Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix: The Perfect Dog For Any Family

The Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix is a loyal and intelligent dog that is renowned for its dashing looks. This breed is quickly gaining popularity as an excellent family dog.

As a mixed breed, the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever inherits traits from both of its parents. 

If you are looking for an energetic, fun-loving smart dog, an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix could be the perfect choice for you. 

To learn more about this breed from its history to its temperament and appearance continue reading our guide below. 

History of the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

History of the Australian Shepherd 

The Australian Shepherd originated in the Western United States in the 19th century and was once a sheep herding dog.

Despite their name, they are not Australian but it is thought that they are called Australian Shepherds because of their association with the Basque Shepherd Dog.

The Pyrenean Sheepdogs are also thought to be ancestors of the breed. Whilst they remain great working dogs, they are now becoming a popular domesticated breed too.   

History of the Golden Retriever

Originally, the Golden Retriever was bred in Scotland during the mid-19th century near Glen Affric and is one of America’s most popular dog breeds. As serious working dogs, they were once used for doing fieldwork and hunting.

Due to their intelligence, this breed is a commonly recognized service dog that has impressive obedience and agility capabilities.

History of the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

As you can see, the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix is made up of two different but wonderful breeds. Emerging as a fairly new designer dog, this hybrid was first registered in 2007.

This breed is often referred to as the Australian Retriever. 

The Temperament and Personality of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

Identifying the temperament of a mixed breed dog can be quite a challenge. As a breed, Australian Shepherds are known to be smart and determined with a natural instinct to herd.

Aside from this, they are also affectionate, easy-going, and make great family pets. 

Golden retrievers are intelligent and confident dogs with a kind and friendly nature. Recognized for their gentle manner, they are even-tempered and devoted to their owners.

Aside from this, they are excellent additions to active families and because of their intelligence, they are easy to train. 

Australian Retrievers have personality traits from both parents. As such, you should expect them to display loving behaviors and form strong bonds with their owners.

Because both dogs are energetic breeds, you must make sure that they are exercised daily to keep them stimulated, though they will find ways of entertaining themselves if need be.

This dog is also an obedient breed that is very sociable and thrives when surrounded by comfort and love. 

As the Australian Shepherd was originally bred for protective purposes, you may find that the mix still displays these tendencies. For this reason, it is important to ensure that you set boundaries to make sure that they behave appropriately.  

You should expect this breed to be easy to train and willing to do whatever you ask of it. In regards to barking, they aren’t thought to be overly vocal. 

The appearance of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

Golden Retrievers are sturdy dogs with a head and muzzle that are evenly proportioned. Usually, their eyes are brown and round.

As implied by their name, they come in a few different golden-toned varieties, some of which are a lighter shade and others that are darker. 

Many Australian Shepherds have different colored eyes, though this doesn’t apply to them all. When raised their tails are equally level with their head and they are also quite thick and bushy.

This breed comes in many different color variations and this including merle, blue merle, red merle, black, and tricolor. 

The appearance of this mix will be influenced by the genes that it inherits from each of its parents. As such, it can be difficult to determine exactly what the dog is going to look like.

For example, golden retrievers are larger so if the mix inherits more genes from this breed it is going to be bigger built. Generally, they are an equal mix of both dogs. 

Typically, they tend to have an athletic build with friendly bright eyes that are either blue, brown, or hazel. Aside from this, they also tend to have bushy tails with a merle coat and a large head. 

An Australian Retriever can also come in several colors. This includes brown, black, and golden, although there are now spotted varieties available too. 

Size of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

An Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever is a fairly large breed, but again, the size can vary between dogs. Like the majority of breeds, the females are typically smaller than the males.

On the whole, the height of the breed can fall anywhere between 19 to 23 inches. 

Weight of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

The majority of male Australian Shepherds weigh between 25 and 32kg whilst the females weigh around 16 to 25kg.

Generally, Golden Retrievers weigh between 25 and 34 kg, of course, there are differences between the weights of male and female golden retrievers. As such, this mix will typically weigh between 50 and 65 pounds.

Training and Exercise Demands of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

It is important to make sure that you socialize your Australian Retriever from the early stages as this will help to make it more confident. Because this breed is so active, your dog will need plenty of exercise.

As such, you will find that they are always eager to engage in an adventure.  

Separation anxiety is an issue that affects many Australian Retrievers. If you are likely to be leaving your dog home alone at any point during the day, you may feel more comfortable putting them in a crate.

You must make sure that the crate is big enough for your Australian retriever so that it doesn’t feel too restricted. 

Positive reward training is also effective. When in the process of training your dog it is important to recognize good behavior so that they know to continue this in the future. If they are being rewarded by treats, you will find that they are more likely to pick up the tricks that you are teaching them sooner.

As a breed, an Australian Shepherd is a fairly easy breed to train, however, you may still benefit from taking your dog to obedience classes to keep them stimulated.

If possible, you should try and take your dog for at least two walks a day. They also enjoy burning off some energy by running outdoors. 

Coat Care Requirements and Grooming Needs

This mixed breed tends to have a coat that is wavy and coarse to touch, however, it will need to be groomed regularly to ensure that it doesn’t become matted.

Failing to pay attention to your dog’s care needs is likely to result in a rather costly visit to the groomers to rectify the issue. 

When bathing your dog, it is recommended that you use a gentle shampoo that isn’t going to be too harsh on its often sensitive skin. Ideally, you should bathe your dog around every 8 weeks. 

Their additional care demands are pretty much the same as any other breed. Alongside bathing and grooming your Australian Retriever, you will need to dedicate sufficient time to clean its eyes and ears, trimming its nails, and also brushing its teeth. 

Because this breed has a coarse coat, it is pretty adaptable to both warm and cold climates, however, if the temperatures drop quite significantly, you may choose to put a coat on your dog before taking it outdoors.

The lifespan of an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix

You should expect your Australian shepherd to live for between 12 to 15 years. When compared to the lifespan of other breeds, this is fairly lengthy.

Of course, the exact lifespan will depend on whether the dog has any health problems.

Health Problems

Many breeds are known to suffer from health problems. The most common issues that affect this mixed breed are hip or elbow dysplasia, however, on the whole, they are deemed to be fairly healthy dogs.

It is worth noting that because the Australian Retriever is a mixed breed, there is an increased chance of it inheriting health problems that affect either of the parent breeds. Golden retrievers in particular are known to suffer from cancer. 

To minimize the risk of your dog suffering from any severe health problems, it is important to get your pet from a reputable breeder.

This won’t necessarily rule out any health issues for the duration of your dog’s life, but the likelihood of your dog developing such issues is going to be reduced.

Furthermore, it is also important to take your dog to the vet for wellness visits. The vet will be able to examine your dog to ensure that it isn’t suffering from any hidden illnesses. 

Besides the health problems that we have mentioned above, both parent dogs are known to suffer from eye problems such as cataracts and retinal atrophy. This breed may also experience issues with bloating. 

If you suspect that your dog is ill or is showing visible signs that it is suffering from a health problem, you must act accordingly by taking it to a vet for professional advice. 

Dietary Requirements

As an energetic breed, Golden retrievers have a ravenous appetite and are known to eat their food quite fast. An Australian Shepherd also tends to have a generous appetite and isn’t thought to be a particularly fussy eater.

Normally, this breed will eat around three to four cups of food a day. 

Understanding your dog’s dietary requirements is paramount and you must make sure that it is fed the correct amount according to its size and weight. It will also depend on which parent it has inherited the most genes from.

Remember that this mixed breed is typically full of energy so their diet must provide them with all of the nutrients that they need to fuel this.

You will also find that your dog’s diet changes as it transitions from puppyhood to adulthood so you will need to make the necessary changes in response to this.

As they are prone to bloating, you should give them smaller meals and avoid overfeeding them or feeding them leftover scraps of food from your plate. 

Your dog’s muscles will benefit from foods that contain protein. Also, you should try and avoid foods that contain a lot of fillers.

Base the amount that you feed your dog on the necessary factors that we have mentioned above. Make sure that you choose a food that is intended for larger dogs because it will be more effective in keeping your dog feeling fuller for longer. 

Final Thoughts – Is the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix right for you?

Now that you have a better understanding of the breed, it is time to determine whether it is right for you. Because the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix is an active breed, they are best suited to energetic families who will be able to meet their exercise needs.

Whilst they are excellent family dogs, they are great companion dogs too. This breed is friendly, affectionate, and good with other children and pets.

Similar to many other breeds, the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix is known to suffer from some health issues. This isn’t to say that every dog is going to be affected by such issues, but it is a factor to make yourself aware of.

Aside from this, they are also known to be enthusiastic eaters so you will need to ensure that their mealtimes are regulated as this will help to prevent them from overeating.

Feeding them equal amounts at mealtime is also important.