Golden Retriever vs Labrador: Which Family Dog Is Right for You?

Walk into any park and you’ll spot them: the beaming, tail-wagging retrievers that seem to have been designed by committee for maximum family happiness. The two most popular are the Labrador retriever and the golden retriever. If you’re trying to choose between them, you’re in good company. People ask us about golden retriever vs Labrador nearly every week.

The honest answer is that you can’t go wrong, but they aren’t identical. This guide compares the breeds on looks, coat, shedding, temperament, trainability and daily needs, using the American Kennel Club’s interviews with breed-club experts, and then helps you decide which fits your life.

A note: we’re a golden retriever community, so we have a soft spot for goldens. We tried hard to keep this fair, and we’ve quoted Labrador experts wherever we could.

Quick comparison

	Golden Retriever	Labrador Retriever
Popularity (AKC)	Ranked #4 in 2020	#1 since 1991
Group	Sporting	Sporting
Body	Athletic; AKC lists 55 to 75 lb for goldens	Heavier look: denser bone, deeper chest, rounder ribcage
Coat	Medium-length double coat with feathering and a dense undercoat	Short, dense double coat with a slightly oily outer coat
Colors	Very pale cream to nearly fox red	Yellow (pale cream to fox red), black or chocolate
Shedding	Heavy, year-round and seasonal	Heavy, year-round and seasonal
Temperament	Kind, sensitive, often “clingy”	Kind, exuberant, “Peter Pan”
Training	Eager to please; loves repetition	Eager to please; bores more easily
Exercise	Active, needs a job	Active, needs a job

Sources: AKC (Golden Retriever vs. Labrador Retriever; Is the Golden Retriever the Right Dog Breed for You?). Rankings are as stated by the AKC in its article.

Where they’re alike

AKC breed experts, including a longtime Golden Retriever Club of America educator and a veterinarian who breeds Labradors and serves as president of the OFA, agree that the two breeds are very similar in many important ways:

• Friendly and sociable. The hallmarks of both breeds are “their kind nature with all humans, from infants in a stroller to seniors in a long-term care environment.” Both get along well in groups of other dogs, and an aggressive Labrador or Golden “is a rare occurrence and not acceptable.”
• Trainable. Both are described as very trainable and personable.
• Retrievers by heritage. Both were bred to retrieve game birds, which explains the mouthiness, the love of water and the habit of carrying things around.
• Heavy shedders. More on this below.
• Active, job-oriented dogs. The AKC article quotes the Golden expert: “while they are great companion dogs, both are active breeds, primarily hunting dogs, and as such they need a job to do from puppyhood on.” A Golden or Labrador “left alone, not trained, and not socialized well becomes a destructive dog.”

Looks and size

If you line them up side by side, a few differences stand out, according to the AKC article:

• Build: Labradors tend to look heavier because of “denser bone, a deeper chest, and a rounder ribcage.”
• Head: there are subtle differences in head shape, though both are designed to carry game birds.
• Coat color: Goldens range from very pale cream to nearly fox red. Labs come in three colors: yellow (pale cream to fox red), black and chocolate.

The AKC lists adult Golden Retrievers at around 55 to 75 pounds and about 23 to 24 inches tall. Labradors are a similar size class, but the AKC notes they have a more substantial build.

Coat and shedding

This is where many people expect a big difference and are surprised.

Both breeds have a double coat and both shed a lot. The Golden expert quoted by the AKC says: “Both breeds shed all year, and profusely in the springtime! The shorter coat of the Labrador is not a non-shedding coat.” The Labrador expert agrees that both breeds “shed a lot,” and jokes that the owner can “match the shedding to their decorating and wardrobe preferences,” since Labs shed in yellow, black or chocolate and Goldens shed in cream to red.

The coats serve different purposes:

• Golden coat: “Goldens were developed as primarily upland game dogs, so they require a firm jacket and moderate feathering over a dense undercoat that protects the body from brambles and other hazards, as well as harsh weather.”
• Labrador coat: “Labradors were developed as primarily water dogs, and their coats insulate them against cold and icy water with dense undercoats and a slightly oily, short outer coat.”

Practically speaking, goldens need more brushing because of the longer coat and feathering, which tangles behind the ears, on the legs and on the tail. Labs need less styling, but not less vacuuming. See our guides to golden retriever grooming and shedding.

Temperament and personality

The AKC experts see “some subtle differences” here, and they’re careful to note these are generalizations:

• The Golden expert calls the Labrador the “Peter Pan” of retrievers, “resilient, confident, and joyful,” because they see the fun in every situation and never grow up. Goldens love the fun too, she says, but “consider all the angles before they burst into a new situation with gusto.”
• The Labrador breeder-veterinarian finds Goldens “clingy compared to Labradors.”
• Field trainers have told the Golden expert that Goldens “think too much,” figuring out their own way to do a task, while Labradors “just go for it.”
• Her memorable metaphor: “If an explosion happens in your backyard, a Golden will call 911, check to be sure everyone is ok, and then give you emotional support. A Labrador will grab a stick and a hot dog and charge outside to be the first one at the BBQ!”

What does that mean for daily life? Goldens may be more attuned to your moods and more likely to follow you from room to room. Labs may be more boisterous and tough. Of course, individual dogs vary a lot, and a well-bred, well-raised dog of either breed will be friendly and gentle. Because goldens are so people-focused, some can struggle when left alone for long periods. Read our guide to golden retriever separation anxiety if that’s a concern.

Trainability

Both breeds are eager to please and highly trainable. The AKC article highlights one difference from the Labrador expert: “Goldens love repetition whereas Labradors don’t.” If you plan to do lots of obedience, tricks or therapy-dog work, a Golden’s patience for practice may suit you. A Lab may be more bored by repeat drills, so it helps to keep sessions short and varied.

She also says it is “easier for the public to deal with an untrained Golden Retriever than an untrained Labrador Retriever.” That’s a funny way of saying that neither breed is low-maintenance when it comes to training. Both breeds need early socialization and consistent lessons. See our puppy training guide for the timeline, which applies to either retriever.

Exercise and daily needs

Both breeds are athletes. VCA describes the golden as a calm housedog only if given enough exercise: they need daily walks, jogs, hikes or play sessions, with swimming and retrieving as favorites. Labs have the same swimming-and-fetching DNA.

The AKC experts’ shared message is that either breed left under-exercised and under-stimulated can become destructive: “They dig, they chew, they love mud and water, and they shed.” The solution is the same for both breeds: adequate mental and physical exercise, proper grooming, and “a safe, secure living situation (crate training and a fenced yard).” They also stress that Goldens and Labs “are family dogs and need to be indoors as part of the pack, not left alone outdoors.” More in our guide to golden retriever exercise needs.

Health

Both are large, active breeds, and both have well-known health concerns worth asking about. For goldens, we cover hip dysplasia and cancer in detail. Whichever breed you choose:

• Buy from a breeder who health-tests the parents and shares the results (hips, elbows, eyes and heart are commonly screened).
• Keep your dog lean throughout life.
• Plan for regular vet visits.

We aren’t going to claim one breed is healthier, because we couldn’t find a reliable, fair head-to-head comparison to cite.

Common myths

The AKC experts clear up a few:

• “A yellow Lab is a Golden.” Not so. “There is no such thing as a Golden Labrador, and a Black Lab is not a separate breed.”
• “English Cream Goldens are a rarer, more valuable breed.” The Golden expert says “An English Cream is not a different or more valuable breed than a Golden Retriever.”
• “A retriever won’t pick up and move your stuff.” The Labrador expert wishes people understood that “this is a retrieving breed” and that if you don’t want objects picked up, moved and sometimes destroyed, “they need to do appropriate training and appropriate confinement.”

Which should you choose?

Think about your life, not just the look.

A golden retriever may suit you if:

• You enjoy brushing and don’t mind longer hair around the house
• You want a sensitive, people-focused companion who wants to be near you
• You like training with lots of repetition
• Someone is home most of the day

A Labrador may suit you if:

• You prefer a shorter coat that needs less grooming
• You want a sturdier, more exuberant, go-anywhere dog
• You’d like a wider range of coat colors
• You want a dog who tends to shrug things off

Either may suit you if you’re active, committed to training and exercise, and ready for fur on everything.

The bottom line

The golden retriever vs Labrador question has no wrong answer. Both are loyal, loving, trainable and joyful, and both will turn your life upside down in the best way. Meet adult dogs of both breeds if you can, talk to breeders and owners, and choose the personality that fits yours.

And if you do choose a golden, come say hi in our Facebook group. We promise it’s a very welcoming place, even if your dog is a Labrador.