The English Cream Golden Retriever

Do you know someone who says they have an “English Cream Golden Retriever?” How about a “rare white European Golden Retriever” or a “Platinum retriever?

Have you seen websites of people who claim to “specialize” in these colors as if they were rare, unusual (and pricier)?  

To be clear, the Golden Retriever’s AKC standard states, “Rich, lustrous golden of various shades, and the Canadian Kennel Club breed standard reads, “Lustrous golden of various shades, ranging from cream to darkest gold.” The CKC’s Illustrated Standard expands on this which we share further below.

So what does it mean when an article or an Internet site specifically mentions “cream-colored Golden Retriever puppies?” Is this a separate breed? Is it really rare? Does the color suggest a better temperament, better genes, better anything

One site we found flat out says that the English Cream Golden Retriever is a variety of the breed, and that one of its principal characteristics is a thinner coat.  Another suggested that English Cream Goldens live longer than other types of Goldens, and a few others we visited stated that the “English Cream” Golden Retriever is more good-natured than darker colors, sheds less than others, and is less prone to cancer. We grew suspicious that if we looked longer, we would have found a breeder claiming that their English Creams could balance a checkbook.

Buyer beware. Like the “tea cup” size of breeds we’ve discussed elsewhere on this site, the “English Cream Golden Retriever” is a marketing ploy. Uneducated puppy buyers may be mistaken into believing – or even be persuaded – that a pale light-colored Golden Retriever is a unique variety of a beloved breed, but they should know that is simple fiction. So is the notion that the color is unique to England.  We are reminded of the telephone game in which information gets twisted as it goes from one “caller” to another leading to a message that is very different from the original. Perhaps it’s a stretch, but in the early 2oth century, dog shows in Britain were held in England, and in the United States, champions of those dog shows were referred to as “English Champions.” One hundred years later, did we get used to calling them  “English” Cream Golden Retrievers? Were those dogs even lighter colored?

In the end, here’s what matters: There is only one Golden Retriever breed, and it’s governed by the breed standard endorsed by various recognized kennel clubs all over the world. 

Photo/Kyon Kennel

That said, the color has been enough of a question for the Golden Retriever Club of America to have addressed it head on and you can read the club’s statement here.

The Golden Retriever Club of Canada also expands upon the color issue in their Illustrated Breed Standard: “The acceptable range of colour in the Golden Retriever is broad. While a medium gold is always correct, coat colour can range from cream to a darker coppery gold. Any dogs within this range of colour should be considered equally, based on their merits, including balance, head type, movement and structure.”  It’s worth your time to read more on this topic from the Golden Retriever Club of Canada here. 

We circle back to the all important breeder. “Good ones” do their due diligence with pedigrees, health tests, good nutrition and socialization; color takes a back seat to soundness and breed type. In fact, a broad range of color from light to dark shades can be found in puppies born in same litter. 

Image: The remarkable photo at the top appears courtesy of Wendy Andrews of Catcombe Golden Retrievers in England.  The second, and equally amazing photo is credited to Kyon Kennel (Toronto, Canada). Our sincere thanks to Laura Reeves for leading us to Michele Gawenka who, in turn, lead us to the right photo credit information. And finally, our gratitude to the photographers for allowing us to share their wonderfully instructive photographs. 

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