re: Golden retriever or Chocolate lab?

Don't judge a dog by his color. I've had both as well as blacks and yellers. The choc's seem to have more health issues is really the only thing that stands out. The golden I had before someone stole her was as great a family dog you could ever have. They tend to be a little more timid than the labs so usually a stern tone for obedience is only needed. The shed thing for goldens usually happens when the temps become warmer. I would have to brush mine and it would be like shearing a lamb. Yesterday one of my labs pups I sold to my neighbor had to be put to sleep. He couldn't get up and was very lethargic. He was 11 and the vet found a huge mass on his spleen. The owners late husband bought him from me at 6 weeks. His wife is gonna have the dog (Champ) cremated and put next to her husband ashes. I stayed up all night delivering all 7 pups from my black lab of which 3 were black, two were yellow and two were chocolates. He had a few skin irritation but other than that a great family and watchdog. When he goes to barking all of the neighbors and my dogs chime in on the chorus of barks. It hit me in the feels and especially the late owners wife as she lost her husband only last year.

Joey Williamson w goldmine in NE is the guy to talk to about goldens in LA

I have a 3 year old chocolate and he is hardheaded as they come. Fantastic dog.

Color makes zero difference. A lab is a lab.. each pup will have its own personality. You need to be looking at the breeder and dogs parents... not color

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Not looking to hunt, just an active and easy to train dog

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Golden by a good bit.

Silver=Reputable?

Best dog I’ve ever owned was a chocolate lab

Pedigree means more then color. I have a big chocolate male that in his first season picked up a couple hundred duck and geese and found 6 deer. Hes high drive, but has a great off switch. He earned his HR title at a year old. He’s off Gator Point Chopper. I have a yellow that won’t hardly get in the water, love him, but he doesn’t have the want to or drive. I have a black female off of Juice and is the highest bred of the bunch and she is a handful to deal with, but the drive is unreal. Just is a fireball to train.

Goldens are amazing dogs, my first dog of my own as a kid was a golden retriever. They have a little more maintenance then a lab it seems and many have had the hunt bred out of them, but if you’re looking for a family pet that wouldn’t make a difference.

As far as chocolate labs go I’ve seen a lot of nice Hunter companion type labs come out of the Rodrigues retrievers line in Houma. Just a FYI.

Put up a email address and I will send up my contact info.

Yes I have to weigh in. To make generalizations about breeds or color of dogs with having only been around a couple of each at best is beyond idiotic. Buying puppies from the same exact breeding and even the same litter almost always give something of hodgepodge of personalities. Usually litters from carefully bred dogs produce at best a few outstanding pups and a mix from there. Buy or rescue what appeals to you but my experience has been that all dogs get different life experiences and react to that. Most experts agree for example that dogs are not born gunshy they are made gunshy. Any pup has a chance at being a great family dog if it has a good socialization from as early as possible. I believe in buying a well bred dog and giving that dog a lot of good experiences. Either of the 2 you bring up will have the chance of both good and bad but I would look at how the pups are being cared for as a big deciding factor.