Labradors are popular pets. They can have a range of different fur colors too, including yellow, chocolate, or black. But did you know that there’s such a thing as a golden Labrador? That’s right – the Golden Labrador Retriever is certainly not a myth!
These dogs are pretty cool, but you may not see them very often. They are not Golden Retrievers or Goldadors though – don’t get it confused!
So, you may be wondering – what exactly is a golden Labrador, and how are these stunning creatures any different from their fellow non-golden Labrador counterparts? Are these Labradors like some rare, special kind?
We’re here to answer all of your burning questions in this article. We’re going to tell you just a few cool facts about this breed of dog, in addition to anything else you may possibly need to know.
What Golden Labradors Are Not
Let’s clear up some of the confusion before we give you some of the need-to-know facts about the golden Labrador. It’s worth mentioning first that a golden Labrador is not the same as a Goldador or a Golden Retriever.
To make things easier to understand, it is first best to describe these two different dog breeds.
The Golden Retriever
This dog is often mistaken for a golden Labrador. It’s not hard to see why, since golden is used as a descriptor for both dogs.
They are both different, however. The Golden Retriever is a large gun dog that has previously been used to bring waterfowl that have been shot to its owners when people have gone hunting.
This is not their only purpose, though, Golden Retrievers often will be used as sniffer dogs, hearing dogs, guide dogs and sometimes are even used for things like search and rescue missions.
As domesticated pets, the Golden Retriever is incredibly friendly and is known for its gentle nature – just try and stick an egg in its mouth, and many of them won’t even break the eggs!
They are the ideal family dog, and the Golden Retriever is actually known as the third most popular dog breed for families in the United States.
The Goldador
The Goldador, on the other hand, is a mixture between purebred Labradors and Golden Retrievers. They are fairly new dog breeds that have only been around for about a decade. They combine many of the characteristics of both Golden Retrievers and Labradors.
These dogs are highly intelligent and are sometimes used in anti-narcotic work and bomb detection squads.
So What Is The Golden Labrador?
Have a look at a chocolate Labrador and a yellow Labrador side by side. What’s the main difference? Again, look at the differences between a fox red Lab and a black Lab. It’s not difficult to see the differences between the two – the coats look very different. You will find that the same can be said of the golden Labrador.
Basically, a golden Labrador is like a yellow labrador that has a slightly golden tint to its coat. It’s technically not an official Labrador color (according to the American Kennel Club), but people will often refer to them as golden Labradors because that’s how they look in terms of color.
If you have a look at some yellow Labs, you will see that they can come in a range of different shades. Some of them can be fox red, pale yellow, light cream, white, and of course, golden. With that in mind, the golden Labrador is basically a yellow Lab that has a golden shaded coat.
What Does the American Kennel Club Say?
A quick search of the AKC website will tell you that you can find Labrador Retrievers in three different colors. That is yellow, black and chocolate.
You won’t find anything on the AKC website about the golden Labrador since they are basically one shade of yellow. They do state, however, that the yellow labrador’s coat can range in color from light cream to fox red. Basically, the golden color is somewhere in this spectrum of yellows.
5 Fun Facts You Need To Know About the Golden Labrador
- A yellow lab wasn’t always called a yellow lab. They were once known as golden Labradors, but the name was changed to yellow by the UK Kennel Club. This is mainly because gold isn’t recognized as a real color, whereas yellow is. Seems logical!
- There is a very clear difference between the yellow Labrador and the golden Labrador since the golden shade of the coat really stands out. It looks special, and very different from the yellow Labrador’s coat because it’s more of a gold shade.
- The coat shade is the only real thing distinguishing a golden lab from any other Labrador. They are the same in terms of temperament, size, and health problems. They’re basically yellow labs with a different coat shade.
- It’s actually quite rare to find a true golden Labrador since it’s just one shade in the yellow spectrum. You will more than likely find a yellow shade Labrador, but golden ones in specific are much smaller in quantity.
- For the most part, dog breeders will refer to golden labs as ‘old yellow labs.’ This is because yellow labs used to be much more gold and darker many years ago. The pale yellow ones have been more popular since the 1970s.
The Many Differences Between Golden Labrador, Golden Retrievers and Goldadors – A Quick Recap
First of all, Goldadors are a combination between Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers – as such, they have characteristics of both breeds. They have double coats much like Labrador Retrievers. But you aren’t in luck if you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog – a Goldador will not fit the bill! Much like Labradors and Golden Retrievers, these dogs are friendly, loving, loyal, and energetic, but they can also be somewhat stubborn! They are slightly lower maintenance than golden retrievers in many respects.
The Golden Labrador, Golden Retriever, and the Goldador are quite intelligent, meaning that training them should be fairly easy and a lot of fun. They’re kid-friendly dogs too, so they make perfect family pets.
Labradors usually have much shorter hair than Golden Retrievers, though they are still going to need brushing on a regular basis to ensure that their coat is healthy. These dogs also differ in terms of the shape of their muzzle. You will find a narrow and lean jaw on a Golden Retriever, whereas a Labrador Retriever has a wider nose.
Any of these dogs would be a fantastic choice – it’s just a good idea to do your research to know what you’re getting yourself into!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do golden Labradors have a good temperament?
Golden Labradors have a great temperament, just like other kinds of Labradors. They are happy dogs that are very affectionate and loving. They are fond of people and are fantastic both as family dogs and working dogs.
Which Labradors are the smartest?
What’s particularly interesting is that the black lab is actually considered the smartest! Of course, all Labradors are very intelligent and unique, so they are still smart even if you don’t have a black labrador.
Do golden Labs shed a lot?
Golden labs do shed quite a lot, much like other Labradors. You will notice that they are shedding much more when they blow their coat, which happens approximately twice per year. You will usually find that black and chocolate labs don’t shed as much.
You’re also much more likely to notice when a lighter colored lab is shedding its coat – that fur can get everywhere! Hopefully, you have a good vacuum cleaner!
Do You Love Labs?
We love the Labrador breed so much because they make an exceptional companion in the great outdoors. Here are some other interesting articles about Labradors you may want to read:
- Is there such a dog as a white lab?
- Love to walk long distances? Does your lab?
- Life expectancy of a black lab
- Are labs best suited to an indoor or outdoor lifestyle?
- Yes, Labradors just love to swim
- Are chocolate brown labs considered hypoallergenic?
- Labrador Retrievers and cats, a good combination or not?
- Labrador Retriever crossbreeds: meet the Jackador, the Pomodor and the Labrahuahua (the strangest)
- We work it out: costs of a Labrador Retriever