Lab vs Golden?

[st6r]

Hi all,

Anyone know of any major differences between the lab and golden (besides the appearance)? I am still debating whether to get a golden or a lab.. A golden was what i always wanted, but i am worried about the amount of hair they shed.

Do labs shed less? or easier to clean up the shedded hair?

Other major concerns to compare:

Trianability
with other pets (I have rabbit and bird)
Playfulness

please let me konw.. any info is GREATLY appreciated! THANKS!

[Dianna]

Labs shed every bit as much as a golden does...we have had both.
I don't know if it was just ours, but our lab drooled really bad. Just sitting it would hang off the side of its mouth. One would get slimed if they were close to him if he shook. Our golden will drool some, but nothing like this lab did and it is usually under free runs outside that she does it.

We also had a pet rabbit named Jersey, Bianka never once bothered it. Keep it penned though. Bianka pays no mind too our bird as well. Smokey our cat...well she kinda rules the roost around here or so she thinks with Bianka so not a problem their either.

[GoldenGirl]

I've never had any personal experience with labs but I've know some. The ones I've known, like Dianna said, dool a lot (Nasty!)and my golden never drools.

Not sure how labs are with small animals but I can tell you that Goldens are WONDERFUL with them! We have a bird also and Kally (my golden) allows it to ride on her back (too cute to see!!). She also "adopted" 5 small abandaned kittens and took upon herself the role of "mother". She never once tried to hurt them.

I've heard that labs shed a lot too. Personally, in my experience, I don't think goldens shed all that much.

Like I said, I have no personal experience with labs but I would definatly recommend GOLDENS!! :lol

GoldenGirl :)

[Norm66]

I was without my Tisha for 4 years and I still found the occasional black hair. Even after moving!

I didn't brush her much though. I'm sure regular brushing could lessen the shedding.

Of course, we have 11 ferrets and a cat already. Plus Becky and I both have pretty long hair of our own so having Strider's hair to sweep up off the floor shouldn't be too much of an adjustment for us.

My take is that if a person just couldn't stand the thought of having hair everywhere (even with constant cleaning, it'll show up) and the occasional smelly dog then a poodle or a Mini-Schnauzer would be a more logical breed choice. Just my opinion.
:hat

[CopperDakota]

I have a friend that has 2 labs and a minature schnauzer. The labs are the ones that shed. My Golden sheds but the long hair is easier to clean than the short hair and I don't think he sheds as much as the lab. As far a trainability, her labs were doing at 2 yrs. what my Golden stopped at 1 yr. Personally I think the Golden is more responsive to training sooner than the Lab but I'm only going on the Labs that I know that's not an expert opinion. It also takes into account the amount of time and energy you're willing to put into the training. They are both energetic so you will need to make sure they get plenty of exercise.

[Marie39]

Hi we have had both in our family. Both were wonderful. Our golden was more placid. But may have been a personal trait. The lab was more high maintenance. Both shed wicked! WE ended up shaving our golden on occasion and that was wonderful. No shedding at all. I would not choode anything but a golden.

[jdczekaj]

Hi,

We have a choc lab and a golden retriever and our lab sheds SO much more than our golden. Our golden actually doesn't shed much at all as long as we brush him weekly.

Both are such wonderful dogs. They are both so sweet and so fun and very smart.

:) Debbie * Whipper * Cocoa

[sldiehl]

Just a thought - shorter hair tends to "weave" itself into the furniture while longer hair "tumbleweeds" making it much easier to vacuum up. My family has had both short and long haired breeds (beagle then sheltie/cocker mix, now I have a golden). For cleaning ease, we definitely prefer the long hair.

As far as personality differences between goldens and labs - not much. The labs I've met seem more high strung, but they're still sweet.

If you've always wanted a golden - go for it! You WON'T regret it. :D

Good luck!
Sara and Ella

[BrandysFriend]

Hi. I have one of each, a 14-year-old female golden named Brandy and a 7-year-old male yellow lab named Barney. Both were rescued 2 years ago.

I love each one so much and they are unique dogs. My golden, Brandy, is such a sweetie and a good dog. She will eat ANYTHING and just loves food. She is quite a skilled beggar too. She just flashes those beautiful big brown eyes at you and melts your heart. She is just a good girl. She also has such cute ways, wags her tail in circles, and carries her doggie balls with her everywhere. She looks so adorable with her ball in her mouth. My golden is very independant and very secure.

My lab on the other hand, is more hyper (also a younger dog) but he wants to be my best friend. He is much more clingy and wants to be with me as much as possible. I learned a great deal about labs from the folks with the lab rescue. Labs tend to stay puppies much longer, sometimes until after age 5. They require a lot of energy, but for me, the rewards are worth it. I never knew that I could have such a loyal pet as my yellow labbie, Barney.

My golden, Brandy, has recently become ill and is most likely succombing the the problems of her age. Last week, during her every-4-month geriatric dog checkup, she was diagnosed with an enlarged liver and anemia. Both have come on very suddenly. More tests are being done next week, but the vet is not very optimistic due to her age. Her arthritis has become severe too and she has hip dysplacia (typical retriever problems). I knew that I would not have her for many years but I took her from a family who due to a family illness (cancer and chemotherapy), could no longer care for her. We have had a wonderful 2 years together so far. I hope that we get more time, but we may not.

Anyway, whatever happens, after having these last 2 years with my sweet Brandy, I do hope to have another female golden again someday. They are just so sweet.

I think that your decision should depend upon what you are looking for. Labs are, in general, more active and probably higher maintenance but are so loyal. Goldens seem to be more mellow and are such good dogs.

Both of my dogs shed quite a bit - when I brush them the lab has just a little hair on the brush, while the golden can produce several brushfuls in one weekly brushing.

Neither of mine drool, although my lab does have a bad habit of dropping his rawhide chews, covered in dog slobber, in my lap or in the lap of one of my guests, wanting me or them to give it back to him. My golden doesn't do that, thankfully.

Hope this info is helpful to you. Happy decision making!!

[kencubilo]

Yes as stated the labs shed mucho more hair than goldens do. Nothing like eating some mashed potatoes and finding black hairs in them. Labs are also more aggressive to strangers and make better guard dogs. My last black lab was really a lab/golden retriever mix, Ma fell in love that season with the black lab next door. The lab bonded to me and as a result whenever we visitors, if they were female or young children she loved them, if they were men she would growl and show her teeth at them and never I mean never make friends with them. Labs tend to be slightly smaller in size than goldens. Labs for the most part tend to not be as headstrong when pups. I.Q. wise I would say they are about equal, giving a slight edge to the golden. Our lab loved to play with other dogs and cats. She welcomed our last golden pup and you could say she cared for the pup like it was here own. Both breeds are real chowhounds and need lots of exercise. We lost our lab Chelsea to cancer of the liver when she was almost 10 years old.

[geckogirl3]

In my experience(sorry lab owners!), I have found labs to be more hyper, dumber, and shed more than Goldens. I would never own a lab! Only Goldens for me. For what it's worth, I think black labs are the best lab. Yellow labs seem to be the most hyper, and chocolate labs seem to be the dumbest.

Bree

[Hunnybug]

I have never owned a lab, but I worked at a dog boarding kennel where we saw a lot of labs and a lot of goldens. In my opinion, Labs are more hyper, shed more, and they are messy. Boy, we had a lot of labs jumping off the walls and spilling their water, and only one or two goldens like that. Plus, their hair sticks to everything, where as the golden hair rolls into balls and sweeps up easier. Also, goldens love everybody and everything, and would let robbers in the house as long as they got petted! Labs however, can make okay guard dogs. Some people might like that better. Not me though, I am a true golden lover, and never plan to get a lab. I think in intellegence and trainabilty labs and goldens they are about the same. I kind of like chocolate labs myself.

Sarah

[ardeagold]

Labs versus Goldens...interesting comments.

We bred Labs for 10 years and we've bred Goldens for the last 10 years. In our experience we've found that Labs do shed...as much as, or more than Goldens. Goldens shed in poofs which become dust bunnies on the floor, easy to pick up. Labs shed in sheets, and their fur is short and sticks to every thing...there's a coating of fur if they walk by a sofa and rub against it. Almost impossible to remove.

I've found Labs to be calmer and slower, from the time they're pups. However, when they get rambunctious, they can be difficult to settle down. They mature at an earlier age, and are content to lie around once they reach 2-3 yrs old. But, they can have a more "hostile to strangers" and protective of home and family side to them. They're usually extremely gentle with children and other creatures, however, they can and will fight if provoked. They're more willing to follow human direction, even to the point of listening to their owner/handler when exhausted. Many Labs drop dead in the field or marsh from overexerting themselves because they've been commanded to "go again".

Goldens usually are more active and stay that way much longer. They're more puppyfied for years - even as old as 6+. They're more intelligent than Labs...and can be more headstrong. They tend to "think" before acting...choosing the right course or shortest path. They won't kill themselves because you tell them to keep going...if they're tired, they'll lie down. They require a more gentle hand while training...they don't do very well with physical "correction". Males are known by trainers to start fights with other dogs quicker than a Lab, and are also known to "bite" a hand that "hits" them. Labs won't...they'll surrender.

Both are great family pets and love to be with people. Labs can endure more time alone and less human interaction, but love to be cuddled and petted and just follow you around. They usually don't demand as much attention as Goldens do...they're just happy to sit there beside you.

I love them both...and we still do have a Chocolate Lab, who got dumped on our property when she was 1 week away from delivering 10 puppies (pure Labs too!) She's been just a perfect angel around here...we couldn't have picked a better dog. She tolerates all kinds of foolishness from the Golden brats...and never gets hostile. She's a real doll!

[geckogirl3]

Ardea,
I find a lot of your comments to be the exact opposite of what I see with Labs. In my opinion Goldens have changed a lot over the years, I suspect due to overbreeding. What I mean is, I find that I am seeing more hyper Goldens, more aggressive Goldens, and more shy Goldens. Do you think this could be true of Labs, too? Do you think what you saw in Labs 15 or 20 years ago, is not what we are seeing in them today?

Bree

[Freshwaters Rylee]

Hi..Funny you should mention this..our trainer said the exact thing the other night.
She is seeing more aggressive and hyper goldens and she also feels it is due to over breeding!
Don`t get me wrong ..I love my baby..6 and a hlaf months now..but you talk about hyper!!!!!
i know she is still a puppy and I should expect this.
We have not had any real trouble with our golden but I guess there are some out there that are aggresive..but the same with any breed I suppose ...I also guess it has to do with how the puppy is treated in the home..aggressive family..agressive dog!

[geckogirl3]

My Adam is pretty hyper at times, and he is 2. I think most of his problem is he doesn't get enough exercise, as he stays in the house a lot. But I am seeing a lot of Goldens(I work in a vet hospital) that are overly shy, or even nippy, and some that board with us that are super anxious in the kennel. The epitomy of a Golden personality, in my opinion, is easy going, nothing bothers them, love everyone kind of dog. A lot of Goldens I see aren't like that. But I know a lot of it has to do with how the owner raises them, too. On a side note, we have several yellow labs we see that are 7 or older, and are still total spazoids--jumping and barking and won't calm down. You'd think at that age, these dogs should be chilled out!

Bree

[ardeagold]

Actually, what I believe is that more Goldens and Labs are out there...period. That makes it more likely, by the percentages, that you'll see more of them with all kinds of different personalities, including bad traits. Their homes do make a difference, and so does the bloodline. Combine a bad home with a bad bloodline and you've got a mess! I just think they're too popular, and, yes...being overbred.

Apparently, the registration of Goldens is down with the AKC, but in our area, they're everywhere. And, some of the people who own them shouldn't even consider owning a dog..of any sort. It's a shame. I hope that sometime soon, they'll lose popularity, just like Boxers, Dobermans, GSD, and Cockers did. Then we'll see a rise of more quality Goldens again.

Our Labs...including the one we have now, have always been very low keyed. And a lot of them have been dumb as a brick. Most Goldens we've had have been very lively and smart. Sometimes, I don't know which is worse! Sometimes dumb has it's place! :rollin

[futuregoldenowner]

my lab is very excitable and hyper, i believe this is b/c she is bred from a hunting/field line vs show dogs, although you couldnt tell she wasnt a show dog from all the compliments i have received on her! :)

i agree with what others have said about the shedding in terms of both goldens and labs shed. i have noticed that my lab seems to ALWAYS have some sort of loose hair going on, while my golden can be brushed and then find no more loose hair on him.

my lab and my golden are both extremely smart and highly trainable. they both got the commands and training from their puppy classes very fast and then looked at me like 'come on mom, is that all you got? i can do more, you know, come on, give me something harder!' :)

the reason i got a golden vs a lab as my second dog was simply for diversity sake and wanting the best of both worlds! yes, it can happen! personally, i dont think you can make a wrong choice from picking a lab over a golden or vice versa, both are wonderful dogs to live with. my biased opinion here is to get two dogs, not necessarily at the same time though, and have a lab AND a golden in your house! my two are the best of friends!

as with any breed of dog though, temperment, breeding lines, health, etc. can always play a part in a dogs make up and can vary much even within the same breed! at least, that is what i have found to be true in my experience.

[kencubilo]

I blame Hollywood for a lot of these overbreeding problems, that and fact there are lots of people out there who sure shouldn't be allowed to have children let alone dogs. Soon after the movie 101 Dalmations was released everybody and his/her brother had to have one of these dogs. I am sure there are those who will disagree with me but 30 years ago we took in a Dalmation and let me assure you this was the most unsocial and untrainable animal I ever worked with. I hate to think how many children have been torn up by this breed. Goldens you had the movie airbud and the list goes on and on. Yes I too am seeing quite a few changes in both labs and Goldens it seems that
the number of aggressive and skiddish dogs is going up. But then again so is the number of puppymills. It would be nice if registering organizations put a cap on the number of litters in a given time period.

[messano]

<It would be nice if registering organizations put a cap on the number of litters in a given time period..

Based on what?

If you put a restriction on an individual basis, it would not work. Successful breeders have a large waiting list for their puppies and usually cannot supply the demand. Would you put a cap on these people?, because if you do it would be to the long-term detriment of the breed.

If you put the restriction on the breed as a whole, it still would not work because if potential owners could not find a well-bred puppy because the quota was filled, they would be forced into buying from a back yard breeder or a puppy mill where there would still be plenty of puppies available (very few people are prepared to wait in these days of instant gratification).

messano

[lotagoldens]

.....and WHY would anyone want to reward a person seeking instant gratification??? It sickens me to listen to breeders that feel they have to help "meet the demand" for puppies. It is my feeling that anything worth having is worth waiting for. Yes, there may be a waiting list for a well bred puppy, but I can bet anticipation will make this puppy even more appreciated and loved when the wait is finally over.

Just look at various websights, many "breeders" keep producing litter after litter because they know they can sell their puppies. Review of the pedigrees show obvious "red flags" but who cares....the breeder certainly isn't going to keep anything!!! If a puppy is unhealthy, or of unsound temperament they'll just "replace" it with another puppy from the next litter. Volume, volume, volume!!!!!

I DO believe there should be a cap on breeding. Perhaps limiting "breeders" would cause them to use better judgement!!!! Dogs are so much more than "livestock" or a commodity and I wish more "breeders" would remember this!!!!

Lotagoldens
As an afterthought....the law of supply and demand also recognizes limited quanities of a desired item will cause the price to increase. Hmmmmm....fewer puppies, more money. TO me that sounds like a good thing!!!!!

[SteveR]

All well and good but who would have the authority to enforce any restrictions? AKC? Ok so they don't register them, not really a deterent there. Asking people to do it for the "betterment of the breed"? Sure the really consciencous few will go along but the average Joe just isn't going to sacrifice the payday. This is the way things are and we are going to have to accept it. As long as there are a few morally responsible top breeders out there then those in the know will have a place to go to get top quality animals. These will still be a true representative of the breed we've grown to know & love.

[futuregoldenowner]

i unfortunatly have a neighbor who told me that they were going to breed their dog so it could have babies and that way they could afford a down payment on a house. absolutely zero interest in their current dogs health care on many levels-she runs the neighborhood after escaping from their backyard NUMEROUS times. and when i told them i was bringing my golden to puppy classes, they scoffed at me and said they never heard of such a thing and why would a puppy need classes anyway.

ugh. frustrating.

[johnwa]

"and when i told them i was bringing my golden to puppy classes, they scoffed at me and said they never heard of such a thing and why would a puppy need classes anyway."


You know, futuregoldenowner, that's a good one...you just sent me over the edge with it, however. But of course they never heard of such a thing! To them, dog's are just a commodity (see SteveR's reply-post, also good). And then those same people will come to this board and they will post something like this:
"My dog is 28 months old and he bites my hands, does not come when called, does not know how to sit, and so on, and so on. Help what do I do now???". <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" />


You are doing the right thing by providing training for, and being actively envolved with, your dog. Now that is a sign of a responsible owner. <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif" />

[kencubilo]

Yep just like I saw on one of the newsgroups. It went like this. " Our xxx year old beagle is suddenly starting to bite our younger son after he has been teasing it. Short of putting the dog down what can we do to stop this" Oh yeah there are some real wonders out there.

[Kels]

WEll I know that labs r really active dogs,they r full of energy.(Believe me, I've had 3) SO if u dont, want a really active dog, mabey do a bit more research! =) Our labs did shed, quite a bit, but i hav never had a golden so i can't compare.

I hope I have helped

[LauraLynn]

My mom has a chocolate Lab and she is so sweet and well-trained but honestly she is a NUT as far as energy. I don't know if it's her lines (I do know she's from a reputable breeder) or if it's just her personality or what but she is a lot to take sometimes! Not a mean bone in her body but she rarely settles down. :eek:

I have read that Goldens can be a bit more easy-going ... but again have not owned one myself. We had one growing up but I was so young.

This thread is informative!

[goodtim'n]

Welllll, I own both, 2 goldens, 1 big yellow lab, and I love them equally, they shed equally, They give love equally, the get along with each other equally, they beg equally, they sleep on ALL the furniture equally, the retrieve, play and swim equally, They demand petting of the head, equally, and give you the paw thing equally, so to me they are pretty equall!!!!!! I have had my lab for 7 yrs. I have had Goldens for over 20 yrs. The only difference between my 2 breeds and that what I do with my dogs, is that I get more training ability with the goldens, in obed. and agility,.. so my preference is a Golden. :dogbark

[angenbear]

Goldens are also high energy dog, similar to labs. But as long as you give the dog playtime and lots of exercises then you should be fine.

[MyBoyGus]

With both goldens and labs, it all depends on the line and the breeding. Both can be either laid back or high energy, the major difference to me is the coat. My lab was totally laid back, my golden is high energy. It could easily be the opposite. I foster for a lab rescue and I have seen all of the types described on this board for goldens.

[Goldenglittergirl]

My trainer the one that took my Lab, and will be my new trainer for Tucker, said that Goldens are more submissive.She owns four yellow labs and sees quite a few breeds in her classes.

[GoldenBlaze]

I've had both Black Lab and now Blaze. In my opinion only, Labs are much more hyper and do shed much more. Kaiger my Lab was beautiful looking but he was a brat! We had him since 8weeks old and he was so hyper and yet he had a large yard to run and play, he had a great life. I never knew of Kaiger drooling at all, I must admit he was smart. I know that but he had his own mind and would do what he wanted when he wanted too. Kaiger chewed everything in sight but not till he was 8 mths old. I love Labs sweet dogs but I will be staying with the Goldens and will always have a Golden in my family.

Whatever you pick you will love, both are sweet. Enjoy you're new dog.

[Rich in goldens]

I find the Golden to be a little less hyper. I also agree that they tend to be a little easier in the obedeince arena as well as agility. The lab does tend to be better in the field and in the Duck blind.With that said I also find that feeding has alot to do with some of the over exuberance in companion animals today. Too many grains such as corn add too many carbs and sugars this raises the chance for hypre-activity. A good food with the proper protien and fat content will help keep them well balanced.Either breed out of the right breeder will be a fine choice. A word of advice is when you choose a new puppy (assuming that you are getting a puppy) look at the parents before looking at the puppies. The puppies will have many of the mannerisms and personalities that will be in the parents. If there is something that you don't like about the parents don't look at the pups. Best of luck

[MyBoyGus]

It really does depend on the breeding. My golden has tons of energy (he is 2), my friends lab is really laid back and has limited energy (she is 18 months). British labs tend to be laid back, fieldy labs tend to be high energy.

[Annie28]

I grew up with a yellow male Lab, named Tabor, he is great. My husband and I just recently married and got our first golden,Dixon-he is still a puppy, but I can see a lot of similarities between the two. They can both be trained, and they are both so lovable. They need to be right next to you at all times. We did a lot of research between the two before purchasing Dixon (Golden) and we decided on the GR because generally they are not as large. Tabor (Lab) is huge. But, we are just totally in love with Dixon. I feel it has a lot to do with the breeding, and the training that they receive, and of course the owners. Perhaps, that is why the two seem so similar to me. On another note, one thing that we have noticed over the years while having a Lab, is that the Chocolate labs seem to be a bit more hyper and harder to train than the yellow and black, but I have also seen some wonderful Chocolate ones. Overall, I feel that both Labs and Goldens are great dogs. They are both wonderful with children, which is very important in our family. Labs do shed, and they take a little longer to train, it seems, for example-Tabor is almost 6 years old and walking him on a leash is he!!, but we wouldn't trade him for the world. You just have to see what fits your family best. And make sure, with either breed, that you have time to spend with them, and lots of love to give to them. They are both VERY NEEDY!!!!

[jdaneal]

This has been very interesting to read. I have had labs all my life growing up. We had 3 yellow labs and 1 black lab. They were all far (the labs) more hyper than Sam my current GR is. They were smart and did well with training as my dad is a bird hunter and had them trained to go out with him to retrieve. Our black lab Jettie just seemed so high strung, she lived to be about 7 (got hit by a truck :( ) and even in her last year she would just spaz for like an hour when I would visit my dad. She didn't calm well. I have heard on here that GR's can be very high energy and hyper too and I really thought Sam would be as he was when we got him but now that he is about 15 months old he has suddenly in the past 3 months calmed down a lot! In fact he can be down right lethargic. He lies down and sleeps almost all times he is in the house and outside you really have to jump around playing with him to get him hyper and jumping too. He loves to be by my side and seems more needy that way, he follows me EVERYWHERE. My labs never did this.

Ultimately I think they are very similar and really have their own individual personalities. Some will be calm some will be more hyper. Oh and both that I had never showed any aggression or protetive behavior at all.

[Lucy's Mom]

Hello!

We have had a few different breeds of dogs in the past 20 years or so, mostly chosen by looks instead of research or our vet's advice (collie, shi-tzu, austrailian shepherd). After some delicate issues with our dogs, we swore off any more dogs in the house ... that was nearly 2 years ago.

When I finally talked to my husband about trying "one more time" to find our perfect dog (meaning one that's perfect for us), we decided to do what we should have in the very beginning ... we consulted our vet who said that the only dogs he would recommend in our home filled with children is a Golden Retriever or a Labrador Retriever. SO ... we began looking for one of those breeds. We didn't want to buy from a breeder with all of the dogs & puppies in the shelter and we were not going to be showing our dog, so pedigree wasn't a concern (until I read all about the issues that these dogs can genetically have). ANYWAY ... after about 6 months of searching, we found a lady who had a golden that was 'accidently' bred with her brother's lab ... for us, the perfect combination.

Lucy is only 10 1/2 weeks old and is a doll!!!! We love her so much and my husband even commented that she's "Perfect" which, coming from a cat lover, is saying a lot! :)

I say both breeds are wonderful, but I am told that the Labs are MUCH more energetic (hyper) than the goldens.

Teresa

[Jo Ellen]

I've owned 2 labs in my life, and the one golden I have now. Labs are much more independent, in my experience. I could never keep my labs in the yard (it was fenced too!), they would bolt all the time. My golden has never once bolted and she stays put :) Goldens are known as "velcro" dogs for good reason.

Also, labs have very short sharp hairs. When they shed, their hairs become imbedded and are nearly impossible to get out, even with a lint brush. Golden hairs can easily be wiped away.

And Goldens are prettier :)

[Brandy and Charlie's Mom]

When we wanted our first large breed dog, we asked our vet for advice. The entire vet's office voted for a lab, so we got a yellow lab puppy named Nikki.

From day one, Nikki was destructive and hyper. She could also be a real sweetheart but we never forged a good bond.

Then when Nikki was 3 years old, we fostered a 5-month old golden named Reyna who was so darned easy in every respect. My husband and I fell madly in love with her!

A month or so later, we learned that we would be moving and would only have room for one big dog. My husband and I knew after we met Reyna that we'd chosen the wrong breed for our lifestyle.

We got permission to adopt Reyna, and so we started looking for a home for Nikki. I was so overcome with guilt but I knew it was the right decision.

One day, my husband brought a group of people to the house. One woman had grown up with labs and was looking for a young adult female. Well, we brought Nikki into the room and she immediately headed straight for this woman without any prompting!!! For Nikki, it was like the others in the room didn't even exist. Not only that, she seemed happier and calmer than we'd ever seen her. An hour or so later, Nikki willingly jumped into the woman's car and headed off to her new life without ever looking back.

For the next year, we got reports and photos of Nikki in her new home. She was happy, well adjusted, and had not shown one destructive tendency. We've since lost touch with Nikki's mom, but I am confident that she has lived a great life.

Meanwhile, Reyna had taken charge of our home and our hearts. She set the stage for our lives from here on out. We will always have a golden in the house!

[A pup]

I think, at the end of the day, it depends on any particular dog's personality. We have a Lab and a Golden, both boys.

Our Lab is very laid-back and has not dug up the garden or chewed destructively. He is very affectionate and loves to curl up at our feet.

Our Goldie is similar. He is very willing to please and learns very quickly.

They are only five months apart and get along great. For us, a family with young children, this has been the best combination.

[jdaneal]

Oh I have one more thing to say. I know this isn't about labs or Goldens BUT...THE best dog I have every had was and austrailian shepherd, a male. I had him from when I was 5 years old until I was 15. He was beautiful with a full coat of every color and had one brown eye and one blue. He was the smartest dog I ever had. He knew many tricks. He was great with kids as I played rough with him, dress up with him you name it and he gladly played along. He was loyal, I walked around our little town with him all the time with no leash and he stayed by my side. I will never forget him. Someday I really want to have another Aussie. He wasn't too hyper but loved to run and exercise. We had horses and he would round them up like a cattle dog. He never showed any aggression.

There are lots of good breeds out there so look into as many as you can.