Donation

If you enjoy using Minnesota Outdoorsman, Please help me keep it going, Treat me to a Coffee

Recent

 
MINNEAPOLIS WEATHER

Check Out Our Forum Tab!

Click On The "Forum" Tab Under The Logo For More Content!
If you are using your phone, click on the menu, then select forum. Make sure you refresh the page!

The views of the poster, may not be the views of the website of "Minnesota Outdoorsman" therefore we are not liable for what our members post, they are solely responsible for what they post. They agreed to a user agreement when signing up to MNO.

Pages: [1]

 

Golden Retriever vs Labrador


Golden and Labrador retrievers are a popular family pet and superstars in the field. But which is better for you?

by Phil Bourjaily


2063uidgoldenvslab.jpg

Golden Retriever vs Labrador

Both Labrador and Golden Retrievers consistently rank among America’s most popular dog breeds. Non-hunting owners love the friendly demeanors that make the two great family dogs. They are highly trainable, as both excel in service-dog roles. Hunters prize both breeds for their abilities as gun dogs, particularly for waterfowl, but each can double as a flusher in the uplands, too. You can’t go wrong with either breed, but there are distinct differences between the two. Here are some criteria to help you choose between golden retriever vs Labrador.

Chart: Golden Retriever vs Labrador at a Glance

Labrador Retriever


2063uidAdobeStock_493111915-scaled.jpg

Labs’ medium-length coats and webbed paws make them great swimmers. (Photo/Jonathan/Adobe Stock)

  • Height: 21.5- 24.5 inches

  • Weight: 55-80 pounds

  • Coat: Medium length, oily, black, yellow or chocolate, a few are silver or red

  • Temperament: Affectionate, eager to please, strong hunting/retrieving drive

Golden Retriever


2063uidAdobeStock_274334112-scaled.jpg

While Labs are better known as water dogs, Goldens have no problem diving into a marsh after a fallen duck. (Photo/feeferlump/Adobe Stock)

  • Height: 21-24 inches

  • Weight: 55-75 pounds  

  • Coat: Long, soft, double coat, golden-red

  • Temperament: Affectionate, eager to please, may be slow to mature, strong hunting/retrieving drive

Golden Retriever vs Labrador: Breed Histories


2063uidAdobeStock_284458908-scaled.jpg

Golden retrievers came from Scotland back in the 1850s and ’60s. (Photo/Ric Ergenbright/Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)


Labs descend from the St. John’s water dog, a breed developed in Newfoundland as a fisherman’s working dog. Hardy dogs able to stand cold water, they hauled nets and lines in the water. Visiting English sportsmen saw their potential as retrievers and brought them back across the Atlantic, crossing them with other breeds until the Labrador retriever was born.

Goldens hail from Scotland. In the 1850s and ’60s, Sir Dudley Marjoribanks began crossing flat-coated retrievers with Tweed water spaniels (both of which contain Labrador retriever ancestry) at his estate, Guisachan, selecting for light-colored dogs. Sir Dudley mixed a few other breeds over the next 20-some years until he had produced what he believed was the ideal breed for the damp, cold conditions of Scotland: a light-colored, medium-size dog with a warm double coat and webbed feet that could retrieve game on land and in water.

Breed Comparison

Labs and Goldens are about the same size, as breed standards dictate male Labs will range from 55 to 80, while male Goldens find themselves in the 55- to 75-pound range. The coat is the biggest difference between the two in regard to physical appearance. Labs have a comparatively short, dry, oily coat that insulates them in water. Goldens have a long, warm double coat and, per their name, are primarily golden-red in color. Labs come in black, yellow, and chocolate.

Both dogs typically share warm, intelligent, family-friendly personalities that make them great pets in the home, if terrible watchdogs. They tend to welcome strangers regardless of whether they are friends or intruders. Both breeds are highly trainable and intelligent, and can be trained to do a number of different jobs.   

Golden Retriever vs Labrador: Hunting Differences

Labs are much more popular among waterfowl hunters than are Goldens, which is partly due to the Lab’s shorter, low-maintenance coat. It’s also true that Goldens were primarily developed to retrieve upland birds and do some duck hunting on the side.

There are excellent waterfowl retrievers among Goldens, but if you are looking for a duck dog, it’s easier to find a Lab from a kennel that breeds credentialed gun dogs. Some people believe Goldens are slower to mature, and that Labs, therefore, can be trained and ready to hunt at a younger age than Goldens.

In the uplands, both breeds make very good flushing dogs. They are quite popular, especially among pheasant hunters, as they will plow into thick cover to find and flush birds, and they are relentless on the trail of running, crippled roosters. With both breeds being water dogs, they are especially well-suited to boost pheasants out of marshes and cattail sloughs in the late season.

Golden Retriever vs Labrador: Picking a Puppy

If you want a duck hunting dog, a Lab is usually the easier choice. Less maintenance means less stopping during or after your hunt, and more hunting-focused kennels mean more available puppies. If you go this route, it’s worth looking into litters of both American and British Labs. American Labs are known to have more drive, while British Labs carry a reputation as excellent hunters with a more laid-back demeanor. Meanwhile, you can find Goldens from waterfowl-hunting stock, but they aren’t as common. If you want a flusher for the uplands, either breed makes a great choice. Goldens will gather more burrs in their longer coats, however, and both shed quite a bit.

Almost more important than which breed you choose is which breeder you pick. Non-hunters with an affinity for the breeds greatly outnumber hunters looking for a trusty retriever. Verify that any puppy you buy comes from hunting stock and from a reputable breeder. Be sure the dogs come from a healthy lineage as well, as any time a medium or large breed becomes popular, ailments like dysplasia become more common, too.

FAQs

Q: Do Labs or Goldens bark more?

Neither breed is known to bark excessively. Barking can become a habit with any dog, however, and breeds naturally vary quite a lot. But unlike miniature dogs, hounds and watchdogs that are sure to bark no matter the pup you choose, neither retriever has a reputation for being particularly vocal.

Q: Which is easier to train, a Lab or a Golden retriever?

Both Labs and Goldens can be trained to perform a wide range of tasks, from making multiple blind retrieves to working as seeing-eye or other types of service dogs. Despite Labs’ reputation to learn faster, variability within the breeds will ultimately answer this question, as you could easily wind up with a Lab that’s a slow learner or a Golden that’s a quick study.

Q: Which dog is calmer, a Labrador or a Golden Retriever?

Both breeds are affectionate and have a strong hunting drive. However, Labradors can be more energetic, while Golden retrievers are known to be a bit calmer.



 

Two Feet Of Ice On Most Of Lake Of The Woods


On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.   


Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule. 


It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.   


Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well. 


Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well. 


On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot. 


Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.


On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.


Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using. 


Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.


Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix. 


Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.


The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.


Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.


For more information on fish house rentals, lodging, and helpful information, visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.


2063uidBret_Amundson_limit_of_walleyes_Resort.jpg2063uidHuge_eelpout_Border_View_Lodge.jpg

Pages: [1]