Goldador

[elin123]

anyone out there have a Goldador ?
Labrador/golden retriever. How much exercise do they need? Good with kids? Good for first time owners? And where to find reputable place to buy from. Any info would be most welcome

[ArkATerre]

Combining 2 breeds that need a lot of exercise will result in a dog that needs a lot of exercise.
They will be as good with children as the amount of training and socialisation allows, like any other breed.
There will be no 'reputable' breeder of Goldadors because it is a mongrel given a fancy name to increase the amount of money the breeder gets for selling them.

[Greyhorses]

Why not get a kennel club health tested retriever or Labrador from a reputable breeder and not a random cross with no health testing or papers
All Labrador and retrievers should have at minimum hips and elbow scoring which I doubt this cross would have and you would be taking an unnecessary risk.

I can't see the point in crossing the two to be honest...My guess would be high energy and will shed a lot. You could get more lab or more retriever but there would be no way to tell what the pup would turn out like.

[Floralnomad]

I can't see the benefit of this cross for a pet , the guide dog breeding programme is something totally different and for a specific reason .

[Adarajames]

looking for this cross is likely to lead you to puppy farmers / nasty backyard breeders, unless of course its a failed guide dog puppy as they cross those breeds constantly for working dogs. Which should also make it clear that they are not shy and retiring lazy dogs, but ones that like a job and need mental stimulation as much as physical exercise. A nice mix I'd say from the various working and retired guide dogs I've met, but you'd need to be very very careful about where it came from

[Bubble2bubble]

I have known a few, but tbh never heard one called a goldador as they have all been mongrels from the council pound...all lovely natured dogs though.

Please stay very well clear of anyone telling you they breed dogs with a made up name.

I have an Akitador - probably worth a lot of money in certain circles, but we adopted him after he was picked up as a stray.

[honeyroar]

I should imagine it's quite a nice crossbreed. They're similar types of dogs. But why do they need a stupid name and a price tag? I agree that it's just the type of thing a backyard breeder would breed. It would need the same amount of exercise as a normal lab or retriever, ie lots.

[wannaBe]

There's no such thing as a goldador, it's a lab/retriever cross. They have been around for decades and I also have one as a guide dog and have had one previous to that who was a guide dog, who was incidentally withdrawn due to negative dog distraction. They're lovely dogs, intelligent and trainable but from my experience of both mine and various other guide dogs, they can be very stubborn and/or highly strung, so you need to keep on top of them training wise.

You could attempt to rehome one from Guide dogs however their criteria are now incredibly strict: you would not be allowed to rehome if:

You are out of the house for more than four hours in a 24 hour period.

If you plan to take the dog to work

If you plan to get a dog walker or leave the dog with anyone other than the members of the household.

Tbh some of the rehoming criteria are incredibly harsh and IMO bordering on the organisation actually not wanting to rehome, in fact they put emphasis on expectation that the owner will find a home for the dog and rehoming is a last resort if this isn't possible. There are very few puppies who come up for rehoming as these are generally offered to other organisations (hearing dogs, dogs for the disabled, the police) first, and the majority end up going back to their puppy walkers. So if you wanted a guide dog you would likely get a retired one who would be about nine years old, or a withdrawn one who would be likely to have either health or behavioural issues.

[elin123]

Ok thanks . I hear you. Definitely want to stay away from anyone who is not a responsible breeder etc. So Labrador or golden retriever? Pros and cons?

[babyblackbird]

Depends how big a dog you want. We have a lab who is a working lab and very small for a lab which suits us perfectly(working lines tend to be leaner and sometimes, but not always smaller). Our friends have a goldie who is HUGE, lovable and very social but a massive handful !

[elin123]

Don't really mind the size as such just want to make sure we can meet exercise needs etc and handle as first time owners. ( would be going to training classes) so would you say working lab as supposed to show lab?

[honeyroar]

Ive got two labs, one of working type, one of show type. There really isn't much difference in energy levels or exercise requirements. They were both highly energetic dogs until they were five. They are both second hand dogs (owners couldn't cope). The working type had had four homes in his first year before we took him. The working type is more athletic (jumps over fences and walls easier) the show type is a bit softer, but a strong thing. Both have to watch their weight, both will throw themselves into water at the first chance. Both very lovely pets and great with children, although often knock little kids over in their enthusiasm (that's why the big one was rehomed, She has no idea how big she is! Both moult constantly in huge amounts.

[RudeElf]

Is that not just a golden labrador? Never heard of "goldador" (and would be happy never to hear that stupid term again)

I have a golden retriever. Brilliant family dog. Extremely docile. Very tolerant of DC and torturous kittens he is rain averse and takes life at his own gentle pace easily trainable as food is the best thing ever. The hair is insane. Not sure if that is an issue with labXretrievers. He requires a chair to himself and will budge DC over if he wants on. Most affectionate and loving dog ive ever had. He isnt allowed to die.

[RudeElf]

Oh my boy is humongous. 46kg at last weigh in but is on diet now

[TPel]

I have a Labrador bitch. She is lovely, but needs lots and lots of exercise. 2 hours a day, what ever the weather. I'm lucky - we live next door to acres of woodland so she is off lead for 95% of her walks.
She is a very social dog but I am at home all day, so there aren't any problems with leaving her.
She is very bouncy and strong but well trained, that said she can get over excited and we still have puppy madness on a regular basis.
She is lovely, but she takes a lot of looking after.

[WeeMadArthur]

Both breeds are very trainable if you put the effort in early and don't let behaviours slip. They are both big enough to cause issues if not trained. My lab could easily drag someone over if he wanted to. They are very friendly so like to jump up to say hello and lick so you need to put in the training so they aren't yobbos. They also shed a lot so your main choice is whether you want your house covered in long golden hair or short black/brown/yellow hair. For a first dog would you consider a smaller breed or even an older rescue lab? Young labs need an awful lot of exercise and can be destructive chewers if not stimulated mentally and physically. The Kennel Club will be able to give you lists of breeders with litters. My advice would be to speak to a few for each breed before you buy. If you could get to Cruft in March they have a great Discover Dogs section where you can see the dogs and speak to breeders and the breed society (and pet lots of dogs!)

[ThatsNotMyRabbit]

What an absolutely stupid word 🙄
It's a crossbreed 🙄

[tomatodizzy]

I don't think either dog or a cross of both would be good for a first timer. We have a working lab (farm dog) and he needed a lot of firm and careful training, more so than the other two dog breed types we have. On the other hand, the most amazingly friendly, kind, sloppy and gentle giant I have ever known and it is worth having a dog like this. I think labs and golden retrievers are pretty similar and a cross would be better, health wise, than a pedigree.

[babyblackbird]

I think you can do as much research as possible into breed traits etc but every dog ultimately is different and you have to deal with them as individuals. My working lab is soooo laid back and very lazy. He gets between 1-1.5 hours a day off lead but today I haven't been able to do that and he has had an hour tramping round the pavements and is now crashed out. He is quite content with this but another working lab may well not be.

What I'm trying to say is you can't necessarily assume one type will need less / more than another.

[BertrandRussell]

"goldador"- or "mongrel" as we used to say before the breeders realized they were onto a good thing.

[Floralnomad]

I think if you are concerned about meeting the exercise requirements perhaps you should focus on different breeds that are less active. .

[GraysAnalogy]

People making money off coining these ridiculous 'breeds' annoy me. It's a crossbreed, a designer dog, and those 2 breeds mixed together would be very challenging and need lots of exercise and training.

[tomatodizzy]

All dog breeds are designer dogs, created by crossbreeding until the breeders get the characteristics they want and have enough of the crossbreeds to mate them and establish/register the name of the new breed! Some breeds are similar to those depicted on ancient pottery etc but most dog breeds were only created 150 years ago and for others only 70-30 years ago, some as recently as 10 years ago. The problem is that despite dogs like labradoodles being around since the 50's Kennel Clubs still won't recognise them, because instead of having a new name they have a conjoined name but as the saying goes....a rose and all that. Mind you Jack Russells had a new name but Kennell Club snobs only admitted they were a breed in the late 90's.

[Isthatwhatdemonsdo]

I've got a lab/ retriever cross dog and a lab bitch. Both biddable easy to train. The retriever is a lazy bugger but the lab likes lots of exercise and at times is still a bit bonkers. The retriever is unfortunately lead aggresive to other dogs and people, so has all walks off lead where possible.
However both are fab dogs and would recommend both breeds. They both moult like hell though.