Chatham Hill RetrieversTM
Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania
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Our Yellow Flat-Coat
& Yellow Chatham Hill Retriever
& Yellow Chatham Hill Retriever
What About the Yellow Flat-Coated Retriever?
The Yellow Flat Coated Retriever at one point in history was as common as the Liver that is accepted in the conformation breed standard today along with black. However, because of long used standards created by our ancestors who’ve long since died away, in some areas the dog fancy still practices culling these healthy dogs and spay/neuter in more humane locales. Because of these practices the yellow variant really has become a rare occurrence contrary to what any old school misinformed breeder will tell you. The LIVER color variant is also a recessive trait just like the yellow is, and only until recently in the history of this breed was not favored in the conformation arena although allowed in conformation, unlike the Yellow which is completely disqualified on color. It is recorded in the history of the Flat Coated retriever that sometimes the Yellow and the Cream pups were removed from the FCR litters and registered as just Yellow/Cream Golden Retrievers. This of course no longer happens, but the culling and the surgical alterations to remove these dogs from an already thin gene pool still occur today. Why is it that these breeders choose to remove this variation from the gene pool of a breed of dog that clearly has less than 10% diversity already in its population? Why take away from a breeding population that is statistically in the same situation as any endangered species today? Why should we remove an entire group of potential healthy genes from the mix based on color? Does this sound sane?
We would never claim these dogs as a rare breed, but because of almost a century of attempting to remove this trait from the breed they are IN FACT rare and remain a window into the past when the lines of Flat Coated Retrievers and Golden Retrievers shared their history. They are a viable contribution to the genetic diversity, which separates a fit animal from a genetically defective one. And they can provide an advantage over other FCR who’ve long been a part of the “SAME SIRE” dilemma or decades of inbreeding and Line breeding, which have helped to thin the diversity to the levels seen today.
Although the Yellow is not eligible to compete in the conformation events sponsored by the breed clubs and the AKC, (which only follows the standards they are given by the breed clubs). The Yellow variant is a recognized pure breed by the AKC and as such is eligible to compete in Field trials, Obedience Trials and Rally Events. Held by the AKC. In fact if you wish to enter your yellow FCR in a sanctioned fun match then you actually can show it. Not to say you will win, but you will be allowed to go around the ring in that doggy beauty contest. The point matches will disqualify Yellow for now. But, keep in mind that for a time the Liver (brown) color was also not favored in conformation events.
So the next time an FCR breeder tells you all the negatives they are taught to preach about the yellow FCR by their breed club. You might just want to remind them that the Liver is also a recessive trait and only until recently in history was not favored in the dog show ring. Then come to us and ask us when we will have a yellow available. We breed for Black, Liver and YELLOW and put Health concerns before cosmetic concerns. We do not breed for the yellow as a goal. We breed for diversity as an advantage over what our peers offer. Therefore, the yellow gene is welcome in our lines of FCR as well as Yellow or Cream puppies. As a responsible and ethical breeder we do not remove otherwise healthy specimens from the gene pool regardless of color. If color is a bother for you then please search for an old school breeder and help them continue to contribute to the demise of the FCR Gene pool.
In the human species, the eradication of any race based on their color is called racism and genocide. In the canine species this same practice enforced by humans against any breed based on color is just insanity.
The Yellow Flat Coated Retriever at one point in history was as common as the Liver that is accepted in the conformation breed standard today along with black. However, because of long used standards created by our ancestors who’ve long since died away, in some areas the dog fancy still practices culling these healthy dogs and spay/neuter in more humane locales. Because of these practices the yellow variant really has become a rare occurrence contrary to what any old school misinformed breeder will tell you. The LIVER color variant is also a recessive trait just like the yellow is, and only until recently in the history of this breed was not favored in the conformation arena although allowed in conformation, unlike the Yellow which is completely disqualified on color. It is recorded in the history of the Flat Coated retriever that sometimes the Yellow and the Cream pups were removed from the FCR litters and registered as just Yellow/Cream Golden Retrievers. This of course no longer happens, but the culling and the surgical alterations to remove these dogs from an already thin gene pool still occur today. Why is it that these breeders choose to remove this variation from the gene pool of a breed of dog that clearly has less than 10% diversity already in its population? Why take away from a breeding population that is statistically in the same situation as any endangered species today? Why should we remove an entire group of potential healthy genes from the mix based on color? Does this sound sane?
We would never claim these dogs as a rare breed, but because of almost a century of attempting to remove this trait from the breed they are IN FACT rare and remain a window into the past when the lines of Flat Coated Retrievers and Golden Retrievers shared their history. They are a viable contribution to the genetic diversity, which separates a fit animal from a genetically defective one. And they can provide an advantage over other FCR who’ve long been a part of the “SAME SIRE” dilemma or decades of inbreeding and Line breeding, which have helped to thin the diversity to the levels seen today.
Although the Yellow is not eligible to compete in the conformation events sponsored by the breed clubs and the AKC, (which only follows the standards they are given by the breed clubs). The Yellow variant is a recognized pure breed by the AKC and as such is eligible to compete in Field trials, Obedience Trials and Rally Events. Held by the AKC. In fact if you wish to enter your yellow FCR in a sanctioned fun match then you actually can show it. Not to say you will win, but you will be allowed to go around the ring in that doggy beauty contest. The point matches will disqualify Yellow for now. But, keep in mind that for a time the Liver (brown) color was also not favored in conformation events.
So the next time an FCR breeder tells you all the negatives they are taught to preach about the yellow FCR by their breed club. You might just want to remind them that the Liver is also a recessive trait and only until recently in history was not favored in the dog show ring. Then come to us and ask us when we will have a yellow available. We breed for Black, Liver and YELLOW and put Health concerns before cosmetic concerns. We do not breed for the yellow as a goal. We breed for diversity as an advantage over what our peers offer. Therefore, the yellow gene is welcome in our lines of FCR as well as Yellow or Cream puppies. As a responsible and ethical breeder we do not remove otherwise healthy specimens from the gene pool regardless of color. If color is a bother for you then please search for an old school breeder and help them continue to contribute to the demise of the FCR Gene pool.
In the human species, the eradication of any race based on their color is called racism and genocide. In the canine species this same practice enforced by humans against any breed based on color is just insanity.
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IF YOU OWN A YELLOW FLAT-COAT, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! SEND US PICTURES!!
--THANK YOU PHIL FROM AUSTRALIA! THANK YOU JONEE FROM CALIFORNIA!!
IF YOU OWN A YELLOW FLAT-COAT, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! SEND US PICTURES!!
--THANK YOU PHIL FROM AUSTRALIA! THANK YOU JONEE FROM CALIFORNIA!!
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Here are 2 Yellow Dogs.
These 2 yellow dogs are the same exact age!
The bigger dog is a Yellow Flat-coated Retriever we imported from Sweden.
The miniature retriever is a yellow Chatham Hill Retriever.
Here are 2 Yellow Dogs.
These 2 yellow dogs are the same exact age!
The bigger dog is a Yellow Flat-coated Retriever we imported from Sweden.
The miniature retriever is a yellow Chatham Hill Retriever.
