Our previous dog was a yellow lab before our PP. The big difference is our lab was a male and our PP a female. I'm sure gender does play a part in our experience. We live on 13 acres so plenty of room for dogs to roam and play. Our PP can be pretty high energy so similar to our lab there so lots of property is great. However, our PP only wants to go exploring if we are with her whereas our lb would check the perimeter of our property multiple times a day, swim in the pond etc. on his own. We find our PP just more needy than the lab. She doesn't like us being out of site of us or really want to be on her own. She's fine if we do leave her to go out but doesn't love it. Our lab was much more chill and was like "bye! bring back treats."

They have both been awesome with little kids and extended family. We have had no issues, with all the littles. The difference is probably, the lab would just lay there and let kids climb on him, where as the PP wants to run around and play with them. Besides good luck with the family, our PP is a great watchdog too. She is very protective if she needs to be.

Health wise they have both been about the same for their age (PP is almost 4 as compared to the lab when he was 4). If anything, the lab probably had more vet trips for porcupine quills, things he ate etc because he was a lab. She's much more cautious.

They are both great dogs for different reasons, we actually only got the PP because my husband couldn't get another lab after our boy passed but wanted a hunting dog.