When people bring dogs home, they hope that they will get a faithful friend for many years. Labrador and retrievers are a bit similar in appearance, so they are often confused. However, animals have very different morals and it is important to take this into account. Therefore, you should learn to distinguish between representatives of the breeds, and choose your companion correctly.
Features
Both breeds came from the UK, only each had its own purpose. So, a golden retriever is a hunter who can get a wounded animal from their reservoir. Labrador, in turn, was an assistant fisherman on the island of Newfoundland, from where he was brought later. The love of water in both breeds laid at the genetic level.
Labrador
These dogs can not only get the fish out of the net, but also pull a person with a boat out of the water. Translated from Portuguese, "Labrador" means "worker". At first, the representatives of the breed were only black, but later fawn and chocolate colors appeared.
With regular exercises, dogs quickly memorize commands and learn tricks. Do not scold the animal much. Labradors are not too vengeful, but they are very upset in such situations. This will negatively affect the entire process of training.
Encourage better with goodies or kind words. Low intonation can be made to understand that the animal is behaving incorrectly.
When praising a dog, do not forget about the sense of proportion. If the Labrador is spoiled, then it will be difficult to cope with it. With the right approach, you can easily bring up a faithful friend and protector. Hosts should spare no time on a dog. A key feature of Labradors is that they understand the mood and can recognize the essence of a person’s words.
Retriever
The Golden Retriever owes its golden color to the Scottish Lord Tweedmouth, who has spent a lot of time and effort to achieve the goal. Color is visible against the backdrop of lush green nature, especially in swampy areas. This feature ensures that the owner does not lose sight of the animal. By the way, it was the only goal of such a large-scale breeding work. Golden retrievers are easy to train. Dogs often become loyal assistants at customs, in law enforcement. At airports, these dogs do an excellent job of searching for prohibited substances and objects.
Starting a retriever training is already 2 months old, at 6 months you can move on to serious training. For reliability, it is recommended to train a dog in a special school.
The hunting breed is friendly, therefore dogs are used in zootherapy. Usually, retrievers help children with special needs. Dogs are able to soothe, relieve stress, reduce the degree of aggression. Golden Retriever is very contact and he is able to find an approach to any person. The main difference between the dogs of this breed is an unsurpassed memory, they easily remember people, conditions, words and commands.
Character Differences
Canine experts claim that the temperament of representatives of the two breeds is radically different. Retrievers are distinguished by certain aristocracy, as if the manners of the English nobility were genetically transmitted to them. Dogs are deadpan, they value themselves highly. These traits do not prevent the dog from being devoted to its owner and family.
Retrievers perform commands, but they all think over carefully and sometimes even find a simpler solution to the problem. Do not confuse this behavior with disobedience. The dog is just used to doing everything calmly and carefully.Retrievers are playful and love to fool around, however, this activity is not predominant.
Representatives of the breed need physical exertion of medium intensity. Easily master sports games and disciplines. Dogs are distinguished by excellent memory, a lively mind, intuition and ingenuity. The main thing is to find a common language with the pet and encourage its aristocratic independence.
Retrievers are hardy and energetic. Able to find prey on a hunt anywhere, even if it fell into the water. It is worth noting that dogs do an excellent job with animals of low weight, especially with birds.
During the training can not raise the voice of the dog and show aggression. In this case, she decides that the host should not be listened to at all, and will begin to make all the decisions herself.
Labradors are from the people, royal mannerism is alien to them, and this is a key difference between the breeds. Dog-worker is not afraid of work. Labrador will easily collect fish from the nets and pull the sleigh with the owner or prey. Representatives of the breed differ in strength and readiness to use it. Dogs strongly trust people, they are open and simple. Teams perform momentarily, not doubting and not deliberating.
Labradors are carefree and love to play, fooling around even in old age. Family dog perfectly manifests itself in sports and during hunting. Such pets are good for both children and other animals of any size. With a certain approach to education, Labradors become very attentive and accurate guide dogs.
Thanks to a lively mind and a developed intuition, they can make independent decisions when it is really necessary. Sometimes this skill can be detrimental, Labradors often decide to destroy and break the things of the master if they lack attention or activity. To solve the problem, it is necessary to purchase a sufficient number of various toys and stimulate the activity of the dog during walks.
Comparison of appearance
Some people believe that representatives of the breed are very similar in appearance. However, if you put two dogs together, it will be quite simple to distinguish them. Consider the features of the exterior of the standard.
- Type of wool. Such a difference is immediately apparent. Labradors have a special touch on the wool that can be felt by touch. This phenomenon is due to the fact that dogs swim a lot. Ostev hair is elastic, dense and thick. The coat is always flat and strong, about 5 cm long. The same coating protects against getting wet and gives a special shine. Retrievers - owners of wavy hair, sometimes curly. The covering reminds decorative down more. In the area of the neck, tail and hips the coat is lighter in color than the main coat. The hair itself is much longer than that of the Labrador.
- Color The retriever can be any shade of gold. This was thought out when breeding a dog so that it would not get lost during the hunt. This feature explains the prefix "golden" in the name of the breed. Labradors are more diverse in this matter. Dogs can have wool of any brown, black, fawn.
- Dimensions. Labrador males can weigh in the range of 27-40 kg with growth of 56-63 cm. Female breeds grow to 54-60 cm and weigh about 27-35 kg. Retrievers are smaller. Males with a weight of 26-41 kg grow to 56-61 cm. Females of the breed can weigh 25-37 kg and grow to 51-56 cm. The exact weight depends largely on the class of the pet. Representatives of the worker are smaller, but the individuals of the show class are usually the largest.
- Tail. Labrador differs tail with a thicker base and tapering towards the end. He is wearing a thick and smooth coat. During games, Labradors lift their tail up, but do not bend to the back. Retrievers have a feather shaped tail that continues the line of the spine. During games, members of the breed do not lift their tail high.
- Head. Labradors initially hunted large prey, including hares.The head of the representatives of this breed is more massive than that of the retrievers.
Who is better to choose?
The retriever will become a full-fledged member of the family and will easily find a common language with young children (up to 12-13 years old) and older people. This is due to the patience and tranquility of the breed. They will be excellent nannies, will be able to care for the kids.
With Labradors will be more difficult, the dogs are very energetic and restless. Representatives of the breed will easily knock a child down in an attempt to show their love. If you still want to take a Labrador in a family with small children, then you need to teach him peace of mind and self-control at the sight of the crumbs.
If the dog flirts heavily, it can not only push, but also slightly bite. This behavior can scare a child. Canine experts recommend taking Labradors in families where children are at least 12-13 years old.
A golden retriever is more suitable for living in an apartment. If the area of the room is large, then you can start a Labrador.
Just do not leave the dog alone for a long time, it is necessary to regularly walk. Otherwise, the Labrador can not just cheat, and smash everything that is possible.
For keeping on the chain in the yard of a private house, both breeds are not suitable. Dogs do not cope with the tasks of guards and protectors. During breeding, the genes of aggression and bloodthirstiness are deliberately suppressed, so that the dogs do not damage their prey during hunting or fishing.
There are basic nuances that are worth paying attention to.
- Retrievers require less attention and need less physical activity. If a Labrador cannot be active to the extent he needs, then it becomes a pest. Able to nibble furniture, break flower pots and stuff.
- If you plan to train, it will be easier with a Labrador. He tends to execute commands flawlessly and quickly.
- Both dogs require constant human presence, do not tolerate long-term loneliness. If the owner is rarely at home, it is better to abandon both breeds.
- Retrievers molt 2 times a year and during this period six must be carefully combed out. Labradors change wool regularly throughout the year, so it often turns out on all the furniture in the house.
More facts about retrievers and labradors in the next video.
