Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever" Compare Border Collie and Golden Retriever. Which is better: Border Collie or Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Border Collie	Golden Retriever	Labrador Retriever
Origins	England Scotland Wales	Scotland	England Canada
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Gun Dog	Gun Dog
Popularity Rank	38	3	1
Reviews	8	4	3
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Other Names	Scotch Sheep Dog, Sheepdog	Yellow Retriever, Golden Flat Coat	Labrador, Lab
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1925 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club The American Int. Border Collie Registry The American Border Collie Association	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$600-$800	$1000-$2000	$1000-$2000

General Appearance - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Size	Large	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 30-45 pounds (14-20 kg), Female: 27-42 pounds (12-19 kg)	Male: 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)	Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 37.5 pounds (17 kg), Female: 34.5 pounds (15.5 kg)	Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)
Height	Male: 19-22 inches (48-56 cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46-53 cm)	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 20-22 inches (51-56 cm)	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 20.5 inches (52 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (49.5 cm)	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 21 inches (53.5 cm)	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Coat	Dense Feathered Straight Short Moderately Long	Silky Wavy Shiny Straight	Dense Waterproof Hard Short
Colors	Black & White Tricolor Tan Blue merle Blue merle-tricolor Slate merle Red merle Black Brindle Gold Lilac Red Sable Sable Merle Saddleback Sable White & Blue White & Blue Merle White & Red White & Red Merle White Ticked Seal Slate White & Gold White & Sable White & Seal	Golden Light	Yellow Chocolate Black
Grooming	Average: The Border Collie requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Golden Retriever requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	Border Collies shed moderately.	Golden Retrievers shed moderately.	Labrador Retrievers shed moderately.

Characteristics - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Temperament	Intelligent Alert Tenacious Protective Energetic Responsive Loyal	Confident Intelligent Reliable Friendly Kind Trustworthy	Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Border Collie is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Golden Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Border Collies are easy to train.	Golden Retrievers are easy to train.	Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train.
Playfulness	The Border Collie is a highly playful breed.	The Golden Retriever is a highly playful breed.	The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Border Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Golden Retrievers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Border Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Golden Retrievers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.
Social Needs	Border Collies need a lot of social interaction.	Golden Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Low to Average: The Border Collie rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Golden Retriever rarely barks.	Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Border Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	Golden Retrievers are average watchdogs.	Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Border Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	Golden Retrievers are average defenders.	Labrador Retrievers are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Low The Border Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Golden Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Border Collies have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Golden Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Labrador Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Border Collies have average wanderlust potential.	Golden Retrievers tend to escape less than other breeds.	Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	Border Collies have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Golden Retrievers have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.
Apartment Friendly	Border Collies are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Golden Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.
Adaptability	Border Collies adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Golden Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Labrador Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Border Collies tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Golden Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Labrador Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Stranger Friendly	Border Collies are average friendly towards strangers.	Golden Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Border Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.	Golden Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Border Collies are average friendly towards cats.	Golden Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Border Collies are average friendly towards other dogs.	Golden Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Border Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment.	Yes Golden Retriever is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Border Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Border Collies are generally with other pets.	Golden Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.	Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Border Collies are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Golden Retrievers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Border Collie breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes Golden Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.	Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Health Issues	The Border Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	Golden Retrievers are commonly healthy dogs.	The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Allergies Collie Eye Anomaly Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Allergies Bloat Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hemangiosarcoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Osteosarcoma Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis Von Willebrand's Disease	Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-12 years	10-12 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Border Collies are high energy dogs.	Golden Retrievers are high energy dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Border Collies need a lot of exercises.	Golden Retrievers need a lot of exercises.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Border Collies don't need too much sleep.	Golden Retrievers don't need too much sleep.	Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two or three meals.	3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	High: The Golden Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Border Collie can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Border Collie has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Golden Retriever has an average chance of bad smell.	High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Border Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Golden Retriever drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed.	The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler.

Reproducibility - Border Collie vs Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	4-8 puppies	5-10 puppies	5-10 puppies
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