# Labs vs Goldens for service work?



## Servicepup (Nov 20, 2018)

Hey guys! I wanted your opinion and knowledge with these breeds to help me decide which breed would be best for my next mobility, medical alert and response and psychiatric service dog for my chronic illnesses. I know it's a lot and this pup would have big shoes to fill so it's incredibly hard to pick which breed would fit best. Coat care isn't a big deal for me I can take care of a Goldens long coat if needed. Just some generalized questions and I have a lot more but can't think of them haha so here are a few. When it comes to Labs I've heard they tend to be stubborn or more independent than Goldens? Are Goldens more focused on working and their people or are Labs? I know Labs are more energetic and that's not a huge issue for me I can provide that for my next pup no problem. It's a tough choice so if you can help at all with the decision making process between the two it'd be greatly appreciated!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Welcome!

Have you talked to or are you working with a Service Dog organization? They may be able to determine which breed would best suit your needs.


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## TheLittleDuke (Nov 11, 2018)

IMO both can be really great for service work. I think a lot of breeds can be, not only Labs and Goldens. For example, the first guide dog in America was a female German Shepherd named Buddy. I think choosing the right breed is important, yes, but so is the connection you have with the chosen dog and the training. Consistence is key.

I've never had a Lab, but I own a Golden. I can speak from my experience, they are amazing. They are highly sensible and very in tune with their owners. My Golden even knows when I am sad or not feeling well. He's very focused and very easy to train. I think the stubbornness can't be defined only by the breed, as it usually is a personality's trait. 

Health problems, well, unfortunately Goldens are prone to cancer, sometimes hip and elbow dysplasia. Labs are prone to dysplasia and heart problems. 

I suggest you look for a very reputable breeder, preferably one who has experience in service dogs. Behavior problems and some types of aggression can be genetic inherited. You have to meet the mother and father of the litter, also see all the health tests etc.

You have to choose your pup carefully. Most breeders allow the owners to take a puppy home at 8 weeks of age. Sooner than 8 weeks is not good. At this age the puppies are showing their personalities a little bit, and I think you can hire a professional trainer to help you choose a pup accordingly to your needs. But please stay away from the Volhard test, as it is based on the dominance theory, which has been debunked few years ago.

I wish you success, and I hope you find the perfect dog for you.

Kind regards


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## Servicepup (Nov 20, 2018)

I owner trained the service dog I have now which is a Standard Poodle. I've trained all of his tasks and obedience (he's the perfect boy haha) but he's retiring within the next year or two so I need another prospect. I have breeders chosen for both breeds so it comes down to choice and I haven't talked to organizations but I will consider doing so.


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## Servicepup (Nov 20, 2018)

Thanks so much for the info and I actually didn't know that about Volhard so thanks again! You have a beautiful Golden I must say!


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## TheLittleDuke (Nov 11, 2018)

Servicepup said:


> Thanks so much for the info and I actually didn't know that about Volhard so thanks again! You have a beautiful Golden I must say!


Why thank you! That's so sweet of you. I see you have a Poodle. They are amazing too. My childhood dog was a Poodle and she was very, very smart. She opened doors and everything, even when she was blind. Wonderful breed.


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## Servicepup (Nov 20, 2018)

Poodles are most definitely an amazing and wonderful breed. I almost picked one again as a prospect but I need mobility like bracing and it can be harder imo to find one that fits ratios. Otherwise they'd always be my first choice haha.


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

Most service dog organizations breed for health, trainability, and temperament. The one I volunteer with uses Goldens, Labs, and Lab-Golden crosses. If you're going to get your own puppy and train it for the service work that you need, then I'd say it's critical that you use a breeder who is doing all of the health testing required by the COE for that breed of dog. Once you narrow down your search to those types of breeders, talk to them about what your puppy will ultimately need to do. The breeders can probably help you in your quest.


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

I often see that a lot of people who want to train their own service dog tend to start off with a puppy. It's important to note that not every puppy bred by a service dog organization becomes a service dog. Many service dog organizations use volunteer puppy raisers for the first 20 or so months of the dog's life. These volunteer puppy raisers are socializing the dogs to a wide array of situations and they're teaching basic commands. Some of the puppies are career changed during this period. The ones who make it past the volunteer puppy raiser stage go on to advanced training with the organization's professional staff. Some puppies are cut during this phase. Thus, it's not a given that any puppy you pick will be suited for service dog work. I mention this because it might be worthwhile to work with a breeder who has an older puppy or young adult that they're releasing. Of course, you'd want to find out why the dog is being released and obtain the breeder's assessment on the dog's trainability. You'd also want to know what sort of socialization the dog received while living with the breeder. But this route would allow you to also assess the dog's suitability for service work. Given the dog would be an older puppy to young adult you might get a better assessment of the dog's potential than you will with an 8-week old puppy. Just something to think about as you talk to breeders.


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## Servicepup (Nov 20, 2018)

This is very true and I have thought about doing that but in my opinion and experience I like to have a puppy and do the socialization myself to see if they have a suitable reaction to a multitude of situations. Also with young adults they tend to not be as biddable during that stage so you can't adequately asses potential which is also why I decided not to take that route.


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## TheLittleDuke (Nov 11, 2018)

Servicepup said:


> Poodles are most definitely an amazing and wonderful breed. I almost picked one again as a prospect but I need mobility like bracing and it can be harder imo to find one that fits ratios. Otherwise they'd always be my first choice haha.


I see. Well, I am sure you will find a wonderful Lab or Golden. Good luck!


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## Goldhill (Jul 3, 2016)

While I am a golden person through and through, I do know that Labs have a higher success rate as service dogs. That is not to say there aren't many organizations successfully placing goldens, but in my experience they are far more likely to "flunk" due to having a tendency toward a softer personality. I was a puppy raiser for a few years and the big temperamental issue that most often prevented a dog from graduating was simply not being able to handle the stressful conditions that a service dog has to be able to ignore without batting an eye. Stubbornness you can train for, but there is only so much you can do to "bombproof" a naturally soft dog. The organization I trained for did place some goldens, but they had a much greater number of labs. But of course many times it just depends on the individual dog rather than whether it is a golden, lab, poodle etc - most dogs don't have what it takes to be a service dog (though the number of "service dogs" I see around my town seems to dispute that  ) and going through a breeder that has good experience with what kind of temperament is needed for service work is probably more important than which breed you go for.


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## s.m.forester (Nov 4, 2018)

Servicepup said:


> Hey guys! I wanted your opinion and knowledge with these breeds to help me decide which breed would be best for my next mobility, medical alert and response and psychiatric service dog for my chronic illnesses.
> When it comes to Labs I've heard they tend to be stubborn or more independent than Goldens? Are Goldens more focused on working and their people or are Labs?


I have a Golden Retriever, currently, who is my beloved dog-son and service dog, and before him, I had a Labrador Retriever who was my beloved dog-daughter and service dog. I'll share my own opinions, but they're only that, imo & ime, only. 

Both of my dogs are/were hearing alert dogs, my Labrador worked at home, only, but my Golden & I graduated in 2016 & he works in public and at home (and has no idea he's working, because it's FUN).

I, personally, believe that the two breeds are very much alike, and that independence and potential stubbornness are more of a gender trait than a breed trait. Female Labs & Goldens, IME/IMO, tend to be more independent, less clingy, and sometimes more likely to be considered "stubborn" because they are a bit more independent. 

IME/IMO only, female Labs & Goldens & male Labs can & do bond equally as closely with their partners, but they tend to bond with an entire family; male Goldens tend to bond most closely with one person. Male Goldens are a bit more clingy, the stereotypical "velcro" dog, I'd say. But, male Goldens can be quite stubborn, they simply hide it well beneath their ridiculously sweet, charming exterior. 

I believe Goldens, overall, tend to be slightly more sensitive than Labs, and female Goldens moreso than males. Sometimes, this doesn't work well in psychiatric service dog work, as Goldens not only pick up on emotions -- positive or negative -- but also tend to empathize to the extent that those emotions can affect their mental health, as well. Male Goldens are, IME only, more likely than females to pick up on emotions without being adversely affected by them. However, I'd say both male and female Labs are less likely than Goldens to be affected by the emotions of those around them; they'll notice, but most well-bred, steady, stable Labs are able to notice without becoming nervous, anxious, or even sad, themselves. 

I'd say both breeds are equally as focused, or can be, but this will also depend heavily upon the individual dog and his or her lineage. There are Goldens whose energy levels are nearly non-existent, and other Goldens whose energy levels rival that of the most energetic field-bred Lab. Labs display a similar variety of energy levels, with show-bred Labs generally being less high-energy, but not nearly to the extent of certain Golden lines. 

I'll try to summarize because I know I'm not being terribly clear!

Labs: higher energy, generally; more independent to an extent; tend to bond with an entire family; intense; obvious about their focus & preferences

Goldens: medium energy, generally; females more independent, males less so; more sensitive to emotions & atmosphere, sometimes to the point of taking on those emotions, themselves; quite focused, but unless experienced with Goldens, this trait is often much less obvious than it is in Labs; males tend to bond with one person, females with an entire family

In both breeds, I believe intelligence is often mistaken for stubbornness. But, Labs live to make their people happy and for them, this generally means doing what they're asked to do. Goldens live to make sure they're the ones making their people happy, and this can sometimes include that Golden's own ideas. Goldens tend to think more abstractly than Labs, thinking ahead, and decide for themselves; Labs tend to think in the moment, their decisions concrete & in accord with whatever their humans decide.

I hope that made sense. That's only IMO & IME both with my own dogs, and with training service dogs of both breeds.


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