Among the many new hybrid breeds emerging every day, also called by some designer dogs, is a really sweet looking breed. It is the goldador or golden lab, a dog that stands out for presenting numerous benefits.
The golden lab is an attentive and affectionate dog, which is characterized by being extremely sociable and adapting to different environments in an amazing way. Do you want to discover more about the goldador? Stay with us, because on our site we share all the characteristics of the goldador, as well as its main care.
Origin of the goldador or golden lab
The goldador is, as we have mentioned, a mixed or hybrid breed, which means that it is the result of the mixture between specimens of two breeds recognized or standardized by international cynological entities. In this case, the golden lab comes from the cross between the golden retriever and the labrador retriever It receives other names such as golden lab mix, golden retriever mix or goldador retriever.
This particular cross began to be carried out with the main purpose of obtaining an optimal breed to work as therapy dogs Therefore, it does About a decade ago, Labradors began to be registered with goldens, although this does not mean that such crosses have not existed for many more years.
Characteristics of the golden lab or goldador
The golden lab is a medium-sized dog, with an average weight of between 27 and 36 kilograms and a height at the withers of between 54 and 62 centimeters. It usually happens that males are larger and more robust than females, although it must be taken into account that in hybrid breeds the variability regarding the weight and size of the specimens is much greater than in pure breeds. Their life expectancy is around 10-12 years.
It is a athletic dog, with an elongated head, but without a pointed nose, similar to that of the golden retriever. Its erect tail is of medium length and its ears hang on either side of the head, being square in shape with rounded edges. His eyes are large and he shows a deep and expressive gaze.
The coat of the goldador is two-layered, so it has a woolly, dense and very soft undercoat and an outer layer of short and smooth hair.
Colors of the golden lab
Being a hybrid between a golden retriever and a labrador, the golden lab can have all the original colors of the parent breeds, such as gold, black or chocolate, but the most common are yellow or reddish gold.
The golden lab puppy
The golden lab is a boisterous and nervous pup who loves to play, run around and have non-stop fun. For this reason, it must be constantly watched, because it is also very curious and this can make it not see possible dangers and launch into the adventure without further ado.
If the goldador puppy is going to grow up with children, it must be taken into account that they must be used to each other, not because the goldador does not adapt to them, because they adore them, but because it is important that both learn to measure their strength. It is common that when getting very restless the puppy wants to climb up and throw the child or that the child inadvertently hurts the dog. To avoid this, it is enough to teach them to behave respectfully from a young age, in this way no problem will arise.
Character of the goldador or golden lab
Dogs of the goldador breed usually have a similar character, this being really benign and pleasant. They are incredibly loyal, so they stay by their side despite any problem or unforeseen event. Given their kindness and how sociable they are even with strangers, they are not effective guard dogs. Yes, they are great sitter dogs, because they love children and they get along great with other animals, whether they are dogs or any other animal.
They are dogs intelligent that need cognitive stimulation to stay mentally active. In this case, intelligence games are a great idea, because they enjoy and learn at the same time. Likewise, and continuing with the characteristics of the temperament of striking dogs, they stand out for their great empathy and poise, which, together with all of the above, makes them ideal candidates to become therapy dogs. They carry out this work with great success because they are calm, patient and very attentive
Care for the golden lab or goldador
Regarding the pertinent care of the goldador, highlights the proper maintenance of its coat To keep the coat in good condition it is recommended to carry out At least weekly brushing with a brush adapted to your hair type. These brushings should be more frequent during moulting times, while baths should be restricted to those cases in which they are really necessary.
You have to be very aware of the state of the goldador's ear canals, because as we will tell you when talking about their he alth, they are somewhat prone to ear infections. To prevent the accumulation of wax and mites, which often degenerate into the proliferation of bacteria that cause infections, it is important to clean your ears frequently, using appropriate products.
Apart from the above, you just have to take care of your diet, trying to make it as balanced and adjusted as possible to your needs, as some are somewhat gluttonous, as in the Labrador retriever, and exercise daily physical to keep you in good physical shape. Of course, mental stimulation at home through toys, games and activities should also not be forgotten.
Education of the goldador or golden lab
Given the characteristics of the goldador in terms of character and intelligence, we can say that it is a dog that is relatively easy to train It learns quickly and responds to the teachings in an effective way and with surprising speed. The best way to train this dog is through techniques based on positive reinforcement, as is the case with all dogs, since prizes have a great impact on established associations, being a really effective method for this mongrel dog. On the contrary, any type of punishment or aggressive response towards the dog must be radically avoided.
Although this is a breed that is normally very sociable and even approaches strangers. To avoid problems in his relationship with other dogs and people, it is recommended carry out early socialization, for which we can follow these guidelines on how to socialize a puppy: " How to properly socialize a puppy? And if you have adopted an adult goldador, check out this other article: "How to socialize an adult dog?".
He alth of the golden lab or goldador
As with other mixed breed dogs, the Golden Lab is generally in much better he alth than its parent breeds. However, he also inherits from them a certain tendency to suffer from certain conditions. Some of the most common diseases in the golden lab are pathologies related to hearing he althDue to the morphology of their ears, mites and bacteria tend to accumulate, which, if not eliminated, cause infections that can be really serious and very annoying, such as otitis. To avoid this, it is advisable to clean the ears on a regular basis, using an ear cleaner for veterinary use and following the guidelines given by our regular veterinarian.
Other fairly common conditions are hip dysplasia and knee dysplasia, so it is recommended to include radiological tests in regular veterinary check-ups. Their eyes are also affected by pathologies such as progressive retinal atrophy or cataracts.
To ensure the good he alth of the goldador, it is best to have regular veterinary check-ups, as well as keep it vaccinated and dewormed.
Where to adopt a golden lab?
Adopting a golden lab can become one of the great decisions of your life, because having one of these dogs in your home will undoubtedly bring you happiness, joy and a lot of love. However, before making the decision to adopt an animal, you have to take into account its needs, making sure that these will remain covered both in the situation you are currently in and in the face of possible vital changes, such as moving, job changes or family problems.
It is important to know that there is a large number of animals looking for a home, as they have been abandoned or even born on the street or have been mistreated. In order to give these animals a second chance, it is a great idea to turn to shelters and protectors before the imminent adoption of the goldador. Well, although it is not one of the most frequent breeds, it is not impossible to find it in these places either.
