The Golden Retriever is an adorable, fun-loving, and loyal dog that is loved by the American people. It is adored for its beautiful golden coat and friendly personality.
There is some confusion about the varieties of this canine, and some people believe that there is only a single type of Golden Retriever. However, this isn’t the case. The Golden Retriever comes in three varieties – Canadian Golden Retriever, American Golden Retriever, and English Golden Retriever.
American and English Golden Retrievers are quite popular, and there are some subtle differences between the two. In this post, we will discuss the similarities and differences between American and English Golden Retrievers.
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History of Golden Retrievers
The Golden Retriever breed is extremely old as it originated back during the 1800s in Scotland, where British aristocrat Lord Tweedmouth developed it. The breed was created to retrieve animals during hunts.
Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent canines, known for obedience. These dogs are often employed as hunting and guide dogs. When living with their owners, Golden Retrievers get along well with kids and strangers. These canines are quite energetic and thus need plenty of mental and physical stimulation to maintain good behavior.
Typically, Golden Retrievers are calm, biddable, and intelligent, with an eagerness to please their owners. Whether the object being thrown is a flying disc, ball, or stick, retrieving will keep their furry companion entertained and occupied for hours, especially if you bring water into the mix.
Golden Retrievers are known for their high intelligence and can learn up to 240 training commands, phrases, and words.
American Golden Retriever vs English Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever was accepted in several countries, including the United States and England. This led to the development of two different breeding standards.
English Golden Retrievers and American Golden Retrievers aren’t two different breeds, and they are both recognized as ‘Golden Retriever’ by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Throughout Europe, English Golden Retrievers are known as Golden Retrievers. However, in America, they are often called English Golden Retrievers to differentiate them from the American Golden Retriever owing to the difference in their physical characteristics and color.
The major difference between the American Golden Retriever vs English Golden is that the latter is lighter in color, stockier and heavier than their American cousin. The head of the English Golden Retriever is also broader.
Differences between the American and English Golden Retriever
1. Color and Coat
The most obvious difference between the American and English Golden Retriever is the color of their coats. American Golden Retrievers have a gold color coat in different shades. On the other hand, the coat of the English Golden Retriever comes in cream color.
The thickness and length of the coat also vary. American Golden Retrievers have a thicker and longer coat compared to their English counterparts. English Golden Retrievers have shorter and wavier coats.
2. Structure
There are some physical differences between the English Golden Retriever and American Golden Retriever. For instance, the head of the former is larger and more balanced than that of the American Golden. On the other hand, the American Golden’s head is more broad-skulled and arched.
When it comes to eyes, American Golden Retrievers have large or medium-sized eyes with dark brown or brown color. The eyes of the English Golden Retrievers are well-rounded and come in medium brown or dark brown color.
The front edge of the American Golden’s ear is aligned above the eye-level while the tip is around the cheek-level. The ears cover the eyes when pulled forward. The ears of the English Golden Retriever are medium-sized and at eye-level.
The necks of both the English Golden Retriever and American Golden Retriever are similar and have a muscular appearance.
3. Health and Life Expectancy
American Golden Retrievers are more likely to suffer from cancer. The cancer rate for these canines is over 60 percent, while for English Golden Retrievers, it is about 38.8 percent.
The life expectancy of American Golden Retrievers is 10 to 11 years while that of their English cousin is 12 years.
4. Temperament
English Golden Retrievers are known for their calm temperament and disposition. Not all English Goldens are calm, and not all American Goldens are hyper. However, there is a clear difference on average.
English Golden Retrievers are mostly calmer than their American counterparts. They are rarely high energy or hyper. On the other hand, most American Golden Retrievers are very athletic and have plenty of energy.
English Golden Retrievers are easier to train, calmer, and more mature than American Goldens.
How to Care for a Golden Retriever
Caring for your Golden Retriever is necessary no matter which variety you get. Here’s how you can care for your Golden Retriever.
1. Nutrition
Provide your Golden Retriever high-quality dog food that is appropriate for its age of your dog and contains all the required nutrients.
Some Golden Retrievers can become overweight, which is why it is important that you watch your canine’s weight level and calorie consumption.
If you choose to give him dog treats, make sure not to give too much. Treats can help in training, but if you give your Golden Retriever too much, it will cause obesity. Avoid giving your canine food with high-fat content.
2. Grooming
Golden Retrievers heavily shed their thick double coat once or twice every year. Use a slicker brush to brush your canine once or twice every week to remove dead hair before it falls onto your furniture. When your Golden Retriever is shedding heavily, brush him every day.
Baths can help loosen the dead coat hairs, but make sure to dry the dog properly before you start brushing him. As with all other dog breeds, the nails of Golden Retrievers should be trimmed every day.
3. Exercise
Golden Retrievers need plenty of exercise every day. A Golden Retriever that doesn’t get enough exercise may engage in undesirable behaviors. Golden Retrievers make excellent companions on bike rides and long runs.
Summing Up the English vs American Golden Retriever
The differences between the American Golden Retriever vs English Golden Retriever should now be clear. Both these canines are excellent pets, and you can choose any one of them as your companion.
We hope you find the information provided above helpful. For questions and queries, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
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Forrest is a lover of dogs, the wild outdoors, deep mysterious conversations… and coffee. He is the owner of several websites, including Canine Weekly. He resides in Austin, Texas.
If you would like photos of Canadian Goldens please feel free to take photos off my website We have bred goldens for over 30 years most of our dogs are Canadian Champions and Grand Champions.
Thank you, Michele!