Hind Legs, Thighs, Stifles, And Hocks

The thighs should be full of muscle, and large, with the second thighs well developed. The stifles should be long and fairly bent, but not to the extent that is seen in some other breeds. The hocks should be well bent, with good bone, and when the dog is standing square, should be plumb straight. Sickle-hocks are most objectionable, and cow-hocks - i.e. the points turned inward, and the feet, in consequence, turned outward - are even more so. Really first-rate hocks are, unfortunately, a rarity; but lately matters have improved in this respect.

Stem

A typical stern, properly carried, is also a comparative rarity. It should be well feathered underneath, gently curving at the set-on to the spine, but otherwise quite straight. A pot-hook tail - that is to say, one that curves into a hook or a ring at its extremity - is one of the worst faults that a Retriever can exhibit; in fact, such an eye-sore ought almost to amount to a disqualifying point. A stern set on too high, or too low, is also most detrimental to symmetry, giving respectively a Terrier-like or a goose-rumped appearance. It should be of moderate length ; the tip, when pulled down, should just reach half-way between the cap of the hock and the ground. When the dog is still, the stern should hang straight down ; when excited or moving, it should be waved on a level with the back. In the case of a dog, especially one that has been used at the stud, the judge must not pay too much attention to the elevation of the flag, when the animal is in contact with other competitors. The best of them will "give himself away" under the circumstances. A little patience will always enable him (the judge) to see if the dog carries his stern correctly under normal conditions.

Coat

The coat should be absolutely flat (a slight wave on the flanks is often observable, and is of no great importance). It should be dense and glossy, with a strong undergrowth of still finer hair. It should be of moderate length, and for the most part even ; but a longer, denser mass, almost amounting to an incipient mane, on the neck, is typical of the breed, though somewhat detrimental to quality.

General Appearance And Symmetry

When the expert judge of a Retriever enters the ring, his practised eye wanders around, and is attracted by the general outline and symmetry of certain competitors. In nine cases out of ten, first impressions turn out to be correct (except where some disqualifying fault is subsequently detected), and the general appearance of the competitor is usually found to be the sum of his perfections or otherwise. In general appearance, the Flat-coated Retriever stands out a strong, symmetrical animal, built on perfectly balanced lines of artistic beauty - in fact, a perfect gentleman, and one of the noblest examples of the noblest animal with which humanity has to deal.

Action And Character

It is hardly conceivable that a judge, after summing up the merits and demerits of the competitors, should proceed to make his awards without putting them through their paces, so that he may appraise their movement and detect any lameness, stiffness, or slovenly action. And yet, over and over again, this grave omission may be seen in evidence, and passed without comment by exhibitors and reporters. Breeders of to-day are wont to deplore the fact that good, level action is not as universal as it should be; the action of the quarters, and especially of hocks, is rarely perfect, and it behoves judges to pay particular attention to these defects. In their slow paces, many Retrievers have a rolling gait, which suggests weakness; but when pace is accelerated, this often disappears, and it is found that, after all, the dog is a really good mover. Every competitor whose conformation is otherwise up to the standard of merit should invariably be tested at the walk, the trot, and the gallop. It is seldom that judging-rings are provided which give sufficient scope for exhaustive and really satisfactory tests of this kind; but a judge should never neglect them, even if he has to take the select coterie outside the barriers.

An absolutely perfect Retriever, or dog of any other breed for that matter, is chimerical; but if one could "piece-up" from the champions of the new century, an ideal could easily be manufactured: given the head, ears, eyes, legs, and feet of Champion Black Quilt, or his sire Champion Horton Rector; the neck, shoulders, coat, and deep chest of Black Charm ; the back, loins, stern, and general symmetry and character of Champion Wimpole Peter, with Quilt again coming in to supply hocks, size, and substance, and, in the writer's opinion, it would take a very hypercritical eye to detect a failing.

As to the comparative value of "points," the subjoined scale is offered by the writer for what it is worth: -

The following disqualifying points are debatable, and it is only when the faults appear to a glaring and uncompromising extent that a judge is justified in altogether ignoring an otherwise high class animal: -

1. A very light yellow eye.

2. A coat waved or curled on neck and back.

(Not so long ago this breed was yclept "Wavy-coated Retrievers," and later on " Flat or Wavy-coated Retrievers." But "fancy" dictated that the "wave" should be severely discouraged; consequently judges began to pass over specimens with this variety of jacket, in favour of those who could show a perfectly flat coat, with the result that nowadays classes are provided for "Flat-coated" and "Curly-coated" Retrievers only; and a competitor that cannot display the orthodox coat has no earthly chance of success. Albeit the wave is constantly recrudescent, even in the best strains.)

3. A badly undershot jaw or badly cankered teeth.

4. A distinctly curled or pot-hooked stern.

5. Pronounced stiffness, lameness, or inability to move at walk, trot, or gallop,

Of dogs of the last decade there are many who are worthy of special mention in this chapter as being far above the average, and as near perfection as the skill of the breeder can produce.

Such as Champions Darenth, Horton Rector, Black Quilt, Wimpole Peter, Boreas of Batsford, and Pettings Mallard are worthy of special mention, and they one and all had the reputation of being most brilliant workers; whilst Paul of Riverside and Black Charm are youngsters that should obtain championship honours in the near future. Amongst stud dogs, Black Drake and Darenth stand out alone.

As already remarked, good bitches have been far more in evidence of late years than good dogs; but amongst a galaxy of beauty, Champion Worsley Bess, Champion Black Queen, Champion Bring 'Em, Champion Black Squirrel, Champion Dido of Swynnerton, Champion Kite, Champion Twiddle, Horton Fern, Colwyn Clytic, Black Adder, and Pettings Ruth are, or were, exceptionally beautiful specimens. Of these Champion Worsley Bess is dam of Paul of Riverside, whilst Champion Black Queen is dam of Champion Black Quilt.