golden retriever or aslaskan malamute

[Anja1Blue]

I would say a Golden. Having owned Malamutes for years I can say that they are wonderful loving dogs - however they are highly specialized (were draught animals for the Inuit) and are not terribly interested in anything that doesn't have to do with pulling (like a sled) or carrying (like a heavy pack.) Their ancestors lived in a harsh environment where the survival of the fittest was of prime importance. This meant that dogs were expected to reason things out for themselves, and not to necessarily wait for a command. So Mals today are still extremely independent - they like to do things with you rather than for you. This can make them difficult to obedience train, because in their mind they know better than you do. They are highly intelligent, and very beautiful (which is why many people are drawn to them) - but unless you understand where they are coming from, and can channel their energy appropriately (we had a sled for ours, and in the summer we went hiking, they carried all our gear!) you will end up with a bored, destructive dog that will turn your yard into the craters of the moon....they have very high prey drive (which can be bad news for neighborhood cats or small dogs) and are not motivated to self exercise. They can subsist on relatively small meals for their size(efficient metabolism) so can get very fat very fast if over fed.

We had years of fun with ours - but they are definitely only for a small group of owners who appreciate their finer points and realize that having one is not like having the average pet. Tell your friend to get a Golden. Far less maintenance, and I'm not just talking about grooming!

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Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge

[GunnersMom]

Very different breeds, indeed!

Personally, I wouldn't want to recommend one over the other without knowing a little bit about your friend -- what the living arrangements are, what your friend wants in a dog, etc.

Malamutes can be great dogs, but I don't think they're necessarily for everyone. But, I've never had one myself, so I won't say more than that (as I'd probably be wrong! lol.)

Goldens, I can tell you about.
Does your friend want a 70-80 pound lap dog? They ARE very needy and want to be next to their person 24/7. (They don't call them "velcro dogs" for nothin'.) LOL. They do shed quite a bit, but personally, I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as the shedding we see with our GSDs. There's a fair amount of grooming involved with that long hair. They can be quite active and need a lot of exercise. If they don't get enough, they'll get a case of the "zoomies" inside the house and wipe out everything in their path, including you. And one thing to remember is that they are retrievers -- they're bred to use their mouths and will "retrieve" anything and everything (this includes shoes, socks, underwear, cell phones, remotes, etc., etc., etc.)
All that said - I couldn't imagine life without a Golden. They're big goofballs who will make you laugh about a hundred times a day. They're very sensitive, incredibly intelligent and have a strong desire to please. Can they be aggressive?? Oh, you bet they can be! It's not as common as it is in some other breeds, but it's not unheard of either. What I see more often than actual "aggression" in Goldens is their tendency to be big bullies. They can be headstrong and want their own way, but a little positive training is usually all it takes to nip that in the bud. Like any breed, they're not for everyone, but I would say that they're a pretty "easy" dog in general.

[ali2020]

my friend lives in his own house with a fenced backyard, he already has a 3 yr old labrador, he couldnt decide bcz he thinks golden R is another version of lab,

[GunnersMom]

Originally Posted By: alimy friend lives in his own house with a fenced backyard, he already has a 3 yr old labrador, he couldnt decide bcz he thinks golden R is another version of lab,

Completely different breed. There are quite a few similarities -- energy level, happy-go-lucky temperament, intelligence, mouthiness, etc.

Other people's experience with the two breeds may differ, but from what I've seen personally, I think the biggest difference between Labs and Goldens is that Goldens tend to be a "softer" dog. They're bigger babies and tend to be a bit more affectionate. They can be a bit more timid with new things and new people, too. Goldens and Labs tend to get along pretty well, though, and make a good combination.

[allieg]

IMO a golden is going to be easier than a malamute.Also imo a Mal has more of a chance of being aggressive,it is on most ins co list of band dogs.

[Mac]

Originally Posted By: Anja1BlueI would say a Golden. Having owned Malamutes for years I can say that they are wonderful loving dogs - however they are highly specialized (were draught animals for the Inuit) and are not terribly interested in anything that doesn't have to do with pulling (like a sled) or carrying (like a heavy pack.) Their ancestors lived in a harsh environment where the survival of the fittest was of prime importance. This meant that dogs were expected to reason things out for themselves, and not to necessarily wait for a command. So Mals today are still extremely independent - they like to do things with you rather than for you. This can make them difficult to obedience train, because in their mind they know better than you do. They are highly intelligent, and very beautiful (which is why many people are drawn to them) - but unless you understand where they are coming from, and can channel their energy appropriately (we had a sled for ours, and in the summer we went hiking, they carried all our gear!) you will end up with a bored, destructive dog that will turn your yard into the craters of the moon....they have very high prey drive (which can be bad news for neighborhood cats or small dogs) and are not motivated to self exercise. They can subsist on relatively small meals for their size(efficient metabolism) so can get very fat very fast if over fed.

We had years of fun with ours - but they are definitely only for a small group of owners who appreciate their finer points and realize that having one is not like having the average pet. Tell your friend to get a Golden. Far less maintenance, and I'm not just talking about grooming!

_________________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge

I am new to this board and just got a GSD (he is 15 weeks old). But my previous dog was a Mal that we had to put sleep just after Thanksgiving. I can say that the above quote is spot on for Mals. They are very intelligent dogs, and due to that they get bored very quickly and can seem stubborn. But with a lot of patience and training they make excellent pets. They are extremely loyal to their "pack", and mine was a cuddle hound as well. He just wanted to be around people and loved the attention. He was a little aloof with other dogs though, and had a prey drive for squirrels and cats. I will also add that they in general aren't runners like Huskies are, and are more mellow in tempermant without the hyperness of Huskies. Their personalites are a riot, especially when talking to you through their "wooing". And you can see them thinking and working through problems.

Some things to check before getting one would be the health of the parents, common stuff like joints (usually not bad due to the hardiness of the breed) but also epilepsy. It runs in the breed. Mine had a severe case since he was 2.5 years old, but was managed through medication keeping his seizures down to about every 4 or 6 weeks. He was almost 9 when he died of having several tumors, one of which was in his heart. Both of those issues though are prone to happen in the larger breeds.

Beyond that, Mals shouldn't be much bigger than about 80-90 pounds for males....but byb's are breeding "giant" Mals at about 100-120 or 130 pounds. I would steer clear of those.

Other than that, I loved mine. He was truely man's best friend, and as long as you have the patience to train one properly I wouldn't hesitate recommending one.