.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


Really like that one!


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## klynn5021 (Jun 20, 2012)

Yes, I always used to get the, "Is he a lab?", "Is he purebred?" "What is he mixed with?", "What breed is he?" questions all the time. And yes, most people think Bentley is a girl. It doesnt really bother me much, because I understand that not everyone is as knowledgable about dogs as maybe I am. When he was alot younger, more people thought he was a Lab than a Golden. I never really understood because Labs arent fluffy like he was, but then again, if you dont know your breeds it makes sense.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Yes, I am asked all the time what breed my two are. Because light goldens must be new (most have traditional colors) in my area, most think mine are poor examples of pyrenese (sp?), not good examples of goldens. Now that they are more mature and better coats are growing I am asked less, but because of color, still the question of Pyrenese mix is asked. I don't mind and when asked it gives me a chance to explain our wide color choices. I still prefer the darker colors, but have gotten used to their light colors and feel it too is beautiful. With all the ranches in our area, I am sure the Pyrenese/Golden mix question will follow my kids the rest of their lives. Crazy when you know the breeds because neither of the dogs look anything but Golden but when all you know is that a Golden is supposeto be red/golden and mine are light then questions will be asked. Big Sigh!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I also get asked why Tito is so small (he's 23-1/2 inches tall, weighs 68 pounds, which puts him right smack in the middle of the breed standard). I say, "because that's the size they're supposed to be!"
About the black spots on the tongue, it's genetic and very common in goldens. Not a sign they're mixed with chows at all! Tito has black spots, as do quite a few of his puppies.
His are way back on his tongue. I call them his thermometer. When we're doing active stuff out in the heat, if the spots are showing, he's getting overheated and it's time to quit!


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## Maverick James (Feb 27, 2012)

We use to get this all the time with our late Maverick who other than his height, was about as perfect an example of the breed as you could get. Never understood why they thought he was anything but a purebred golden.

When we got Murdock though, I thought a few people were going to get back hand by my wife because people would ask he is he was a doodle because he was so fluffy. Seriously, I thought someone was going to get hurt!


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Yep I have been asked that about both my goldens. I just think some people are just ignorant when it comes to dog breeds in general.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I get asked all the time and it's usually not a big deal to me. The only time I ever get miffed is when the owner of an obese golden retriever comes up and asks if my Toby is purebred because he's so "skinny". I look at them and usually reply Toby has his AKC papers and yes he's purebred, he probably looks different than most goldens because he is a normal weight. In reality he is on the thin side, but his vet is happy with his weight and I'm not so sure that can be said of the other owner's golden. :no:


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Yup - I have been asked the question EVERY TIME I took Rose out. And every time I asked if they are referring to the looks or behavior. Because at times she certainly behaves like a mutt. I thought that due to her almost white coloring people confused her with a lab. From the above posts I guess most people just don't know what golden retrievers really look like.


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## raqinmex (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm surprised no one has asked yet. The two adoptees look kind of scruffy at the moment.
Well anyhow this is mexico and nobody really cares that much.


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