And how do we keep the hunt in our goldens? Though selective breeding or genetics as some people call it. Basically what you put into your breeding is what you get out. What I look for in my goldens is what I call the three A's. (Ability, Aggressiveness and Attitude).

 Let me explain what I mean.

First, To have the ability I mean "physical ability". Just like the athlete that plays a sport, they must physically possess the bone structure or size and muscle mass to play that sport. The same applies to our dogs. Lets look at the size of a golden or bone structure. The GRCA set the standards for our goldens. Females are 21.5" to 22.5" and males are 23" to 24" to the shoulders. For the most part these standards are ok but it is all relative to the type of hunting that you do. In the description of our goldens the GRCA states that the dog must be able to do a days work in the field. What field and where? Your field might be a river in Alaska where you hunt ducks and someone else's might be a low cut farm in Georgia. It is all relative to what you hunt and where. Can the dog do the work? Size will play a part in the hunt as does muscle strength.

So, lets look at the muscle strength of a dog. Muscle strength is hard to define and can not be determined by size. A small dog can be very powerful  and strong. So, what do you look for in a dog? First, I look for speed and endurance. Then I look at the dogs leaping ability. How high can they jump. At a sitting position the dog should be able to jump 4 ft. Muscle strength and bone structure go hand in hand. A pronounced chest, stout hind legs, straight back and an average size head is a must. To many breeders today are breeding the large boned goldens with the blocky head look. I call this the "Air Bud Look", it's a made for TV look and not practical for a hunting dog.