The Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix is a hybrid breed that involves crossing a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever. These dogs have plenty of energy, they are very responsive, and they love being part of an active family. The hybrid is medium to large in size and requires a lot of exercise and grooming. Before considering a Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix as a pet, take a closer look at the dog’s appearance, temperament, grooming needs, and more.
Origin
Starting in the 1990s, designer dogs or hybrids became extremely popular, including the Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix. Since these new mixes don’t have a history of their own, their exact origins are unclear. However, you can learn more about the mix by looking at the origin of the parent purebreds.
The Golden Retriever traces back to the 1800s when a waterfowl hunter worked on breeding a dog that was a great family companion and a great retriever. In 1911 the breed was recognized, but it wasn’t named the Golden Retriever until 1920. The breed quickly became popular within the United States and it continues to be extremely popular today.
Border Collies have a very long history and they’ve been around since people from the area known as the UK today started herding sheep. The name of this breed comes from the place where it originated, on the border between England and Scotland. These dogs were bred to help herd, move, and guard sheep. While these dogs have been around for a long time, the breed wasn’t recognized by the AKC until 1995.
Appearance
The Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix boasts deep set, almond shaped eyes that are very expressive, and they have floppy ears that hang down all the way to the dog’s cheeks. The breed features a medium length muzzle and a long tail. The coat of the hybrid may be water repellent like a Golden Retriever’s coat or it can be corded, rough, and dense like the coat of a Border Collie. Some of the common colors seen in this mix include chocolate, yellow, black, brown, white, and golden. In most cases, these medium to large dogs may be up to 24 inches tall at the shoulder and they can weigh anywhere between 45 and 75 pounds.
Temperament
The Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix is very intelligent, and these dogs are alert and active. They learn quickly, yet they are also very loving, friendly, affectionate, and playful. These dogs love being around people, although early socialization is essential to avoid any shyness. Since these dogs are very active, they require plenty of exercise. In fact, they need one to three hours of exercise each day, including both physical and mental challenges. They require plenty of space as well, and if they don’t get enough exercise, they can become destructive.
When it comes to training, the Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix is very eager to please. They love to make you happy and they are very smart, so training goes very well in most cases. These dogs enjoy training and you only need to use positive reinforcement while training the hybrid. While it’s important to establish that you are the leader, you shouldn’t use harsh techniques on these dogs. With early training and socialization, this hybrid rarely has any behavioral problems.
Grooming
You’ll find that the Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix does require a good bit of grooming. These dogs need to have their coats brushed once a day with a solid bristle brush to remove loose hair, since these dogs do shed a lot. However, you should only bathe these dogs when they are dirty, since you don’t want to strip away the natural oils from the coat. If the dog doesn’t wear down his nails on his own, the nails will need to be clipped regularly. However, since there are vessels and nerves in the lower parts of their nails, you may want to let a professional groomer take care of the clipping. It’s important to brush the dog’s teeth three times per week and the ears should be checked weekly for any problems.
Health
Since the Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix is fairly new, there isn’t a lot of information on long term health issues. However, some of the parent’s issues that these dogs may inherit include:
- Bloat
- Heart problems
- Allergies
- Eye problems
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Joint dysplasia