Labradors are very popular, because these dogs have a lot of advantages. Consider breeds similar to Labradors, similarities and differences between them.
Features
Labradors are complaisant and kind dogs. They are very well trained, trust people and have remarkable hunting qualities. Such animals can accompany blind people, treat autistic children, and search for people. Labradors are very hardworking and helpful to people. There are breeds related to the Labrador.
Such dogs have similar qualities, however, all breeds have their own unique characteristics.
Golden retriever
Golden retriever is also called golden. Such dogs are especially strongly similar to Labradors, and people who do not understand the breeds at all very often take one after another. However, there are still differences, and they are very significant. Golden is lighter than the Labrador, he is less strong and squat. The fur of the golden retriever curls slightly, it is longer and softer. Brown and black goldens do not exist, such dogs are only golden, fawn.
As for the character - there are also differences. Golden retrievers are calm, intelligent, and Labradors are simple, direct. If you throw the dogs a stick in the river, you will notice a significant difference in their behavior. Golden will first think about how best to run behind a stick, estimate the distance and many other factors, and the Labrador will rush to run almost immediately. As for hunting - Goldens are suitable only for ducks, and Labradors are more universal, they can also bring hares.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
These are the only American retriever. Since the fur of such dogs is coarse, thick and short, and their ears are quite high, they are better at bringing heavy prey and work in the cold than Labradors. Chesapeake is very hardworking, but at the same time they are quite wayward and stubborn, therefore, raising and training such dogs requires a lot of time.
Chesapeake Bay can fend for itself, but it is not aggressive towards other animals. Ordinary people almost never get American retriever: They are more suitable for experienced hunters.
In our country, representatives of this breed are very rare.
Curly Coated Retriever
This breed is called "curly". Curly Coated Retriever is the oldest. This is a mix of Irish water spaniel and Newfoundland. Relatives of such dogs are also Labradors, poodles and setters. Curly-haired retrievers are less contact than labradors. They are more restrained, calm.
Curls perform well as guard dogs and are wonderful hunters, like all retrievers. Their coat is brownish or black. Wool is a large number of hard curls.
Serious hunters most often prefer brown curls, because such dogs are more difficult to spot on the shores of lakes and rivers.
Labrodoodle
This breed appeared relatively recently. Official dog handlers have not yet recognized it. In these dogs, a variety of breeds are combined: curly-haired retriever, poodle, labrador and others. Labrodoodle can be called ideal: from poodles they received a wonderful hypoallergenic coat, which does not fall into tangles, from labradors - an absolutely balanced nervous system. Such dogs were bred specifically for blind people, prone to allergic reactions.
Labrodoodles come in a variety of colors: from black, silver to light brown, creamy, white. Such dogs are miniature in size and standard. When choosing a pet for his children, Barack Obama especially highlighted the Portuguese water dog and labradoodle. As a result, he still opted for the first option, but LabDoodles anyway immediately became very popular.
Nova Scotia Retriever
This dog is also called toler. She looks like a golden retriever and a labrador at the same time. The task of the tollers is quite complicated: they lure the ducks so that they are at a distance of a shot, and then they bring dead birds. Nova Scotia retrievers appeared relatively recently, but at the same time they have already gained very great popularity in European countries, especially in the Scandinavian ones. Tollers are quite low (height at the withers - up to 50 cm).
Nova Scotia retriever can be kept in urban environments, however, please note that usually the character of such a dog is rather complicated. The owner of the toll will have to make a lot of efforts to convince him to constantly execute the same commands. The training of such an animal should be diverse and multifaceted.
The dog is very smart, but can not stand monotony.. Tollers are indifferent to strangers (Labradors are usually more sociable and friendly).
Most often, such a puppy chooses one person in the family and considers only him as the owner. In Russia, representatives of such breeds are not common.
Small
A flat (straight-haired retriever) is very similar to a Labrador. The size of these dogs can be called average: their height at the withers does not exceed 60 cm. Flatcoated retrievers were known in European countries even before the appearance of Labradors. These dogs were often brought on by hunters.At the beginning of the 20th century, flat dogs were slightly pressed by Labradors and Golden Retriever, however, such dogs again began to gain great popularity, because They are lightweight and compact.
Flat Coated Retrievers are less prone to articular pathologies than labradors. They are not very aggressive, but they have a wonderful instinct for the guard. Mini-copies of Labradors were also bred: they appeared as a result of interbreeding and intentional experiments by breeders.
However, they did not win much popularity, because because of defective genes they had many diseases.
Longhair
Long-haired setters and Nova Scotia retrievers are outwardly similar to Labradors. The coat of golden retriever, who are the closest relatives of the Labradors, very much resembles a slightly curly, soft and airy coat of setters and tollers. We can say that Newfoundlands are also very similar to Labradors. Newfoundlands resemble their body structure and proportions, but at the same time these dogs can be called simply huge, they are much larger.
About the features of Labradors, see the next video.
