With so many different dog breeds available these days, choosing the perfect dog can seem like an easy task. Whether you choose to go for a purebred or a mix, a dog will provide you with unlimited fun and be the loyal addition you need in your life.
Recently, a popular choice for many dog lovers has become the Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix. This dog is the product of the two of the most popular working dogs in the world, a border collie and a golden retriever, also known as a Gollie. However, before getting this dog, it is important to gain an understanding of it. You need to know some basic information about the dog, so your final decision can be well thought-out.
About Border Collie Golden Retriever Mixed Breeds (Gollies)
Weight, Height, and Approximate Size
An adult Gollie tends to weigh anywhere from 45 to 75 pounds and grow to about 24 to 25 inches tall. This hybrid dog is considered a relatively big dog.
Coat
The Gollie has a coat that is dense compared to other dog coats. The color of the coat can range from golden, white, light brown, dark brown, or black. The coat can either be of one color or be a mix of two colors. The color of the coat depends on what the dog’s dominating genes would be. It is possible for the offspring to have a rough coat like the Border Collie, the luscious coat of a Golden Retriever or the perfect mix of both.
Lifespan
A Gollie is expected to live 10 to 15 years. Although there can be a few that may live a little more or a little less.
Temperament
Border Collie Golden Retrievers are known for their pleasant attitude and behavior. These dogs are loyal, active, and crave their owner’s attention all the time. They are obedient canines that possess friendly, affectionate nature towards everyone, especially kids. Although a Gollie can be shy at first, after a while, these dogs tend to socialize really well. This could be the reason why they cannot do well in isolated settings.
Originally known as a watchdog, some individuals have claimed that these hybrids are “too cheerful” to be watchdogs. When, in reality, this assumption is wrong. They have an innate ability to be alert, responsive, and active. If there is a stranger coming near their owner or family, the dog’s instant reaction would be to bark.
Training
When it comes to training, it is important to know that a Gollie is extremely easy to train. The reason for this is that both its parents are obedient dogs, which results in obedient Gollie puppies. An important thing to keep in mind with this dog is that if it is not given the proper training or exposure at a young age, it will turn out to be a shy dog. Therefore, as an owner, it is important to make sure your Gollie is in social environments and is getting the right kind of training, so it can be welcoming towards you, your family and friends, to strangers, and other animals.
Tendencies
A Gollie has watchdog and guard dog tendencies. This hybrid gets these tendencies from its Border Collie parent as the breed is fairly alert and attentive to everything going on around it. However, it is not a dog that you can rely on completely. Sometimes, it may have a dominant Golden Retriever personality, which would take away from the Border Collies’ innate tendencies.
The offspring of a Border Collie and Golden Retriever turns out to be a friendly dog and one that will not make any newcomer feel uncomfortable or unsafe. This hybrid is known to have a cheerful personality ( like its Golden Retriever parent) making it a good option for homes with kids.
However, if you are looking for a watchdog or a guard dog, it is important to opt for a different breed. This dog breed tends to see the good in everyone. So, if there is an intruder in your space, this dog will most likely overlook its dangers and welcome it in the house.
Exercise Requirements
A Gollie is known as a high energy dog that is always looking to have fun. It requires a few minutes of exercise every day so that its overwhelming amount of energy can be put to the right use. A Gollie’s favorite form of exercise would be going on long walks. A Gollie loves this exercise so much that it could do it every single day and not get bored. During this time, you and your Gollie have the time to bond, spend time together, play fetch, and you can give your dog all the attention it craves from you.
Ensuring a happy dog would mean exercising it for 90 minutes a day. With the right kind of physical activity, any dog can excel. However, there are owners that give their dogs 180 minutes of exercise, and their dogs are happy as well.
It is important to know that when you are exercising your dog, you must start slowly and gradually increase the exercise time. This way, you will help your dog build its stamina as well.
Living Conditions
If you are getting a dog for the purpose of adding a new member to your family so you can have a living creature by your side through thick and thin, spending the best moments of your life with you, then a Gollie is the ideal choice because of the qualities it possesses. This dog is playful, sweet, and loyal and has an extremely friendly nature. The best part is that this dog is not a threat for children or other pets, making it an excellent choice to welcome in your house.
Despite how affectionate, sweet, and friendly this dog may be, if you are not giving it the attention it needs from its owner, this dog will become miserable. It cannot thrive or even live in a setting where its owner and other people are neglecting it. A Gollie is the happiest when it is with people that give it love and attention, and it cannot be left isolated. A sad Gollie has to deal with anxiety, and no dog deserves that.
If your reason to get a dog is so that it will do working dog chores, then there are better dog breeds available than a Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix. However, with the right obedience training and consistency in training, this dog can even do the tasks of a working dog.
A bonus point about this dog breed is that even though it is considered to be a large dog (compared to other hybrid breeds), it does not require a large home to live in. A Gollie can happily live in a smaller home without a backyard because all it looks for in a new home would be the comfort it is getting. Mostly, large sized dogs cannot live in confined apartments or homes without backyards, whereas a Gollie can adjust. Whether the house has no backyard or a large backyard, your Gollie will learn to live in it.
But, just because a Gollie is living indoors, it does not mean you can skip exercising. You need to make sure your Gollie is getting the required amount (if not more) of exercise a day so it can stay happy with itself and its surroundings.
Additionally, a Gollie loves to dig; therefore, if you are allowing your dog to go into the backyard, you will need to make sure it does not damage your plants. Moreover, during the digging process, Gollies like to make tunnels from which they go in and out. This results in a dirty dog. If your dog is dirty, you will need to shower it and make sure it is free from any germs that could have been attached to it underground.
Lastly, Gollies tend to do well in all weather conditions. These dogs do not have a preference or objection towards any weather.
Health
Just like all dog breeds (purebred or mixed), there is a possibility that the Gollie will inherit common health issues from its parents. However, this does not always happen. There are Gollies that do not inherit any health issues from their parents, but others are plagued with multiple. This is why it is important to be aware of the common health issues present in Gollies:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Allergies
- Eye problems
- Skin problems
- Von Willebrand disease
- Cardiovascular disease
If you want to make sure your Gollie is safe from developing any health issues, it is important for you to take it to the vet regularly and have checkups for common health problems. This is the only way for you to be able to determine any issue with the dog and prevent any health problem if need be.
Moreover, before purchasing a Gollie from a breeder, it is important for you to do a background check on its parents. The parents must be tested for diseases, and they must be free from them. That is one way for you to assure a healthy dog.
Care – Grooming and Shedding
A Gollie needs proper grooming on a regular basis. It is a high maintenance dog that is not the ideal choice of new owners or individuals that are not experienced in dog grooming. Luckily, there are professional groomers that can give our dog the brushing or nail trimming that it needs. And as time goes on, you will have the opportunity to learn and become a groomer yourself.
Gollies will shed quite a lot on a daily basis. The explanation for this can be that both its parents are known as shedders, especially the Golden Retriever. This is the reason why it is important for you to brush your Gollie’s coat every other day. You must use a gentle brush, so it does not cause any pain for your dog. Brushing your dog regularly will prevent dead hair from falling around the house.
You also need to make sure you are cleaning your dog’s ears frequently because Gollies tend to develop ear infections easily. Like its Golden Retriever parent, if a Gollie’s ears are left moist for extended periods, it will develop infections. It is important to let professional groomers take care of this issue because it can be risky.
Here is a checklist of all the grooming practices you need for your dog:
- Give your Gollie a shower only when it is needed, as over-showering can damage its coat. Make sure you are using a shampoo that is dog-friendly instead of using human shampoo.
- When your Gollie’s nails start to get too long, make sure you get them trimmed. Long nails on dogs do not only look unhygienic, but they tend to disrupt their everyday activities. Rule of thumb: You can tell your dog’s nails are long when you can hear them clicking on the ground with every move your dog makes.
- To minimize the possibility of dental issues, it is important to brush your dog’s teeth at least once every single day. Moreover, you need to use a toothbrush and toothpaste that is made for dogs.
Cost
The price of a Gollie puppy depends on how popular they are when you are purchasing them. The common price for one puppy ranges from $300 to $800. If the puppy has not already been neutered, micro-chipped, or gotten important blood tests done, you will need to get those things done as well. You will also need to invest in a crate, a leash, and a collar. The price of all this would range from $450 to $500. You will need to get your dog food, toys, treats, training, and a license every year. These costs will add up from $500 to $600 per year, excluding medical bills. You will also need to take care of medical checkups, including flea prevention, regular checkups, shots, and more. Pet insurance ranges from $485 to $600 every year.
The Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix is an affectionate, lovable, and energy-filled pet that is accepting of everyone. Although this breed will require constant attention and regular exercise, it can keep you on your feet and happy! If you are looking for a loyal addition to your family, a Gollie is the way to go!
