3 Common Golden Retriever Color Types: Vet-Reviewed Info (With Pictures)
In this article
View 2 More +Golden Retrievers are famous for their long golden coats, but did you know they actually come in different colors? What’s interesting about these dogs is that if you’re keen on having your dog recognized by a specific club or organization, you will find that some colors are permissible by certain organizations but not others.
Let’s take a closer look at the three common Golden Retriever colors.
The 3 Common Golden Retriever Color Types
1. Light Gold or Cream
The lightest Golden Retriever color is cream. Cream-colored Golden Retrievers are sometimes referred to as English Cream Golden Retrievers. However, they aren’t a separate breed of the Golden Retriever, and contrary to popular belief, they do not originate from England.
Interestingly, only the European Kennel clubs actually designate this color of Golden Retrievers as “cream”. The AKC does not have a designation for this color variant. This is primarily because this color variant is uncommon in the United States; most Golden Retrievers in the US follow their namesake color.
Differences in Cream Golden Retrievers
2. Gold
In the US, Gold is the most common of the Golden Retriever colors. There isn’t much difference between them and their cream-colored counterparts in terms of personality, trainability, sociability, and health conditions to be mindful of. As such, the selling points for this color variant are a personal preference or for the purpose of your pet being registered in kennel clubs in the US.
3. Red
The darkest color of the Golden Retriever is red. Red Golden Retrievers aren’t preferable as show dogs in the U.S. or the U.K., but that doesn’t mean they aren’t wonderful pets!
While this color of Golden Retriever is referred to as “red” by some, they cannot be registered as having the color “red” for AKC recognition purposes. This is because, like the cream color, the AKC hasn’t yet designated a red color for the Golden Retriever breed. Instead, these dogs are often registered as “dark gold.”
This also means that the color “red” is open to interpretation and not an official designation.
Differences in Red Golden Retrievers
Colors That Golden Retrievers Don’t Come in
Hypothetically speaking, Golden Retrievers crossbred with other breeds could be found in just about any color a dog could possess (depending on the cross). Furthermore, as most kennel clubs have guidelines that penalize or disqualify certain colors, this also means that those colors are possible (albeit not show-worthy).
From a genetic perspective, the following color combinations aren’t possible:
Does Color Matter?
The truth about coat color is that it’s the last thing that you should think about when choosing a pet. Your primary goal is to obtain a dog or puppy that is healthy and has a personality that will mesh well in your household. This should also be the goal of any reputable breeder.
The only circumstance where you may want to consider the color of your Golden Retriever is if you intend to use them as a show dog.
Conclusion
Golden Retrievers come in three primary colors: cream, gold, and red. Gold is unsurprisingly the most common of the Golden Retriever colors, and red is the least common. Remember that not all kennel clubs or registries recognize every color when it comes to this breed. If you’re looking for a show dog, you should be mindful of this. If, however, you are looking for a working dog or just a loveable companion, the color of your dog’s coat wouldn’t matter from a health perspective.
See also:
Featured Image Credit: Rala3030, Shutterstock
Expert dog care, straight to your inbox
News, insights, expert advice, and everything dog.
No spam — unsubscribe anytime.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.
How useful was this post?
Click a star to rate. You can leave written feedback afterwards. (We read all feedback.)
Chelsie is a freelance writer who is passionate about helping owners and pets live their best lives. She resides in rural Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons, and is currently a pet parent to four horses, four cats, and a Border Collie .
