I have a Golden Retriever who will be two in June and that boy is the smartest Golden I’ve ever had. Might be the smartest dog I’ve ever had, and I’ve owned four German Sheperds.
So, within a breed, there can be large variance in intelligence.
Oh that's for sure. My experience with Goldens are at the field trials I ran my Chesapeake Retriever in and they were very far and few between as were Chessy's. Labs rule in those events for sure.
I have my 4th golden here. He is dumb as a rock..
.........when he wants to be