Purebred or not?

[cali]

To figure out if the dog is purebreed or not look at the roof of the dog's mouth or tongue. If it is solid pink then it is purebreed. IF there are black or patches of discoloration then it most likely is a mix.

uhhh Happys is mixed black and pink all over, including her mouth, skin and pads and nails, and she is a purbred border collie, I know her pedigree a long way back. and I personally know both her parents and several of her siblings and half siblings

[Cataholic]

I always thought that purebred meant she was 100% (hence 'pure') from two dogs of the same breed. So, unless you have papers on her, I just don't think there is any way to tell just by looking. Of course, there is the obvious mixed breed, or, if you knew that this litter of pups was from a lab and a boxer. Well, then, of course, those dogs are not pure bred, and that is probably noticeable. But, to know that something is pure bred just by looking seems a little like guesswork.

Whether the breeder is good or not doesn't seem to be the indication of the dog's lineage. If she didn't come from a registered litter of pups, can you ever be certain she is pure bred?

[Suki Wingy]

Originally posted by Scooby4
To figure out if the dog is purebreed or not look at the roof of the dog's mouth or tongue. If it is solid pink then it is purebreed. IF there are black or patches of discoloration then it most likely is a mix.
I don't know the science behind it but that is what I have been told. I had a purebreed Chow who's entire mouth and tongue was dark Blue color. No pink.
I think your dog may have a "Lab" cousin a line back. My favorite dog I ever had was a Golden Retriever named Scruffy. She did not look like any Golden's I've seen. So Golden's can be different from eachother but still be Golden!

Dalmatians can have spots on their toungs and in their mouths.

I think she is a purebred bred primarily for companionship or for field, and not with so much regard for conformation.

[manda_moo87]

She looks like a pure Golden to me.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by Scooby4
To figure out if the dog is purebreed or not look at the roof of the dog's mouth or tongue. If it is solid pink then it is purebreed. IF there are black or patches of discoloration then it most likely is a mix.

This wives tale has been circulating for as long as I can remember. Someone told me this when I was a teenager... many moons ago! It is as false as they come. Dusty has spots on his gums and I know for 100% he is purebred Golden!!

I have been around goldens for almost 30 years. While I am not 100% expert, I've seen enough to know that your Emma is definitely purebred Golden! She is not conformation material but is definitely pet quality golden!!

My Dixie had the thinest hair and no feathering until she was over 3. Now she has a very full coat and flips and curls everywhere! Her line was very slow to mature.

Dusty is in the same boat. He will be 4 in may and is now just starting to look like a mature male. His coat is still a little on the not so robust side for conformation but part of that has to do with him being an inside house pet instead of an outdoor dog. If only you knew what some people put their dogs through to get the more luxourious coats.

I only question one thing about your post.... if both parents were purebred according to the breeder, why didn't you get papers on the pup? That would solidify in your mind that your pup is purebred. But in any case....the most important thing is that she is loved and she is definitely 100% that!!!

[dogs_4_me]

Originally posted by Dixieland Dancer
This wives tale has been circulating for as long as I can remember. Someone told me this when I was a teenager... many moons ago! It is as false as they come. Dusty has spots on his gums and I know for 100% he is purebred Golden!!

I have been around goldens for almost 30 years. While I am not 100% expert, I've seen enough to know that your Emma is definitely purebred Golden! She is not conformation material but is definitely pet quality golden!!

My Dixie had the thinest hair and no feathering until she was over 3. Now she has a very full coat and flips and curls everywhere! Her line was very slow to mature.

Dusty is in the same boat. He will be 4 in may and is now just starting to look like a mature male. His coat is still a little on the not so robust side for conformation but part of that has to do with him being an inside house pet instead of an outdoor dog. If only you knew what some people put their dogs through to get the more luxourious coats.

I only question one thing about your post.... if both parents were purebred according to the breeder, why didn't you get papers on the pup? That would solidify in your mind that your pup is purebred. But in any case....the most important thing is that she is loved and she is definitely 100% that!!!

We may have gotten her papers. I will have to ask my dad about that when he gets home

Just curious but what makes a good conformation dog? I'm almost positive that her parents have both won shows ect. so wouldnt that make Emma okay for conformation?

Hehe in my eyes shes perfect in every way

[IRescue452]

Purebred, just pet quality not show quality. Nothing wrong with that.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by dogs_4_me
Just curious but what makes a good conformation dog? I'm almost positive that her parents have both won shows ect. so wouldnt that make Emma okay for conformation?

If you only knew! Since I am a member of our local Golden Club I know quite a few breeders who are very involved in showing for conformation. They pray and hope for one good pup out of a litter. It is only an exceptional breeding that will produce more than one (if even that many) show quality pets. Sadly, a lot of them will keep the dogs they think will be prospective show dogs only to find out around 2 years that they don't quite have it or they have some minor health problem so they have to rehome them. Remember the primary reason for getting a CH (champion title) on a dog is so they can be breed later on for more money. People love to know and will pay for the fact that their dog came from Champion blood lines. That's not to say it's the only reason, but it is the primary reason to your serious breeders.

What they look for in a conformation perfect Golden is many different things. Ideal weight, head features including set of eyes, muzzle, bite, nose pigment and ears, topline, body composition such as forequarters and hindquarters and set of tail, and then how the dog gaits (fluid movement while gaiting, not running) are the primary things a judge looks for.

Most professional handlers know the judges and what "look" of golden they prefer so you will find a lot of them trying to find a show to go to where they are more likely to have their Golden put up. Conformation is a very political game.

Your Emma is a very fortunate girl because she has the most important thing a dog needs.... LOVE!!!

[LuvGold00]

Originally posted by dogs_4_me
Just curious but what makes a good conformation dog? I'm almost positive that her parents have both won shows ect. so wouldnt that make Emma okay for conformation?

What makes a good conformation dog? This site may help, and you know, if you ever wanted to show her, I'm not sure how old you are... But in 4-H and AKC Junior showmanship the dogs are allowed to be spayed/neutered.... (i think!)

Here is the breed standard for goldens, also this website is FULL of great Golden information.
http://www.grca.org/StandProgs/standard.htm

Emma is a real cutie

[LauraT7]

Yeah - the mouth 'color' test is bunk.

Chows, I think, are SUPPOSED to have dark tongues and mouths - that is their breed standard, if i'm not mistaken....

Anyway, the blonde chow next door, and my friends two chows (one black, one blonde) ALL have dark tongues. I don't think I've ever seen one that WASN'T dark.

In rescue, for some reason, there are alot of chow/golden mixes that show up, and they often have black/blue tongues from the chow side.

there is absoulutely no doubt that my Fizz is a registered pure-bred golden - her registered name is "Pawnee Bonacres Ridin' Shotgun" and she has a longer family tree than I do! and loads of conformation champions in it - and she has a black spot on her tongue and a few on her gums.

Toby and Tara were also purebred, though not as good a line as Fizz, and they had black on their gums - it's a very common trait in goldens and many other breeds.

have you ever checked out the MSN board "Golden Retreiver"? There are TONS of "pure' golden photos on there - check out the HUGE variety in the phot albums there sometime!

http://groups.msn.com/GoldenRetriever

laura

[vinjashira]

I am not an expert either but I do think she is a purebreed