The Border Collie - Golden Retriever Mix

Are you looking for an active, intelligent, loving, and loyal dog?

In that case, the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix is probably the right choice for you!

The Border Collie Golden Retriever mix, also known as, the Golden Border Collie is a large dog known to be bright, obedient, and agile. They are active dogs who love to be social and like to tag along with their owners everywhere they can.

The Golden Border Collie is a hybrid dog and has the best of both worlds.

In this blog post, I’ll share a few details about the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix that you ought to know!

So, let’s just get started!

The Breed History: About the Golden Border Collie’s Parents

In this section of the blog, I would like to go over the parent breeds of the Golden Border Collie.

With mixed breed dogs, it is imperative to know the characteristics of the parent breeds to understand their behavior and traits.

Let’s take a look.

The Border Collie

The word ‘Collie’ means ‘sheepdog’ in Scottish. These dogs find their origins in the United Kingdom and were used as herd and guard dogs for sheep. This dog has been a well-renowned sheepdog for centuries.

In fact, Queen Victoria too was a fan of the Border Collie.

Till date, this dog is the top herding dog.

As pets, Border Collies are clever, hardworking, alert, and full of energy. You’ve got to keep this dog bust or else he’ll indulge in destructive behaviors and may end up digging holes, chewing your things and furniture, etc.

Border Collies are sensitive to their owners but, aren’t the kinds of dogs who’d like to just snuggle with their owners and chill.

These dogs need something to do throughout the day.

Border Collies are stubborn and have a mind of their own so, they need to be handled firmly.

These dogs have strong herding instincts---so strong that if they don’t have access to a herd of sheep, they’ll herd small animals or even human children!

You also need to socialize them at a young age else, they can be shy and timid.

The Golden Retriever

Large and intelligent, the Golden Retriever is used as a search and rescue dog, gun dog, and detection dog. Golden retrievers are trained to be assistance dogs as they have a loving and  gentle nature and love to be around people.

Golden Retrievers have a beautiful and dense coat that sheds heavily, and they love to play in the water.

What Does The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix Look Like?

It is not uncommon knowledge that Border Collies have killer looks.

Apparently, that’s one of the reasons why they’ve won all our hearts, right?

Border Collies get the best of both worlds which makes them beautiful to look at. Their heads are shaped like that of a Golden Retriever but, they have shorter ears than that of a Retriever. While others look like stockier Border Collies.

Just like the Golden Retriever, these dogs have webbed feet and a rudder-like tail. These dogs make excellent swimmers and can be used to retrieve waterfowl.

The weight of the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix depends entirely on his genetics.

The average weight can be anywhere between 34 to 88 lbs. The height of an average Border Collie Golden Retriever mix is up to 17 inches while some are known to be taller than that.

Since the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix is a hybrid dog, a lot depends on his genetics. So, you never know which genes are dominant and which aren’t.

Let’s take a look at the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix colors! Following are the versions:

• Black
• Yellow
• Pale
• White
• Brown
• Chocolate

These dogs have different colors and markings as well.

Mostly, the Border Collie Golden Retriever mixes are black and white and have markings on their face and chest---just like that of the Border Collies.

Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix Temperament: Will the Dog Suit My Lifestyle?

Both, Golden Retrievers and Border Collies have unique yet positive personality traits.

Border Collies and Golden Retrievers are both intelligent dog breeds---so much so that these dogs are known to have similar abilities as two and a half-year-old toddler according to the various studies conducted by the American Psychological Association.

These dogs are smart, kind, happy, and easy going like Golden Retrievers are. They also have the positive temperamental traits of the Border Collie.

In all, these dogs are attending, friendly, loving, easy to train, and eager to please their owners. They are great with kids and other pets and have a happy-go-lucky attitude.

Border Collie Golden Retriever Mixes have an average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years and are known to be herding, guiding, sporting, retrieving, guarding, and companion dogs.

Health Concerns You Should Know About

Every dog breed is plagued with several health ailments and issues. This is true with purebred dogs as a result of years of inbreeding.

Luckily, this isn’t true for hybrid or mixed dogs like the Golden Border Collie. These dogs are somewhat healthy and live a long life.

All the known health issues revolve around one thing that dogs love:

Food

You should keep a check on your Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix’ diet and make sure you aren’t overfeeding the little guy. That’s because these dogs tend to gain a lot of weight which can lead to several health conditions.

Other than that, following are the health conditions that the Golden Border Collies are at risk of developing:

• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Allergies
• Ear infections
• Bloating
• Eye issues

You should call your vet if you see any signs or symptoms of those conditions.

It is something that seems minor as it begins until it turns into a major problem. So, it is better to pray for the best but, prepare for the worst.

Final Words: Is the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix the Right Fit for Me?

The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix is a loving, loyal, intelligent, and playful doggy.

These dogs are amazing with other pets and kids and are perfect family dogs. They love to be around people and please anyone and everyone. They should be socialized at an early age to open up to people.

Being a mixed breed, Golden Border Collies are healthy little dogs.

They have high activity needs but, low maintenance needs. So, they are a good choice if you live an active lifestyle.

Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!