I've not owned a Lab or a Golden, but I work with them all day long.
The trend these days in both these breeds seems to be moving away from the lovable goofiness that made them so popular in the first place and towards more neurotic, unstable temperments. There are still great dogs to be found, you just have to look a little harder--hence the reason rescues are great. You already have a pretty darn good idea of what you're getting in a dog, versus an 'unknown' puppy.
Labs can get incredibly obbessive over balls and sticks; I know one chocolate Lab that will fetch a ball for literally 8 hours straight, no breaks, if you let her. If you don't throw the ball, she will bark at the you and the ball for 8 hours straight. If she sees where you hide a toy, she will bark at it until forcibly redirected. There are no toys allowed out when this dog comes to daycare. It's a good trait to have for a field dog; it would probably drive most 'pet' people up a wall.
Goldens are just about as obssessive about water as labs are, but their longer and denser coats make them very prone to hot spots, especially when their coats are damp alot. Constant grooming will help alleviate this, as it keep the undercoat from matting and allows air to circulate. Many younger Goldens are absolutly insane; the same could be said for many of the younger Labs I run into. Oddly enough, the yellow and chocolate labs seem to be more frenetic and almost "buzz" with energy, while the black ones are a more even-toned hyperactive. It's an old argument and one that will never be definitivly proven. But I know how my daycare runs.
I'm not trying to turn anyone off of either a Lab or Golden. If you find a good example, most people say they've never had a better dog in their life. Labs are a very bouncy affectionate and Goldens are a bit more laid back in their love.
The trend these days in both these breeds seems to be moving away from the lovable goofiness that made them so popular in the first place and towards more neurotic, unstable temperments. There are still great dogs to be found, you just have to look a little harder--hence the reason rescues are great. You already have a pretty darn good idea of what you're getting in a dog, versus an 'unknown' puppy.
Labs can get incredibly obbessive over balls and sticks; I know one chocolate Lab that will fetch a ball for literally 8 hours straight, no breaks, if you let her. If you don't throw the ball, she will bark at the you and the ball for 8 hours straight. If she sees where you hide a toy, she will bark at it until forcibly redirected. There are no toys allowed out when this dog comes to daycare. It's a good trait to have for a field dog; it would probably drive most 'pet' people up a wall.
Goldens are just about as obssessive about water as labs are, but their longer and denser coats make them very prone to hot spots, especially when their coats are damp alot. Constant grooming will help alleviate this, as it keep the undercoat from matting and allows air to circulate. Many younger Goldens are absolutly insane; the same could be said for many of the younger Labs I run into. Oddly enough, the yellow and chocolate labs seem to be more frenetic and almost "buzz" with energy, while the black ones are a more even-toned hyperactive. It's an old argument and one that will never be definitivly proven. But I know how my daycare runs.
I'm not trying to turn anyone off of either a Lab or Golden. If you find a good example, most people say they've never had a better dog in their life. Labs are a very bouncy affectionate and Goldens are a bit more laid back in their love.
I said it before and I'll say it again; mine are pretty laid back. Tira isn't a ball "nut", but she will fetch anything you throw and bring it back. She will stop when you stop and is more than happy to have a drink and take a nap afterwards. Gunner does his best to keep up, but I have to throw 2 different toys so he has a chance to fetch it before Tira can.