# Field vs. Confirmation Golden Retriever



## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

So I have been kind of obsessing lately as to why Tessa's coat is so short and thin! She was never really fluffy (feeling a little disappointed) so I started looking into different types of Golden's.


I know that all Golden's have different coats and come in all shapes and sizes, but I am so used to seeing my big fluff ball Kora that I am now concerned that Tessa is really thin and furless!


I have read about Field Golden Retrievers and how they are leaner and not usually as fluffy! Kora is most definitely a confirmation Golden as she definitely looks like a show dog!


Does anyone have any then and now picks of a Field Golden? I guess I am just a little concerned, not that I don't think Tessa is a Golden, but that she will not have a full and beautiful coat like Kora!

I have attached a picture of Tessa and another golden her same age playing...Tessa is the one with shorter fur!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

If I remember well, your pup is 4 or 5 months old now. They go through a "flat coat" phase at about that age. I've posted photos of my pup, who is from field lines, when he was 5 months old and as an adult. The adult coat starts to come in (if I remember properly) at about 6 to 8 months of age. You will see a big difference. As you can see from the photos below, my pup had a very smooth coat at around 5 months of age and his adult coat is very different.


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## mp2005 (Jul 17, 2018)

I had the same concern about my pup, who's 9 months now... he had a flat coat for a while after his puppy fuzz phase, and at about 6 months, he really started to grow a longer flowy coat. I attached photos below (4 months vs 8 months). The difference is most visible in his tail, I think! He has SO much hair now that my friends sometimes tease me about when I worried he'd be flat coated forever


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

ceegee said:


> If I remember well, your pup is 4 or 5 months old now. They go through a "flat coat" phase at about that age. I've posted photos of my pup, who is from field lines, when he was 5 months old and as an adult. The adult coat starts to come in (if I remember properly) at about 6 to 8 months of age. You will see a big difference. As you can see from the photos below, my pup had a very smooth coat at around 5 months of age and his adult coat is very different.


He's stunning, I love the Field Goldens. 
And those whiskers are to die for.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I think she looks like a conformation Golden and I bet her coat will fill out just how you want it. The dog in my signature went through a "naked" phase and had such short hair that people kept asking if he was a Lab! Nope, definitely not. My puppy is going through the transformation right now. She has a darker and wavy strip down her back that is hilarious, but the rest is still puppy fluff. Rocket is on Instagram if you want to scroll all the way to bottom and watch his transformation. eeveelution_of_rocket


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> He's stunning, I love the Field Goldens.
> And those whiskers are to die for.



Thank you! He's a beautiful dog and very good-natured. I hit the jackpot with him.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Field vs conformation? Hmmm. Not necessarily. It all depends on the dog. Sometimes they have little coat at 5 months and develop a ton of coat. Sometimes they never develop it. Sometimes they have great coat from an early age and never lose it. It just depends on the dog.

Let me show you a few examples. These are all conformation dogs.

Check out this guy. His name was Freedom and he was a conformation dog. In fact, he was THE conformation dog. He was the #1 Golden Retriever show dog in the country for multiple years. Here is what he looked like at 5 months.










Pretty naked compared to how he looked all grown up.










(BTW, the ad in the above photo is by our own Anney Doucette. If you ever need an ad designed, or a logo, or anything having to do with dogs, hit her up. She's awesome.)

But some conformation dogs just never get a lot of coat. Here is one of my dogs at 5 months old.










And here she is last month. She's two years old now, and she still does not have a lot of coat.










So, a lot can change in a few months. Or it might not. Ceegee is right, you can often see a huge difference between 5 and 6 months old, but not always. Dogs are all different. 

On the other hand, some dogs have great coat at a very young age, and keep it. Here is Sonny at 5.5 months old. Look at all that coat!










And for reference, here he is grown up.










And here is another of my dogs at 3 months old. This is Gibbs.










And here he is at five months old.










And here he is at about 14 months old.


























Quite a difference. So, you just never know. Just love your puppy, and look again when your pup is about three years old. That's when Goldens usually have their full coat.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

ceegee said:


> If I remember well, your pup is 4 or 5 months old now. They go through a "flat coat" phase at about that age. I've posted photos of my pup, who is from field lines, when he was 5 months old and as an adult. The adult coat starts to come in (if I remember properly) at about 6 to 8 months of age. You will see a big difference. As you can see from the photos below, my pup had a very smooth coat at around 5 months of age and his adult coat is very different.


Thank you! Yes, Tessa is just 17 weeks today! I can only hope that her coat turns out as beautiful as your pups!


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

DanaRuns said:


> Field vs conformation? Hmmm. Not necessarily. It all depends on the dog. Sometimes they have little coat at 5 months and develop a ton of coat. Sometimes they never develop it. Sometimes they have great coat from an early age and never lose it. It just depends on the dog.
> 
> Let me show you a few examples. These are all conformation dogs.
> 
> ...


Your dogs are absolutely stunning! Kora looked a lot like your pups when she was little! I can only hope that Tessa's coat will fill out soon!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Field dog?

Six week old field puppy.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Shala at 4 months old, then one year old (with her pal), and then at 18 months old. She didn't even yet have her full coat at 18 months.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

Shala is beautiful! 

Thank you all for the pictures and reassurance! 
I am sure I am just being paranoid and inpatient!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Kora2014 said:


> Shala is beautiful!
> 
> Thank you all for the pictures and reassurance!
> I am sure I am just being paranoid and inpatient!



Thank you. :smile2:


Yes, your dog's coat will definitely come in. But it could well take up til 2 years old or so.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Some dogs just don't have as much coat. Here's some pictures of my boy - in the first picture, he's almost 3. Second picture was earlier this year, right before he turned 4. He's 100% conformation line, he just got the "short end" of the stick.


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## nancie (Aug 4, 2018)

I agree with others. It’s not necessarily a different type of golden. It’s very normal for them to look skinny and furrless around that age. 

This is Maximus at 4/5 months, and then at 10 months. (Not even a year yet and he is genuinely like a bear). I could brush him every day.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

He has a beautiful coat and I love his big square head!!


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

This is a better picture of Tessa from this morning...I guess I'm just being paranoid because we got her from a breeder, but she isn't registered so my husband is skeptical!
I appreciate all your feedback!


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Kora2014 said:


> This is a better picture of Tessa from this morning...I guess I'm just being paranoid because we got her from a breeder, but she isn't registered so my husband is skeptical!
> I appreciate all your feedback!


Skeptical of what?

And, oh my. A breeder of unregistered Golden Retrievers? That's not a good sign. Such breeders rarely worry about the quality of dog they are producing. They often are unconcerned with breeding to type, meaning they take no efforts to make sure the puppies they produce have, among other things, a proper coat. So, who knows, your fears may be well founded. Or they may not. You'll just have to wait and see.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

DanaRuns said:


> Skeptical of what?
> 
> And, oh my. A breeder of unregistered Golden Retrievers? That's not a good sign. Such breeders rarely worry about the quality of dog they are producing. They often are unconcerned with breeding to type, meaning they take no efforts to make sure the puppies they produce have, among other things, a proper coat. So, who knows, your fears may be well founded. Or they may not. You'll just have to wait and see.


Yes exactly! He is concerned of the health and blood lines (pure bred). We bought Tessa from a family who had been breeding Golden's from their two pure bred retriever's, but they are not a registered breeder.

Kora was from a registered breeder, so he was hesitant when we got Tessa and now with her coat, he is even more concerned!

We love her no matter what and she has been a great puppy so far...I guess I am just trying to convince myself (and him) that she is a normal Golden Pup as I know they all come in different shapes and sizes.


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## Jamie Cropp Bell (Sep 16, 2018)

DanaRuns: Who is that adorable little red bitch??? Love her!


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Jamie Cropp Bell said:


> DanaRuns: Who is that adorable little red bitch??? Love her!


Thanks! She's my current show girl, "Khaleesi," Esquire's Game of Bones. And I love her too!


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## Shenya (Jan 11, 2019)

I had the same worry about my boy. His mom had a very short thin coat. Finally at 8 months I see some progress. The first picture is now at 8 months.


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## Kora2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

Shenya said:


> I had the same worry about my boy. His mom had a very short thin coat. Finally at 8 months I see some progress. The first picture is now at 8 months.


Thank you! He does look a lot like Tessa when he was 4 months...so there is hope yet!
She is now 4.5 months and we can see some tail feathers forming and some wisps on the back of her legs, but she definitely has a lot less fur then Kora did and from other golden's that I see!
She is an amazing smart, funny and beautiful girl...I just want to make sure our little duckling will one day turn into a swan! 

I have attached some recent pics!


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## Shenya (Jan 11, 2019)

Kora2014 said:


> Thank you! He does look a lot like Tessa when he was 4 months...so there is hope yet!
> She is now 4.5 months and we can see some tail feathers forming and some wisps on the back of her legs, but she definitely has a lot less fur then Kora did and from other golden's that I see!
> She is an amazing smart, funny and beautiful girl...I just want to make sure our little duckling will one day turn into a swan!
> 
> I have attached some recent pics!


Your baby looks amazing...I hope she does turn in to a beautiful swan eventually...


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## Jawa (Jul 13, 2020)

Kora2014 said:


> So I have been kind of obsessing lately as to why Tessa's coat is so short and thin! She was never really fluffy (feeling a little disappointed) so I started looking into different types of Golden's.
> 
> 
> I know that all Golden's have different coats and come in all shapes and sizes, but I am so used to seeing my big fluff ball Kora that I am now concerned that Tessa is really thin and furless!
> ...


Hi, Do you mind posting a pic of Tessa? Just want to see how she's now.


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