Is a Yellow Lab the same as a Golden Retriever? No, they are not the same dog, but they are about as close as they can come to being the same. The very few differences are just enough to show that they come from 2 different breeds.
However, you are getting very smart dogs that will love to be with your family. Plus, they love the outdoors and will have more than enough energy to play, hunt, or go swimming
This question arises because there are a lot of similarities between the two dog breeds. So much so that if it wasn’t for the coat length difference no one may be able to tell the two dogs apart.
Both are very popular dogs with the Labrador taking the top spot in the most popular polls and the Golden coming in 4th. But while they both come in yellowish color and have the name retriever; they are not the same dog breed.
To see why they are not the same dog breed, keep reading. It only takes a couple of minutes to get this important information.
Are Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers the Same Breed?
As we just said, these two dog breeds are not one and the same. Their origins are in 2 different continents as well. The Yellow Lab was bred originally in Canada. Newfoundland to be exact and they were bred from the St. John’s water dog.
The Golden was bred in Scotland using the best retriever breed and the best water dog breed. While they come from different dog stock, they do have remarkable similarities.
Both dog breeds come with a soft mouth. That means that when they retrieve game, their powerful jaws do not rush the dead animals. Then their coat colors may be similar, the Golden’s coat is actually a gold color or specific toes directly related to gold.
The Yellow Lab’s coat color is more yellowish and the other tones that come with the puppies are directly related to yellow and not gold. Another difference that helps you tell the two dog breeds apart is with their coats.
The Golden has long wavy fur while the Yellow Lab has short almost waterproof fur. Plus, the latter has an undercoat to it giving it two coats and not one.
If noise is a factor for you, the Yellow Lab may not be your option. It does bark often while the Golden does bark but not as often as the Yellow Lab. From here everything is just about the same.
They shed alike, love kids, need lots of socialization, they are very energetic, love different games, and can adapt easily to different surroundings plus, they are about the same size.
It is no wonder that people get confused when they see the two dogs. They have far too many similarities and very few differences.
Want to know more about yellow labradors? Check out our post “Yellow Labrador – A Complete Guide” to learn more.
Who is Smarter, a Golden Retriever or a Labrador?
Tests and studies have been done over the years using objective measures to answer this question. It turns out that the Golden is the 4th smartest of all dog breeds in the world.
The Yellow Lab is very competitive here as it came in 7th place, only 3 positions behind the Golden. That makes their intelligence levels almost the same with the Golden being the smarter of the two.
Also, it has been said that the Golden can learn up to 165+ words which put it at the level of a 2 1/2-year-old child. The yellow Lab is not far behind in that achievement.
What that all means is that no matter which dog you own, they will learn enough words to understand what you want them to do. There are dog breeds that can learn up to 250 words and the exceptional dog, not breed) has been known to learn 1000 words.
But those are more exceptions than the rule. The rule is 165+ words give or take a few.
Puppies need to be potty trained. Check out our post “How to Potty Train a Yellow Lab Puppy” to learn how to keep your pup from peeing in the house.
Which Breed is Better?
That is hard to say as they have so many characteristics in common. They are great at being assist dogs, companions and both breeds love their families and the small children in those families.
It is safe to say that no matter which dog breed you choose, you are not going to make a wrong choice if you choose the yellow Lab over the Golden or vice versa. They are both excellent dogs to have around the house and they are both very loyal to their masters.
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Please note: We are not veterinarians and you use our advice at your own discretion. We always recommend that you consult your veterinarian whenever you have health-related conditions your furbaby is facing. With that in mind, as pet parents ourselves, we wish nothing but the best for your pet and their healthy and happy lives.