A man has sparked debate online after questioning whether his family dog is truly a golden retriever.

Patrick Overbye (u/Shoddy-Mushroom-8456), 23, shared a photo of his dog Bella in the subreddit Golden Retriever asking fellow users for advice. While Bella is registered as a golden retriever, her appearance has made Overbye wonder if she might be something else.

“She is registered as a golden retriever. Her mom was registered in a kennel, but father apparently not (that’s most likely the reason). As I said, she is registered, but does not look like a typical golden, but at the same time not your typical Labrador. Her tail is more fluffy, her hair underneath is longer and her face can look like a golden from certain angles,” Overbye told Newsweek.

Bella, now three and a half years old, was described by Overbye as calm, sensitive, quiet, smart, and playful. He said she is extremely well-behaved and called her the “perfect dog.” Despite his curiosity about her breed, he added that her personality and bond with the family mattered far more than labels.

Overbye explained that his father had originally chosen Bella over her brother, who looked like a more traditional golden retriever. Bella had walked up behind him, rested her head on his shoulder, and “chose him.” That moment sealed the decision, and she went home with them.

He said Bella has grown up in Oslo and adapted easily to city life. She can walk off-leash, waits at red lights, and is friendly with people and dogs alike. “Whether she’s a golden, Labrador or a mix we don’t care. She’s pretty and the best of the best,” Overbye said.

According to the American Kennel Club, both golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers are among the most popular dogs in the world, but they differ in some ways. Goldens typically have longer, wavier coats, while Labs have shorter, dense double coats. Labradors are often more energetic and bred for hunting, retrieving, and service work, whereas goldens are prized for their patience, friendliness, and trainability. Both breeds share a gentle temperament, intelligence, and strong work ethic.

On Reddit, users shared mixed opinions about Bella’s breed.

“I thought it was a lab (who are such good dogs),” one person wrote.

“There are two kinds of labradors. English and American. The English look stockier, your dog does look like a lab,” another suggested.

“She really looks like a yellow lab…A GREAT DOG. We have both a golden and two labs and two vacuum cleaners,” joked one commenter.

Others thought Bella could be a Goldador—a popular cross between a golden retriever and a Labrador retriever, combining the traits of both breeds.

“There is a simple test you can perform: Get a golden and a Labrador. Place them near each other. Let your dog go. If she retrieves the golden, then she is a golden retriever. If she retrieves the Labrador, she is a Labrador retriever. Hope this helps,” quipped another user.

Another added: “Looks like a Labrador retriever. I had one growing up, mom was a Labrador and dad was a golden retriever. In either case, very good girl.”

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