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Golden Retriever Lab Mix – Complete Guide 2023

The Golden Retriever Lab mix is a crossbreed of America’s two most beloved dogs – a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever. Good-natured and highly trainable Goldadors are excellent bomb detection dogs, therapy dogs, guide dogs, and service dogs.

But, are Golden Retriever Lab mix good dogs? Goldadors inherit some of the best traits from their parent breeds and make amazing companions and pets. Friendly, devoted, and affectionate by nature, these dogs get along with everyone including children. They make loving pets to active people, newbie owners, and families with kids. 

Are you looking for a canine companion that will follow you on adventures but also curl on the sofa next to you after a busy day? If so, the Golden Retriever Lab mix is an ideal choice! Keep on reading to find out more about these adorable designer dogs! 

What Is a Golden Retriever Lab Mix?

The Golden Retriever Lab mix is a mixed-breed created by crossing a purebred Golden Retriever with a purebred Labrador Retriever. While both Labs and Goldens are officially recognized by the American Kennel Club, the Goldador is a designer hybrid. 

Brief History

There is a good chance that Goldadors existed naturally over the years. However, designer breeders started to cross Goldens and Labs in an attempt to create a sensitive and tolerant working dog. 

Their efforts bred true, and the Golden Retriever Lab mixes make fantastic search and rescue dogs, guide dogs, bomb detection dogs, service dogs, and therapy dogs.

Golden Retriever

Hailing from Scotland, the Golden Retriever is a medium-large gun dog, developed to retrieve shot waterfowl. Although still used for hunting, Goldens are far more popular as pets thanks to their affectionate, loving, and trainable natures.

Labrador Retriever

Despite its name, the Labrador Retriever originated in Newfoundland where it served as a fisherman’s helper. Labs make fantastic pets to families and people of all ages and are often used as service and therapy dogs due to their kind, highly trainable, and friendly natures.

Golden Retriever Lab Mix 

When you mix these two breeds you get a Labrador Golden Retriever mix – a large-sized, energetic, and intelligent canine that makes a wonderful companion. Goldadors can adapt to any type of living situation as long as they are properly exercised and mentally stimulated. 

Read on as we get into more details about this fantastic mixed-breed!

Characteristics of a Golden Retriever Lab Mix

Characteristics of a Golden Retriever Lab Mix

While no one can predict the exact appearance of any mixed-breed dog, Labs and Goldens are quite similar in terms of size and appearance. Thus, we can make an educated guess as to how their offspring will look like. 

Most Goldadors are slightly stockier than their Golden Retriever parents and have muscular and athletically built bodies. The face will be less straightforward than that of a purebred Lab, and this mix will have large and round brown eyes, floppy ears, and a dark nose. 

Goldador Highlights: 

SizeLarge size dog
Weight55-80 pounds
Height22-24 inches
Coat TypeShort and thick double coat
SheddingHeavy shedding
Energy LevelHighly energetic
Overall HealthVery good
Lifespan10-12 years

Height 

As a mix of a Golden Retriever and a Lab, expect your Goldador to be a large-sized dog. Most are between 22 and 24 inches tall at the withers. 

Weight

A full-grown Golden Retriever Lab can weigh from 55 to 80 pounds, depending on which parent breed it takes more after.

Coat Color

Labrador Retrievers can come in black, chocolate, and yellow color and Golden Retrievers have light to dark golden coats (source). As an offspring of these two breeds, the Goldador can inherit any of these coat colors. 

The most commonly seen colors in this mix breed are:

  • Yellow
  • Golden
  • Chocolate
  • Black

Shedding

Goldadors will inherit thick double coats from their parent breeds. This means that they will shed all year round and blow their coat twice a year, during spring and fall.

While Goldadors generally have shorter coats than their Golden Retriever parents, some may inherit feathering around the neck, ears, and hind legs. Either way, this mix is a heavy shedder and as such not a good choice if you suffer from asthma or allergies. 

Temperament

Both Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are fantastic family dogs, and you can bet that their offspring will make a superb family pet! People-oriented and friendly, this mixed breed dog loves to spend time with its people and is happiest when involved in all family activities. 

Although they are alert by nature and can serve as watchdogs, Goldadors are too friendly and make poor guard dogs. Instead of scaring the intruder away, this mix might welcome them inside your home with a wagging tail!

Goldadors can work and think independently which makes them amazing assistance dogs and working dogs. However, they prefer to have structure and guidance in their lives and work best alongside their human caregivers.

Due to their people-loving and amicable temperaments, these dogs detest being at home alone, and can easily develop separation anxiety and destructive habits. To avoid this scenario, start crate training your Goldador puppy as soon as you bring them home.

True to its parent breeds, the Lab Golden Retriever mix is a highly energetic and playful dog and is always up for fun, adventure, and games. So, only get one if you are active and willing to spend a good chunk of time exercising and playing with your pooch daily.

Pet Friendly

Easy-going and gregarious Goldadors get along well with other pets, especially when raised together. Despite their amicable natures, you’ll still need to socialize and train your mix from a young age to help them reach their full potential (source). 

Child Friendly

The Labrador Golden Retriever mix is an ideal family dog that is gentle and loving towards children of all ages. While they love kids, Goldadors are quite rambunctious as puppies and can accidentally knock down a toddler during play. 

To avoid accidents and injuries to both parties, supervise all playdates between your kids and your dog. 

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Care

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Care

Like any other dog, the Golden Retriever Labrador mix needs love, care, and affection to stay healthy and thrive. When it comes to caring for a Goldador, here’s what you’ll need to do: 

Health Risks

Goldadors are generally healthy dogs. However, this mix is at a higher risk of developing the same health issues that both Labradors and Golden Retrievers face. 

The most common health problems seen in this mix are:

  • Hip dysplasia
  • Elbow dysplasia
  • Cataracts
  • Progressive retinal atrophy
  • Diabetes
  • Bloat

The Lab Golden Retriever mix has an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. However, with proper care and regular veterinary checkups, some Goldadors may live longer. 

Grooming and Maintenance

If you don’t have the time or energy to brush your dog daily and deal with dog hair, the Goldador isn’t the right dog for you! This mix has a thick double coat and is high maintenance when it comes to grooming. 

Most Goldadors have shorter coats than their Golden Retriever parents but they still shed all year round. Brush your dog three to four times a week to remove loose hair and distribute skin oils throughout the length of fur.

This mix will blow its coat twice a year, during the spring and fall. At this time your dog will shed 90 percent of its fur within a few weeks, so daily brushing is a must! Otherwise, you’ll end up buried under a pile of dog hair!

The good news is that this mix doesn’t need frequent baths! Once every two or three months is enough to keep your dog’s coat clean and smelling great.

The rest is basic care and involves teeth brushing, nail clipping, and ear cleaning! 

Brush your dog’s teeth at least three times a week and trim their nails once or twice a month. Inspect their ears for waxy buildup, mites, and dirt weekly and clean as necessary using a vet-approved ear cleaning solution for dogs.

Food or Diet

An ideal diet for Goldadors should be formulated for large size dogs with high energy. This mix needs plenty of high-quality proteins and fats to stay energized throughout the day.

When choosing the best food for your mix, pick the highest quality formula you can afford and make sure it’s complete and balanced to meet your dog’s nutritional needs.

Goldadors have healthy appetites and will easily over-eat if not provided with a regular feeding schedule. Instead of free-feeding your dog, offer them two meals a day if they are an adult, and three smaller meals a day if they are a puppy.

Training and Exercise

Goldadors are energetic and active dogs that need around 30 minutes to an hour of intense exercise every day. Activities such as swimming, jogging, hiking, agility, and canine sports are just some of the ways you can exercise and keep your mix in excellent shape.

Due to their playful natures, Goldadors also love all sorts of games, like fetch, flyball, tug-of-war, hide and seek, and Frisbee. Besides keeping your dog exercised, these games will also keep them mentally stimulated.

Both Labs and Goldens are easy to train, so you can expect your mix to be the same. Goldadors are highly-intelligent dogs, and will quickly learn commands and tricks just to please you.

This mix, like all other dogs, responds best to positive reinforcement training. Reward your dog’s good behavior with praise and tasty treats and simply ignore or correct bad behaviors. 

Having said that, do not yell or use harsh corrections as they will get you nowhere with this mix! Goldadors are highly sensitive dogs that don’t appreciate being shouted at.

Housing

The Golden Retriever Labrador mix adapts to all living conditions as long as they are properly exercised. While having a big house and a fenced backyard is definitely a plus, this mix can live happily in an apartment or condo if you commit to daily exercise. 

Where to Get a Golden Retriever Lab Mix? 

As with any other dog, there are only two ways you can get a Golden Retriever Lab mix. You can either adopt or shop!

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Breeders

Golden Labs are increasingly popular designer dogs, so you shouldn’t have trouble locating a reputable breeder in your area. Make sure to research the breeder to ensure they are ethical and have the dog’s best interest at heart.

When purchasing Goldador puppies, check to see if both parents have all the necessary health clearances. The breeder should possess health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for hips and elbows, and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation verifying that the eyes are healthy.

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Price

The Labrador Golden Retriever mix puppies on average cost from $600 to $1000. The exact price of Goldador puppies can vary and depends on several factors including the breeder, lineage, health certificates, and location.

Adoption

Though Goldadors are designer dogs, some end up abandoned and in the care of shelters and rescue organizations across the country. People mostly surrender these dogs because they underestimate the amount of exercise and grooming they need every day. 

If the Golden Retriever Labrador mix seems like the perfect dog for your family, consider adoption! Check out your local shelter and rescue organizations to see if they have any Golden Labs for adoption.

To increase your chances of finding the dog of your dreams, reach out to Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever breed-specific rescue groups as they also take in their mixes. 

Conclusion

The Golden Retriever Lab mix is an increasingly popular family dog, but it also makes an excellent service and therapy dog. Highly intelligent and eager to please, the Goldador is easy to train and can be a great choice for first-time dog owners.

If you are looking for an energetic, affectionate, and kind dog that will get along with your children, other pets, and guests, the Golden Lab is an ideal choice! 

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