Lab vs Golden, upland, ducks , grouse and best friend?
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Toad
Active member
From my limited experience, one dog of each breed, I would say it's a wash. 2 plusses for labs would be that they are probably easier to find, and lower hair maintenance. Both breeds are great, no wrong choice.
Goldens really get in your heart. I still have a pic of Rusty on the mantle, and I still miss him terribly.
Goldens really get in your heart. I still have a pic of Rusty on the mantle, and I still miss him terribly.
I haven't owned either but have spent a lot of time around my family and friends labs and goldens, including hunting with them. The hunting has been for waterfowl and pheasants.
Like Toad said good hunting Labs are much easier to find. There are good hunting Goldens but they are fewer and farther between. The hair is about a wash. Labs shed a lot of slightly shorter hairs compared to Goldens who shed a lot of long hair.
They are both excellent family dogs, depending on the breeding. The goldens I have been around calmed down a little more then the hunting bred labs but they are both waaaaaaaay calmer then my German Wirehair. Goldens seem to be a little more protective but not a lot of difference between the two.
A couple of the sweetest dogs I have ever been around were Goldens. A couple of the best friend type of dogs I have been around were labs.
To me the Golden seems like a more natural upland dog and less at home in the water. Good Labs live to retrieve. Labs will figure out a way to hunt with you no matter what the quarry, they are very adaptable.
I like Labs a little more for hunting but honestly if you can find a good breeding of either one they can be good at everything you want them to do.
Tim
Like Toad said good hunting Labs are much easier to find. There are good hunting Goldens but they are fewer and farther between. The hair is about a wash. Labs shed a lot of slightly shorter hairs compared to Goldens who shed a lot of long hair.
They are both excellent family dogs, depending on the breeding. The goldens I have been around calmed down a little more then the hunting bred labs but they are both waaaaaaaay calmer then my German Wirehair. Goldens seem to be a little more protective but not a lot of difference between the two.
A couple of the sweetest dogs I have ever been around were Goldens. A couple of the best friend type of dogs I have been around were labs.
To me the Golden seems like a more natural upland dog and less at home in the water. Good Labs live to retrieve. Labs will figure out a way to hunt with you no matter what the quarry, they are very adaptable.
I like Labs a little more for hunting but honestly if you can find a good breeding of either one they can be good at everything you want them to do.
Tim
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
For an all around dog, you won't beat a labrador. If you were looking for strictly an upland dog, a golden would be a good choice. For an all purpose dog, I would take a springer over a golden. So lab #1, springer #2, and golden #3. I would also probably slide the chesapeake over the golden.
FLDBRED
Well-known member
They both are great breeds and you wouldn't be disappointed with either. It's always been my contention that the Golden is the easiest gun dog to train. Some professional trainers have said if you can't train a Golden maybe you should rethink the whole dog thing! That's not to say that Labs are hard to train, they are extremely intelligent and willing to please. They are similar in temperament with the Golden maybe being just a tad softer and a little more home bodied. But make no mistake the Golden can get the job done as well.
Watching the two in the uplands is interesting, the Labs tend to bully their way through cover were as the Golden choose his path. The Goldens coat offer a little more protection but also picks up more burs.I think it a little easier for the Golden to shut his motor down when not hunting.
Honestly, there are more similarities than differences when comparing these two if both are from good hunting lines!
Watching the two in the uplands is interesting, the Labs tend to bully their way through cover were as the Golden choose his path. The Goldens coat offer a little more protection but also picks up more burs.I think it a little easier for the Golden to shut his motor down when not hunting.
Honestly, there are more similarities than differences when comparing these two if both are from good hunting lines!
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Labs are bred to hunt, goldens to like to hunt and chessies are born to hunt.
Toad
Active member
Regarding the hair maintenance, I meant the haircuts I used to give my golden, Summer through hunting season, and the burs that would get hopelessly wrapped up in his feathering any time I let his coat get too long.
I have to agree with the ease of training a golden.:10sign: Rusty was the quickest potty trained dog I've ever had in my life. Within 3 days of bringing him home he never had another accident in my house or anywhere else I took him. We also trained him to ring a bell when he needed to go out. He would also go to the bathroom on command, which was super handy when taking him out on the leash. And I'm not much for repetitive training, so you know he was an eager student and fairly bright.
But my lab was a pretty great dog too.
I have to agree with the ease of training a golden.:10sign: Rusty was the quickest potty trained dog I've ever had in my life. Within 3 days of bringing him home he never had another accident in my house or anywhere else I took him. We also trained him to ring a bell when he needed to go out. He would also go to the bathroom on command, which was super handy when taking him out on the leash. And I'm not much for repetitive training, so you know he was an eager student and fairly bright.
But my lab was a pretty great dog too.
Gatzby
Well-known member
Its a wash. I'm a lab guy but I love field bred goldens! The show goldens (and labs) are pathetic in my opinion!
Pick a good breeding and enjoy. Good lab breedings are easier to find.....but so are bad lab breedings. A lab breading compared to a golden breading of equal merit will probably be 25% cheaper if that matters. Do some home work concerning health clearances for both breeds as they are rather different.
PM me if you are in the upper midwest, I usually know of some nice litters of both breeds
Pick a good breeding and enjoy. Good lab breedings are easier to find.....but so are bad lab breedings. A lab breading compared to a golden breading of equal merit will probably be 25% cheaper if that matters. Do some home work concerning health clearances for both breeds as they are rather different.
PM me if you are in the upper midwest, I usually know of some nice litters of both breeds
Rusty, our Golden loved to hunt. Without any notable pedigrees in his ancestry, yet he was a natural pheasant hunter and retriever without any formal training. Almost self taught. I just had to teach a few basic commands. He was a perfect member of our family around the house too. We enjoyed 8 fantastic years of hunting Roosters in South Dakota together and companionship back home here in PA. We couldn't have asked for a better, all around dog.Labs are bred to hunt, goldens to like to hunt and chessies are born to hunt.
It broke our hearts when we lost Rusty just last month to the scourge of cancer. Much too young to leave us at only 8 years and 3 month of age.
We will be returning to SD again this Fall on our annual camping trip, however there will be no hunting for us year. Not without our beloved Rusty who is so sadly missed.
goldenboy
Well-known member
As my handle says I am a Golden guy. I raise good field bred golden's and I would stack them up against any lab. You can find good dogs in both breeds but I prefer the Golden because when I am not hunting they are great companions and wonderful additions to the family. I agree with Gatzby, the golden will cost you more but you get what you pay for in either breed. Let us know what you decide!
519vx
Member
I write this with sadness, as a week ago today I lost my 5 year golden to Lyme Nephritis. I've had 3 Goldens. All varied in their hunting ability, but that was more due to me than the dog. They are eager learners and love to please.
Very much agree that you want to select carefully your pup if you want a hunter. Generally the "white coats" or "English" Goldens are the show dogs. I love Goldens but dont' have much use for the whites. Field Goldens will generally have the much darker to almost red coat.
I was at a buddy of mines shortly after Sage passed last week. He told me Sage was one of the very, very few dogs that he would let his 2 year old son be around unwatched - she was a Golden typical personality, everyone was her friend. As gentle and harmless as they come, but was relentless on chasing down and grabbing up a wounded rooster.
In all honesty, I've seen some labs that definately out hunted any Golden I've had, but there were very few days in the field that we got outdone by another flusher. Usually the rock star hunter labs I saw were "robot dogs" overtrained to the point that they were robots. I like an interactive hunt with my dog.
If you want an all around companion, family dog, and all around buddy that will become as good of a hunter as you put time and training into, go with a Golden.
If anyone knows of any upcoming hunting stock Golden litters, please drop me a message. Thanks.
Very much agree that you want to select carefully your pup if you want a hunter. Generally the "white coats" or "English" Goldens are the show dogs. I love Goldens but dont' have much use for the whites. Field Goldens will generally have the much darker to almost red coat.
I was at a buddy of mines shortly after Sage passed last week. He told me Sage was one of the very, very few dogs that he would let his 2 year old son be around unwatched - she was a Golden typical personality, everyone was her friend. As gentle and harmless as they come, but was relentless on chasing down and grabbing up a wounded rooster.
In all honesty, I've seen some labs that definately out hunted any Golden I've had, but there were very few days in the field that we got outdone by another flusher. Usually the rock star hunter labs I saw were "robot dogs" overtrained to the point that they were robots. I like an interactive hunt with my dog.
If you want an all around companion, family dog, and all around buddy that will become as good of a hunter as you put time and training into, go with a Golden.
If anyone knows of any upcoming hunting stock Golden litters, please drop me a message. Thanks.
You might check "Maplehills Kennels, Luck, WI.
My Golden, Max is 5.5 and a very accomplished pheasant hunter. Dark brown/red, great family pet and loves to hunt. Several on this site have hunted with him and attest to his desire, nose et al.
Let me know if you need more information...
My Golden, Max is 5.5 and a very accomplished pheasant hunter. Dark brown/red, great family pet and loves to hunt. Several on this site have hunted with him and attest to his desire, nose et al.
Let me know if you need more information...
519vx
Member
Thanks jonny - I've read many of the stories here about your dog, and he sounds like a real good one. I will definately check the site out. I haven't looked much, but there are 5 Golden "show" white/cream breeders for every field/hunter dog. Then there are the "obedience" dogs. I sent a note to one breeder explaining what I was looking for (a hunter) and she said her dogs were obedience dogs and she wouldn't be comfortable sending one to a hunting home. Just a good guess, but I probably wouldn't want it either.
Our Max has "Top Brass" in his background. Top Brass is a breeder in the Chicago area with an outstanding reputation. Their dogs start around $1500 and up.
Max is very intelligent, a bit head strong (male) but an intense hunter. I have done a lot of hunting with this dog: 2-3 trips to SD each year and sessions at two game farms near Minneapois. He's been hunted hard for 4 years...
If you can find a Golden with Top Brass in the background, it's one to consider.
Also, Golden Boy, on this site, has an amazing Golden and does breed his dog,might be worth checking out.
Max is very intelligent, a bit head strong (male) but an intense hunter. I have done a lot of hunting with this dog: 2-3 trips to SD each year and sessions at two game farms near Minneapois. He's been hunted hard for 4 years...
If you can find a Golden with Top Brass in the background, it's one to consider.
Also, Golden Boy, on this site, has an amazing Golden and does breed his dog,might be worth checking out.
dustin mudd
Active member
first let me say , I think they are both GREAT and easy to train dogs. I had a friend now deceased who raised " FIELD BRED " Golden's, light framed dogs with great stamina and vigor... Ed Gerrity placed dogs thru out the nation...
that said,
one thing I think you should know, cancer is a nasty stalker of Golden's, I am not an expert, but due diligence would make me look at the preponderance of cancer showing up in Golden's. I know there is a national search going on with thousands of Golden's nationwide to see if they can isolate the genetic string that may be corrected in future breeding's.
the only curse is dogs don't out live us, and to have a dog die at a young age is really sad! good luck
that said,
one thing I think you should know, cancer is a nasty stalker of Golden's, I am not an expert, but due diligence would make me look at the preponderance of cancer showing up in Golden's. I know there is a national search going on with thousands of Golden's nationwide to see if they can isolate the genetic string that may be corrected in future breeding's.
the only curse is dogs don't out live us, and to have a dog die at a young age is really sad! good luck
Well, it is a little too soon for us to consider adopting another Golden to replace our Rusty. He was a big part of our family, as was our other Golden before him, Cody, who we lost at one week shy of 15 years of age. Both Goldens were just 8 weeks old when we adopted them.
However I will certainly keep you guys in mind when we feel the time is right.
If we adopt another dog, we would, again, be looking for a pup. Certainly not before October. We will be leaving for South Dakota near the end of August and won't be heading back east before mid October. No chasing after pheasants this year.
However I will certainly keep you guys in mind when we feel the time is right.
If we adopt another dog, we would, again, be looking for a pup. Certainly not before October. We will be leaving for South Dakota near the end of August and won't be heading back east before mid October. No chasing after pheasants this year.
RunRoosterRun
Member
Get a golden, I am completely biased because I have a golden. I grew up in a lab family but always liked goldens because I think the have great personalities and style. I hunt everything with my golden (waterfowl, pheasants, grouse and woodcock). He loves to retriever and does well waterfowl hunting but I think he really excells in the uplands. I am always amazed at how good his nose is and his ability to figure things out in the field. Both dogs are great breeds and will get the job done, but I prefer the company and temperment of a golden.
Gatzby
Well-known member
Thistle Rock Goldens in Elk River MN breeds really nice field bred goldens. Look for an IKE, Newt or Maynard breeding