Golden Retriever German Shepherd Hybrid Mix Dog Breed Guide
Otherwise nicknamed the Golden Shepherd, the German Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix comes with many beneficial characteristics.
The dog breed demonstrates tremendous energy, playability, and intelligence. Besides, the dog breed loves people’s company and exercises utter loyalty.
Taking care of a Golden Shepherd won’t cost you lots of extra energy, time, and money because they merely require the basics. As long as you assign your Golden Shepherd pups to active families that love fun and enjoying the outdoors, you won’t regret your decision.
Active families will provide the necessary surroundings that suit the energetic lifestyle and needs of a Golden Shepherd.
If you plan to keep a Golden Shepherd in your home, try and consult with professional trainers who can help you teach the breed how to socialize better with other species, pets, and people.
Most Golden Shepherds inherit their aggressive trait from their German Shepherd parents, so socializing the species from a young age can help manage the attribute.
Breeders first crossbred German Shepherds with Golden Retrievers because they intended to combine German Shepherds’ obedience and loyalty with the kindness and friendliness of Golden Retrievers.
Golden Shepherds make fantastic pets. Most pets often become unreliable and unpredictable as they age, but Golden Shepherds stay true to their original traits. Unlike most crossbreeds, Golden Shepherds remain loyal and kind even when old enough to ignore instructions.
Today we’ll discuss the German Shepherd Golden Retriever’s various characteristics, their parents’ history and theirs, and everything to expect when taming this wonderful breed.
The Parents
Breeders and different dog keepers started crossbreeding purebred species many years ago. However, within the past few decades, thanks to the spirit of modernization, the practice gained popularity, and dog lovers can now easily find different crossbreeds of their choice.
Besides giving families and individual owners a comprehensive and more potent variety of dog breeds to choose from, crossbreeding improves the genetic constitution of the mixed-species by increasing their resistance to challenging physical conditions and boosting their general health.
You get both a healthy and more resistant breed with crossbreeding – not forgetting the best traits the crossbreeds inherit from both species.
Many breeders continue to crossbreed different dog breeds hoping to create a “customized” species with the best inheritable characteristics from both parents.
Despite the effectiveness of training dogs from a young age, you can never train and change some of the peculiarities that different breeds genetically inherit from their purebred parents.
Golden Shepherds may fall under the unpredictable category because, despite their loyalty, and fun-loving characteristics, many breeders sometimes risk their gambles with the breed’s temperament.
We advise Golden Shepherd owners to conduct background checks on the the parent species to learn the nature of their traits and better understand the crossbreeds’ needs.
Golden Retriever
In the 19th Century, the Scottish bred and developed the Golden Retriever in the Scottish mountains. Lord Tweedmouth loved breeding animals, and he particularly enjoyed creating the popular Golden Retriever.
The AKC (American Kennel Club) acknowledged Golden Retrievers in the late 20th Century.
Since the Golden Retrievers’ recognition in 1932, many people adopted the dogs for different purposes; some still use them as hunting dogs, while others prefer to keep them as companionship pets.
Many fans around the world love the relaxed pose and cuteness of Golden Retrievers. The breeds still feature in major dog competitions, and many more families keep on adopting the species to nurture them as lifelong companions.
German Shepherds
Farmers first domesticated German Shepherds in the 19th Century when they adopted them as herding dogs. The Shepherds’ coats’ colors easily matched the sheepskins, making it easier for herders to spot predators like coyotes.
German Shepherds arrived in the United States sometime before the First and Second World Wars but only gained popularity afterward.
However, breeders and domesticators in North America stressed more on the German Shepherd semblance and overall health than their conformity to species standards.
During the time, most German Shepherds suffered poor health or bore images that made other breeders think that the species carried sickly traits.
Different breeders created many other German Shepherds, such as the Shiloh and King Shepherds; intending to produce a breed with the same traits of German Shepherds but with a healthier appearance.
Patrols and many military troops worldwide still rely on German Shepherds for protection and service in their missions. Besides, the breeds make excellent family companions because of their loving, fun, and friendly characteristics.
Many people love German Shepherds owing to their striking beauty and most elegant poise. The breeds can readily defend and protect your loved ones in the event of danger and still hang out with your family to partake in your adventurous experiences.
Probably one of the most intelligent dogs globally, German Shepherds demonstrate smartness, courage, confidence, and super-agility.
Golden Shepherds – The Hybrid Mix
We still believe the first Golden Shepherds originated in North America, even though apparent uncertainty on their exact date of creation remains unknown.
Kennel cudgels don’t acknowledge Golden Shepherds as official breeds in their categorization. Still, the IDCR or International Designer Canine Registry recognizes this remarkable breed by allowing breeders and keepers to register them as of 2009.
Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds currently hold the second and third medals in the global popularity competition annually organized by the AKC.
If the Golden Shepherd’s parents can keep judges and spectators in total adoration, we know for sure that the unique crossbreed can do better.
When preparing to adopt a Golden Shepherd, always carry out some research before the acquisition, to know what kind of puppy you’ll get and every other trait you need to know.
Different Golden Shepherds will carry varying traits. We’ll delve into the mixed pups’ characteristics, how to train them effectively, and the best surroundings to raise your puppy.
Golden Shepherd Temperament
A Golden Shepherd loves the company of family; they love fun, friendly, and fun-loving people. Besides, the breed will readily socialize with all family members, unlike their German Shepherd parents, who direct their attention more towards their masters.
The breed also loves associating with outsiders and strangers and will hardly show signs of aloofness. The energetic dog will always inform the family of any stranger or visitor with two or three woofs – these barks only act as a welcoming gesture and not warning.
However, when under threat or danger, the Golden Shepherd will readily defend any family member.
Golden Shepherds can sometimes become unruly because of their high activity levels. If abandoned for long, bored, or feeling restless, Golden Shepherds will often destroy objects around their surroundings.
However, suppose you fully cater to their exercise requirements and find various entertaining ways to keep them happy and active — in that case, you will find your Golden Shepherds conscious of their environments, calm, and utterly fun pets.
You’ll also appreciate the breed’s detective traits, a characteristic that the Golden Shepherd inherits from the Shepherd progenitor. When enclosed around a fence, the curious but cautionary dog will most likely find even the smallest gaps and crawl out to the other side.
To prevent your little pal from crawling out of the compound, ensure you patch up your fence correctly and keep the wall mended at all times.
Probably the most friendly breed right now, Golden Shepherds can never get enough of human acquaintance. The species will become fondly attached to family members and will, at times, if left alone for long, experience prolonged detachment anxiety.
If you plan to nurture a Golden Shepherd, please ensure you stay close to your pets, without leaving their sights or company for more than several hours. The Golden Shepherd won’t make a good companion if left alone continuously by the owner or other family members.
Appearance and Size
When measured from the ground to the shoulders, an average Golden Shepherd reaches between twenty-one and twenty-six inches. Full-grown breeds also weigh around fifty to eighty pounds.
The thick Golden Shepherd’s body gets its support from the sagacious chest and strong overall frame. Unlike German Shepherds, the crossbreeds lack slanting backs; their long bodies also surpass their tall heights.
In contrast to their Golden Retriever parents, Golden Shepherds bear more resemblance to their wild-looking Shepherd progenitors — their large triangular-shaped ears stand tall on their heads or droop against their jawlines.
The long muzzles of Golden Shepherds extend to their broad skulls. The crossbreeds wag thick and long tails and walk noiselessly because of the large mitts on their legs.
Thick long or medium double-coats cover the bodies of Golden Shepherds. The soft and dense fur covers the crossbreed’s entire body. If long fur covers a German Shepherd parent’s body, then longer hair will most likely cover the cross Golden Shepherd’s body.
Golden Shepherds shed their furs moderately because of their dense double coats and won’t display any hypoallergenic complications.
Golden Shepherds can inherit any of their progenitor coat colors, including pure and blend shades of white, gold, tan, black, or brown. The breeds don’t march any specific color, so expect any blend or solid color from either parent.
Most of the crossbreeds will also inherit the facial characteristics of their German Shepherd progenitors.
Living surroundings and recommended routine exercises
The German Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix breeds require approximately sixty minutes of physical exercise each day because of their dynamic genetics.
To keep your pet intensely worn out, we recommend that you don’t just walk them around the hood but infuse intense exercises into their routines.
These crossbreeds display a lot of intelligence. It would help if you involved different activities and not a monotonous routine that could easily bore your pet. Taking your dogs through a different set of practice routines will keep them physically motivated and happy.
Sometimes Golden Shepherds love to play in waters like their Golden Retriever parents. You can take your puppy to a nearby lake for a swim or several dunks and, even better, visit the forest for a long walk while sending the pup to retrieve playing items such as sticks and balls.
All Golden Shepherds require variegated physical activities to stay mentally active because of their remarkable intelligence. Besides, training your dogs will keep them busy and avoid the destructiveness that comes with idleness.
As the famous saying goes, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’ Coaching Golden Shepherds at an early age will teach your dog newer tricks as well as a consistent routine that shapes their obedience and character with time.
Besides, Golden Shepherds love rewards. You can use ball-throwing gadgets and prize-filled toys to keep your puppies happy and occupied. We advise aspiring Golden Shepherd owners to build or purchase homes with large backyards because of the breed’s enormous physicality.
The crossbreeds will immensely enjoy afternoon naps and spending lots of time breathing fresh air. We wouldn’t recommend the dog to anyone living in an apartment or small home unless the residence provides a practice joint or outlet.
As long as you allow the pups to socialize freely with people and other pets in their early life, you won’t observe any problems when keeping the Golden Shepherd in a multi-pet home. Just ensure you dedicate enough attention to the pup.
Golden Shepherds also make kids their great friends. Aside from socializing freely with everyone, the dog can quickly make your children their lifelong friends.
However, we recommend that you socialize your older kids with the pet because, with their sturdy builds, Golden Shepherds can easily knock over a smaller child.
Training
Golden Shepherd crossbreeds reserve the eagerness to please their masters and act with intelligence most of the time. Anyone can efficiently train an intelligent dog that seeks the approval of the owner.
The dog will undoubtedly enjoy the training experience more if the master showers appraisals after practical completion of tasks or wins a toy, compared to when getting edible prizes. You can collect many tennis balls and use them to reward your dog after victory.
Golden Shepherds react differently to rewards. If your dog prefers tennis balls to edibles, visit the local dealer and grab many balls for your pup.
However, all Golden Shepherds relish the appraisals of their masters – several praises go a long way in boosting the morale, confidence, and overall development of your pets.
Nonetheless, don’t forget that Golden Shepherds can still inherit their Shepherd parents’ protective characteristics despite their composed nature.
From an early age, socializing the crossbreeds will help them loosen up and feel comfortable associating with strange people or unfamiliar pets. You can start the socialization lessons by exposing your puppies to unfamiliar persons; men, women, and children.
Regularly teach and remind the little guy that if the master welcomes any guest into the home, they automatically become everyone’s friend and part of the family.
It would also help if you welcomed people’s pets into your home, as it would train and teach the dog not to become inordinately overprotective.
Despite their extraordinary intelligence and skills, Golden Shepherds still require consistent and firm masters. As a teacher, you will add greater significance to your dog’s tutoring process and development if you observe every detail of training and maintain consistency.
A Golden Shepherd can never learn anything new if the owner skips training or fails to diversify the training roster every day.
If you adopt the dog for your entire family, it will help if you taught all family members all the commands the dog should learn – this ensures that the training won’t confuse the dog and becomes consistent over time.
Health
Thanks to hybridity efforts, the Golden Shepherd can live a longer life compared to the German Shepherd and Golden Retriever parents. Golden Shepherds can live between ten to thirteen years.
To date, medicos don’t recommend any health checks for Golden Shepherds because of the breed’s recent unveiling. To better understand the different health risks that Golden Shepherds can encounter, it would help if we examined both parents’ health.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia – The affected nodes develop abnormally and, in extreme cases, suffer arthritis.
- Different eye problems can affect the Golden Shepherd and eventually cause complete blindness.
- Cardiac problems will befall the pet if you don’t visit the veterinarian regularly. Pups often experience heart murmurs when suffering from heart problems. You can’t detect the complications on your own, so we advise dog keepers to go for checkups regularly.
- Golden Shepherds can also experience partial immobility of their lower bodies when the brain and spinal cord get infected.
- Bloating – The dog’s stomach may twist when you indulge the pet in vigorous physical exercise immediately before or after consuming heavy meals.
Bloat can quickly escalate to a life-threatening instance if not treated immediately. If your dog suffers from bloat, contact a veterinarian but most advisably rush to the clinic.
Nutrition
Golden Shepherds consume approximately three cups of meal daily depending on their activity and energy requirements. Sedentary pups require less food than their outgoing and more active counterparts.
Always ensure that you feed your Golden Shepherd the recommended quality meals.
Besides, Golden Shepherds can easily suffer bloat. Thus, we recommend owners feed their dogs the required portions of food in at least two sessions and avoid feeding them immediately after or before strenuous exercise sessions.
Grooming
Vets and experienced breeders advise Golden Shepherd owners to brush their dogs three to four times each week. If you plan to keep the pet’s coat shiny, clean, and healthy, we suggest you stick to the brushing routine without breaks.
As pointed out earlier, Golden Shepherds shed moderately, particularly during the common sloughing seasons. The crossbreeds will require everyday brushing during the seasons to maintain the dog’s general hygiene and prevent fur from accumulating on your sofas.
If you can’t tolerate dog fur rolling anywhere around the house, we would certainly suggest that you reconsider your options and pick a breed with lesser hair.
The Golden Shepherd will often jump into muddy puddles and get himself all dirty when going out for walks. You can regularly wash your dog every six to eight weeks, depending on the dirtiness levels. However, try not to bathe the dog excessively – you’ll damage the natural oils.
The Cost of a Golden Shepherd Pup
The internet will help you greatly in your search for a healthy and original Golden Shepherd puppy. Finding a breeder won’t take much of your time because most breeders will appear on the first scrolls of most search engines.
However, we recommend that you find a renowned breeder – someone you can trust. Try to find a breeder who guarantees the peak health of your puppy. You can examine different reviews or arrange a meeting with the breeders to see how the pups fair.
The cheapest Golden Shepherd pup will cost you around $800. The prices go upwards, depending on the pup’s health, documentation, buyer demands, and age. If a breeder willingly agrees to sell a puppy for a considerably lower price than $800, tread with caution.
Cheap pups that cost way less than the standard price might suffer from undisclosed health problems. Honest breeders register their puppies with the IDCR. Request the breeder for proper documentation to verify the health of your pup-to-be.
Rescues
The local Golden Retriever or German Shepherd shelter offers dog lovers the unique opportunity to adopt Golden Shepherds.
If you don’t find a crossbreed immediately, leave your details on the waitlist, and the organization will contact you once they adopt your perfect cross.
Conclusion
In all likelihood, the Golden Shepherd makes one of the best pets. Aside from their distinguished intelligence and willingly associating with family, other pets, and strangers, Golden Shepherds enjoy the company of family. They often love the outdoors, just like their Shepherd parents.
A sizeable backyard in your home will provide the best environment to train your Golden Shepherd consistently. Nonetheless, you can trust that your dog will grow into a well-behaved, calm and obedient companion with frequent exercise.
Dog owners can also expect a few undesirable traits the crossbreeds sometimes inherit from their parents – so, don’t forget to socialize them.
It would also be best if you stayed around your dog most of the time because they easily suffer from dissociation anxieties if abandoned for long periods.
However, with a regular training schedule, socialization training, patience, and unified family involvement, you should anticipate a healthy and happy dog that will fall in love with everyone in your family.
