Did you know that Golden Retrievers make up for the 4th most intelligent dog breed in the world? If not, you probably fell in love with how beautiful, smart and lovely they look with their long golden coats.
However, some pet parents may be confused as to why they have a short haired Retriever and what makes them so unique? Well, we’re about to answer your question as holistically as humanly possible.
According to the American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club only recently recognized the fact that short haired Retrievers are an actual breed of Golden Retrievers. Also, their reason for the appearance of this breed is quite simple: short hair means they aren’t purebred Golden Retrievers.
Now if you were to come across a purebred Golden Retriever, who doesn’t look anything like your pup, here’s what you need to know:
Short Haired Retrievers Aren’t Purebred
When you pay for a purebred Golden Retriever, don’t expect to adopt exactly what you were expecting. There are thousands of scammers out there who will rob you off your money because your dog may be one of the numerous mixes of Golden Retrievers.
Commonly, Retrievers are crossed with Labs because their features are about 90% similar. Of course, we can still spot the difference between a purebred and a mix by distinguishing their colors and length of their coat.
If you’re of the opinion that your Goldie is a hybrid, perhaps the simplest way of knowing for sure is to consult a vet. You see, they are going to use a simple DNA testing kit to answer your question and everything will make sense in the world again.
Generally speaking, there are 4 main breeds of dogs that are crossed with Golden Retrievers:
Chesapeake Bay Golden Retrievers
This breed of short haired Retrievers look nothing like Golden Retrievers, however, they embody all of the classic characteristics of Golden Retrievers. This includes their tirelessness, affection, upbeat personality and display of loyalty.
Often referred to as Chessies, this breed has a short haired coat which feels oily to touch. Male breeds can weigh up to a strong 80 pounds and they can be found in many different colors including chocolate, sedge and deadgrass.
Since most pet parents consider this detail as well, this short haired Retriever can live up to 12-years, which is pretty close to the average life expectancy of a Goldie.
Curly Coated Golden Retrievers
Curly coated Retrievers, again, don’t look anything like purebred Golden Retrievers. However, they are among the oldest known Golden Retriever mixes. These dogs are famously known for their peerless swimming skill and for their versatility as gundogs.
When trained, these Retrievers can be wickedly smart, poised and very proud. As believed by most pet parents who ever owned one of these short haired Retrievers, they will never give up before you do!
Curly coated Golden Retrievers got their name from the thorn-resistant and tight curls around their body, which are perfect for most weather circumstances, such as icy lakes or thick brambles. Of course, they also duplicated how the Golden Retrievers’ thick coat repels water to protect their thin undercoat.
Be warned, however, that these magnificent creatures can be quite a handful if they are underutilized and they need a lot of outdoor exercise. This is why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they have a life expectancy of up to 14 years.
Labrador Golden Retrievers
In spite of their name having the words ‘Golden Retriever’ in there, the first thing you notice about these crosses is that they have very short hair. You can spot these Goldie Labs in either chocolate, yellow or black colors. However, polar white and fox red Labrador Retrievers also exist. Of course, the latter have not been recognized as pure crosses.
These short haired Retrievers are a lot heavier than the average Golden Retrievers since they weigh between 65- to 80-pounds whereas pure breeds weigh between 55 and 75 pounds. Since we’re already making comparisons, you’ll also be interested to know that Labrador Retrievers tend to have a life expectancy of up to 12 years, which is just one-year short of traditional Golden Retrievers.
Finally, it is also important to mention that despite their short hair, your athletic fur-ball is bound to shed all throughout the year. Golden Retrievers, on the other hand, only shed a very small amount of hair in a particular season.
Flat-Coated Retrievers
This Golden Retriever mix has very thick and dense fur, however, their fur always falls straight whereas their traditional ancestors chose to keep their hair wavy and natural. This is probably the reason their fur isn’t as water repellant as their counterparts’.
This breed of Golden Retrievers can be found in 3 main colors, including blonde, liver and black. You’ll find that the blonde flat-coated Goldie is probably the closest representation of the purebred dog.
Still, Golden Retrievers are a lot more active than these mixes. On the flip side, they also make a lot less noise during playtime or otherwise. In either case, you should be prepared to give them a workout for at least 1-hour per day.
Lastly, the life expectancy of flat-haired mixes is comparatively very short, since they only live up to between 8 and 10 years.
Our Final Thoughts
Let’s put it this way: Golden Retrievers have many ‘cousins’ and they may all belong to the same family tree, but fall under the subcategory of short haired Retrievers. Of course, this phrase on its own, may be ridiculed as a myth by most dog experts. However, it is a fact if you consider Retriever dog breeds.
Purebred Golden Retrievers, on the one hand, have long hair. Short haired Retrievers, on the other hand, are most probably Labrador crosses or Flat-coated Retrievers.
So which one do you think is happily panting away beside you while you read this sentence?
