German Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix: Ultimate Dog Breed Guide

The German shepherd and golden retriever breeds were crossed to create the Golden Shepherd, often known as the Golden Shepherd hybrid.The German shepherd golden retriever mix is a loyal, intelligent, and energetic dog breed and can be a great choice for a family who can accompany him with his exercise, training, or other physical activities.

The golden retriever German shepherd mix is friendly and very protective of its loved ones. However, if you are adopting this dog breed, you need to dedicate proper time to them because leaving them alone may make them bored and destructive.

Let’s learn everything about this dog breed.

Parent Breeds

When we use the term ‘designer dog,’ you may find a relatively new term. It is the process of breeding two different purebred dogs. Due to this process, people have more choices for getting a perfect family dog.

Now, customizing the breed has become very popular because, by breeding, the good qualities of both the parents’ breeds can be inherited.

German shepherds and golden retrievers are the parent breeds of German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix puppies. Let’s see some details about both of these breeds.

German Shepherd

The German shepherd, commonly referred to as the Alsatian, is a canine breed that is extremely intelligent, agile, and adaptable. They are among the most favored breeds in the world because of their bravery, loyalty, and adaptability in a range of occupations.

Captain Max von Stephanitz began breeding German Shepherds in Germany in the late 19th century with the goal of developing a superior working dog that could carry out a variety of activities, including herding, protecting, and guarding.

German Shepherds have a distinct appearance: a muscular body, pointed ears, and a thick double coat of fur.

They come in various colors, including a German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix of Black, tan, and sable. Their double coat serves as protection against extreme temperatures, making them well-suited for cold climates. They are also very trainable and need exercise and mental challenge on a regular basis to stay happy and healthy.

Due to their intelligence and adaptability, German Shepherds are commonly used as police, military, and search and rescue dogs. They have a keen sense of smell, excellent hearing, and remarkable stamina, which makes them well-suited for these roles.

Golden Retriever

Golden retrievers are dogs that can be easily recognized. They have attractive golden fur and a very cute smile.

A breed of dog called the Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland in the middle of the 19th century. In the modern era, Golden Retrievers are among the most well-liked breeds worldwide due to their intellect, loyalty, and sociable temperament.

Golden Retrievers have a distinctive appearance, with a thick, luxurious coat of golden fur that is water-repellent. They have muscular bodies and broad heads with friendly eyes that reflect their warm and gentle nature.

Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent and easily trainable, making them popular as service dogs, therapy dogs, and guide dogs for the blind. They desire to please their owners and thrive on positive reinforcement training techniques. They also require regular exercise and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy.

Due to their friendly nature, Golden Retrievers are excellent family pets known for their love of children. They are gentle and patient with kids, making them ideal for families with young children.

Overview of German Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

History

The golden shepherd or German shepherd golden retriever is a popular hybrid breed that was developed by crossing the German shepherd and Golden Retriever breeds. The exact origin of this mix is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in North America in the late 20th century.

Breeders wanted a healthy dog breed and a family companion dog. They continued to create golden shepherds as their demand was constantly increasing.

The German shepherd golden retriever began as a designer breed, even though some of them have ended up in rescue groups.

Size and Appearance

The German shepherd golden retriever mix is 20 to 27 inches tall and weighs 50 to 90 pounds.

As golden shepherds are a mixed breed, they come in different colors like black, cream, white, gold, yellow, brown, chocolate, liver, and sometimes even bicolor.

This dog breed is high-shedding and needs grooming on a regular basis. They need brushing at least once a week.

They can have pointed ears like German shepherds or drooping ears like golden retrievers.

Temperament

To understand the temperament of the German shepherd golden retriever mix, you need to understand the temperament of its parent breeds – German shepherd & golden retriever.

Golden retrievers are playful and friendly dogs, and German shepherds, despite being termed ‘tough’ dogs, have similar personalities. So, you can expect a golden shepherd to be playful & friendly same as their parents.

Golden shepherds are also intelligent, independent, and problem solvers like their parents.

The German shepherd and golden retriever mix can be easily trained, and they enjoy the rewards after completing the training.

They are loyal and want to be around people all the time. They are protective of the children. However, one needs to remember that this breed has a lot of energy; thus, a little care should be taken when they are with the children.

Health Concerns

Large dog breeds are generally more prone to health problems than smaller ones.

Here are some of the major health problems of this dog breed:

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia

Parts of the hip and elbow no longer function normally in people with hip and elbow dysplasia, a hereditary genetic condition. Later in life, this causes osteoarthritis, discomfort, and inflammation. Improper weight and excessive growth can worsen this condition.

Degenerative Myelopathy

An advanced spinal cord condition known as DM affects older canines. The syndrome causes the hind limbs to lose coordination and can cause paraplegia.

Dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy only live for six months to three years after the diagnosis of the disease. However, the lifespan can increase after proper treatment.

Eye Conditions

This dog breed is prone to eye diseases like Pigmentary Uveitis or Progressive Retinal Atrophy. If these conditions are not treated, they can lead to blindness.

Possible symptoms of blindness include the loss of color in their eyes, declining depth perception (shaking legs or anxiety when getting off the sofa, stairs, etc.), and an inability to catch a ball that they would normally be able to.

Thyroid

This is one more health problem faced by golden shepherds. Some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are weakness and increased shedding.

Allergies

Both the parent breeds of the golden retriever are prone to many allergies, so this breed can also face allergies. You may find your dog scratching and swelling; these are the symptoms of allergies.

Training

The golden retriever and German shepherd mix require proper training to behave properly around people and other animals.

One great thing about this dog breed is that they learn things very quickly; thus, you can train them about different types of behavior and tricks.

You need to be consistent in training and use treats; positive reinforcement will help them learn quickly. The German Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix’s potential natural hostility can be reduced by socialization training.

Nutritional Requirements

The golden shepherd is a big-sized dog, and thus the food requirements will be high. This dog breed needs around 1500 calories every day.

You must ensure your dog gets at least 5% fat content and a minimum of 18% protein.

Buy food rich in ingredients that help in bone and joint development. Give your dog foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins.

An adult dog will need two meals daily, and a puppy will need four meals throughout the day.

Avoid switching between dog foods at short intervals as it can upset their stomach and cause other illnesses.

Exercise Requirements

This dog breed needs much time for exercise and playing. These dogs are energetic and cannot stay in one space for a long period of time. Long-time activity will keep the dog healthy, fit, and happy.

You should allocate some time for going on walks with your dog, swimming, hiking, running, and other physical activities.

The dog will need to exercise for one to two hours. When you engage with your dog, then it will improve your bond with him.

How Much Does a Golden Shepherd Cost?

Golden shepherds are a new breed but have become popular very quickly. The cost of German shepherd golden retriever mix puppies ranges from $500 to $800.

The German shepherd golden retriever mix can also be found in the local shelter.

If we talk about the Golden Shepherd puppies’ overall cost, it may go to $1500 in the first year.

You can find Golden Shepherd mix puppies for sale at many places; you just have to do a little research for that. You can go online and just search ‘German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix puppies for sale near me’; by this, you will get the exact location of the German Shepherd golden retriever for sale near you.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

At last, we would say that a German shepherd golden retriever mix can be a great pet. If trained properly, they can prove to be great pets! We have mentioned all the details regarding this breed, so this blog can be very helpful if you are planning to adopt this dog.

For additional insights:

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• Red Golden Retriever Puppies: The Perfect House Pet!