Goldador (Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever mix)
What is a Goldador? Also referred to as the Golden Labrador, the Goldador mixed breed is a cross between two of the most popular North American dogs: the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever. Energetic, loving and devoted, Goldadors are highly prized for their intelligence in trainability.
Having been an amazing hunting companion, a good family pet, and a superb service dog, what can't the Goldador do? Well known for the willingness to please, combined with a high level of trainability, Golden Retriever x Labrador dog is just a breeze to train. Golden Labs are even used to sniff for bombs.
Image of golden and black Goldadors.
The Lab-Golden Retriever mix hybrid dog is a huge athletic dog that thrives well in a house plus a backyard with a big area for playing. But when exposed to sufficient exercise, they can perfectly adapt to the apartment and smaller houses environments. Their easygoing attitude and versatility among other characteristics are some of the things they are loved for.
Goldador pros and cons
What are the pros of owning a Golden Retriever Lab mix dog? Goldadors are among the best family pets for children of any age. Golden Retriever Lab mix dogs are friendly in temperament and typically tend to live at peace with other pets. Another advantage of having a Goldador is that this designer dog mix is great for active people who like to exercise. Goldadors are willing exercise partners. Mixed dogs often have a better health than purebred dogs. Goldadors generally don't have any major health concerns. Another pro to owning a Goldador is that they are easy to groom. Golden Labs are easily trained due to their high-level intelligence and natural desire to please the owners.
What are cons of owning a Goldador? Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever Mix dogs could be too large for condos and small apartments. People with pet allergies may find that the dog's presence aggravates their allergy. Goldador dogs are not hypoallergenic. Active and full of energy Golden Retriever Lab cross dogs ideally require at least an hour of outdoor activity per day. Not all potential owners have the luxury of time that this dog requires to spend walking and exercising every day. Do Goldadors make good watchdogs or guard dogs? Unfortunately the answer here is that Goldadors are simply too friendly and good natured to make good guard dogs. Goldadors will welcome anyone and as a result they don't have the capabilities of being guard dogs.
Disadvantages of owning a Goldador dog include the amount of shedding that these large dogs produce. Shedding management includes brushing the dog's coat regularly to help remove the dead hair from the dog's coat. Using deshedding tools can make shedding management much more effective and efficient.
Ideal for a vast range of lifestyles and families, the Goldador breed will bring joy to any household. Being a great companion, the Goldador will always be by your side whether they're working, playing or even relaxing. Their loyalty and affectionate behavior to its owners makes them special, hence they are the embodiment of the "man's best friend" phrase. While the many impressive qualities they have make Goldadors a favorite choice for most family pet owners, they don't portray the best match for all.
What is a Golden Lab Mix temperament like?
As hybrid dogs, Goldadors will almost definitely inherit traits from both of their parents, but the traits of one parent may be favored than the other. Biddable and intelligent, the Goldador is quite easy to train even by first-time dog owners, thanks to the obedient character and notorious ease of training in both parent breeds. Extremely sensitive to gestures and tone, you will need to encourage them, give them affection and treats for you to go the extra mile with this breed instead of showing excessive firmness. Due to the ease of being trained, they easily work as natural hunting partners, in therapy and as assistance dogs. They can also be used in missions of search and rescue as well as explosive detection dogs.
Notably, the Goldadors have been preferred as prime choice pets by many families. They were initially bred to maintain the endurance and physical strength of the Golden Labrador while still retaining the easy-going, affable nature of the Golden Retriever.
You will ideally need to have a fenced backyard for the dog to play, combined with daily outdoor activities lasting not less than an hour. Whether you just enjoy long walks during the day or you are just an avid hunter, your Goldador will enjoy doing many things with you. Golden Retriever x Labrador dog loves games toys and swimming. It shouldn't, therefore, be hard to find a busy activity to keep him engaged.
Goldador coat colors
Although Goldadors don't have an extensive range of colors like other breeds, Golden Labs are likely to have coats in a certain selection of colors that include black, liver, chocolate, various shades of cream and various shades of gold.
Do Goldadors shed?
Goldador dogs produce a significant amount of shedding that can be managed by frequent brushing, using a deshedding tool sush as the FURminator deshedding brush and feeding the dog a healthy diet that helps to support healthy coat and skin. While it is normal for Goldadors to shed a lot, check out helpful tips on Goldador shedding management.
Goldador lifespan
What is the life expectancy of Goldador? Although Golden Retriever and Lab mix dogs have a risk of developing a few health conditions, Goldadors can survive to between 11 and 14 years. To ensure your Golador lives a long and healthy life, regularly take him to the vet for a medical checkup and provide him with high-quality food as well. In case of any health issue, this helps to diagnose and treat it early enough to offer the best outlook for your Goldador.
How big is a full size Goldador?
Being large-sized dogs, Goldadors are not ideal for small condos and apartments. Although the size of hybrids could show more variance than the pure parent breeds, the height of Goldadors can range from 22 to 24 inches, with a weight range of 60 to 80 pounds when they attain an adult age of 18 months. This is because they are large dog breeds and grow slower than smaller ones.
Growing slowly is merit such that it prevents the Goldador puppy from developing a hip dysplasia later in life, a condition that most dogs are susceptible to, and it makes the dogs' hips to remain in the hip sockets. This joint is not able to form correctly when a puppy grows too quickly, making a dog susceptible to the condition as it grows. Always ensure you feed your dogs with foods rich in glucosamine and low in calcium.
Goldador size variations
Goldadors most often have a standardized size, but some breeders may attempt creating Mini Goldador puppies by simply crossing Miniature Retrievers and standard Labrador retrievers. These varieties usually have short, low-maintenance coats that resemble the Labrador coats more. But this isn't always guaranteed, as they could inherit medium-long coats between the Golden and Labrador Retrievers.
Goldador Pedigree
Being a purebred cross between a Labrador retriever and a Golden Retriever, the goal of breeders became successful in creating a social and highly trainable dog breed that has excelled in a variety of roles as well as being a family pet from multipurpose working dog. Since the Goldador parents had all these traits, their offspring fitted to this bill perfectly!
While most Goldadors are the first-generation cross, there also exist multigenerational crosses as well. However, in spite of the hard word work being performed by breeders to produce perfect breeds, and the fact of their parents being pure breeds, it's unfortunate that the Goldador is yet to be recognized by the American Kennel Club, which makes them not eligible for pedigree papers and registration. But even without these there are ways of ensuring your puppy has been perfectly bred. The fact that Goldadors are hybrids, a reputable breeder will always guarantee this by showing you the parents to be somehow sure about their traits and behavior.
Goldador Diet
Naturally, the Goldadors are generally healthy. To maintain this, you will have to ensure they live a healthy lifestyle. This is done by ensuring their nutrition is standard and well-balanced. Dry food, as advised by most experts are preferred as they prevent your Goldador from oral health problems associated with wet foods, while they offer the required nutrients. You just need to select a renowned brand of Kibble as the main part of the diet for your Goldador.
Being an active dog, your Goldador will need kibble food that contains ingredients that are high-grade. Protein-rich dry foods containing a few fillers such as plant-based proteins or carbs, fortified with vitamins and healthy fats are the best food choice for Goldadors. As mentioned before, large, athletic dog breeds such as the Goldadors require dry food. In addition to the level of their activity and size, always pay attention to ensure the suitability of this food is ideal for puppies and adult dogs at different levels.
The recommended amount of food you should feed your Goldador usually varies depending on recommendations from the manufacturer. But as a rule of thumb, Goldadors need to consume approximately 3.5 to 4.5 cups of kibble on a daily basis. To reduce any chances of bloat, you ought to divide this meal into two.
Goldador Exercise Needs
Being more active than other dog breeds they will need at least two hours of exercise each day. If they get bored, their intelligence and high level of activity could make them form destructive behaviors. Therefore, to ensure everyone remains happy, devote 2 hours to your Goldador each day, or else hire a dog walker to do the job.
In case you don't enjoy walking a lot, you shouldn't worry. There are many outdoor activities you could enjoy with your dog. It will even be better if you have children, as you will give them the responsibility of playing with the dog as you keep a close eye due to the energetic nature of this dog.
History of the Goldador
Although no specific time has been mentioned as to when the Goldador was first bred, its first breed was for sure created a long time ago, but it clearly came to the limelight about a decade ago. Since the Golden and Labrador Retriever parents have been well known since the early 1990s, it is assumed that crossbreeding could have occurred in an unorganized fashion during the same times without a mention. With an obvious appeal, these gentle and beautiful creatures combine superb characteristics of a companion breed plus the trainability and utility of a service dog.
Extremely attuned to those who handle them, and with very keen noses, Goldadors have recently become very sought after for various emergency services in sniffer roles as well as in search and rescue missions. Their calm gentleness, patience, and demeanor make them well suited as therapy dogs.
Goldador health
First-generation crossbreeds of Goldadors that results from mixing the Labrador retriever and Golden retrievers ought to be much healthier than their parents. A few health issues could be avoided by choosing a reputable breeder as well as visiting a vet regularly once you acquire the puppy. Also trying to know the health issues of the Goldador parent breeds could be of assistance.
Crossbreeding is known to prevent inheriting of hereditary diseases and conditions usually associated with parent breeds. This doesn't always guarantee success. Getting healthy puppies from a reputable breeder could be the only way of preventing your Goldador from becoming sick.
Although the Goldador crossbreed is a dog with a lower risk of cancer and hip dysplasia, there are a few issues that are likely to be passed on from the purebred parents. These include:
Cataracts
Diabetes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
To maintain the overall well-being and health of your Goldador, it's very important to always ensure that food and water are readily available for your Goldador without overfeeding. Completely dry food with essential vitamins and nutrients is recommended.
Golden Retriever Lab mix temperament
Talking of a hybrid's temperament in descriptions that are definitive isn't easy. For your Goldador, however, the temperament can best be described as enthusiastic, happy, family-oriented and hardworking. Being very dedicated to their families and owners, Golden Labs will always be eager to please, making it training them pretty easy. As such, harsh tones and forceful training methods will prove to be counter-productive.
Goldadors are excellent exercise partners are they will always participate in activities you like. This could be swimming, walks in a dog park, playing with toys and also enjoying other kinds of games - as long as they get outdoor activities at all times, it's all good.
Although the Goldador is a huge dog breed, they are loving and gentle and play a lot with kids. But when little children are involved, it's important for you to have a watchful eye. When the Goldadors are socialized early enough, they will peaceful fit living with other pets. Due to their friendly kind of character, the Goldadors are not ideal choices as being guard dogs or watchdogs.
Potty Training a Goldador
Once you get your new Goldador puppy at home, one of the most important and first things you need to do is train him to potty at the right place. Being an intelligent dog breed, be sure he will not give you a hard time training. Here are the training steps you should follow:
Identify the dog's toilet area
First, identify an area outside the house or a place with washable floors where your puppy will "poo and wee". At this particular phase of potty training, you need to restrict your puppy to the selected area. Each day, ensure you take your pup to the potty area as many times as possible. Endeavor to do this during the following times:
After the Goldador puppy wakes up
After the Golden Retriever Lab mix puppy eats
After the Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever mix puppy has played
Any time the Goldador puppy's bladder seems full
Supervising your Goldador puppy
You can contain or supervise your puppy as his bladder fills up. This can be achieved by cuddling the pup in your hands or crating him for just a few minutes. The cuddling option is recommended for the first few days when the puppy is still very little, and then you can gradually introduce the crate having settled and become used to his new home.
Watch your puppy closely during the first days to know how frequently he needs to relieve. But normally, young puppies are not able to hold their bladder for long and are likely to pee every 30 minutes to one hour. Depending on your Goldador puppy progress, you could adjust this up or down.
Any time you see your puppy going round in circles, sniffing the floor, or going to place he had previously soiled, open the door and take him outside to the toilet area.
Secrets to successful outside toilet trips for your dog.
As a common puppy problem, Goldador puppies are reluctant to go out to pee. The key here is accompanying him to the potty area, and be there until Golden Retriever Labrador mix puppy is done relieving himself. After the Goldador puppy is done with the business, don't stay outside for long. This will avoid confusing your Goldador, as he may associate the act of going outside with other activities apart from pottying.
After your Goldador puppy has learned to potty in the spot you selected, it's now time to introduce a command whenever your pup goes to potty. This could be, "Go potty!" after the pup relieves himself.
Rewarding the success of your Goldador puppy.
When your pup relieves himself, and after introducing a command as discussed above, ensure to praise your puppy and reward him with treats such as chicken pieces. By doing this, the puppy will learn very quickly as he will associate relieving himself in that particular area outside your word with a positive experience of receiving a reward. Every time after your Goldador pottys, utter the command described above in a praiseful manner.
Eventually, you will just have to open the door whenever your Goldador needs to relieve himself, and he'll run to the spot and do the business happily.
Ensure to ignore any accidents of messing on the house floor when the young Goldador is learning. Don't even dare to rub Goldador's the nose on the pee. Due to the intelligent and friendly nature of this dog, he doesn't also like harsh commands. This will only make potty training the Goldador even harder when he loses trust in you.
Training the Goldador
Though the Goldadors are intelligent and ideal for families with children, you will absolutely need to devote sufficient time to grain them. Discussed below are some tips you can follow to train your Goldador effectively:
Start training a Goldador early
When you start the training process early enough, it will be easier for all who are involved. Goldador parent breeds were initially bred for the purpose of carrying things. This makes the offspring to be so mouthy and is likely to pick up unnecessary things. The habit of being mouthy needs to be stopped when Goldadors are still young. This will avoid them from putting their mouths on other people as they mature and become stronger. To ensure your Goldador fulfills his desire of being mouthy without picking up your shoes or other important belongings, just ensure they have a lot of toys at their disposal that you've allowed them to play with.
Using Positive Reinforcement when training Golden Retriever Labrador Mix dog
Being sensitive types of dog breeds, the use of positive reinforcement techniques during the training process is best recommended for Goldadors. In case you punish Golden Labs or use harsh tones on them, Goldador dogs will end up fearing and mistrusting you, which will reduce their respect for you, hampering the training process even further.
At any given time, when your puppy obeys you and does what you want, always praise him. Set up particular rules that your Goldador needs to follow and reward them for doing so, even for minor issues such as waiting for you to open the door so that they can run outside.
Train a Golden Retriever Labrador Mix dog in a quiet environment to improve the dog's focus
Puppy classes will definitely be a fun way of socializing your Goldador pup with other different dogs. But since the Goldador puppies are easily distracted, this would not be the best environment for them. Just choose a quiet place for them to learn.
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