German Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix: An Adorable, Fun Loving Breed!

Two of the most popular breeds for people and families to buy are German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers. Both breeds are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and good-natured friendliness. So what happens when you mix these two great breeds together?

You get a Golden Shepherd, one of the best mixed breeds around!

If you’re considering bringing the German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix into your life, there are some things that you should learn about them. I’ve gathered up a wealth of useful information about this breed so that you can learn as much as possible before you make an addition to your family.

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Common Characteristics

I always like to get to know a breed by learning a bit from current owners of that breed. It’s the best way to find out what the breed is like when you own them, and it’s always fun to hear people talk about their dogs!

As far as I know, the Golden Shepherd always acts like this:

Who wouldn’t want cuteness like this in their lives?

Current owners of Golden Shepherds describe their dogs as:

While these reviews don’t give you a detailed history of the breed, they do give you an idea of how much Golden Shepherd owners love having their dogs around.

I’ll introduce you to the history and important characteristics of the German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix now so you can get an idea of what this breed’s history looks like.

Origins

When looking at mixed breed dogs, it is important to realize that while the mixed breed itself might not have a long history, you can learn some of its history by looking at the parent breeds. In this case, you should get to know both the German Shepherd and the Golden Retriever to learn more about the Golden Shepherd!

The German Shepherd finds its roots in a number of different working breeds that were eventually standardized as one breed in 1899. As their name suggests, these dogs originated in Germany and Germanic regions! Originally, these dogs were used for working purposes, such as herding and watching over herds of sheep. These dogs are known to be very intelligent and fast, making them good law enforcement dogs.

The Golden Retriever has a bit of a different history. They come from the UK, where people in the 1800s wanted medium sized dogs that would be good for a variety of hunting applications, including water fowling. Records suggest that their origin begins around 1850, when the first recorded family of Golden Retrievers came into being.

As you can see, both of these parent breeds were working dogs - so you can assume that the German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix will carry on many of these working dog characteristics, too.

Size & Appearance

The next thing that you should learn more about is the appearance of this dog. You can think of them as a blend of both parent breeds, but always remember that dogs will take on varying percentages of each characteristic from their parents.

Size

Since both the German Shepherd and Golden Retriever are similar in size, you can guess that the size of your mixed breed puppy will be similar as well.

Generally speaking, you can expect the Golden Shepherd to be a middle sized dog that stands at about 20 to 26 inches. Their body will be strong and can weigh anywhere from 60 to 86 pounds.

Appearance

This breed can look like either parent depending on their composition, but a lot of these Golden Shepherds tend to look more like a German Shepherd than a Golden Retriever. The overall body shape will be like a German Shepherd, but the face usually holds on to some Golden features.

In particular, you will see that almond shaped eyes, round muzzles, and a strong jaw will often be seen in a Golden Shepherd. You can definitely see features from both parent breeds with this dog.

Coat

The Golden Shepherd’s coat type can be rough, long, and dense, or soft and smooth. It just depends on how their genetics work out! It is not a hypoallergenic dog, and you can expect to have to put in some effort to care for your dog because they will shed and will need to be brushed regularly.

In terms of color, the most common combinations include:

BlackCreamYellowTanWhiteGolden and BlueNow that you know what this dog will look like, it is time to learn how to take care of that appearance!

Grooming Requirements

The Golden Shepherd is definitely a shedder. She has times of year when she will shed more, but you should expect to be dealing with hair all year round. You will need to vacuum often, and you should probably invest in some lint rollers to keep the fur off of your clothes!

This means that you can expect to do the following daily:

While this might sound like a big undertaking, many breeds of dog will require this much (or more!) work to keep their coat healthy and shiny.

You should only bathe the Golden Retriever when they need it. Washing any dog too often can actually harm their coat, so you should keep washings to a minimum.

All dogs should also have their ears wiped clean once a week, their nails cut down as needed, and their teeth brushed two times a week.

Space Requirements

You may be wondering if you can own a Golden Shepherd if you live in a small home. Sadly, this dog will not thrive as well in a small space, as they have very high activity levels and will need a minimum of one hour of outdoor play time a day.

It is possible that you could take your dog to the park or outside for long enough to use that energy every day, but they will do much better in a home with a large yard.

When you have a dog like this, you need a space where they can play outside and use up their energy even if you aren’t able to be outside with them the whole time. A yard with a fence would be ideal for a medium to large dog like the German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix.

Exercise Needs

As mentioned, this dog has a lot of energy, and you will need to make sure that get enough exercise. Exercise is important to keep their body strong and to keep them entertained. If a dog gets bored from not having enough physical activity, they may start to tear things up inside your house.

Luckily, this dog loves to be active! They love playing frisbee, running, jumping, and even swimming. This means that you can get active with your dog and have a blast doing it.

Make sure that you exercise your dog for at least 60 minutes per day. This could mean taking two long walks, going hiking together, or anything else. If you do this, your dog will remain calm inside and save their over-energetic actions for outside.

Nutritional Needs

Since this dog is a mixed breed, you will need to pay attention to their particular needs to see what they should eat. Generally speaking, however, we can guess what kind of diet the Golden Shepherd may need to stay healthy.

Look for a food that meets the following requirements:

There are many different foods that your dog might be satisfied with. Three of my favorites that would be good for a Golden Shepherd are:

Temperament

This dog thrives on living with and close to its owner. The Golden Shepherd is a very friendly dog, and they will usually get along with everybody that they meet. You can expect your dog to have a ton of energy and life! They love to play, and they make a lot of immediate.

This dog is likely to be very affectionate. They are also agile and intelligent. They will be very good at learning tricks and playing with the family in the yard.

Trainability

The key to training this intelligent dog is to start training them from a young age and to make sure that they are properly socialized.

Since the Golden Shepherd is so intelligent, you can expect your dog to learn very quickly. You will not have to teach the same thing over and over again because they will just get it. If you are consistent with your training, you can expect fast results.

Encourage your Golden Shepherd using praise, rewards, treats, play, and new toys. All of these items will motivate them to keep working hard in their training, and they will learn a lot from you this way.

Children & Other Animals

These dogs are known for being very friendly with both kids and other animals, but they won’t just like them immediately. You should make sure that you expose your dog to both kids and animals from a young age so that they are used to this kind of exposure.

Typically, though, these dogs will love being around kids and other animals. They make fast friends with everyone they meet, after all! They are a patient, gentle dog good for families with kids.

Common Health Issues

As with any breed of dog, there are common health issues that you should be aware of when you are thinking about bringing a Golden Shepherd into your family. These issues largely stem from their parent breeds.

Common health issues that you should be aware are possibilities include:

If you can, find out about the parents of your dog and what type of health issues they have had. This will help you better monitor and protect your dog’s health.

Most German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix breed dogs will live for between 10 and 14 years depending on their health throughout their life.

The best way to ensure that your dog has a happy, healthy life is to feed them well, exercise them, and take them to the vet regularly to ensure that they don’t have any lurking issues that could cause you and them future pain.

Bring A Golden Shepherd Home!

Now that you’ve learned so much about the German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix, are you thinking about bringing one home? My guess is that you are! This sweet dog is a great family dog, and a great dog for anyone who is ready to have an energetic and loyal companion.

Golden Shepherds might not be the most common mix around, but that doesn’t make them any lesser than other breeds. You will be surprised at how adorable and loving this dog can be.