Golden Border Retriever Dog Breed

Golden Border Retrievers are an excellent mix of two long time favorites. The Collie is an affectionate, devoted herding dog that is beyond intelligent and equally as energetic. The Golden Retriever has history hunting and retrieving and also as a therapy dog; they are also intelligent, devoted and very friendly. This breed is wonderful for active owners and families that can provide them the amount of necessary exercise daily. In turn you will be rewarded with affection, limitless hard working devotion and plenty of cuddles. The following GBR facts can be supplemented by visiting both parent breed pages:

PROS

• Gentle yet playful with kids
• Good with other pets
• Friendly with visitors
• Top tier intelligence
• Hard working and eager to please
• Trains easily
• Great exercise partner
• Can live indoors or out
• Helpful on a farm or ranch, or as a hunting partner

CONS

• Needs at least an hour of daily outdoor exercise
• Shouldn't be left alone for long periods of time
• High intelligence may lead to nuisance behaviors if not mentally and physically stimulated
• Moderate grooming effort required; not hypoallergenic

The Golden Border Retriever is a large sized dog with a medium length coat that can range from the dense, rough Border Collie's to the soft, shaggy Golden Retrievers. These dogs' cats may be water resistant and often include shades such as tan, red, golden, yellow, white and black; this breed can be solid or multi colored. They have sweet, almond shaped eyes and medium sized ears that aren't quite as floppy as the Golden Retriever's.

This is a mix of two of the most intelligent and hard working breeds out there. Your GBR will be extremely bright and eager to please. This means they train easily, even for a first timer, however, they must have enough physical and mental stimulation to prevent boredom (and, therefore, nuisance behaviors). There's a good chance a Golden Border Retriever would make a good farm dog or therapy dog.

Members of this breed make very cool family companions; they have high levels of energy and will enjoy playtime with well behaved kids, however, they may retain some herding instincts from the Collie side. They will be very eager to please and work hard in exchange for attention and cuddles; they may well be one of the most devoted hybrids available. A well trained, friendly canine, such as this, is sure to impress your guests with their intelligence and obedience. Not to mention, a well socialized GBR is fine with other pets.

An active owner or family is certainly necessary for this breed. They are have plenty of energy and hail from breeds used to working hard. A fenced yard is ideal but they are notoriously prone to separation anxiety and boredom if not allowed to spend most of the time indoors as part of the family. Long walks, jogs, hikes, bike rides, trips to the dog park and (sometimes) swimming are all activities your Golden Border Retriever will enjoy. Training to hunt or herd, as well as obedience training are all things she will enjoy and great ways to bond with her.

When you combine two different purebreds the result is more variety. Coat types, colors and even temperaments are not necessarily the same-- even within a single litter. Some will possess more Golden Retriever traits and others more Collie characteristics. This mixed breed will have coats of medium length straight hair that will vary in its texture (Collies are rough, GRs smooth). If you are interested in what difference a generation can make in your Golden Border Retriever, ask your breeder about the differences between the following:

F1= purebred Border Collie x purebred Golden Retriever
F1B= F1 Golden Border Retriever x either a purebred Border Collie or purebred Golden Retriever
F2= F1 Golden Border Retriever x F1 Golden Border Retriever
F2B= F2 Golden Border Retriever x either a purebred Border Collie or purebred Golden Retriever
F3= F2 Golden Border Retriever x F2 Golden Border Retriever

Highly intelligent, active, loyal, affectionate, and sometimes needy and mischievous, the Golden Retriever-Border Collie mix temperament combines the behavioral traits of two of the most beloved pure breeds known. A typical Golden Border Retriever is incredibly smart, extremely affectionate towards humans and animals alike, and very active. With their inherited tendencies to be working dogs, GBRs will need plenty of physical and mental stimulation; otherwise they might find mischief like chewing shoes or digging holes. These dogs are gentle, even shy at times, but are extremely devoted to their human families, and may suffer separation anxiety if left alone for extended periods.

Their inherent brightness, along with their willingness to please, makes GBRs unbelievably easy to train. Their keen cognitive abilities and strong work ethic mean they will learn fast; owners attest that these dogs respond best to firm but positive training techniques, and respond negatively to harsh or abusive methods. GBRs are well-suited to interactive training activities that will keep them mentally (and physically) engaged.

Though sometimes shy, their alertness and loyalty makes GBRs good watchdogs; they should typically sound a vocal alarm when confronted with a potential threat.

Often, when you cross two separate breeds to create a hybrid, you create a litter of puppies that will develop fewer health issues than either purebred parent. This "hybrid vigor" is due to greater genetic variety. The Golden Border Retriever should fall into this category, especially first generation crosses, however, this cross breed isn't yet common enough to have enough information to pinpoint specific health issues. Golden Retrievers live 10-12 years on average and Border Collies have quite a wide range (10-15, depending upon health); you can expect your GBR to have a lifespan somewhere along those lines. If you'd like to get an idea of what conditions may be passed down from both the Border Collie and Golden Retriever, visit our breed pages for both! In the meantime, a few issues common to the parent breeds include:

• Hip Dysplasia
• Eye Disease
• Bloat
• Skin Allergies
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Hearth Problems
• Cancer