Difference between Golden Retrievers and Labradors? Questions

Sorry in advance.... no doubt I will offend someone with this question but I am asking in all seriousness!

What would you say are the main differences between the two breeds?

Coat length.lol
You can use the word golden instead of yellow to describe their colour and not get shouted at ..

Goldens tend to be a little larger than Labradors.

Goldens require a little more coat maintenance.

Goldens I find are more sensitive. I also find that they mature out of the puppy stage much quicker than Labs and tend to be a bit more laid back as youngsters.

Labs I find are more biddable overall (both show and working types). The show type Goldens I know are nowhere near as biddable and are lacking in drive in comparison to most Labs & working type Goldies.

Generally however, they are not massively poles apart in terms of character. That is why Guide Dog associations cross the two to get the best of both worlds!

Thanks both! (one slightly more than the other )

I know I have said for ages my next dog is going to be a GSD - well I do still want one, but just keeping my options open and having a look/think about other breeds as well

Goldens tend to be bigger (more show type than working type, who tend to be a bit smaller and sometimes a more reddish colour) and with more coat (the ones I've met tend to shed more than Labs too). Yellow Labs can range from very pale Yellow through to Red Fox (the workers tend taller/leaner and tend to be at the darker end of the colour scale more often than the show types).

Both breeds are often keen retrievers with a propensity to carry things around in their mouths. Labs, IME, have a tendency to be a bit more boisterous, Goldens a little more laidback. Both breeds are usually very happy go lucky. Most Labs LOVE water, not sure about Goldens?

I'm sure others will disagree!

One comes with more hair than the other.
One comes in one colour (Golden and shades thereof) the other comes in three.

One has to ask why there are not that many GR in Field Trials......................

I have never met a golden who isnt totaly total laid back. I never worry when Mia is offlead and a golden turns up

They just seem (to me) hairy big gentle labs

Labs seem to age far better. All of the Labs I know (and that's a fair few) remain lively and youthful-looking even at the ages of nine and ten. Whereas literally every single GR I know (again a fair few) *look* their age and are far slower in terms of walking.


Both breeds can tend to pull a lot on the lead when younger.

Both breeds, if typical, are always keen to greet other dogs - and that big dog that is racing across the field towards you and your dog is often a young Lab or a GR :twisted:

Goldens calm down a bit earlier than Labs, from what I gather. I think show Goldens are more laid back than show Labs. The show type Labs I know have a LOT of energy, even when they are ten and eleven.

The Labs I know have more personality than the Goldens - but I suspect this may be because most of the Goldens in my local area come from the same few breeders, as they are almost identical in looks! All totally White, not a single one that is darker in colour! Then again, maybe that is just the shade that is popular with breeders right now?

I love both of these breeds. I have a Lab and am very keen to get a second dog; although a GSD is my first choice, if for any reason that turns out not to be the best choice for Dex (i.e. if I can't manage his reactivity a lot better over the next year) then a working Golden R is my second choice. I know he gets on beautifully with Goldens.

I own 2 goldens hopefully getting a 3rd soon (waiting for hubby to agree..lol)

Goldens have more coat= more grooming,coats are cut for showing, if you have pale ones like i do every bit of dirt shows up, they are laid back but they are not all the same my male who is 2 and half can be just as hyper as my 18month girl. they love water and playing fetch, they tend to dig alot when pups (all flowers got pulled up both times and holes everywhere) mine else can have a mad 10mins now and then when they just charge around the garden for no reason at all. Show goldens can have as much drive as working ones we are doing showing and blood tracking with ours right now my male just passed his tracking test in sept (we waiting till he was calmer before doing it).Show ones aint normally as lean and have a thicker coat i think going by my 2 (1 has showlines 1 has a bit of both)

health problems= they can get flakey skin (1 has it 1 doesnt)
hips and elbows need to xrayed and eyes tested (this is what we have done. there is else a new test here in sweden called PR-1 cant remember what it is for but most of the kennels here are testing dogs

Picture of my male after a swim ..lol


One of my girl taken in June at show.

GR's were just a few years behind Labradors in the development of the breed type, and are air scenters, rather than ground scenters, as Labs are. In fact Labs are the only retriever bred to specifically get their nose down, the rest of the retriever group are air scenters

My answer precisely!

I find that because of how they stand they can put my dogs on edge... except Bailey - Louie loves his Golden Friend Bailey.. And I think he's more working type than show type.

I have to agree that Goldens are more laid back though, I've never had a Golden run up to my dogs.. they tend to just saunter and let the other dogs come to them.. whereas Labs..

I've been thinking about Goldens lately too.. but the coat puts me off..

the coat can be a bit of nightmare when being blown but i found a friend who has a lab was about the same you just see goldens alot more cause the hair is longer (wearing black during this time is the biggest nightmare of all) it took my girl 4 months to be show ready again after this you really do see it when you have a golden that has blown its coat compared to one that has a full coat. but other then that i normally just need to hoover every 2 or 3 days when being blown you need to hoover everyday with 2 goldens

Goldies are a lot calmer, as for the hair,you just brush them everyday.

They are mud magnets, if they are hot and there is a big puddle they will roll in it to keep cool- like a hippo.
And water they love to swim.
My goldie doesn,t run up to other dogs, he stands there waiting for them to come to him, where as labs can go charging to other dogs.
Goldies are very sensitive.If you shout in a angry voice then they block it off. But they will happily run through brambles and come out the other end without a scratch, but half the brambles stuck in there fur.
I think labs are more owner orientated where as my goldie would go with anyone especially if they have food.

LOL my Lab would possibly go with someone who was offering food, and a lot of Lab owners I know say the same. So maybe this is a similarity between Labs and Goldens?

Ha, your Dexter sounds just like Jasper-lovable rogue.

Pictures of My Jasper.

I love Jasper - what a lovely looking boy!

Strangely enough, although Dex is a Lab, people always ask if he's a Golden, and face-wise, Jasper reminds me of him a bit

Tonight i was with 8 goldies and one lab ,,the goldies all ended up curled up dozing while the lab was walking around the room showing everyone his toy which he didnt drop for must of been an hour .lol

My pup has lab & golden retriever in him... but also springer & collie. LOL. He definitely acts like a lab though.

You have to ASK a Golden to do something, whereas you have to TELL a Lab! I mean that Goldens are more sensitive.
There is also the hair - Goldens' hair always seems worse because it is morte fluffy and lies on top of carpets. Lab hair is shorter, more springy and can wind itself into a carpet. This can make is difficult to hoover up. The Golden' hair hoovers up easily, although best top use the hoover every day if you are house-proud.
We have had a Golden at 16.5 years, another at 15.5 years, plus several others over 12 years old.
Both breeds are routinely hip scored, elbow scored and have their ryes tested annually.

I hope this is still useful, after all this time since you posted your question!