There are around 190 dog breeds in the US alone and more than 360 worldwide. Some breeds may look very similar like the lab and golden retriever. People might get confused since both belong to retrievers and you cannot distinguish between them very easily.
But there are major differences between a Labrador and a golden retriever and in this article, we will be discussing all the differences for you to easily pick them out.
| Labrador | Golden Retriever | |
| Origin | Canada | Scotland |
| Weight | Heavy | Light |
| Chest Size | Broad rib cage | Slim rib cage |
| Color | Black, chocolate, yellow | Light cream to fox red |
| Behavior | Doesn’t like competition with other dogs
Doesn’t fear any new situation and likes to have fun |
Likes to be very competitive
You can find it to be more cautious in new situations |
Origin
A golden retriever was originally bred as a gun dog where if the owner shot an animal, it will retrieve the prey without damaging it. It was bred in the late 1800s and due to their soft gentle mouths, they are considered best as gun dogs.
On the other hand, Labradors were also bred as gun dogs but more as water gun dogs. Since they are excellent swimmers, you can find them to retrieve prey from water bodies effectively.
Weight
Golden retrievers are usually very light in weight and can be found around 55 to 70 pounds on average. They might look big but are very light when lifted. Since they were bred for hunting, you can find them to be light.
Similarly, Labradors are also closer to the weight of goldens but are slightly heavy with denser bones. You can find labs to be around 55 to 80 pounds.
Height
Golden retrievers are slightly slim and look good while the Labs are larger and have a broad chest bone. You can find labs to be bulky while goldens are slightly thin and slim looking.
Coat
Golden retrievers have long hair and a dense undercoat to protect themselves from the freezing cold while labs have a shorter outer coat with a denser undercoat. Labs have slight oil skin while goldens don’t have such oily skin.
Color
As the name suggests, Golden retrievers have light cream color and can turn golden as they age. While you can also witness some fox red coloring. Labradors can be found in black, chocolate, and yellow color.
Conclusion
These are the major differences you can find between a Labrador and a golden retriever in terms of height, weight, color, etc. Check out the differences mentioned above and find out the breed accurately. Both are adorable dogs, and you can find them to be best companions.
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