Our golden retriever is a beautiful dog. She is technically AKC registered as a “light golden” (one of the only 3 recognized colors of golden retrievers) but in layman’s terms, I sometimes describe my Dixie Rose as a “strawberry blond.” For Dixie Rose, it’s all about the sunlight. In bright sun she is more red, but indoors and at dusk, she’s more blond. She has patches of very light fur and beautiful waves.
Breed Colors & Markings
COLORS
| DESCRIPTION | REGISTRATION CODE | BREED STANDARD COLOR |
| Dark Golden | 080 | X |
| Golden | 093 | X |
| Light Golden | 119 | X |
You’ll notice that “white” or “English Cream” is missing from the table. That’s because English Cream is a creation of unethical breeders and is not recognized by AKC or the Golden Retriever Club of America.
If you’ve read posts on ethical breeders, you know that use of the term “English Cream” is a red flag. Today, you’ll learn why it’s a red flag. Color breeding of ANY kind is a red flag.
First, responsible and ethical breeders don’t breed for color – even if they have a personal preference. Color is always the bottom of the priority list! The most important breeding decisions are focused on health, temperament, and structure. When a breeder happens to have a light dog, you won’t see them use the term “English Cream” or “Crème” or any other term that means light golden retriever. Breeders using the terms English Cream (or Crème), Platinum Golden, White Golden, etc., are just trying to take your money. They don’t have your – or their puppies’ – best interests in mind. What is on their mind is money.
Megan of Canine Chasm did a fantastic report on English Cream and published this wonderful list of myths (visit her website here):
- Myth #1: English Creams and American Reds are separate breeds. There are no such breeds as English Creams or American Reds. All of these dogs are just Golden Retrievers. If they are AKC registered, their paperwork says “Golden Retriever.” There are only three choices for color when registering with the AKC: light golden, golden, and dark golden. Every AKC Golden Retriever is registered as one of these three choices. They are NEVER registered as Cream or Red in the United States. They can be registered as cream in some countries, but red cannot.
- Myth #2: English Cream Golden Retrievers come from England. With the name “English Cream” you’d think the dogs come from England. They don’t. American breeders with dogs imported from England don’t call them English Creams, because again, they are still just Golden Retrievers. Most of the dogs advertised as English Cream are from high volume breeders (HVBs) in Eastern Europe and Russia. in general the animals exported to the US are not the best specimens. And anyway, Goldens as a breed originated in Scotland, not England. I feel the Scots don’t appreciate their breed being attributed to the English.
- Myth #3: English Cream Golden Retrievers are rare. The scummy puppy mills that use “English Cream/Crème”, ”White Goldens”, ”Platinum Goldens”, etc. to describe their Golden Retrievers are just playing on your vanity. They use these terms to make you think their puppies are special, rare, or worth more when compared to “regular” or “American” Goldens.
- Myth #4: Golden Retrievers can be white. Purebred Golden Retrievers physically and genetically cannot be solid white. They don’t have the genes. Sometimes, unethical breeders mix Goldens and Great Pyrenees because Pyrs are white. Golden Retrievers can have white patches on their chest, but they cannot be solid white.
- Myth #5: English Cream Golden Retrievers get less cancer than American Goldens. This lie is so damaging and so false that only an unethical breeder would use it. ALL Golden Retrievers are prone to cancer. If a breeder claims that their dogs don’t get cancer, they are telling a bold-faced lie. It’s damaging because people believe it and they buy poorly bred animals because of it. And when people buy poorly bred dogs, unethical breeders are incentivized to keep breeding.
Fun Fact: All Golden Retrievers are ee at the E color locus, which controls pigment production in the coat. The ee combination cancels out black and liver for the coat only and produces varying shades of gold. This is why most Goldens have a golden coat, but black or brown pigment in their eye rims, nose, and paw pads. The shade of gold is controlled by the intensity (I) locus.
If you decide that you want a lighter shade of gold and you can’t live without it, then find a reputable breeder that just happens to have light dogs. They do exist! There is one more thing you need to know, though: If you get a responsibly bred Golden Retriever, you will fall in love, regardless of its color.
Our litter expected this summer will no doubt produce a rainbow of exciting colors!
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Golden Retriever Puppies 