Welcome to the educational series, Breed Comparison of Standards, with a comparison of the breed standards definition and expectations set by major kennel organizations.
im You might find these comparisons useful in both breeding and judging context but also useful if you are a trainer, or dog owner to gain more insight into breed specific habits and ther personal suitability to your lifestyle.
Official Standards Comparison: Temperament
For this comparison, we chose the Golden Retriever, a breed associated with friendly adaptable temperament.
American Kennel Club
The AKC definition of the temperament of the Golden Retriever is:
"Friendly, intelligent, and devoted".
Golden Retrievers are eager-to-please family dogs that are mostly gentle with children, friendly to strangers, and accommodating to other animals. Golden Retrievers have a calm, biddable nature, with a great desire to please.
This reference highlights as key temperament traits:
-
Outgoing and trustworthy
-
Even-tempered and reliable
-
Active and eager to work
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
The FCI standard describes the breed's temperament including:
"Kind, friendly, and confident, Golden Retrievers must be biddable, intelligent, and social by nature. The dog must be willing to work and responds readily to training."
The FCI emphasizes:
-
Self-confident and sociable
-
Gentle and free of any signs of nervousness
-
Good work ethic that includes equanimity of temperament
Differences Worth Pointing Out
-
Language Emphasis: The AKC uses descriptive emotional language such as "devoted" and "eager-to-please" while the FCI emphasizes "confidence" and "natural sociability."
-
Behavioral Characteristics: Both standards emphasize gentleness and trainability, however the FCI emphasizes confidence and seeks to rule out timidity and aggression.
