The AKC standard
- General appearance
Well proportioned, full of strength, attentive, solid and correct, neither high nor low on the limbs with a friendly expression and available character, attentive and confident, first of all a hunting dog, resistant to work, it should be evaluated above all in the harmony of its together and of movement rather than in individual anatomical regions. standard Any deviation from the standard must be considered as a defect to the extent that it can affect his physical and character functionality. - Height
males = 58 – 61 cm at the withers, females = 53 – 58 cm at the withers. Subjects up to approximately 2 cm more or less than these measurements must be penalized proportionally. Individuals who go beyond this limit are subject to disqualification. - Proportions
The length of the trunk, measured from the anterior tip of the sternum to that of the buttock, must be approximately 12/11 of the height of the withers. - Weight
males: 28 – 32 kg, females 24 – 28 kg - Head
Skull broad and laterally rounded, without excess frontal bumps, or too pronounced occiput. Stop well marked but not excessive. - Dog muzzle
Wide and deep, slightly shorter than the skull, straight nasal bridge that connects harmoniously with the skull, seen in profile and from above, slightly wider and deeper at the base than at the extremity, close-fitting. Mustache removal is tolerated but not desired. - Eyes
Friendly and intelligent expression, of medium size with dark, close-fitting eyelids, well spaced and not protruding. The desirable color is dark brown. Lighter shades are tolerated. - Defects
Eyes too close together or excessively slanted. When the dog stares straight ahead, neither the white nor the inner part of the eyelid rim should be visible. Subjects showing functional alterations of the eye such as trichiosis, ectropion or entropion are not admitted. - Ears
Not too long, set high enough and falling close to the cheeks. If you pull forward their tip must not reach to cover the eye. A too low set-up such as a pointing dog is considered a fault. - Truffle
Black or black-brown. However, a slight light shade that usually appears in the winter months cannot be penalized. However, truffles that are pink or lacking pigmentation should be penalized. - Teeth
Scissor bite, i.e. the external face of the lower incisors must match the internal face of the upper ones. Overshot and undershot mouth are causes of disqualification. Epistognathism (irregular alignment of the incisors) and pincer bite (the cusps of the upper and lower incisors touch each other) are undesirable but should not be confused with overexposed defects. The teeth must be complete: any dental gaps must be considered serious defects. - Neck
Of medium length that arises harmoniously from a well-sloping shoulder, giving an impression of strength and vigor. Dewlap is unwanted. - Top line
The seamless upper profile descends gently from the withers to the croup without giving the impression of rigidity or softness. Kyphosis, sagging, flat or receding croup must be penalised. - Dog trunk
Harmonious, collected, with deep chest. On the front, between the two elbows, the distance of at least one fist in its width must be included. - Chest
Well developed, chest descended to the elbow - Ribs
Oblique, not barrel-shaped - Kidney
Short, broad, muscular, deep and slightly convex; Insufficient diameters, poorly developed chest, not very deep and not very deep, are to be penalized. - Queue
Well set, strong and muscular at the base, which follows the profile of the croup. Its length must not exceed the hock. It is carried (in excitement) at the level of the dorsal profile or describing a slight upward curve, never rolled up or down. - Forelimbs
Muscular, proportionate to the rear ones and capable of free movement. - Shoulder
Long and well sloping, the upper end of which is approximately at the level of the withers. - Homer
about as long as the shoulder. - Elbows
in line with the point of the shoulder, solid and snug. - Forearm
seen from the front, it must be perpendicular to the ground, robust but not spongy. - Pastoral
short, solid, slightly stretched forward. The front dewclaws can be amputated but are generally left on. - Feet
of medium size, round, compact, with well-closed toes. Excess hair can be cut to give more emphasis to their natural shape. Hare's foot or toes that are too open are to be penalised. - Hind limbs
robust and well muscled, croup slightly inclined in its upper profile while the pelvic axis (ileo-ischi) has a greater inclination (about 30° to the horizontal). In the natural position the femur is perpendicular (90°) to the croup. - Tibia
well inclined, the hocks must be perpendicular to the ground with short and robust metatarsals. - Feet
what was said for the front applies. Perpendicular and correct aplombs observed posteriorly. Vaccination, left-handedness and swinging hocks are to be penalized. - Fur
compact, waterproof and equipped with thick undercoat. Glassy and sustained texture, never silky and weak. It can be smooth and wavy. Generally speaking, it does not require grooming, however it can be moderately thinned on the rear edges of the forelimbs, on the lower profile. It can also be thinned on the lower edge of the neck, on the thighs and under the tail. On the head, cheeks and front edge of the limbs, it must be short and close-fitting. Fur that is too soft or excessively long is not welcome in any way. The feet can be groomed, but the natural appearance must absolutely not be altered. - Color
intense, shiny, including all the various shades of gold. The undercoat may be lighter. Excluding the graying of the muzzle and body due to age, any depigmentation more extensive than a few light hairs on the chest must be penalized based on its extent. Any lighter shades should not be confused with depigmentation spots. An excessively light or excessively dark shade is undesirable. The puppy's fur generally tends to darken. Black spots or any other color should be considered a serious defect. - Movement
the trotting gait is loose, coordinated, correct and with good reach. By increasing the speed of the trot, the footsteps tend to converge on a single central direction (single tracking). To evaluate normal gait the subject must be shown on a loose leash. - Character
Character
Friendly and confident. Unmotivated aggression or shyness and nervousness have nothing to do with the character of the golden. Tali comportamenti debbono essere penalizzati in relazione della loro gravità. - Reasons for disqualification
More than 2 cm more or less than the limits set by the standard, overshot or undershot. standard, enognatismo o prognatismo.