Deciding between a Labrador Retriever and a Golden Retriever

If you are adding a new dog to your family, loves retrievers, and is torn between a golden retriever and a Labrador retriever then you should consider their differences so that you can pick a dog that’s right for your family.

To provide you with a little history, let’s dip a little to the histories of both dogs. Golden retrievers are thought to have originated from the British Isles in Europe.  Believed to have spawned from the crossbreeding of Light-coated Tweed Water Spaniels, yellow Flat-coated Retriever, other setters, spaniels, the Newfoundland, and even possible the blood hound. Labradors, on the other hand, are thought to have originated from Labrador and Newfoundland, Canada. Believed to be descendants of the now extinct St. John’s Water Dog who in turn is a cross between the Newfoundland and native water dogs, the Labrador is considered to be very closely related to the Newfoundland.

Appearance wise, golden retrievers only appear in a golden coat, the Labrador retriever could appear in multiple coat colors including chocolate, yellow, and black. The golden retriever also has a longer coat compared to the Labrador, which could add a little bit more work to maintaining the dog.

Both breeds of retrievers are considered to be well tempered. Though there are unruly or hyperactive dogs in both breeds, this can be attributed to breeders who do not follow breeding guidelines. Their easy going attitudes make them an ideal pet around children. The Golden retriever does gain a few points around children because of its relative calmness compared to Labradors. A playful Labrador could still cause some injuries due to its playful nature even if it means no harm.

These dogs also love to swim and are very comfortable outdoors. Labradors are known to be independent and could be terribly noisy about anything.  Golden retrievers, on the other hand, crave a lot of attention and loves being around a lot of people. Another interesting characteristic of these dogs is their very large bark which could easily intimidate or scare people away. That makes retrievers a good combination of a family dog and a guard dog. Despite being a very friendly dog, burglars would think twice before proceeding after they hear the huge bark from inside.

Choosing a dog is a long term commitment and should be thought about carefully. I hope this helps you decide between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever.

This is the only dog food that I recommend you feed your Labrador puppy: