Newfoundland Dog vs Goldador - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Introduced as a designer dog, the Goldador is beautiful – a mix between Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, two of the most popular dog breeds in the world.

The dog was specifically bred to be an excellent working dog, and in fact today he makes the most wonderful guide-, rescue- and therapy dog.

Known also as Golden Labradors, the Goldador is a dog that has many capabilities, one of which is to make a wonderful family pet. As a designer breed, the dog isn’t recognized as a standardized breed by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Newfoundland dog is a large working dog. They were bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in the Dominion of Newfoundland, an eastern province of Canada. With their web feet they were also used for water rescue.

The history of the Newfoundland Dog is unsure, but the breed as we know it today originated from dogs which were brought from Newfoundland to England in the early 1800's.

The Newfoundland Club was founded in 1886 so as to promote the breed.

The Goldador is a large muscular dog standing at between 56 – 61cm in height at the withers and weighing between 27 – 36kg in weight.

His double coat is short and smooth but in can also be longer. It comes in shades of gold or yellow with hints of red, but it can be liver or black too. Goldadors are well-balanced dogs, and just the look in their kind brown eyes makes you realize that this beautiful dog can make a wonderful pet.

He has a well proportioned head with medium length floppy ears, a black nose and a long tail.

Temperament:

Loving, intelligent, loyal and playful, the Goldador is the kind of dog that gets on well with everyone. It’s why he isn’t a particularly good watchdog as he is just too friendly with strangers. You have to be careful though – his rambunctious nature, his energy and playfulness can see him being a bit rough around small children or the elderly. It is why socialization and training are so important for him as then he becomes obedient and more relaxed around everyone.

He loves his human family and never wants to be left on his own for too long. Intelligent and alert, he is an easy dog to train as he makes it easier by being a dog that wants to please.

The Newfoundland is a large dog standing at between 63cm to 74cm, both male and female. Weight can vary from 45kg to 80kg.

He has a double coat of medium-length straight hair and the hair can be black, brown or gray. Although it is common for the Newfoundland to have a solid-colored coats, you will sometimes find small patches of white on their chest, toes, or at the tip of the tail. Then again you get the less common Newfoundlands where the coat is white with some black markings and these are known as Landseers.

The outer coat is coarse, oily and water-resistant quality, suited to a dog that loves to spend time in the water. The head is broad and large with small ears that he keeps lying close to his head. The tail is long and plumed and the feet are wide with webbing between the toes which aids him with swimming.

Temperament:

As with many large dogs, the Newfoundland is docile and his sheer size makes it that he is best suited to life in the countryside as opposed to living in the city. This is also because this particular dog wants to be close to water where he can swim.

He is a trustworthy, loyal dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home. Training and socialization is always recommended for any dog, but a big dog can often ‘get in the way’ indoors and you want him to lie down or sit when you tell him to. He is an intelligent dog so will respond well to training.

Goldadors are intelligent dogs and they’ve been used extensively for guide- and therapy dogs, loving to be useful and busy. Its the kind of dog that thrives in a loving, active family – one that counts him in as a family member.

He makes an exceptional family pet and companion and you can rely on him to be a loyal, loving pet.It’s why the Goldador is becoming such a sought after pet – he simply ticks all the right boxes.

Your beautiful, cuddly puppy will soon become a giant dog with a big appetite. Don’t just buy a cute puppy if you can’t afford to feed him properly and you can’t give him lots of attention.

Your dog will also be shedding, so be aware of these aspects before you bring a large Newfoundland into your home. He is a gentle dog, but his size could be worrisome if he isn’t trained, socialized and supervised.

Newfoundlands are amicable dogs, and while he may like to spend times indoors with you relaxing, he is a working dog and will require exercise and activities for mind and body.

Give this giant of a dog a loving home, and you will have a special, devoted friend like no other.

Goldadors luckily don’t have many health issues, and as a hybrid, he has fewer health issues than pure breds.

You can say with confidence that a nutritious diet, regular exercise, good grooming, lots of love and attention and visits to the vet if your pet is ill are key aspects for maintaining good health.

There are always going to be some common health problems that your Goldie could get -

Ear Infections:

You’ll need to be checking your Labrador Retriever's floppy ears. They don’t get as much air in them as a dog with erect ears. A dog like the Goldador with floppy ears will need to have his ears cleaned for bacteria. Be very careful how you clean your pet’s ears as you can damage them if you probe too deeply.

Spaying and neutering:

Did you know that by spaying or neutering your Goldador can save them from getting some serious illnesses later on? Speak to your vet about it when your pet reaches 9 months to a year of age.

Obesity:

Goldadors can easily put on weight if they aren’t given enough daily exercise to burn off the calories. Some put on weight after being spayed or neutered and it's important to watch their weight after these procedures. Being overweight puts a lot of extra strain on a dog’s internal organs.

The Newfoundland can be prone to serious health conditions such as hip dysplasia and gastric torsion. Deep chested dog breeds like the New Foundland are susceptible to bloat, a life threatening condition where the stomach swells, it can twist and the dog can die if help isn’t available. He will be salivating, restless and whining while also trying to vomit.

Giant breeds are also prone to elbow and hip dysplasia, a genetic problem which can ultimately affect your dog’s mobility.

When in any doubt about your pet’s health, get him to the vet.

Grooming:

Goom your Goldador regularly. He can either have short- or long hair, but he is a fairly low maintenance dog so a good brush twice a week to remove loose hairs will be good for him.

Diet:

Diet is everything, and by giving your Goldador nutritional food, you can actually lengthen his life. If you’re going to be giving him commercially manufactured food, follow the feeding guidelines on the packaging. Remember there are foods that cater specifically for a dogs age and his energy levels.

Try and give him some home-made food from time to time such as cooked rice, vegetables and chicken as well as some raw meat occasionally as this can ensure his skin and coat remain healthy.

Always provide plenty of cool, fresh water, especially seeing that he will be thirsty after a long walk or other exercise. Dehydration in a dog can be fatal.

Shelter:

Provide your Goldador with a warm, dry place to sleep. Make sure that it offers shelter from the sun and rain and also provides shade.

Grooming:

Your dog’s coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week as he is a heavy shedder.

Do the nails of your dog as soon as they start getting long. Long nails can hook on things and cause injury to the dog’s paw area.

This is a dog with floppy ears so check inside the ears to prevent ear infections, more so because this is a water-loving dog. The dampness inside the ears can cause bacteria.

Diet:

This is a giant breed and sadly, they have the shortest lifespans. You want to make sure that you keep your giant breed as healthy as possible to ensure he reaches the 10 or so years allotted to him and to also prevent health problems.

Make sure your giant breed puppy and adult has the very highest quality commercially manufactured food to ensure he gets the right balance of nutrients in. This food also makes sure that your puppy rather grows at a slower rate and stronger as opposed to growing too quickly. Rapid growth comes with joint problems.

All dogs, large and small, don’t want exotic, strange food that upsets their stomachs. They want consistency and simplicity and they want tasty food. Give him some homemade food such as cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach. You can add this occasionally to his dry kibble.

Add in some raw meat from time to time too. Your pet will be strong, healthy, happy and content.