Golden Retriever Colors: How many Shades are there?

Want to know how many colors a Golden Retriever has?

Great! You’ve come to the right place.

According to the Golden retriever club of America, there’s only 1 recognized breed of Golden retriever.

But there are different “types” that have different styles and looks. 

image of 6 various shades of Golden Retrievers

In this Digdoggy.com guide, you’ll learn:

  • The three types of Golden Retriever
  • The different colors of this breed
  • The truth behind the Platinum Golden Retriever

And much more!

What's In This Guide?

      Types Of Golden Retrievers

      There are three variants of the Golden Retriever but they all come from a lineage that hailed from Scotland.

      American Golden Retrievers

      🐕 Size

      The American Golden Retriever is less muscular compared to the British variant, but he is taller.

      An average male stands between 23 to 24 inches at the withers, while most females are between 21 and 22 inches tall.

      🐕 Skull Shape

      The American standard has a pointy head and a narrow muzzle.

      🐕 Coat

      In comparison to the English and Canadian sub-types, the American Golden Retriever comes with a longer, denser, and straighter coat.

      They also have heavy feathering around the neck, chest, thighs, and tail.

      You will need to learn how to groom a Golden Retriever if you wish to own this breed because they shed like crazy, especially when temperatures finally rise in the spring.

      As for coat colors, the American Golden Retriever comes in various rich shades of gold but anything too dark is unacceptable.

      🐕 Eyes

      The American-standard Golden retriever has light brown, almond-shaped eyes that almost look triangular when observed from the side.

      English Golden Retrievers

      The English Golden Retriever, also known as the British Golden Retriever, is another sub-type of the Golden Retriever. For easy distinction, some people would refer to him as the “White Golden Retriever” or “English Cream Golden Retriever.”

      🐕 Size

      The English Golden Retriever appears bigger-boned and stockier than the American Golden Retriever. This good boy, however, is the shortest.

      The breed standard height at the withers for the male English Golden Retriever is 22 inches. A female White Golden has an average height of 20 inches.

      🐕 Skull Shape

      The English Golden retriever has a broader skull complemented with a balanced and chiseld muzzle. These features are believed to be the remnants of the Nous.

      🐕 Coat

      The English Golden Retriever features a soft, silky medium-length coat with wavy feathering around the ears, neck, and tail. These British variant is also notable for having a prominent ruff around the neck.

      White Golden Retrievers are prolific shedders just like their North American counterparts.

      In the spring, these doggos shed their dense winter coat and the process happens in reverse come autumn.

      Despite being called “White Golden Retriever,” he also comes in cream and pale shades of gold.

      However, the American Kennel Club does not accept these colors. The AKC show ring prefers rich and lustrous golden hues.

      🐕 Eyes

      These British doggos have a rounder eye shape and darker coloration, both of which can be stressed when they sit side by side with an American standard Golden Retriever.

      Canadian Golden Retrievers

      The Canadian Golden Retriever is another sub-type. While this good boy may have a few physical traits that also makes him different from the other varieties, his temperament is just the same.

      🐕 Size

      For male Candian Golden Retrievers, the average height at the shoulder is 24 inches. Meanwhile, females have an average height of 22 inches.

      In terms of size,. these doggos outgrow the American and English Golden variations by as much as two inches.

      🐕 Skull Shape

      The Canadian sub-type features a narrow head, not a blockhead that British ones have. Both the shape and size of the head have to do with the bone structure of the dog’s skull.

      🐕 Coat

      Canadian Golden Retrievers are the easiest to groom among the three as they sport a shorter and thinner coat.

      They have less feathering on the back of the neck, forelegs, and tail compared to the other two.

      As for coat colors, this sub-type boasts of deeper tones of golden yellow. The colors are a lot darker compared to the American standard.

      🐕 Eyes

      The Canadian Golden Retriever has dark, slightly tapered eyes.

      image of 5 different Golden retrievers sittign next to one another with different shades

      Different Colors Of Golden Retrievers

      The Golden Retriever stays within a limited color spectrum which is categorized in three general colors: light golden, golden, and dark golden.

      English Golden Retrievers often sport the lightest shades of gold. 

      In the meanwhile, the AKC prefers rich shades of gold. Retrievers that are too dark, such as the Canadian variety, could not compete in AKC show rings.

      Despite the desirability of the golden color, some Golden Retrievers fall outside of this range.

      Some dogs can look nearly white and red mahogany, but both the AKC and UKC consider these colors unacceptable.

      Golden Retrievers with reddish coats are not permitted for showing, as well.

      What Is The Rarest Color of A Golden Retriever?

      You may have heard of the “Platinum Golden Retriever,” that some breeders would advertise as rare. 

      However, these white dogs are English Golden Retrievers, which are the same breed as the American Goldens. 

      While you may seldom see this pale-coated variety in the United States, these dogs are common in the United Kingdom.

      Final Thoughts On Different Golden Retriever Colors

      The American, English, and Canadian Retrievers are all purebred canines despite their subtle cosmetic differences.

      • English Goldens, also known as the British variety, often sport the light golden shades. Some may look white or cream in color, but these doggos will still have gold highlights running throughout their coats.
      • While the English variety is the shortest of the three, he is the stockiest and he has a large blocky head reminiscent of its ancestor.
      • American Goldens are lankier compared to their British counterparts, but they are no less impressive. These dogs boast the richest shades of gold.
      • Canadian Goldens are the tallest of the three. This variety sports the darkest shades of gold.
      • The cream color is acceptable in the UKC standard, but the AKC standard finds pale and dark colors undesirable in the show ring.

      Regardless of the type, a Golden Retriever will always be a Golden Retriever.

      Lara Writes

      Lara Writes

      Lara, a.k.a Alpha Mama, is a great dancer and belter singer, although the world tells her otherwise. However, her greatest pleasure is working with animals. If the Alpha Mama is not being delusional, she manages to create informative articles and clear-cut buying guides. She also likes to share her personal experiences that may ignite your soul or possibly change your life!

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      Lara Writes

      Lara Writes

      Lara, a.k.a Alpha Mama, is a great dancer and belter singer, although the world tells her otherwise. However, her greatest pleasure is working with animals. If the Alpha Mama is not being delusional, she manages to create informative articles and clear-cut buying guides. She also likes to share her personal experiences that may ignite your soul or possibly change your life!

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