Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix (A.K.A Golden Border Collie)

The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog, also known as the Golden Border Collie, is one of the most beautiful dogs ever known to man that results from cross breeding two of the world’s most popular working dog breeds together, the Border Collie dog and the Golden Retriever dog.

The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog is officially recognized by the Dog Registry of America (DRA) as being a designer dog breed, and not a pure breed in and of itself.

Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix Appearance

Size, Height & Weight

The average Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix fully grown adult dog will tend to weigh anywhere from 45 to 75 lbs and stand at around 24 to 25 inches tall, both of which make them a relatively larger than average dog in terms of size.

Coat

The coat of the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog is a fairly dense one that will usually come in colors of black, dark brown, light brown, golden and white.

Their coats can either come in one solid color, or a mix between two of the aforementioned colors. It all depends on what they take from either/both parents when it comes to their coat.

Some Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dogs will get a coat that looks somewhat like their Border Collie parents, being a rough and corded one, but the majority of these dogs will have a coat much like their Golden Retriever parents.

Golden Retriever Border Collie Mix Temperament

Training

The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix is truly a blessing when it comes to training them, as both of their parents are two of the sweetest, most obedient and easy going dogs out there, all characteristics they pass on to their mixed breed offspring.

One thing you have to be very wary about is that this dog, without the necessary socialization and training from a young age, is very likely of growing up to be a very shy dog.

They just can’t help it as it’s part of the sweetheart package they get from both of their parents.

So, and in order to make sure they don’t grow up and become adult dogs that are submissive and shy all the time, socialize and train them from a young age so they get used to the company of other humans and other animals without being submissive dogs.

Watchdog & Guard Dog

Even though the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix is a fairly attentive and alert dog that’s well aware of its surroundings and can easily notice when an intruder is around or when something’s going on that isn’t really right, they’re not very good watchdogs or guard dogs that you can really rely on.

These two abilities don’t seem to be things the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix really excels in doing, since they can be very friendly dogs with someone they just saw for the first time and haven’t met anytime before in their lives.

For a watchdog and a guard dog, this is not something you want in your dog because an intruder can easily get on their good side and cheat this dog into thinking they’re good guys.

Exercise

This dog has quite high levels of energy in them and will need to get a decent amount of physical activity every day to channel these energy levels the right way.

The favorite form of exercise this dog would love you for giving it on a daily basis, and will never get bored of, is going together for long walks.

This is the perfect time for you to further bong together as dog and owner, and they’ll love you for giving them what they need to remain happy.

In general, around 90 minutes of exercise and physical activity is usually enough to keep this dog content for the day, however some owners find themselves having to give this dog up to 180 minutes of exercise a day to keep them happy!

This is one of those situations where you’re going to have to start off slow and gradually increase the exercise time you give them as you go, up until you reach that sweet spot that you can stick to.

Border Collie Retriever Mix Living Conditions

If you’re mainly looking for a family companion dog that will make your life all that much more beautiful by being next to your side and sharing life’s most precious moments with you, this dog sure has the sweet, friendly and playful nature that perfectly fits that profile.

This dog gets along tremendously well with young children and other pets you may already have at home, which is one of the main reasons why they are seen as tremendous family dogs.

But with all this affection, friendliness and sweet heartedness comes a point you should be aware of, that this dog becomes a very miserable dog if left alone and neglected by its owners and family members for a long time.

They are happiest when among the people they love, and are saddest when away from them for a long time, as they get easily bored and start to become very anxious.

However, if you’re looking for something more along the lines of a dog that will excel at working dog tasks, then there are other options out there that will be better for you than the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix.

One of the things we (and everyone else obviously) love about this cross breed is the fact that even though they are considered to be large sized dogs, you don’t necessarily have to have a large backyard at home for them to be able to comfortably live on your property.

The majority of large sized dogs do terribly in indoor apartments and require properties that have a large backyard in them so they can stay there for the majority of the day, but the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog is perfectly fine living both in an indoor apartment as well as on a property with a large backyard as part of it.

You have to make sure you give them the daily amount of exercise they need outdoors though, or else forget what we said about this being a good dog indoors!

One of the things you also have to take into consideration is that this dog REALLY loves to dig, so this can be an issue if you have a backyard at home.

Not only do they love to dig, but they (for some reason) also love to get themselves inside big mud holes and play around in them, getting themselves really dirty in the process.

So the moment you’re walking them around and see a mud hole, get ready to do your job to make sure they don’t get in there before it’s too late!

And finally, if you’ve been asking yourself what weather conditions this dog does best in, they are known to do fine in all weather conditions and don’t have a specific objection or preference to one against the other.

Golden Border Collie Health

In general, the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix will most often inherit a couple of health problems from either/both of their parents, but keep in mind that this doesn’t always have to happen.

Some Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dogs don’t inherit any health problems at all, while others are unlucky and are plagued with many of the health problems mentioned in the list below.

• Cardiovascular disease
• Von Willebrand disease
• Skin problems
• Eye problems
• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Allergies

Veterinary visits and check ups are absolutely vital with the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog because of their potential for developing health problems that didn’t seem to have the potential of developing before, so you have to keep on top of the situation at all times.

In general, the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix dog is expected to live a lifespan lasting anywhere from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 15 years, even though some Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix may live a little less than that or a little more than that.

Exceptions do exist among all purebreds and cross-breed dogs alike, and this dog is no different.

Golden Retriever Collie Mix Care

When it comes to taking care of the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix and properly grooming it, this dog’s grooming needs are fairly high-maintenance ones that might not be very suitable for new dog owners who don’t have much experience with grooming dogs.

So, if that’s the case, don’t be afraid to have a professional groomer take care of all the grooming practices that your dog should have done to them.

You’ll have plenty of time to learn all about these practices down the line

First off in this section, and as far as shedding is concerned, you can expect this dog to shed quite a decent amount of hair, given the fact that both its parents are known to be moderate to excessive shedders, especially their Golden Retriever parent.

This is why you should be brushing this dog’s coat on a regular basis with a short and gentle-on-the-skin brush in order to minimize their dead hair falling off all over your house.

Also, the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix may be at a higher chance than other dogs of developing ear infections, which is why you should frequently clean their ears in a proper way.

If you don’t know how and haven’t done so before with any other dog, let a professional groomer take care of this for you.

As for the other usual grooming practices you’ll need to give this dog, check out the list below.

– Give them a bath only when they need one, as excessive showers will damage their coats with time.

Also use a specialized dog shampoo and not a shampoo made for human consumption.

– Have their nails trimmed every now and then when they start to grow way too long, as not only does this make them look bad, it can also greatly affect the day to day activities and movements they usually carry out with their paws and feet.

– Brush their teeth around once every day to minimize the risks of them getting affected with dental problems, and be sure to use a special toothbrush and toothpaste that have been made especially for dogs and not ones that have been made for humans.