Please can somebody put me out of my misery, i have given myself a headache trying to find out the difference between a labrador retriever and a golden labrador? I read somewhere that golden was just a term to describe colour so does this mean both are the same dog? Help!!!

Hi Charlie,

Sorry about my earlier reply, I really should read the question properly before posting

A Labrador Retriever is the same as a Yellow Lab. (not Golden) It's just referring to the colour, i.e. Black Lab or Chocolate Lab. They are all Labrador Retrievers.
If that makes sense?? :)

liberty

Hello charlie24,

Short answer, yes they're the same dog.

The Labrador Retriever comes in yellow (which some people incorrectly call golden), chocolate and black. However, there is another retriever breed called the Golden Retriever, which has a longer feathery coat and is always golden in colour, although this can vary from very pale to dark golden. I think a lot of people get confused by this and mix the breeds up.

Labrador
Golden

HTH, Monty's Mum :)

Also a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a Curly Coated Retriever and a Flat Coated Retriever. In the UK, there are no doubt others elsewhere.

Thankyou for the replys still a little confused

Interestingly, in the very earliest days of Labradors, before the Kennel Club accepted them in 1903, the few yellows born were referred to as golden! The problem happened when the yellow retriever (The Golden Retriever) was granted pedigree status by the Kennel Club and officially became the Golden Retriever. Obviously then the Golden Labrador was open to confusion so became officially, the Yellow Labrador.

Because at the time there were very few yellow and because the appearance of them was very variable a completely different breed standard was issued to that of the Black Labrador. This ran from its inception in 1925 right through to 1959 when the new black standard (Drawn up in 1950) was adopted for all Labradors.

Nothing (much ;) ) is more annoying to a Labrador enthusiast than to here a yellow Lab called Golden. I spend so much time telling my Golden Retriever friends that they would do so much better getting rid of those hairy things and getting a real retriever :p

Best wishes, John

You say they are the same dog then you say they are a different breed is this correct? Sorry this is not sinking in very fast at all!

So am i right in thinking its all to do with the colours or maybe not? Still puzzled!

Hi,
The name Labrador is short for Labrador Retriever. The Labrador comes in three colours: black, yellow (often incorrectly referred to as 'golden') and chocolate.

There is also another common popular breed called the Golden Retriever. This can be any shade from pale cream to dark gold, and has a longer coat than the labrador.

Hope this helps.
:)

beat me to it :D

oh now it looks like I wrote beat me to it and then replied anyway!
I'm not that sad honest

;) :D to Rachael.

There are 2 breeds a labrador retriever and a golden retriever

labs come in black, chocolate, and YELLOW

golden retrievers are all golden and a completley different breed to labradors

there is no such thing as a golden labrador

hope that makes it a bit simpler

:)

Hi Charlie24

Are you confusing Golden Retreivers with Labrador Retrievers?

Labrador Retrievers come in Yellow, (not golden, is the correct term) black and chocolate, and are commonly referred to as Labs or Labrador. Regardless of colour, they are the same breed.

Golden Retrievers are a different breed, and are only Golden in colour.

Hope this helps :)

liberty

Oops, sorry. Don't mean to confuse you. What I mean is that people often say "golden labrador" when they should say "yellow labrador".

In addition to this, the "golden retriever" is a separate, less popular, breed. I think this is why people get confused. Because they hear people talking about golden retrievers and assume they are talking about yellow labs, because they think there is only one retriever breed - the popular one, the Labrador. Hence, golden labrador retriever instead of Yellow labrador retriever.

BUT, there are two different breeds. Did you look at the links I provided? (the bits in blue) There is a photo of each breed so that you can see how different they really are. There is more information in the breed guides.

I've probably confused you even more, now!

No thankyou for your reply. I know the difference between labradors and golden retrievers. At least i know something! I have seen the term golden lab and retriever lab and it confused me a little, but now thanks to everyone it's all cleared up.

I know of the golden retriever breed! I was just wondering what the golden labrador is?

It's a yellow labrador, Charlie!
:)

The golden lab does not exist.

Charlie

There is no such thing as a Golden Labrador. It is an incorrect term for the YELLOW labrador.

liberty

I understand what you are saying, but why is the term so widely used, this is what has confused me, internet searches bring up both and i have also seen adverts in local newspapers. Anyway now i know.

The term is widely used basically because people don't know the right term. It's like when people get a GSD confused with an Alsatian....!
:)

hhhmm my doggy knowledge has obviously reached its limit

I thought they were the same dog??????????????

Here we go again! So isn't a German Shepard the same as an Alsation? I which i hadn't asked now! Only joking would really like to know the answer.

Yes, my point was that a German Shepherd is the same breed as the Alsatian - it's just that the name has changed back to its original name. But loads of people think the short-coated one is an Alsatian and the long-coat is a German Shepherd....

oh good!!! thought I was being dense :D

I'm waiting for the flood of dense! you! NEVER! posts

Yes, they're the same. But again, alsation is no longer the correct word! :D

Any idea why they keep changing the names??

I think John's reply answers this. It is because of the dim and distant history of the retriever breeds. Suffice it to say that since the 1960's, people should be describing the short straight-haired yellow ones as yellow labs and the long wavy haired ones as golden retrievers. :D

Right i think i understand when people say golden labrador they are refering to labrador retriever, so they are labradors. So confusing. Thankyou anyway think i have it sussed. I have been looking on the internet and could see no difference. Perhaps that was my answer. Thankyou for all your patience. I am currently looking for a golden retriever, but read labradors are similar in nature but shed less hair. This is what started me off.

labradors are better :D

have my arms over my head waiting for the onslaught :)

I am slightly biased!!!

Some of the confusion might be down to the fact that although correctly termed yellow labradors, the spectrum goes from very very pale to what is known as fox red (and which looks golden). You can look at our puppy on my homepage if you want to see an example of fox red. See http://www.adogcalledarchie.0catch.com/index.html

Best wishes
Cathryn

That is what i had read on the internet, that the golden came from the range in colour.

Hi Charlie,
A tip: if you see an advert for "golden labradors" it is a sign that the breeder knows very little about the breed, so steer well clear!

And labradors shed just as much hair as a golden retriever - it just sometimes looks less because its shorter.
:)

:D And it gets stuck in the carpet, whereas the longer hair lies on the surface and is therefore more easily hoovered up! :D

And Goldens are so much prettier :D :D :D

liberty :)

:D But not as pretty as Flatcoats though! But, please, let's not go there! :D :D :D

I will do that.

I think i will stick with my intial choice, the golden retriever, i think there fur is much softer and much nicer to cuddle. Thanks for all your help!

The golden retriever and labrador sound very much similar does anyone know of any major differences?

They are very similar, both have lovely kind natures, can be very boistrous, espescialy when young. They're also very intelligent dogs and need lots of human companionship. Sadly both can suffer from Hip Dysplasia, so do make sure both parents are hip scored.

liberty :)

If a dog is kc resgistered does this mean they should have had all the appropriate tests?

Just because a dog is kc registered is no guarentee that it or it's parents have had the relevant health tests. Any responsible breeder will be more than happy to discuss these with you. Don't be fobbed off with any excuses, and ask to see the paperwork pertaining to the tests, be they hip or eye score.

liberty