Want to know the difference between field golden retrievers and show golden retrievers?
Yes, they’re both golden retrievers that make great family pets, but there are some differences (such as their size and personality) that you should consider if you’re looking to get a golden retriever.
In this post, I’m going to break down seven differences between these two styles of golden retrievers.
Let’s dive in!
Field Golden Retrievers vs. Show Golden Retrievers Overview
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the differences between these two styles of goldens, let’s make a few things clear…
First, these are both golden retrievers, they’re just different styles of the same breed.
And because they’re the same breed, they’re more similar than they are different.
However, they are bred for different purposes, and those purposes influence all of the factors that we’ll discuss here.
Second, let’s clear up some terms.
The term “field bred” and “field” mean the same thing, and the terms “conformation” and “show” also mean the same thing.
And finally, these differences are generalities, not hard set rules.
Every dog is an individual and can be on any end of the spectrum for the factors we’re talking about here.
Now let’s talk about the differences between these two styles…
Purpose
Field Golden Retriever:
Field bred golden retrievers are bred to hunt.
They’re meant to be in the field all day retrieving gunned down fowl.
They’re bred for a specific personality and drive.
Show Golden Retriever:
Show golden retrievers are bred for a specific look.
They’re bred to look like what the judges at conformation events expect them to look like based on the breed standard.