A Golden Shepherd tends to bring the all-around friendly personality of the Golden Retriever and the intelligence and devotion of the German Shepherd into one dog. They love their families and tend to get along with everyone including children.

As long as they are socialized properly, they’ll even get along with other smaller pets in the household despite their prey drive. These dogs are not necessarily suspicious of strangers, but they are alert and will tend to bark if they see something they feel you need to know about. It’s not a bad idea to train your dog to stop barking early on to keep it from becoming a nuisance.

Golden Shepherds are moderately adaptable dogs. Because they are high-energy, they tend to do better in homes with yards where they can run. They can adapt to apartment living as long as plenty of time is dedicated to giving them the daily exercise they need.

They tend to do well in most climates. But, as with any dog breed, they are sensitive to heat. Because Golden Shepherds are devoted to their families and thrive on spending time with them, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time.

Although mixed-breed dogs can sometimes be healthier than purebred dogs, it’s not a guarantee. A mixed-breed dog can inherit the potential health issues common to one, both, or neither of their parent breeds. Good breeding practices and the health of the parents make a big difference in the health of Golden Shepherd puppies.

For the Golden Shepherd, potential health concerns can include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cataracts, and Von Willebrand’s disease. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing issues on to puppies, so don’t be afraid to ask them about the health and genetic history of both of the parents.

As a larger, barrel-chested dog breed, the Golden Shepherd, like their parent breeds, is also at a higher risk for bloat. Because bloat in dogs can become dangerous and even fatal if gastric torsion occurs, it’s important to know how to reduce the risk and the symptoms so you can get help as soon as you see them.

The Golden Shepherd is a highly trainable dog breed. They are intelligent, eager to please, and pick up on things quickly. This makes them a good fit for owners of all experience levels. These traits also mean that they can get bored easily, so it’s important to keep training interesting for your Golden Shepherd.

Puppy training classes can still be a great idea because they offer opportunities to socialize a puppy while also strengthening your bond with them. Continuing to learn new things throughout their life will also be important, so once they have mastered the basics, don’t be afraid to teach them something new!

The Golden Shepherd will have a thick double coat that sheds moderately year-round and more heavily twice a year as seasons change. A quick daily brushing, especially during seasonal shedding sessions, will help remove loose fur to make your dog more comfortable and also help keep more fur contained to a brush instead of everywhere else. Bathing is on an occasional, as-needed basis.

Regardless of coat type, you will also need to care for your Golden Shepherd’s nails, ears, and teeth. Monthly or twice-monthly nail trims are usually enough to keep nails from growing too long or causing issues. But, you may need to cut your dog’s nails more often if they grow quickly or just aren’t wearing down as much between trims.

Although floppy ears are more prone to ear infections, you want to check your Golden Shepherd’s ears on a weekly basis regardless of what type of ears they have. By checking regularly and carefully cleaning your dog’s ears as needed, you can help prevent ear infections. Plus, if anything is starting to happen, you can get the vet before it gets more serious.

It’s also important to practice good dental care for dogs. Because many dog owners overlook this, gum disease is one of the most common health issues in dogs. With good dental care early on and throughout your dog’s life, you can help prevent these painful dental diseases later in life. Brushing teeth or using an enzyme toothpaste every day in addition to cleanings at the vet when needed is ideal.

The Golden Shepherd comes from two high-energy dogs, so they require a lot of daily exercise to be happy and healthy. Daily walks plus playtime and time to run are the minimum. But, a Golden Shepherd will likely be up for more activity if you are.

A trip to the dog park for some off-leash time, playing frisbee or chasing a ball, hiking, swimming, running, and more can all help this dog expend some extra energy. You want to keep their activity low-impact as they are still growing, but once they finish growing, try different activities to see what you both love doing together. You could even try training them for dog sports!

A fully-grown Golden Shepherd usually stands 20-26 inches tall and weighs 50-90 pounds. These are average ranges and individual Golden Shepherds can vary based on their parents’ sizes, especially if both of their parents are on the larger side for their breed.

A Golden Shepherd generally lives for 7-12 years on average.

Golden Shepherds tend to be well-suited to several popular dog sports. They tend to excel at rally, agility, obedience, dock diving, and more.