Golden Retriever vs. Labrador Retriever

The Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever are similar dogs. However, they are different in many aspects. They have been the first choice as a family dogs for their sweet nature and caring behavior. Differences start showing in their energy levels.

A golden retriever tends to be more relaxed than a Labrador, full of energy. The golden retriever needs more grooming in comparison to the Labrador. The golden retriever puppy would be slightly cheaper when purchasing a puppy.

Breed History: Golden Retriever

Despite similar looks, these canines have different features. They have different histories and come from opposite sides of the world.

The golden retriever dates back to the 19th century and is an origin in Scotland, which was a part of Great Britain. A clever nobleman named Lord Tweedmouth 1 desired a gun dog, but he wanted it to be different from the others.

With his experience in dog breeding, he created the golden retriever, a part of many homes today. The first-ever breed of golden retriever was a concoction made of the now-extinct tweed water spaniel, the ‘then golden retriever, the Irish setter, and the bloodhound. The gun dog could sniff the prey and collect it without killing it.

It is a reason that in the world of gun dogs, this dog breed is identified as ‘soft mouth.’ After half a century of engineering the perfect gun dog, the son of Lord Tweedmouth sailed the dog across the Atlantic sea to America, where the popularity of this dog began.

The Americans fell in love with not only his working skills but for his grace and good looks. The golden retrievers’ popularity grew twofold when the 38th president Gerald Ford of the United States adopted a golden retriever named Liberty. She became a piece of regular news as was shown on the television.

Breed History: Labrador Retriever

As the golden retriever, the Labrador retriever hails from the 19th century. The dog hails from Canada. Like the golden retriever, even the Labrador was bred to be a working dog. With time it well-proved its worth. But this dog worked mainly on water and was the favorite of the local fishermen.

The Labrador retriever was best known for collecting ducks, fish, and various small water creatures. The popularity of the Labrador retriever rose when the British loved his nature and looks and started sailing him to Britain. Though the dog is named Labrador, it is not from Labrador but a newfound land.

Appearance: Labrador Retriever vs. Golden Retriever

• The appearance of the golden retriever and the Labrador retriever is more or less similar. In addition, they have similarities in size, just that the Labrador is taller than the golden by a mere half an inch at around 24.5 inches from paw to shoulder. In addition, the Labrador is slightly heavier than the golden retriever by five pounds.
• Talking about the appearance, the golden retriever is more graceful due to being slenderer than the Labradors, and the Labrador looks bulkier due to his coat.
• The golden retriever has an undercoat and an overcoat that helps him keep warm. His outer coat is long, wavier, and soft in appearance. It gives him that handsome and elegant look. The Labrador retriever has an undercoat and an outer coat, but his outer coat is shorter and thicker.
• The Labrador coat acts like a wetsuit, which traps body heat to keep him warm in the freezing waters of Canada. Both dogs’ coats are water-resistant, but the Labrador coat goes a step forward by being ice resistant.
• Regarding coat colors, the Labrador has a broader choice of colors than the golden. However, the most popular color of the Labrador is the yellow coat, followed by chocolate and black.
• One can find red Labradors, but many breeders do not consider them purebred. The golden retriever boasts a golden color and a few shades of golden.
• As they grow old, the coat of the golden retriever changes to a completely white color or a dark golden red shade. Whereas, in the case of the Labrador, barring a few grey hairs, the coat maintains the original color throughout.
• Another elegant feature of the golden retriever is his tail, which is long, and the hair, which is long too and therefore its plumes. And just like a human arm, it shakes from side to side as he elegantly walks.
• The Labrador, however, has a different kind of tail. It is long and thick with short hair and reminds you of the otter’s tail.
• The thick tail of the dog comes in handy when swimming in the waters. It acts like a rudder that helps him steer in the water. God forbid the fishers could pull him out holding his thick tail if he ever got stuck.

Temperament: Labrador Retriever vs. Golden Retriever

The golden retriever and the Labrador retriever have similar temperaments. They are kind, pleasant, obedient, affectionate, and friendly dogs.

Golden Retriever

After the golden retriever has taken his hourly workouts, he tends to chill. After that, he certainly will play, jump around, and exercise.

However, in between those, he will not like missing out on snoozing sessions and cuddling with his family. The golden retriever would enjoy a day out playing as much as he would enjoy a day in complete relaxation mode.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador retriever is known for being energetic and cheerful. However, his need to be entertained is longer than the golden retriever. This is because labradors require long and more intense exercise. Apart from this, they need additional mental stimulation.

It cannot be easy to tire out a Labrador. Even though he likes to cuddle, he gets too busy to remember.

Cost: Labrador Retriever vs. Golden Retriever

Labrador retriever puppy costs around Rs. 7,000 to 20,000 in India and about $400 to $1,500 in USA.

Golden Retriever puppy cost around Rs. 10,000 to 40,000 in India and about $1,000 to $3,500 in USA.