Which is better Golden Retriever or Labrador Retrievers??

Also, most large cities have golden / lab (or just about any other breed) rescue organizations. We adopted our golden from one, and she's terrific. Unless you're wanting a show dog, there's really no reason to buy them from a breeder. I've owned a lab and now a golden, and I do think that our golden is a bit more hyper / neurotic (separation anxiety) than our lab was (although she's still only 2, and it could be because she's a rescue). She's an amazing running partner (can easily handle a daily 6-8 miles), whereas our lab was NOT a runner. Both had great temperaments, loved everyone, ate everything in sight, and pooped a LOT.

There are a lot of variations within each breed, so I wouldn't overgeneralize from anecdotes, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend a lab.

I've got a lab now (from the local rescue group), and she is very sweet, but stupid, not very trainable, and will eat anything she can get to if you turn your back on her. She goes from being crazy hyperactive around other dogs, if we're going on a walk or a run, taking her in the car, etc. to being completely lazy - if there is nothing going on she just wants to sleep - usually in a bed or on the furniture, which drives my wife crazy. She's okay running but she's really a sprinter - she will try to run full out for a couple of miles and then is ready to go home. She's also very distractable on a run because she wants to make friends with every dog or person we see. She's not a bad dog, but she's a real handful.

Personally, I've had much better experience with herding dogs (German shepherd, corgi, border collie), because they have a decent energy level but are more trainable.

Vizslas are great, particularly as running partners, but oh my gosh, talk about neurosis and high-energy. I on occasion babysit my friend's Vizsla, and wow. They are called "velcro-vizslas" for a reason. That being said, I do recognize that all dogs are different, with different temperaments. So, it's just going to vary!

Why "velcro-vizsla"? I've thought about getting one...do they hang all over you or something?

I'm partial to labs but also like goldens however you should get a flat coat retriever, they look like a mixture of both!

Haha, yes, at least this one does. Here's some commentary: http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/vizslas.html. They just REALLY want to be with you (although, honestly, so do most dogs), and are REALLY sensitive / in-tune with you emotionally. For example, when my friend (the Vizsla owner) and her boyfriend would have an even remotely heated discussion, or when my friend would be talking on the phone upset, her Vizsla goes and sits in the bathtub, shaking. He really is a great dog, and my friend loves having him, but I just think that they're fairly high-maintenance.

Vizsla sits in the bathtub and shakes....sad, but also quite a funny visual. And I agree with an above poster about not going to a breeder; get a rescue!!!

My anecdotal evidence: there's a neighborhood GR that roams around, pooping giant turds in everyone's yards, eating trash, and barking at whatever floats his boat. Our dogs are both enamoured with him, so he comes to visit often. The other day my husband came home from a run to find the GR there and the GR charged at him, barking. Yes, very protective, even if it's not his family or property. In this case, dumb GR.

My brother rescued a black lab puppy who was a wonderful dog. After she died, his wife got another black lab from a breeder, and she is a handful, energy-wise. Good retriever and strong as an ox. She'll retrieve her floaty toy from the Chesapeake Bay until she collapses from exhaustion. It also remarkable how quickly Bay water cleaned out her colon (ew).

Both are wonderful, loyal animals, but Labs are more appealing to me because they don't leave as much hair everywhere and you can more easily run them in the summer. But either way you can't lose. This isn't like comparing either dog to a "canine" like a Peke or some other worthless yap factory.

just get a whippet.

marijuologist wrote:

My yellow lab died in December. I saved his DNA to clone him in the future.

Did you just leave it sitting in the yard, or put it in the freezer to preserve it.

Once you go black, you never go back.

Make sure if you get a lab to get an english style lab. They are stockier and shorter than the lab hunting dogs. Also calmer.

dgsssssssssssssssssssssss wrote:

To the dude who likes the cocker spaniel,

You must by a fffffffffffffffffffffffffaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.

Could you scream any louder "I AM A PUSSY!!!!!" than when parading around in the park with your ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL.

There might be one guy who is gayer than that guy... The kind of guy that thinks his dog make him manly. You. You are the epitome of a loser.

I feel sorry for you though, it sounds like you have an insecurity issue. Poor little guy.

To the OP. Labs no question. Go with the lab.

no biggie wrote:

I just got a Vizsla, and I'd say it's better than both breed. why go with the two most popular dog breeds. you see labs and goldens everywhere.

Love the Goldens that my wife's family had for decades and I had a black lab that lived for 17 years and my present black lab is just short of 14.

Some of the retrievers are almost psychic.

Our lab knows when I have a strain or a sore joint and insists on licking that area while I stretch.

Sometimes he will lick an area the day before it begins to hurt.

It doesn't matter how long my wife is away from the house or what time she returns, the dog will almost always get up, walk to the door by the garage and wait and she will show up a few minutes later.

He met me as I got out of bed 3 days ago, leaning up against me and demanding to be hugged before I was allowed to go to the bathroom, an atypical sequence of events. I told my wife that something important must be up because he always knows.

I got a call 10 minutes later to hurry to my hometown because my father was near death.