A mix between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever, the Golden Labrador is often known as the Goldador Retriever, the Golden Lab, the Goldador, and the Labrador Golden Retriever mix. These dogs have plenty of energy and bring together the best traits of Goldens and Labs, resulting in a happy, devoted, and enthusiastic dog. Not only do these dogs make great family pets, they also perform well as service, therapy, bomb detection, guide, and search and rescue dogs.
Origin and History
The idea behind crossing the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever was to breed a dog that had the sweetness and tolerance of a lab while getting the gentle, sensitive nature of the Golden. The Labrador retriever traces back to Canada and was a breed designed to help fisherman retrieve fishing lines and fish. After impressing some Englishmen visiting the area, they were taken to Europe and soon were used for hunting purposes. Later, the dogs would come to America and would be recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917.
Golden Retrievers were bred in Scotland and were used to retrieve waterfowl and other prey. This breed was designed to have an excellent nose, to be loyal, and to be an excellent family dog. In 1911, the Kennel Club of England recognized the breed, and later in 1932, the American Kennel Club would recognize Golden Retrievers. This breed became very popular within the United States and today it is the second most popular breed in the country.
Appearance
A Golden Lab is a very large dog, standing between 22 and 24 inches tall and weighing between 60 and 80 pounds when they reach adulthood. These dogs have a flat, square shaped head, a square, wide muzzle, and floppy ears that hang down. Their eyes are generally brown and oval shaped. They have a double coat that is soft and dense underneath and thick and short on the top. Usually the length of the coat is medium to long and they come in a wide range of colors, including browns, black, gold, yellows, and red. In most cases, the Golden Lab has a black nose.
Golden Labrador Temperament
The Golden Retriever Labrador mix has a clever, energy, affectionate, and happy personality and loves being around people. They are very friendly and quite loyal to their families. Since they enjoy playing and carrying out various tasks, they make excellent working dogs. The Golden Retriever Labrador mix is very eager to please and does not like to be left alone. This breed is very easy to train and they do very well with a family unit. While they are too friendly to make good guard dogs, they are very alert and make excellent watchdogs.
Since the Golden Labrador Retriever mix has a lot of energy, they need to be active. They require a lot of mental stimulation and exercise each day. It’s great to have a fenced in area where these dogs can play, and they need at least 30 minutes of brisk jogging or walking each day, along with some play time. The Golden Labrador Retriever mix loves swimming and they are great with various dog sports, such as agility or flyball. Mental stimulation is also very important, so interactive toys and tricks can be used to keep their minds busy. Without enough mental and physical activity, these dogs may become bored and destructive.
This breed is very intelligent and they love to please, so they are usually very easy to train. They learn faster than many other breeds, but they cannot be treated harshly. Positive reinforcement should be used when training a Golden Retriever lab mix, and plenty of treats and praise are in order.
Grooming
The Golden Lab has moderate grooming needs, and since they have a double coat, it’s best to make sure they are brushed each day. Daily brushing helps to remove any loose hairs and ensures the coat stays looking healthy. The Golden Retriever Lab mix only needs to be bathed as needed, although when they go swimming, they should be rinsed off thoroughly. The ears also need to be dried well after swimming to prevent ear infections. Ears need to be checked weekly and should be wiped each week to keep them clean. Be sure to brush their teeth several times a week to keep teeth healthy and keep breath smelling fresh. If your Golden Lab doesn’t wear down the his toenails naturally, they may need clipped once or twice each month.
Health
In most cases, the Golden Labrador has a life span of between 10 and 15 years. Potential health problems that a Labrador Golden Retriever mix may develop include:
- Diabetes
- Hip dysplasia
- PRA
- Elbow dysplasia
- Eye problems