Golden or Lab

[theVulture]

A diffrent point of view, i wouldnt choose a golden or lab.
They are both pretty even tho i like labs better But they are not suitable for me.
They are friendly dogs, mostly they do good with family. But i live somewhere its not safe to be alone in the streets, specially if you are a woman. Also there are lots of thieves, targeting houses at night. So naturally i would prefer a dog with excellent protection skill wich labs and goldens lack of.

Another thing about friendly nature, with so many dog thieves around, labs and goldens are so easy to streal since they easily trust strangers. My dogs would rip a burglars arm off if they tried to touch them or the door knob itself.

And sadly both labs and goldens are high energy dogs, they need lots of exercise and they are perfect in houses with yards, but harder to keep in appartements. They both shed a lot and they have that charachteristic dog smell on them all the time. I dont have a yard, and sometimes i have hard time walking due an accident i had in the past, so my dog would be fine with short but often walks during the day.

 

[ShrekDawg]

A diffrent point of view, i wouldnt choose a golden or lab.
They are both pretty even tho i like labs better But they are not suitable for me.
They are friendly dogs, mostly they do good with family. But i live somewhere its not safe to be alone in the streets, specially if you are a woman. Also there are lots of thieves, targeting houses at night. So naturally i would prefer a dog with excellent protection skill wich labs and goldens lack of.

Another thing about friendly nature, with so many dog thieves around, labs and goldens are so easy to streal since they easily trust strangers. My dogs would rip a burglars arm off if they tried to touch them or the door knob itself.

And sadly both labs and goldens are high energy dogs, they need lots of exercise and they are perfect in houses with yards, but harder to keep in appartements. They both shed a lot and they have that charachteristic dog smell on them all the time. I dont have a yard, and sometimes i have hard time walking due an accident i had in the past, so my dog would be fine with short but often walks during the day.

That’s completely understandable! Not every dog breed is right for every person. For me personally, having dealt with an extremely large, overprotective Black Lab/Great Pyrenees mix, I am kind of over protective dogs. They can be a liability. Now, granted, it’s not entirely Gator’s fault, we did not socialize him well enough or really at all and are set back somewhat in the woods, so we kind of set him up for failure. Properly trained, being protective can have a use. But he goes ballistic at the bay window and doesn’t stop when told. Or he used to, now he is older and sick so doesn’t notice a lot of stuff. He is also fairly independent. I did finally find what motivated him but it took a while. He is also selective with dogs and reactive on leash and in the car to some dogs. That’s why the next dog I am kind of looking for a less independent, more people pleasing, sociable dog. I don’t want to have to worry that the dog is going to attack someone or attack another dog. So for me, I like the friendly, sociable nature and would rather they didn’t rip someone’s arm off LOL I also don’t mind the higher energy. We have a huge yard and my brother who lives two miles down the road also has a good sized yard and it is fenced and they have two dogs. So lots of opportunity for running and playing. Especially since we also have a lot of areas to walk and hike within minutes. And I plan on training a lot and possibly doing a dog sport or two. So for me, I am prepared for and do not mind the energy level. I actually would prefer a little bit higher energy level, Gator just sleeps all day. When he was younger he had a bit more energy for training and stuff but he still mostly slept all day and wasn’t very interested. It’s kind of boring lol but I love him. Libby (brothers dog) is high energy and very intelligent and trainable and I love her. So I don’t mind. But I completely understand that every situation is different. Although I don’t think they really have a dog odor as long as they are groomed regular and bathed when they start to smell bad or get dirty. But they definitely do shed A LOT. What breed do you have? I have also considered the Aussie because I think that a slightly more protective dog might come in handy for hiking alone or if I move to an apartment by myself but right now we live in a really safe area and most apartments don’t allow bigger dogs anyway so would likely have to leave it here and my parents don't really like Aussies that much. Plus a lot of places have breed restrictions. I don’t think Aussies are usually on the list but a lot of other breeds are.

 

[theVulture]

That’s completely understandable! Not every dog breed is right for every person. For me personally, having dealt with an extremely large, overprotective Black Lab/Great Pyrenees mix, I am kind of over protective dogs. They can be a liability. Now, granted, it’s not entirely Gator’s fault, we did not socialize him well enough or really at all and are set back somewhat in the woods, so we kind of set him up for failure. Properly trained, being protective can have a use. But he goes ballistic at the bay window and doesn’t stop when told. Or he used to, now he is older and sick so doesn’t notice a lot of stuff. He is also fairly independent. I did finally find what motivated him but it took a while. He is also selective with dogs and reactive on leash and in the car to some dogs. That’s why the next dog I am kind of looking for a less independent, more people pleasing, sociable dog. I don’t want to have to worry that the dog is going to attack someone or attack another dog. So for me, I like the friendly, sociable nature and would rather they didn’t rip someone’s arm off LOL I also don’t mind the higher energy. We have a huge yard and my brother who lives two miles down the road also has a good sized yard and it is fenced and they have two dogs. So lots of opportunity for running and playing. Especially since we also have a lot of areas to walk and hike within minutes. And I plan on training a lot and possibly doing a dog sport or two. So for me, I am prepared for and do not mind the energy level. I actually would prefer a little bit higher energy level, Gator just sleeps all day. When he was younger he had a bit more energy for training and stuff but he still mostly slept all day and wasn’t very interested. It’s kind of boring lol but I love him. Libby (brothers dog) is high energy and very intelligent and trainable and I love her. So I don’t mind. But I completely understand that every situation is different. Although I don’t think they really have a dog odor as long as they are groomed regular and bathed when they start to smell bad or get dirty. But they definitely do shed A LOT. What breed do you have? I have also considered the Aussie because I think that a slightly more protective dog might come in handy for hiking alone or if I move to an apartment by myself but right now we live in a really safe area and most apartments don’t allow bigger dogs anyway so would likely have to leave it here and my parents don't really like Aussies that much. Plus a lot of places have breed restrictions. I don’t think Aussies are usually on the list but a lot of other breeds are.

I own a pitbull at the moment. She is a rescue. A group of uni students found her in the middle of the nowhere while a guy that high as kite were trying to cut her head off with a broken beer bottle. They were able to grab her and run and eventually i adopted her from those students. She had nighmares at nights. She would wake up in panic, shaking. She would go crazy when left alone. And ahe was just 5-6 months old. After lots and lots of planned training she s the perfect dog for me!
She is very quiet, calm and loving aroung friends and family, but she is very alert and attentive in the streets. She always keeps an eye on the males (people) . Specially if they are in groups. She makes her own desicions if the senses a danger that i didnt, but otherwise waits for command. I say "let them be" and she keeps calm, but if i say "alert" or "what did they say?" She barks to keep them away.
She is very friendly around my cats, pigeons, chickens and other animals i got and she is super loving towards kids. She just loves them

 

[ShrekDawg]

I own a pitbull at the moment. She is a rescue. A group of uni students found her in the middle of the nowhere while a guy that high as kite were trying to cut her head off with a broken beer bottle. They were able to grab her and run and eventually i adopted her from those students. She had nighmares at nights. She would wake up in panic, shaking. She would go crazy when left alone. And ahe was just 5-6 months old. After lots and lots of planned training she s the perfect dog for me!
She is very quiet, calm and loving aroung friends and family, but she is very alert and attentive in the streets. She always keeps an eye on the males (people) . Specially if they are in groups. She makes her own desicions if the senses a danger that i didnt, but otherwise waits for command. I say "let them be" and she keeps calm, but if i say "alert" or "what did they say?" She barks to keep them away.
She is very friendly around my cats, pigeons, chickens and other animals i got and she is super loving towards kids. She just loves them

Wow she sounds like a really amazing dog!! That’s awesome you rescued her! But what a rough start poor thing glad she’s in a great home with you now though

 

[theVulture]

Wow she sounds like a really amazing dog!! That’s awesome you rescued her! But what a rough start poor thing glad she’s in a great home with you now though

Even my family were hated her because they were afraid of her, but now they are in love with her. My goal? I wanna show people pitbulls are not mindless killing machines but they are feeling, understanding dogs that needs stabile, loving but dominant owners in their lives

 

[lcwmt]

What’s your favorite and why? Similarities and differences? I know that this varies a lot and also that field bred versus show bred in both breeds are drastically different and even two field bred dogs from both breeds have differences but just curious. From what I have read Goldens appear to be slightly softer and more sensitive, less hardheaded, and don’t seem to deal with loud and/or chaotic environments as well? Do you find that true? Would love pictures and/or stories from both breeds. I love both breeds, we’ve always had Labs or Lab crosses but every Golden I’ve met has been incredibly sweet and I have loved them as well. I love all dogs but seem to have a special fondness for the hunting breeds like retrievers and spaniels. They’re just such great dogs. Although my list of potential
breeds is very long and includes dogs from every group. Anyway, would love to talk about these two breeds (or other retrievers/sporting breeds) as well as get some opinions/input. I can’t get another dog for a while but right now the major contenders are these two breeds (Goldens and Labs) as well as Aussies and Poodles. Looking for a smart, loyal, fairly easily trainable, active dog that I can take places with me and hike and bike and possibly skijor with as well as train in agility, nosework, and/or obedience and teach tricks. Love training so I’d want to train a lot but not necessarily be crazy needing to do something every second. Preferably loving/wanting to be with me as well and good off leash so a lot of breeds fit that bill which makes it hard to narrow down.

*****

Having read the entire thread, here we are at the original question. I have had two golden retrievers and one lab. All three dogs lived out their full life expectancy. One golden and the lab came from reputable breeders and their blood lines were clean of the common disorders. The first golden was a gift and had come from a backyard breeder. She was sweet and pretty and a great bird dog but by the time she was 8, hip dysplasia was causing her serious issues.
Shedding is heavier with labs although the hair is shorter. Labs are easier to groom out burrs than are the long haired breeds.
Both breeds are working dogs. They can be intense. Labs can be a little hard headed, goldens love everyone! Neither breed is suited for house dog confinement IMO. Both will wander given the opportunity. They need a lot of exercise, water time and training. They should be fenced but never chained out.
All three of our retrievers were good with water fowl and upland birds. They were soft mouthed and motivated hunting dogs as well as excellent family dogs. That said, they were all three gun dogs but hated fireworks, chaos and urban settings.
If you get a sporting breed, please consider how you will channel their desire to work. Consistency is so important.

Aussies and other herding breeds are lovely but much more independent than the retrievers - this is in their breeding. Again, IMO not suited for house confinement and even more prone to wander given the chance. (We have a Catahoula and our third Border Collie pup right now. Our very rural environment is good for these herding dogs but we do have 3 acres electric fenced for them)

Standard poodles fit your current requirements and might be much easier to handle as your life changes. Others have suggested shelter or rescue dogs. This is a good idea because it gives you a chance to meet and interact with a personality and find one who fits.
I highly recommend you consider what your life will be like in 5-10-15 years before adding a new dog. Some will be adaptable, others not.

Later in the thread you discuss:
*fencing: an in-ground electric fence might work well for you where you are right now. Limiting a dog's ability to roam is important for all sorts of reasons. For one: pups should not be exposed to unknown dogs until they have had all their shots. There are few things more sad than a pup trying to recover from distemper or parvo. Some make it, some don't, some are damaged.

*As for neutering vs leaving intact - Shelters neuter early to prevent more unwanted litters. Most US Vets like to wait until at least 6 months but do want the dogs to be neutered before sexual maturity. There is research out of the UK regarding impact of early neutering but the guidelines in the US have not changed so far as I know.

Whatever you decide is personal but are you prepared to keep a female confined for up to six weeks twice a year? Also, without a fenced yard it is a guarantee that there will be uninvited male visitors if you have a female. If you have a male, he will go gallivanting when you least expect it.. (Goldens can have as many as 13-14 pups. Where will those adorable dogs go when they are 8 weeks old, and what about the Vet expenses associated with a litter of pups?)

You have mentioned a lot of sports and activities to do with your dog - Some are more suitable for some dogs and some people than others, but any sustained athletic activity should be cleared with your Vet (orthopedic damage results when a dog is run or cycled with too early for example.) As for exercising a dog by having it run along a car???

It seems you are in a research phase of considering dogs right now, also that you are passionate about your animals. This is all good. It also sounds like you are not living independently yet..... What dog can start with you where you are now and then live in a smaller space or an apartment a few days from now? That might be a way of narrowing down your options. Good luck and have fun finding your next canine companion!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sorry everyone, completely forgot to respond!!

Even my family were hated her because they were afraid of her, but now they are in love with her. My goal? I wanna show people pitbulls are not mindless killing machines but they are feeling, understanding dogs that needs stabile, loving but dominant owners in their lives

Pit bulls are definitely awesome dogs in the right home! Unfortunately a lot of homes are not the right ones. My brother’s neighbors adopted a pit bull type mix in February and she was attacked by two Golden Retrievers over the summer totally unprovoked and she didn’t even fight back. The dogs were/are territorial or dog aggressive or something and the gate was accidentally left open, the dogs ran up the hill and attacked the pit while they were on a walk. Thankfully the dog was not hurt but it could have been far worse. She just sat there and did nothing. Most people would think pits are so aggressive and vicious and Goldens are perfect but yet in this case, the Goldens attacked completely unprovoked. Not to say that pit bulls are perfect or never dog aggressive, they definitely can be, but not always.

*****

Having read the entire thread, here we are at the original question. I have had two golden retrievers and one lab. All three dogs lived out their full life expectancy. One golden and the lab came from reputable breeders and their blood lines were clean of the common disorders. The first golden was a gift and had come from a backyard breeder. She was sweet and pretty and a great bird dog but by the time she was 8, hip dysplasia was causing her serious issues.
Shedding is heavier with labs although the hair is shorter. Labs are easier to groom out burrs than are the long haired breeds.
Both breeds are working dogs. They can be intense. Labs can be a little hard headed, goldens love everyone! Neither breed is suited for house dog confinement IMO. Both will wander given the opportunity. They need a lot of exercise, water time and training. They should be fenced but never chained out.
All three of our retrievers were good with water fowl and upland birds. They were soft mouthed and motivated hunting dogs as well as excellent family dogs. That said, they were all three gun dogs but hated fireworks, chaos and urban settings.
If you get a sporting breed, please consider how you will channel their desire to work. Consistency is so important.

Aussies and other herding breeds are lovely but much more independent than the retrievers - this is in their breeding. Again, IMO not suited for house confinement and even more prone to wander given the chance. (We have a Catahoula and our third Border Collie pup right now. Our very rural environment is good for these herding dogs but we do have 3 acres electric fenced for them)

Standard poodles fit your current requirements and might be much easier to handle as your life changes. Others have suggested shelter or rescue dogs. This is a good idea because it gives you a chance to meet and interact with a personality and find one who fits.
I highly recommend you consider what your life will be like in 5-10-15 years before adding a new dog. Some will be adaptable, others not.

Later in the thread you discuss:
*fencing: an in-ground electric fence might work well for you where you are right now. Limiting a dog's ability to roam is important for all sorts of reasons. For one: pups should not be exposed to unknown dogs until they have had all their shots. There are few things more sad than a pup trying to recover from distemper or parvo. Some make it, some don't, some are damaged.

*As for neutering vs leaving intact - Shelters neuter early to prevent more unwanted litters. Most US Vets like to wait until at least 6 months but do want the dogs to be neutered before sexual maturity. There is research out of the UK regarding impact of early neutering but the guidelines in the US have not changed so far as I know.

Whatever you decide is personal but are you prepared to keep a female confined for up to six weeks twice a year? Also, without a fenced yard it is a guarantee that there will be uninvited male visitors if you have a female. If you have a male, he will go gallivanting when you least expect it.. (Goldens can have as many as 13-14 pups. Where will those adorable dogs go when they are 8 weeks old, and what about the Vet expenses associated with a litter of pups?)

You have mentioned a lot of sports and activities to do with your dog - Some are more suitable for some dogs and some people than others, but any sustained athletic activity should be cleared with your Vet (orthopedic damage results when a dog is run or cycled with too early for example.) As for exercising a dog by having it run along a car???

It seems you are in a research phase of considering dogs right now, also that you are passionate about your animals. This is all good. It also sounds like you are not living independently yet..... What dog can start with you where you are now and then live in a smaller space or an apartment a few days from now? That might be a way of narrowing down your options. Good luck and have fun finding your next canine companion!

Thank you for all the information, it is very helpful, and I am sorry I did not reply sooner. Read it but then completely forgot to reply.

It is definitely a lot to consider but I believe that I am absolutely prepared for the amount of work involving both sporting breeds and intact dogs. I have done a lot of research on both and have lots of plans for exercising the dog, although that said I think I would also do a lot of training and mental stimulation/mental exercise as well as physical exercise. And I do not mind confining the dog while it is in heat although I think I am leaning more towards a male but unsure. Males seem more loving and cuddly to me and I love the goofy nature but females seem like they take their work more seriously? So idk. But either way, male or female, confining is not an issue, especially since I plan to have the dog on a leash or in a fenced yard most of the time anyway and supervised when outside. As for the athletic activity and possible orthopedic damage, I have read a bit about that too, and I would wait to do any intense exercise (like repetitive jumping or running long distances or on hard surfaces, etc.) until probably 18 months. I would never do any of that stuff with a little baby puppy, too much risk of damage. But it is an excellent point so I am glad it was brought up. I am prepared for waiting though. oh and as for the car thing, I probably wouldn’t actually do that, and I know that dogs need far more attention and actual interactive exercise than that, but was just pointing out that I could if it came down to that, like if the dog was extra crazy or something, but was more joking. Just our yard is huge so I could and my brother used to take the moped or the humvee around the yard and our old dog would chase it, the yard is kind of a bowl shape so it worked perfectly for laps aha but I just realized that may encourage car chasing so I probably wouldn’t do that.

I am unsure what you mean by not being suited for house dog confinement though? A lot of people have them as family pets and living in the house? They do definitely need a lot of exercise and will possibly be crazy or hyper without it but with plenty of exercise and mental stimulation (and with a well bred dog), they should have a good off switch and be able to relax in the house after a day’s work or some good exercise? If they don’t get enough exercise and training then I am sure they will be a real pain and a lot of families are too busy to provide enough exercise so maybe that is what you mean but I am home all day so have plenty of time to devote to the dog.

I do still live at home but I am not planning on moving out for a while and when I do, I wouldn’t just dump the dog. Although that said, I suppose it may be better to get a smaller dog that fits apartment weight limits in case I do need to move but I would rather get the dog that is the better fit for me rather than get one just based on weight limits and I really believe that a retriever is a good fit. Plus I would rather live in a tent or my car with a dog than give it up haha crazy I know and hopefully it wouldn’t come to that but I wouldn’t dump a dog at a shelter or anything. IF worst came to worst, the breeder would take it back, but I would try everything first.

I think we are going to fence in the yard with a physical fence soon but the electric fence is definitely a good idea too.

We have tons of walking and hiking opportunities here for exercise and training, including some off leash ones where the dog could run around. Once trained of course. Or on a long line.

I know a retriever will likely be a lot of work until at least 2 years old, possibly even 3-5 years old, but I am prepared for that.

Right now I just walk/train my brother’s two dogs but I am hoping to start walking more dogs and want to become a certified dog trainer. I might get a job in retail or something too in the meantime. Staying here for a while though. And want to buy land eventually rather than apartment but idk

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also, has anybody experienced problems with their Golden’s ears or with hot spots? My dad says every Golden he has known has had terrible ear infections and he is therefore hesitant to get another Golden despite otherwise loving the breed.

 

[lcwmt]

Also, has anybody experienced problems with their Golden’s ears or with hot spots? My dad says every Golden he has known has had terrible ear infections and he is therefore hesitant to get another Golden despite otherwise loving the breed.

My Goldens did not have ear problems. Don't know what you mean by hot spots. Although my last Golden had nasty allergies (does that sound familiar? itchy skin, dull coat, digestive issues? in some critters, ear infections might also follow.).
Once he was switched to grain free, minimal ingredient food all these issues cleared up quite quickly. He was healthier, also happier.
His overall health changed so much that now, all my dogs are on grain free diets.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lots of allergies can be from a bad dog food, or just food allergies, so maybe goldens in general are more sensitive to certain ingredients. I know my boxers and rat terrier will have problems with corn in the food, and my Aussies get runny poops if there are too many peas and pea sources in a food. So it could be just finding the best food. All my dogs do great on Taste of the Wild. Some people have strong negative ideas about that brand due to past problems. I personally can't find any brand that compares.