Retriever and Labrador: what's the difference?
When people bring dogs home, they hope that they will get a loyal friend for years to come. Labrador and retriever are slightly 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 breeds, and choose your companion correctly.
Peculiarities
Both breeds came from Great Britain, only each had its own purpose. So, a golden retriever is a hunter who can get a shot animal from their reservoir. The Labrador, in turn, was an assistant fisherman on the island of Newfoundland, from where he was later brought. Love for water in both breeds is 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 "hard worker". At first, the representatives of the breed were only black, but later fawn and chocolate colors appeared.
With regular exercise, dogs quickly memorize commands and learn tricks. Do not scold the animal too much. Labradors are not overly vengeful, but they get very upset in these situations. This will negatively affect the entire training process.
It is better to reward with goodies or kind words. Low intonation can make it clear that the animal is behaving incorrectly.
When praising your dog, keep a sense of proportion. If the Labrador is spoiled, then it will be difficult to cope with it. With the right approach, you can easily raise a loyal friend and protector. Owners should spare no time for the dog. A key feature of Labradors is that they understand 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 spent a lot of time and effort to achieve the goal. The color is noticeable against the backdrop of lush greenery, especially in swampy areas. This feature ensures that the owner does not lose sight of the animal. By the way, this was the only goal of such a large-scale breeding work. Golden Retrievers are easy to train. Dogs often become faithful helpers at customs and law enforcement agencies. At airports, these dogs do an excellent job of finding prohibited substances and items.
It is worth starting training for a retriever as early as 2 months, at 6 months you can proceed to serious training. For reliability, it is recommended to train the dog in a special school.
The hunting breed is distinguished by its friendliness, therefore, dogs are used in zootherapy. Retrievers usually help children with special needs. Dogs are able to calm, relieve stress, and reduce the degree of aggression. The Golden Retriever is very sociable and able to find an approach to any person. The main difference between dogs of this breed is considered to be an unsurpassed memory, they easily remember people, situations, words and commands.
Character differences
Cynologists assure that the temperament of the representatives of the two breeds is fundamentally different. Retrievers are distinguished by a certain aristocracy, as if the manners of the English nobility were genetically transmitted to them. Dogs are imperturbable, value themselves highly. These traits do not prevent the dog from being loyal to its master and family.
Retrievers carry out the commands, but they think carefully about everything and sometimes even find a simpler solution to the problem. This behavior should not be confused with disobedience. The dog is just used to doing everything calmly and carefully. Retrievers are playful and like to fool around, however, this activity is not predominant.
Representatives of the breed need physical activity of average intensity. They easily master sports games and disciplines. Dogs are distinguished by excellent memory, lively mind, intuition and quick wit. The main thing is to find a common language with the pet and encourage its aristocratic independence.
Retrievers are hardy and energetic. They are able to find prey on the hunt anywhere, even if it fell into the water. It is worth noting that dogs do an excellent job with small animals, especially birds.
During training, you should not raise your voice at the dog and show aggression. In this case, she will decide that it is not worth listening to the owner at all, and will begin to make all decisions herself.
Labradors are from the people, the royal mannerism is unusual for them, and this is the key difference between the breeds. The working dog is not afraid of work. The Labrador can easily collect fish from the nets and pull the sled with the owner or prey. Representatives of the breed are distinguished by their strength and willingness to use it. Dogs trust people a lot, they are open and simple. Commands are carried out instantly, without hesitation and without hesitation.
Labradors are carefree and love to play, fooling around even in old age. The family dog performs well in sports activities and during hunting. These 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 developed intuition, they can make independent decisions when they really need it. Sometimes this skill can be harmful, Labradors often decide to destroy and break the owner's things 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 the breed is very similar in appearance. However, if you put two dogs side by side, it will be quite easy to distinguish them. Consider the exterior features of the standard.
- Wool type. This difference is immediately apparent. Labradors have a special coating on their coat that can be felt to the touch. This phenomenon is due to the fact that dogs swim a lot. The outer hair is resilient, dense and dense. The coat is always even and strong, about 5 cm long. The same coating protects from getting wet and gives a special shine. Retrievers have wavy hair, sometimes curly. The cover looks more like decorative fluff. In the area of the neck, tail and thighs, the coat is lighter in color than the main color. The hair itself is much longer than that of a Labrador.
- Color. The retriever can be any shade of golden. This was thought out when breeding the dog so that it does not get lost during the hunt. It is this feature that explains the prefix "golden" in the name of the breed. Labradors are more diverse in this regard. Dogs can have a coat of any brown shade, black, fawn.
- Dimensions. Male Labradors can weigh in the range of 27-40 kg with a height of 56-63 cm. Females of the breed grow up to 54-60 cm and weigh about 27-35 kg. Retrievers are smaller. Males weighing 26-41 kg grow up to 56-61 cm. Females of the breed can weigh 25-37 kg and grow up to 51-56 cm. The exact weight largely depends on the class of the pet. Representatives of the worker are smaller, but the show-class individuals are usually the largest.
- Tail. The Labrador is distinguished by a tail with a thicker base and tapering towards the end. It has a dense and smooth woolen cover. During games, Labradors raise their tail up, but do not bend it towards the back. Retrievers have a feather-shaped tail that continues the line of the spine. During games, representatives of the breed do not raise their tail high.
- Head. Labradors originally hunted large prey, including hares. The head of this breed is more massive than that of the retrievers.
Which one 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 the elderly. This is due to the patience and calmness of the breed. They will become excellent nannies, they will be able to take care of babies.
With Labradors it will be more difficult, the dogs are very energetic and restless. The breed will easily knock a child off their feet in an attempt to show their love. If you still want to take a Labrador into a family with small children, then you need to teach him calmness and self-control at the sight of a crumbs.
If the dog flirts strongly, it can not only push, but also bite slightly. This behavior can scare the child. Dog handlers recommend taking Labradors to 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 get a Labrador.
Just do not leave the dog alone for a long time, it must be regularly walked. Otherwise, the Labrador may not just naughty, but smash everything that is possible to smithereens.
Both breeds are not suitable for keeping on a chain in the courtyard of a private house. Dogs do not cope with the tasks of guards and defenders. During breeding, the genes of aggression and bloodlust are suppressed deliberately so that the dogs do not damage the prey while hunting or fishing.
There are basic nuances that you should pay attention to.
- Retrievers require less attention and require less physical activity. If the Labrador cannot be active to the degree he needs, it turns into a pest. Able to gnaw furniture, break flower pots, and more.
- If you plan to train, it will be easier with a Labrador. He tends to execute commands flawlessly and quickly.
- Both dogs require the constant presence of a person, they do not tolerate prolonged loneliness. If the owner is rarely at home, then it is better to abandon both breeds.
- Retrievers moult 2 times a year and during this period six must be carefully combed out. Labradors change their fur regularly throughout the year, so it often ends up on all furniture in the house.
More facts about retrievers and Labradors in the next video.
That's right: Golden Retrievers, retrievers are their class.