The Golden Retriever and the Labrador are two very brave and intelligent breeds of dogs. Despite their many common characteristics and their almost identical morphologies, these two breeds of dogs are totally different from each other. Through this article, we will see the different points that differentiate these two species.
The origins
Even though the Labrador and the Golden Retriever have a great physical resemblance, they do not come from the same lineage. While the Labrador comes from Canada, the Golden Retriever comes from Scotland.
Both are excellent hunting dogs, although the Labrador was used to help fishermen in Canadian waters bring in fish that escaped from the nets, and the Golden Retriever was used to hunt and retrieve waterfowl.
It should be noted that both breeds of dogs are very good swimmers.
Morphology
It is quite normal that some people have difficulty in differentiating the Golden Retriever from the Labrador because, at first glance, they have an almost identical physique. But after long observation, we can mention some points that differ between them.
The Labrador has a much thicker tail, otherwise known as an otter's tail, which serves as a rudder when the dog is in the water. The Golden Retriever, on the other hand, has a rather thin tail. This attribute makes a major difference between these two breeds.
As for its coat, the Labrador has a black, yellow, or brown coat. The Golden Retriever is sandy to orange fawn. It is important to note that the Labrador has a rather short coat, unlike the Golden Retriever.
The shape of the ears is also different in Labradors and Golden Retrievers. They are rectangular in Labradors and drooping in Golden Retrievers.
The Labradors have a smaller muzzle than the Golden Retriever.
Characteristics
The Labrador and the Golden Retriever are two breeds of dogs with a very courageous, docile, and sociable temperament. They are very good pets.
The labrador has a somewhat rough and stubborn character than his fellow dog. It does not really have the notion of fear and can be very confident. The Golden Retriever on the other hand is rather calm and very easy to train.
If the Golden Retriever is a very dynamic and slender dog, the Labrador has little worries related to laziness.
NB: The Labrador is a rather gluttonous dog, and sometimes obese if its master does not watch its diet.
The Labrador and the Golden Retriever are two magnificent breeds of dogs. Both have their own particularities, but this does not mean that one is better than the other or vice versa.