History
The Golden Labrador is a mix of the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever. They were bred to create a sensible, hardworking, and patient breed. It is very large in size and stands tall at 22 to 24 inches. Weighing about 60 to 80 pounds, they have a square and flat-shaped head. The squarish wide muzzle and floppy ears are other physical characteristics that help identify this breed. Additionally, it has brown oval-shaped eyes along with a soft double coat that is dense and thick underneath.
The Golden Labrador Dog is the most admired dog breed in the US. Tracing the history of the Golden Labrador, the dog took a circuitous route to reach North America. Going back about 500 years, European fishermen, mainly English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish anglers, voyaged to the Canadian Atlantic coastline.
These industrious and adventurous Europeans traveled to Newfoundland and Labrador, Canadian territories, long before European nations colonized Canadian provinces. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that the early European settlers brought their dogs along with them, which mixed with the native canine breeds. The unrestricted intermingling on these vast secluded North Atlantic islands led to the creation of a new local breed - the St. John's Dog.
The newly evolved canine landrace shared its name with St. John's, Newfoundland's capital. The St. John's Dog is the predecessor of all modern retriever breeds, such as the Golden Retriever, Golden Retriever Lab, and Chesapeake Bay Retriever. The Golden Labrador puppy has a natural affinity for water - a trait the dog inherited from its ancestors.
The Golden Retriever Lab is prized for its extraordinary diving and retrieving abilities, which accounts for the 'Retriever' in its name. The fully grown Golden Retriever mix is an excellent gundog, excelling in retrieving game for shooting team members and gamekeepers. Law enforcement departments and militaries extensively use the dog for various tasks such as guiding the blind, sniffing bombs and explosives, rescuing hostages, and so on.
Temperament and Personality
The Golden Retriever Lab mix is an energetic, happy, affectionate, and intelligent dog, making it a perfect choice for a family pet. They are people-friendly and loyal, enjoying the company of children and even other well-trained pets. Their exceptionally kind and sensitive nature doesn't lend them to be good watchdogs. They thrive on attention from both people and outsiders. Their laid-back demeanor makes them suitable for apartment living as long as their activity requirements are met.
Initially bred as working dogs, they have finely tuned their temperament and personality over time. The ancestors of the Golden Labrador dog were exceptional divers, more than willing to plunge into the freezing waters off Newfoundland and Labrador (currently the easternmost Canadian territories). Gamekeepers and hunting teams always made sure to bring these dogs along during hunting trips in dense forests.
After hours of hunting, when the members of the hunting party were exhausted, these dogs came to their rescue. Golden Retrievers possessed boundless energy to run for hours, retrieving game. These retrievers tirelessly scoured through thickets, undergrowth, and copses to recover hunted game that many other breeds would have given up on.
It's no wonder that the Golden Retriever Lab's legendary retrieving ability and unwavering spirit have made the dog incredibly strong-willed. On the flip side, the dog can quickly grasp both explicit commands and subtle cues, thanks to its intelligence. However, its fiercely independent nature and stubborn temperament can present challenges for dog trainers working on socialization training.
Nevertheless, their gentle disposition, calm temperament, and composed nature enable them to get along splendidly with other dogs, animals, and humans. Last but not least, their intrinsic diligence and innate intelligence make them supremely suitable for a variety of jobs. Their amiable and generous nature makes them ideal for serving as therapy dogs, while their keen sense of smell aids in tracking.
Golden Labrador puppies, like their parents, have a thick, short coat that can be black, chocolate-brown, or yellow.
Care
Exercise
Golden Lab mix dogs are highly energetic and need to expend their energy through regular exercise. Take them swimming as they thoroughly enjoy it, but be present and watchful during their swim. They benefit from jogs or long walks once or twice a day. If your apartment is connected to a yard, provide them with the opportunity to play and run freely.
Golden Lab dogs are naturally energetic and active, which means they require several hours of exercise each day. Due to their innate inclination to run, frolic, and especially swim, it's important to ensure they have regular and ample swimming opportunities. Consider taking your pet to a dog park with a swimming pool or to a body of water for this purpose.
Incorporate daily long walks into your routine, and bring along a toy to engage your pet in chasing and retrieving activities, providing valuable exercise. When taking your dog out, always use a dog collar to maintain control and manage their movements effectively.
Grooming
Brush the Goldador's coat with a rubber brush daily, especially if it sheds heavily, to prevent loose and dead hair. After bathing, ensure they are thoroughly dried, and remember to clean the inside of their ears. Perform weekly teeth cleaning to prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay.
Golden Retriever Labs have a dense and short coat that is largely waterproof. However, the breed is known to shed heavily, particularly during fall and spring. Therefore, you'll need to brush the dog's coat almost daily during these seasons. For the rest of the year, minimal coat care is required; brushing just a couple of times a week will suffice
Health Problems
Typically, crossbreeds do not face any specific health concerns, but in recent times, some issues have emerged, including hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, diabetes, and skin conditions.
A Golden Labrador puppy isn't ready for adoption until it's about 7-8 weeks old. The Golden Labrador dog can live a healthy life for 12-14 years, provided you take good care of your pet. Most Golden Labs tend to remain healthy throughout their lifetime and generally don't suffer from significant health issues.
However, these dogs have a hearty appetite. If you don't control their portions, your pet might become obese or overweight. Labrador Retrievers are susceptible to elbow and hip dysplasia, particularly the larger ones. They also have a tendency to experience collapses from short, abrupt exercise sessions, leading to disorientation, hyperthermia, and lethargy.
Training
The breed is highly intelligent, and its eager-to-please quality can make teaching sessions easier. They need to learn socialization from a young age, so allow them to interact with kids and other pets. Train them in a few tricks and play games like agility, flyball, etc. Gradually reward them with treats and praise.
Labrador and Golden Labrador mix puppies are generally ready to be adopted around eight weeks old. Golden Labrador mix puppies are naturally dynamic and active. They'll constantly seek activities to keep themselves engaged. Thus, there's a high likelihood that the Golden Labrador puppy will chew household items if left alone.
Provide the pup with enough chew toys to keep it engaged and help the young Golden Lab cope with teething issues. You'll need to invest some effort into housetraining, but its friendly and outgoing nature will facilitate the process. It's recommended to start training the dog while it's still a puppy, so it becomes well-trained by the time it reaches full maturity as a Golden Retriever Lab mix
Serve your pet with 3.5 to 4 cups of high-quality dry dog food, divided into at least two meals every day. The dietary needs should also consider factors like size, age, metabolism, and health. A Golden Retriever pup should be fed 3-4 times daily until the dog reaches six months old. Make sure to provide high-quality food, as puppies require an adequate amount of calories during their developmental stage. However, pay careful attention to portion sizes to avoid overfeeding and potential overweight issues.
Despite the Labrador Retriever's adorable, easygoing, and sociable nature, many people are drawn to the idea of a Golden Labrador mix. Numerous pet lovers prefer adopting a Labrador and Golden Retriever mix due to the hybrid's easier maintenance. The Lab and Golden Retriever mix is smaller in size, sheds less, and exhibits better guarding instincts compared to the purebred Labrador.
If you're curious about what exactly constitutes a Golden Labrador mix, it's a crossbreed resulting from the combination of a Labrador Retriever with other dog breeds. There are approximately 50 variations of Golden Retriever Lab mixes, with the most popular ones being Labradoodle, Goldador, and Boxador.
Popular Golden Lab Mixes
- Labrador and Golden Retriever mix
- Golden Labrador mix
- Golden Labrador mix puppies
- Lab and Golden Retriever mix
Although the Labrador Retriever is incredibly adorable, easygoing, and sociable, many people are drawn to the idea of a Golden Labrador mix. Several pet lovers prefer adopting a Labrador and Golden Retriever mix because the hybrid variety is easier to maintain. The Lab and Golden Retriever mix is smaller in size, sheds less, and exhibits better-guarding instincts compared to the Labrador.
If you're wondering exactly what a Golden Labrador mix is, it's a crossbreed developed by combining a Labrador Retriever with other dog breeds. There are approximately 50 variations of Golden Retriever Lab mixes, with the most popular ones being Labradoodle, Goldador, and Boxador.
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