Do Golden Retrievers Change Color?

The Golden Retriever breed has enjoyed considerable popularity among pet owners for many years. No wonder - although it is a hunting breed, goldens have all the qualities of a good companion dog. They are loyal, gentle, quick to learn, and willing to cooperate with humans during training.

Although Golden Retrievers with different coat colours can be found, their names have never been accurately determined.

The strength of pigmentation by pheomelanin can be influenced gradually by the careful selection of breeding partners. To the inexperienced, however, it might seem that colour breeding should not play a significant role in cases of dogs of this breed.

So that there is no misunderstanding - the colour of the coat does not in any way affect the temperament of the dog; white and dark gold Golden Retrievers can be equally friendly.

However, the fact is that among this breed, there is a division into show and working lines, which differ in conformation, coat colour, and temperament.

Golden Retrievers also continue to be very popular as family dogs, and here, too, visual aspects are high on the list of priorities. It is currently fashionable for Goldens to be very bright, even white.

And what colours of coat does the Golden Retriever have?

According to FCI Standard No. 111, a Golden Retriever can be any shade of gold or cream (neither red nor mahogany), although a few white hairs on the chest are allowed. This, however, applies only to coat colour.

 The nose, lips, pads, and eyelids pigment is black in all Golden Retrievers. Typical for recessive yellow dogs are white vibrissae (so-called moustache) and the so-called variable nose that appears seasonally.

It is also worth mentioning that the Golden Retriever's coat colour is not the same shade all over the body.

Appearance

The secret of the Golden Retriever's popularity lies in its charming disposition and the breed's attractive appearance. This medium-sized dog is characterized by a highly proportional body structure. Its shapely skull with a pronounced foot and dark eyes give it a typically gentle and friendly appearance. Strong musculature and strong bones make Goldens agile and physically active animals.

The golden retriever's silhouette inspires a sense of satisfaction. Everything in the appearance of this breed is harmonious and perfectly balanced. Strong build that gives the impression of being robust and gentle in expression. Golden moves energetically have a free and long stride. The head is strong and broad, ending with a dark nose. Medium-sized ears are set at about the height of the dark eyes. The height of males is 56-61cm (28-32kg in weight), and females are considerably shorter: 51-56cm at the withers (24-28kg in weight).

Golden Retrievers belong to medium-sized breeds. Males reach 56 to 61cm in height at the withers, females 51 to 56cm. The weight of these dogs varies between 30 and 40 kg, depending on size and sex. The medium-length Golden coat is smooth or slightly wavy but never curly. The fur on the back adheres flat, while the backs of the paws, chest, and belly are heavily feathered.

The coat's colouration can be intensely golden, from a pale shade of yellow to cream. In some individuals, white tufts sometimes appear on the chest. Thanks to its dense undercoat, even the most extreme winter frosts won't hurt Goldens.

The undisputed pride of the golden retriever is its coat. Smooth or wavy hair that hides a waterproof undercoat underneath. Any shades of cream and gold are allowed. Lightness is added by numerous feathers (longer hair), especially on the tail, which is worn flush with the back. However, this beauty must be properly cared for. There is no fooling - it moults profusely.

However, the long hair can be removed from carpets quite easily. Proper feeding, a set of brushes, and patience will help tame this element. The breeder will certainly suggest which brushes and cosmetics will be best.

Golden retriever white

The coat's light colours are most popular, despite the fact that according to breed standards, the pigmentation of Golden Retrievers should not be so light.

Golden retriever cream.

Light cream is currently one of the most popular colours in dogs of this breed.

Golden retriever light gold.

The light golden colour is defined by shades ranging from light cream to yellow.

Golden Retriever golden.

If a Golden Retriever is said to be golden, it means that the colour of its coat is an intense yellow.

Golden Retriever dark golden.

The dark golden colour is an intense yellow-orange colour, which does not yet turn red. The dark gold dog of this breed is more popular in the US.

Golden Retriever black or brown?

As for the Golden retriever breed dog, black or brown is not present in the FCI standard and does not correspond to the breed standard. On the other hand, these two colours are present in the dog coat of another breed, namely the Labrador retriever.

And as we can read in the breed standard of this retriever, he can be completely black, yellow, liver-coloured, colloquially brown, and in shades of red like a fox. And by these colours, we can distinguish it from the Golden retriever.

Why is the colour of the Golden Retriever cream or dark gold?

Golden Retrievers are well known precisely because of their beautiful coat and because of their friendly disposition. The question, however, is where did the cream colour of Goldens come from? Well, all dogs of this breed are simply homozygous for one trait: a recessive yellow. Therefore, Golden Retriever pigment cells can only produce a light pigment (pheomelanin), while they will never produce a dark pigment (eumelanin).

• The light pigment mentioned pheomelanin is a yellow pigment that can give the coat a colour ranging from creamy white to dark red.
• In contrast, eumelanin's dark pigment is found in black and chocolate-brown hair.

Unlike Labradors, which can also have a brown or black coat, Golden Retrievers only come in variants with light pigment all over the body.

Although the recessive yellow obscures all colours and patterns that are genetically present, Goldens can pass on a dark or brindle coat to their offspring in mixed litters.

Since dark shades are usually inherited dominantly over light shades, sometimes two dark-golden dogs can give birth to lighter puppies. This does not work the other way around. However - two creamy-white dogs cannot beget a dark-red puppy.

The exact shade of yellow pigment is controlled by modifying genes as intensity locus; a densely distributed pigment can result in an intense red or mahogany colour, while a less densely distributed one results in a dog with a blonde or creamy white coat.

The yellow colour of dogs is hereditary but can gradually be changed by breeding selection. For some dog breeds, a tiny range of shades is accepted, while for other breeds, the range of shades allowed is wide, such as:

• Irish Setter: rich chestnut brown with no trace of black
• Labrador Retriever: yellow, light cream, brown, fox red, or black
• Maltese: pure white is most desirable, although light ivory and bright orange are also possible, although not desirable and a certain imperfection
• Samoyed: pure white, cream, or biscuit white (basic colour - white, with a few biscuit markings). It should never appear pale brown.

Routine checks required

In addition to the coat, your Golden's ears, eyes, paws, and dentition must also be groomed regularly. With routine checks, you can not only identify and prevent possible diseases in advance but also prevent dangerous infections. By performing the checks regularly, you will quickly get your pet used to them so that he will react calmly to them. Start regular grooming and health processes, preferably as early as puppy age.

Do brown puppies get brighter?

Puppies often don't get their adult colouration until they reach maturity, so if you adopt a puppy, you may notice changes in its colouration as it approaches adulthood.

In addition, dogs' coats tend to lighten with age, so mature and older dogs tend to have a lighter coat than they did as young dogs.

At what age do puppies change colour?

Puppies begin to change colour between 6 and 18. Our final colour is

Our final colour is from light silver to dark blue. Our puppy coat also had a different texture than our adult coat.

Can puppies become darker?

The undercoat can cause a different colour at birth.

If your dog's coat appears darker, it may be due to the development of its natural coat. Their shade may transition to darker or lighter shades. And after this transition, you will be able to predict the adult colour of your puppy.

Do white puppies get darker?

Don't expect your white puppy to suddenly turn completely brown or black. However, depending on your puppy's age, you probably won't see any more significant changes.

Do golden puppies darken with age?

Yes, Golden Retrievers' furs change as they age.

In adulthood, Golden Retriever furs usually darken with age. Along with this darkening, there are also certain areas of their body where the Golden Retriever may lighten or go grey. These areas, which include the eyes and nose, are a normal part of the ageing process.