Golden retriever vs Labrador

My friend has a lovely working GR the same age as Ella. I think she's just beautiful and, if I could guarantee that I'd get one like her, I'd seriously consider one in the future.

She is a very similar size and shape to Ella but Ella is slightly more solid looking. She is very food motivated, learns quickly (better trained than Ella but her mum is an instructor so that's to be expected) and super playful with Ella and other dogs. The only really good difference I'd say is that she doesn't seem to have that switch that turns her into a raving lunatic like Ella does . This could be the dog rather than the breed though.

 

I'll be honest too and say that I've been in hundreds of obedience classes and whenever there was a Lab (and there was usually at least one), I'd think, "Thank goodness I don't have a Lab!". I can't even say how many times my dog got used as the "good example" dog and the Lab got used as the "problem child". It wasn't down to me, it was down to my dogs] being big, slow and calm nearly to the point of being comatose. Which makes me feel a little insane to now be searching for my own Lab puppy!

HOWEVER, I've also known so many, many wonderful Lab adults, so there must be something that magically happens between crocopup/crazy adolescent to adulthood! Keep the hope alive!

 

There really is.

Tatze has had no particular training apart from obedience training. She's nearly four now and will snooze the day away, happy doing whatever we are doing. Her only craziness is in greeting visitors, as you have experienced


...

 

Emily, you're mad. But in a good way

 

I feel the shame every weekend and this is just puppy class. And yes, Harley only got chosen once to be the example and she got distracted while the trainer was talking and walked over to the ball pit and took a ball for herself However, at home she is such a lovely pup that it really makes no difference. And at class she is also a lovely pup...just on crack...

 

There's an elderly couple in our village that have had GR's all their lives but the one that passed away about a year ago was not nice, she attacked a lot of dogs, one needed vet treatment for a tail injury. This GR once, I think deliberately pushed Hattie into their disgusting, green sludgy pond. Hattie dragged herself out doing a rather good impression of some sort of 'swamp monster'

I seriously couldn't believe my eyes, Hattie was leaning over the edge, GR went round and forcefully with her head pushed Hattie in as we sat having a cuppa! x