Labrador Retriever vs. Golden Retriever: Which Is Right for You?

Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are two of the most popular dog breeds in the world, each with distinct personalities, physical traits, and care requirements. Choosing between them depends on your lifestyle and preferences as a pet parent. While Labrador Retrievers are known for their high energy, adaptability, and playful natures, Golden Retrievers have gentle temperaments and are quite loyal. 

Continue reading for an in-depth comparison of both breeds, so you can understand their size, temperament, grooming, and exercise needs to decide which one is best suited for your lifestyle and home. 

Labrador Retriever vs. Golden Retriever: key differences

Picking between a Labrador Retriever and a Golden Retriever? Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers often get mixed up, but they can be quite different. Here’s a quick look at some of their key differences.

Key similarities between Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers

• Versatile nature: Both Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are energetic hunting dogs who love to have jobs to do. This is why you’ll often see Golden Retrievers working as guide dogs, for example. 

• Gentle temperament: Golden Retrievers are sunshine in dog form, full of warmth, love, and care. Labradors are similar, with sweet temperaments and endless energy. 

• Large dogs: Both retrievers are large breed dogs. A typical Golden Retriever will be 55 to 75 pounds, while a typical Labrador Retriever is a bit more muscular, coming in at 55 to 80 pounds. 

• Shedding: While both dogs have double coats that shed twice a year, Golden Retrievers are known to shed more than Labrador Retrievers. 

• Affectionate and loyal: Both dogs are quite loyal to their families, making them great companions for active families and wonderful with children.

• Eager to please: Goldens and Labs are people-focused dogs who thrive on praise and positive reinforcement, so they can be easy to train if you stick to a consistent training routine and have a little bit of patience.

• Intelligent: Both breeds are highly intelligent and quick learners, which makes them excellent at picking up commands and understanding tasks.

• Exercise needs: Both breeds are active dogs who thrive on daily exercise. They’ll need at least an hour or more of physical activity each day to stay happy and healthy. That said, with their exercise needs met, both Goldens and Labs are total pros at couch-potato mode.

Samantha Gehrmann / Stocksy/ Golden Retrievers

Physical characteristics 

While Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are roughly the same size, they do have quite different physical looks.

Labrador Retriever size and appearance

Labrador Retrievers have wider faces with wide snouts and short, dense coats that come in only three colors (yellow, chocolate, and black). They also have double coats, but their fur is short, dense, and water-resistant. Both dogs have webbed feet and love swimming. 

Golden Retriever size and appearance

Golden Retrievers have thinner, longer snouts, and fluffy tails — and come in shades of gold or light red. A Golden’s double coat is long and fluffy. The outer coat is smooth, oily, and waterproof, while the undercoat is soft, fluffy, and keeps them protected from hot and cold conditions. 

Personality and temperament

Both Goldens and Labs are affectionate and have similar personalities and temperaments. Here’s what you can look forward to.

Labrador Retriever personality

Labrador Retrievers are some of the easiest dogs to train, given their intelligence, eagerness to please, and patience. But as with any breed, this still requires a considerable amount of time and reinforcement. They are often a bit goofy and have more of a “go-go-go” attitude. Labs love to carry things in their mouths, so make sure to have lots of toys around if you don’t want stolen shoes. They are friendly, gentle, and good with kids. 

Golden Retriever personality

Golden Retrievers are smart, easy to train, friendly, and gentle. They are one of the go-to breeds for guide dogs, therapy dogs, and other medical alert dogs. Their golden coats and “smiling” faces make them approachable and inviting, which is part of why they’re often considered the stereotypical American family pet. But both dogs are great with kids and tend to do well with cats, too.

Kristine Weilert / Stocksy/ Labrador Retriever

Lifestyle and care requirements

Both Goldens and Labs are active dogs and love being with their human family members for most of the day. Here’s what to expect.

Exercise needs

LLabrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are both active dogs and must be regularly exercised. Expect them both to require a few hours of exercise each day. “Your Golden Retriever will need a minimum of two hours of good exercise per day. It’s best to spread this out across the day and include walks and lots of running, with extra playtime and training on top,” The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals says.

Both are excellent family dogs who do best in larger homes with yards. Golden Retrievers love to be companions on long walks and bike rides, and excel at sports such as obedience, tracking, and agility. Labrador Retrievers have even more energy and will likely be destructive or hyperactive if they don’t get enough exercise. They particularly love retrieving and swimming. 

Health and grooming

Health conditions to watch out for include elbow and hip dysplasia, muscle weakness and eye conditions, bloat, or heart disease. While not as high-maintenance as Goldens, Labs should still be regularly given a good brushing. Their ears should be checked regularly, and they should be bathed regularly, with regular nail trimming and teeth brushing, too. 

Another thing to consider? Labradors have a greater tendency to eat weird stuff. “Labrador Retrievers eat things they’re not supposed to — rocks, coins, plants, and socks, among others, ” the Winter Park Veterinary Hospital says.

Training and socialization

As with all breeds, early socialization and obedience training are important. A properly socialized dog will do best with all manner of environments, people, and other animals. For puppies, this is also the perfect time to work on bite inhibition. While both breeds have “soft mouths,” teaching gentle bite inhibition early ensures they grow into well-mannered adults.

And given their size and naturally enthusiastic nature, both breeds can unintentionally knock over small children or guests if they’re overly excited. Teaching polite greetings early — such as sitting calmly instead of jumping — is especially important for these large, friendly dogs.

Finding the right fit for your lifestyle

Each dog breed has traits that make them more or less compatible with different lifestyles, and Labs and Goldens are no exception. It’s important to do research and make sure you’re getting your dog from a reputable shelter before deciding to add them to your family. 

Thinking about a Labrador? Here’s what to know

• What to expect: Labradors are extremely loving, smart, and attentive. They’re great with children, easy to train, and a good size to fit under tables or in cars. Labrador Retrievers make excellent companions and service dogs alike.

• What to keep in mind: Labrador Retrievers do shed quite a bit, and their higher energy levels can be challenging for certain families. They can be prone to overeating and becoming overweight, so make sure to carefully monitor their food intake. Some people even say Labs are “too friendly,” meaning they jump on guests or exhibit other excitable behavior.

Thinking about a Golden? Here’s what to know

• What to expect: Golden Retrievers are loving and affectionate. Their light coloring and cheerful demeanor make them popular for service work in hospitals or as guide dogs. Because they are incredibly sociable, they will go up to strangers immediately for petting. They are goofy, smart, and easy to train. 

• What to keep in mind: Goldens shed just as much as Labradors and will jump in pools if they aren’t fenced off. These dogs are so popular that many of them come from unregistered backyard breeders and puppy mills. Golden Retrievers do not do well on their own for long periods of time.

Commonly asked questions

Are Golden Retrievers or Labradors better for families? 

Both breeds love children and are great with families, so it depends on your individual family’s needs. Labradors are more energetic than Goldens, so they will require more exercise and enrichment. They’re also a tad more independent than the Golden Retriever, who is content to stay home with family more often. 

Which breed sheds more?

Both dogs have double coats that shed throughout the year — and heavily during shedding seasons. Both need to be groomed year-round to keep their coats healthy, But Goldens shed a tad more, and need more brushing and more baths than Labs do. 

Which is easier to train: Labrador or Golden Retriever?

Both breeds are highly intelligent and trainable. Labradors are eager to please and respond well to training, and often serve in service work. Golden Retrievers are similarly smart and excel in therapy and assistance jobs. 

What are the key differences in energy levels between Labs and Goldens?

Labrador Retrievers require lots of exercise and mental stimulation to make sure they don’t become bored or destructive. They thrive in active families and need daily walks and activities. Golden Retrievers also need regular exercise, but slightly less than a Lab would. They enjoy outdoor games and playing with their families. 

Which breed lives longer?

Healthy Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers both live between 10 and 12 years.

References

Hart, Benjamin L., et al. “Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers.” PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 7, 14 July 2014, p. e102241, journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102241, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102241.

‌Guy, Michael K., et al. “The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study: Establishing an Observational Cohort Study with Translational Relevance for Human Health.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 370, no. 1673, 19 July 2015, p. 20140230, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4581032/, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2014.0230.

Moore, Asia. The Happy Labrador: Your Guide to a Happy, Well-Mannered Labrador (Happy Paw Series) (the Happy Paw Series). Goodreads, 2021, www.goodreads.com/book/show/50271211. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.