Trying to decide between a Golden Retriever vs a Labrador Retriever?
First off, if you’ve narrowed your search to these two breeds, you can’t go wrong.
Both Golden Retrievers and Labs are medium to large family-friendly dogs with lots of love to give.
The Labrador is the most popular breed and the Golden Retriever is the fourth-most popular breed on the AKC’s 2020 most popular breeds chart.
Two of the main differences between Golden Retrievers vs. Labradors are their coats and personalities. Golden Retrievers have longer coats that require more brushing. Labradors can be more strong-willed than Golden Retrievers.
But every dog is an individual, and you can learn a lot from meeting the dog’s parents.
There are some typical traits for each breed that will help you choose which one is right for you that we’ll cover in this article.
First, we’ll go through an overview of each breed, then, we’ll talk about how they compare on some important aspects of dog ownership, including:
- Energy levels
- Shedding
- Trainability
- How good they are with kids
- How good they are with other dogs and other animals
- And much more
Let’s dive in!
Golden Retriever Overview
Golden Retrievers are playful lovers with a lot of energy.
They have long, beautiful, golden coats, stand a little shorter than two feet tall, and have bushy tails that seem to always be wagging.
They were originally bred in Scotland over 150 years ago to retrieve gunned-down birds.
And although they’re still used as hunting dogs today, you can also find them walking hospitals as therapy dogs, or helping individuals as service dogs.
They’re smart and need a lot of training (which they love doing), but it’s tough to beat a golden retriever if you’re looking for a family dog.
Labrador Retriever Overview
The Labrador is America’s most popular dog for a reason.
They’re sweet, playful, enthusiastic, relatively easy to train, and loyal.
Like golden retrievers, they stand about two feet tall, but unlike goldens, they have short, wiry coats that come in yellow, black, or chocolate colors.
They were originally bred as hunting dogs and to this day are still one of (if not the) most popular hunting dogs.
They’re athletic, loving, and make great family pets for those that can manage their energy and keep them entertained.
Alright, now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how these two dogs compare!
Energy Level
Golden retrievers:
Golden retrievers are high-energy dogs that need about an hour of exercise per day.
Walks, games of fetch and tug, trips to the park and the occasional run will help get them the exercise they need.
Labradors:
Labradors are high-energy dogs, too, and require the same games and activities as goldens to burn off some energy.
However, labs are a bit more energetic than golden retrievers.
Conclusion:
If you have an active lifestyle, both golden retrievers and labs will fit into your home nicely.
And although both breeds have lots of energy, labradors typically have slightly more.
Are They Good For Families & Children?
Golden retrievers:
Golden retrievers make excellent family dogs.
They absolutely love spending time with people and are great with kids.
Labradors:
Labradors are excellent family dogs as well.
They love people and kids, but given that they are a little more boisterous than retrievers, and often don’t know how big they are, they can get overexcited and knock small children down.
Conclusion:
If you have a family, a lab or golden retriever would make a great addition to it.
They’ll love spending time with you and bring endless joy to everyone.
However, if you have small children and you decide to get a lab, you’ll need to watch out because labs sometimes don’t know how big they are and can get overexcited and knock small children down (even though it’s all out of love).
Trainability
Golden retrievers:
Golden retrievers are very intelligent dogs.
Plus, they love to please people.
These two factors make them relatively easy to train.
Labs:
Labs are also smart dogs who are eager to please, too.
So labs are one of the easier breeds to train as well.
Conclusion:
Golden retrievers and labs are both intelligent dogs who want to please their humans, so they are both relatively easy to train.
Temperament
Golden Retrievers:
Golden retrievers have a sweet, gentle, loving, goofy temperament.
This is what makes them great family dogs and easy to train.
Labradors:
Labradors have similar temperaments to goldens with some slight differences.
They are kind and loving too, but a little more rough and tumble than the gentle golden retriever.
Conclusion:
Both breeds are sweet, good-natured dogs and it’s tough to find a better dog for a companion than either of these breeds.
However, golden retrievers are slightly softer than labradors.
Coat & Shedding
Golden retrievers:
Golden retrievers have a soft, flowy coat that ranges in color from cream to gold, to red.
It’s a double coat (a dense undercoat and a flowy top coat) that grows in fully when they’re about a year and a half old.
Their coats require regular brushing and they shed a lot, especially in the spring and fall.
Labradors:
Like golden retrievers, labs have a double coat and they shed a lot.
And like golden retrievers, they especially shed in the spring and fall.
The big difference is that while golden retrievers have a soft and flowy top coat, labradors have more of a wiry coat.
As far as colors go, labradors can be yellow, chocolate, or brown.
Conclusion:
Both breeds shed a lot, so if you’re considering one of these two breeds, hopefully you don’t mind dog hair everywhere.
The only differences here will be, do you want a dog with a soft flowy coat, or a dog with more of a wiry coat?
Speaking of coats, let’s talk grooming…
Related article:
Grooming
Golden Retrievers:
Because of their double coat, golden retrievers require brushing every 1-3 days.
This will help with the shedding, get rid of dead fur and skin, and prevent matting.
They also require regular bathing (~1x/month), teeth cleaning (recommended daily), ear cleaning (~1x/week), and nail trimming (every two weeks) just like any other dog.
Labradors:
Where golden retrievers need to be brushed every 1-3 days, labradors only need to be brushed once a week (a bit more during molting season).
And like goldens and other dogs, they’ll need the regular grooming chores done as well.
Conclusion:
Labradors have a slight edge here, needing to be brushed only once per week, compared to daily or almost daily brushing for golden retrievers.
(Read more about golden retriever grooming here.)
Allergies
Golden Retrievers:
According to Very Well Health, it’s possible that people can be allergic to one dog breed and not another.
Therefore, you may be allergic to golden retrievers and not labs, or vice versa.
Also, according to WebMD, fur is not the major culprit of allergens, but dander (flakes of dead skin), saliva, and urine are.
So just because goldens typically have more fur to shed doesn’t necessarily mean they’re more likely to cause an allergic reaction in someone.
Labradors:
Since you may be allergic to one breed and not another, you likely have as good of a chance of being allergic to a lab as a golden retriever.
Conclusion:
Neither of these dogs are hypoallergenic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will give you a reaction if you’re allergic to dogs.
If you want to see if you’re allergic to either one of these breeds, you can talk to your doctor about getting allergy shots, or spend some time with them and see how you feel.
I’m allergic to some dogs, so before we decided we wanted a golden retriever, I went to a friend’s house and spent some time with his golden to see if I was allergic to him.
Thankfully, I wasn’t, and we ended up getting Oliver.
Size
Golden retrievers:
According to the AKC, below are the breed standards for golden retrievers.
Males: 23-24 inches tall, 65-75 pounds
Females: 21.5-22.5 inches tall, 55-65 pounds
Labradors:
According to the AKC, below are the breed standards for labradors.
Males: 22.5-24.5 inches tall, 65-80 pounds
Females: 21.5-23.5 inches tall, 55-70 pounds
Conclusion:
With both breeds, you’re likely to get about 55-80 pounds of love, depending on the gender.
Life Expectancy
Golden Retrievers:
Golden retrievers’ average lifespan is 10-12 years (according to the AKC)
Labradors:
Labrador retrievers’ average lifespan is also 10-12 years (according to the AKC)
Conclusion:
No matter which breed you choose, you can expect 10-12 years of love.
Golden Retriever & Labrador Health Problems
Golden retrievers:
According to PetMD, some common golden retriever health problems include:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Sub-aortic stenosis (SAS)
- Eye disorders
- Mast cell tumors
- Seizures
- Lymphoma
- Osteosarcoma
- Hemangiosarcoma
- Skin problems
Labradors:
According to PetMD, some common labrador health problems include:
- Patellar luxation
- Hip, elbow and shoulder dysplasia
- Distichiasis
- Exercise-induced collapse
- Diabetes
- Muscular dystrophy
- Tricuspid valve dysplasia
- Entropion
- Retinal dysplasia
- Central progressive retinal atrophy
- Hypothyroidism
- Hot spots
- Cataracts
Conclusion:
No matter which breed you choose, each comes with several common potential illnesses.
However, according to this study done at Cambridge on cancer in dogs, 38% of Golden Retrievers will die from cancer, while only 31% of Labradors will die from cancer.
So Golden Retrievers are more likely to die from cancer, but as long as you find a good breeder, have a good relationship with your vet, feed them the right food, and take care of your pup, you’ll give your dog the best chance at a long happy life.
Are They Good With Other Dogs?
Golden retrievers:
Their good-naturedness doesn’t end with people.
Golden retrievers are great with other dogs.
We did a study and found that 31.6% of golden retriever owners currently have more than one dog, and 57% of those people have a golden plus another breed.
Labradors:
Like golden retrievers, labradors are known for being great with both people and dogs.
Conclusion:
If you have or want a home with multiple dogs, labs and goldens are great candidates to be one (or more!) of those dogs.
Are Golden Retrievers Or Labs Good With Cats?
Golden retrievers:
With a proper introduction and training, golden retrievers can make a good (or at least tolerable) roommate for a cat.
We did a study and found that 25% of golden retriever owners also own a cat.
Labradors:
The friendliness doesn’t stop with people and other dogs for the lab either.
With a proper introduction and training, labs can also get along well in a house with a cat.
Conclusion:
According to this list of cat-friendly dog breeds from VetStreet.com, golden retrievers and labs take the #1 and #2 spot, so if you want a dog and a cat, a golden or a lab is a good choice.
Do They Bark A Lot?
Golden retrievers:
According to this chart from DogTime.com, golden retrievers bark a moderate amount (three stars on a five-star scale).
My golden, Oliver, rarely barks and I’m very thankful that.
Labradors:
According to this chart from DogTime.com, labs bark a moderate amount (four stars on a five-star scale).
Conclusion
No matter what breed of dog you get, you will need to get used to barking.
The good news is that neither goldens or labs are very serious barkers, although goldens may have the slight edge here.
Price
Golden retrievers:
Golden retriever puppies typically cost between $500 to $3,000, depending on the breeder and location.
Labradors:
According to The Labrador Site, the average cost for a labrador puppy is between $800 to $1,200, although they can range up to $2,500+ for champion pedigrees.
Conclusion:
Both breeds have pretty wide ranges in price, although golden retriever puppies may be a little more expensive.
Note: both breeds will likely cost around $2,000 per year of owning them, so don’t let this slight difference in price upfront sway you in either direction.
Related article:
Intelligence
Golden retrievers:
According to Dr. Stanley Coren’s book, The Intelligence of Dogs, golden retrievers are the fourth smartest dog breed.
Labradors:
According to the same book, labradors are the seventh smartest dog breed.
Conclusion:
Both breeds are among the smartest of all dog breeds, but goldens have slightly beat out labs here.
Behavior Problems
Golden Retrievers:
Goldens are high-energy dogs that were bred to work and carry things with their mouths.
If they aren’t sufficiently exercised, they can get bored and get themselves into trouble.
Here are some common golden retriever behavior problems:
- jumping on people
- pulling on the leash
- destructive chewing
- demand barking/demanding attention
- digging
Labradors:
Since labs are also high-energy dogs that were bred to work and use their mouths, they can exhibit similar behavior issues if they get bored.
Conclusion:
Both breeds can be on the naughty side if they aren’t raised in a home that understands their needs.
Here are some tips to prevent and handle bad behavior:
- Make sure their play, sleep, and social needs are met
- Keep them mentally and physically stimulated
- Redirect them to do something you want them to do
- Stop accidentally reinforcing bad behavior
See the full article about handling and preventing bad behavior here.
Final Conclusion
If you’re looking for a new best friend, golden retrievers and labradors are some of the best dogs for the job.
They’re both loving, people-pleasing dogs that get along with everyone from kids to other dogs to cats.
They’re relatively easy to train and aren’t very needy when it comes to grooming.
Labs require less brushing and are less likely to get cancer, but are slightly more headstrong and energetic.
So the big question is this…
What are the most important qualities in a dog for you?
Let us know what you think down in the comments!
See other breed comparisons here:
- Golden Retriever vs. Irish Setter
- Golden Retriever vs. German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever vs. Golden Doodle
- Golden Retriever vs. Border Collie
- Golden Retriever vs. Beagle
- Golden Retriever vs. Husky
- Golden Retriever vs. Rottweiler
- Golden Retriever vs. Bernese Mountain Dog
- Golden Retriever vs. Australian Shepherd
- Golden Retriever vs. Great Pyrenees
- Golden Retriever vs. Boxer
- Golden Retriever vs. Cocker Spaniel
- Golden Retriever vs. Doberman
To learn more about whether or not a golden retriever is right for you, take the Golden Retriever Quiz!
And if you’ve decided on getting a golden retriever, check out this article on how to raise a golden retriever puppy.
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i have a lab that died from cancer is was so sad
i found him on the floor dead but i enjoiyed every day i had him.
🙁
I have raised @ trained retrievers hounds @ collies (goldens @ Collies@ Labs ) were easiest 2 educate hound breeds were more independent dig more @ more determined With all dogs make sure your dog picks U not U pick the dog use more than one visit to determine your choice give patience be fair to the animal U will be overwhelmed by your return of love companionship @ satisfaction A good idea is when looking at a litter sit near wait for your dog to come to you accept U show their acceptance of who you R now at 78 I question would I be fair to be accepted again my life span may be shorter than the dog what 4 him if I go first GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DOG TO ALL DOG LOVERS
I have both! Problem solved. My seven year old Golden is super smart – and he’s teaching our three month old Yellow Lab.
Both great dogs, very similar, and I love them both. For me the deciding factor is which dog you’d rather have in the car after a day of fun. Both love water and getting dirty. But the lab cleans up a lot easier and dries out a lot faster than a golden. Where a golden gets wet and smells doggy for a while and really needs a bath, I can basically run a towel over the lab and clean him off and dry him out pretty quickly and he doesn’t smell like a wet stinky dog for long…
Cleaning a golden is definitely not a quick and easy affair!
My Golden, died 14 months ago. I prefer a rescue Golden to a puppy.
Any available inexpensively?
Hi Terry, here’s a list of golden retriever rescues: https://goldenhearts.co/golden-retriever-rescues-in-every-state/
no labs are better
The best is a mix of both!!! A goldabour. We had a male & he was the sweetest, smartest, loving, devoted animal you could ask or dream of. What you didn’t mention is cancer, they’re big in size & tend to have cancer illnesses. Our boy got stomach cancer & died @ 11 years old, but we enjoyed every day we had him.
Aw, he sounds like a sweet boy! I’m sorry for your loss.
How’s the hair? Is it short like labrador or long like golden?
I just got two. They’re brothers. Ones black like the black lab mom and the other is tan and looks like his golden retriever father. My black on is a little wild but oh so sweet. Sometimes he seems clueless when looking at whatever his brother is doing. My golden one is calm, tender and gentle. He 100% chose me. He played almost with his brother so we bonded with him too during our visit so we could take them both home. My gold boy reminds me of the big sweet brother while the other reminds me of an ornery little brother.
I wish I could have a puppy if I could choose it would be a golden retriever