Lab And Golden Retriever Mix

How Much Exercise Does A Goldador Need

The Golden Retriever excels most when exercised for at least an hour every day, as does the Lab. Some Labs can get away with 45 minutes of exercise, but you still need to dedicate a good chunk of time to their physical fitness.

This tells us that the Goldador needs lots of exercise too, as it does have seemingly boundless energy. Try to exercise your Goldador for at least 30 minutes per day, but if you can do 45 to 60 minutes, thats preferable. Some estimates even say the Goldador needs two hours of exercise a day, but that might be too much for certain dogs.

Goldadors dont mind intense exercise, and incorporating playtime into their exercise routine is also good. You should ideally have lots of yard space for your Goldador to run, so no apartment dwellers, please. The constrained size of an apartment also doesnt work for the Goldador considering this is such a large dog.

Its a good idea to tire out your Goldador a bit first before putting them on a leash for a walk. They might pull on the leash in their excitement and exuberance for being outdoors. Since the Goldador is heavy, theyd be the one in control, not you. Besides walking, running with your Goldador in a fenced-in yard is good exercise, as is taking your pup to a dog park.

If your Goldador doesnt get enough exercise, they may begin acting out. Make sure that besides providing physical challenges, you mentally challenge your Goldador with treat puzzles and toys.

Exercise & Living Conditions

The Goldador will need at least 60 minutes of intense exercise every day. If you cannot commit to this high level of activity, you should either pick another dog breed or hire a dog walker. Traditional working dogs, which both of his parents are, need daily exercise without fail. And without it, he will become unruly and problematic.

Unfortunately, this is a big reason why both of his parents end up in rescue centers because people come to realize that they cannot provide them with the exercise that they need. The Goldador doesnt stay a cute and cuddly Andrex puppy forever, and hell soon grow up to be an energetic workaholic.

When he is a puppy, his exercise shouldnt be too intense, because you need to protect his joints from heavy impact as he develops. Instead, stick to long walks and swimming. As he becomes more sturdy, he makes a great jogging partner, frisbee catcher, or agility course participant.

The Goldador has an intelligent brain, and as such, you need to vary his exercise routine. Hell quickly become bored with daily walks. Especially if you dont take him swimming or to the local doggy park to catch up with his friends.

He also needs daily playtime in the yard to keep his mind stimulated. You can join him in his fun and games, or you can leave him to it if he has plenty of toys to entertain himself with. But being a needy pooch, hell be much happier if you join in the fun.

Feeding A Golden Lab Mix

The ideal diet for a Labrador and Golden Retriever mix is the one that contains lots of proteins, fat, wholesome carbs, and essential vitamins and minerals. You should find high-quality food for large breed dogs and feed your mix two times a day and avoid free-feeding.

Please note, Goldadors have enormous appetites and will eat everything that is offered to them, which puts them at risk of obesity. Hence, dont overfeed your dog and dont give him table scraps if you want to keep him at an ideal weight.

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What Does A Golden Labrador Look Like

She is a large dog weighing 60 to 80 pounds and standing 22 to 24 inches tall. She usually has a square shaped head that is flat with a wide square muzzle. Her ears are floppy and hang down and her eyes are oval in shape and usually brown. She most often has a black nose and her coat is usually a double coat, short and thick on top and dense and soft underneath. Length is medium to long and colors range from gold, red, yellows, browns and black.

Meet The Parents: The Parents Breed History:

Parent 1: A brief history of the Golden Retriever parent a purebred dog

The Golden Retriever originated in Scotland, at the end of the 18th Century.

In 1868, Lord Tweedmouth, a British Aristocrat, wanted a loyal and hard-working gundog to retrieve waterfowl while hunting on his estate in Scotland. So he crossed a wavy-coated yellow retriever with a Tweed Water Spaniel and produced 3 Golden-coloured Retriever puppies.

Fact: the Tweed Water Spaniel is now an extinct dog breed.

Lord Tweedmouth mixed this new breed Retriever with an Irish Setter dog to breed the recognized Golden Retriever dog breed.

In 1903, the Golden Retriever dog breed was registered by the UK Kennel Club, and they quickly became popular as family pets and show dogs.

The Golden Retriever breed was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1925 and now ranks as the 3rd most popular dog breed in the United States.

Parent 2: A brief history of the Labrador Retriever parent a purebred dog

The Labrador Retriever is the best-loved and most popular dog breed in the world!

It has a solid- color double coat in one of 3 colors pure black, chocolate brown, or yellow. Whatever the coat color this is just a good looking dog breed for any level of dog owner or family member.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Province, in Canada, provided this hunting and retrieving dog with its name the Labrador Retriever .

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How Do You Care For A Goldador

Exercise needs

The Goldador is both energetic and intelligent, and bores easily. It will need at least one hour of daily exercise building up 2 hours a day in adulthood, therefore not suited to any dog owner who cannot provide the space or opportunity to have this level of activity. They will love to play chase, fetch, with Frisbees and throwing toys, in dog parks chasing other dogs and swimming.

Feeding

They have a big appetite, and can be greedy this must be controlled. Feed as a medium to large-sized dog depending on activity level. Split portions, average 3-4 cups of kibble, dry formulated food per day, to prevent bloat and encourage to eat slowly, possibly using a slow feeding bowl.

Grooming

This mixed-breed dog has a dense double coat that sheds moderately, but twice a year it will shed more as the season changes. It requires regular brushing, at least 2-3 times a week is recommended.

Bathing

This dog loves water and is a good swimmer when allowed, but should only be bathed when required as their coat has a water-resistant texture and its natural oils would be stripped through excessive washing. Certain dog formulated shampoos have a double effect of cleaning while protecting its coat against fleas and insect bites.

Cleaning teeth, nails and ears

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Health And Care

Lab and Golden Retriever mix puppies are likely to inherit known genetic health issues from either dog parent.

This is what makes your choice of Goldador breeder so important.

A reputable and responsible breeder will make sure that their breeding dogs are tested for all known health issues to avoid passing those conditions to future litters of Golden Lab mix puppies.

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The Golden Retriever Lab mix lifespan is likely to be between 10 and 12 years because both the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever share that life expectancy range.

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Reasons Why You Should Get A Golden Retriever Mixed With Lab

Friendly and Affectionate NatureThe cross-breed between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever produces an offspring that is affectionate and loyal. They have a playful and happy nature that theyll interact with anyone they meet. They are one of the best family dogs for children. The Golden Lab Retriever Mix can be a devoted family pet and can offer you years of companionship and unforgettable memories.

The Goldador is also good with other animals, especially if you raised them together. They are also alert enough, but not competent to be guard dogs.

Low Maintenance GroomingThe Golden Retriever Mix is a relatively low maintenance dog, so you dont have to worry much on grooming problems. A good brush twice a week would suffice to remove loose hairs and to keep him in a fresh condition.

Easy to Train

Training a Goldador is easy because theyre intelligent and loves to be around people. Its an easygoing dog that loves to please its owners. It is also very active so training this hybrid dog for advanced tricks would be a lot easier than with other dogs.

Grooming Of The Golden Lab Mix

The Labrador Golden Retriever Labrador Lab mix needs a lot of grooming especially during the spring and fall times. They are replacing their winter coats and summer coats and oftentimes they have a double coat thanks to the Labrador Retriever. There will be a lot of hair on everything during that time of year, so you will differently need to brush them several times a day during that period of time.

During the summer and winter, their shedding will slow down from the flood of hair to a manageable amount of shedding. So you could go at least a few days to a week before needing to brush them again.

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Where To Find A Goldador Puppy

Although its a designer dog, Goldadors arent excessively pricy. You may spend between $400 and $600 for a Goldador puppy. When selecting a breeder, always do your research. Make sure the breeder has actual Goldadors rather than Labs or Golden Retrievers masquerading as Goldadors. Please skip the puppy mills, as the conditions these dogs are kept in are poor and their health may be as well.

Finding Black Lab Golden Retriever Puppies

The Goldador mix is quickly growing in popularity across the world. It mixes two of the most popular dog breeds out there. If youre keen to get your hands on a black Goldador puppy, make sure you speak to breeders to find out which color Lab theyre breeding from. Youll need a black Lab parent to achieve a black Goldador puppy, as this is where they will get the dominant black coat gene from.

The price of black Goldador puppies will vary. Some breeders may list them cheaper than golden puppies, since they are usually less popular. But, prices can also vary depending on the pedigree of the parents, your location, and demand for puppies. Generally, you should expect to pay somewhere between $800 and $2000 for a black Goldador puppy from a reputable breeder.

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How Much Grooming Is Needed

She has moderate grooming needs and will need brushing each day to remove loose hairs and keep her coat looking healthy. She does shed so you will need to clean off your furniture now and then, and your clothes of course! Bathing is really just as needed though do give her a rinse off in fresh water after she goes swimming. Also make sure you dry her ears after a swim as she is prone to ear infections. Check those ears once a week and clean them by wiping.

She will need her teeth brushing once a day preferably but three times a week at a minimum. Toe nails also need clipping perhaps once maybe twice a month. Just take care as dog nails have nerves and blood vessels in them. You cannot cut too low.

Golden Retriever Lab Mix Grooming & Care

Although they have thick double coats, Golden Lab mixes are moderate shedders and wont fill your house with loose hair. However, regular grooming is still necessary and you should brush your mix three times a week with a curry brush. Your mix will shed more during the shedding season at which time youll have to brush him every day.

When it comes to bathing, do it once every two months or as needed to keep your Goldadors coat clean and shiny. For bathing, use only dog-approved shampoos that wont dry up or irritate your dogs skin. Furthermore, be sure to rinse your dog any time he goes swimming to prevent skin infections.

The rest is basic care and includes regular teeth brushing, nail clipping, and ear cleaning. The Goldador can be prone to ear infections due to its floppy ears so make sure to check and clean the ears weekly. And whenever in doubt, take your dog to the vet who can show you how to clean your dogs ears at home.

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Labrador Mixed With Golden Retriever Health Problems

As mentioned earlier, a Golden Retriever crossed with Lab is infamous for having health issues just like its parent breeds. However, as living animals, it is still prone to get diseases if the dogs health is not maintained in good condition.

While none of these are guaranteed to happen to your Golden Lab Mix, its wise to look out for them if you want your dog companion to be healthy and happy. Heres a list of some of the common health issues seen in a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever:

Getting The Best Out Of Labrador Cross Golden Retrievers

• Labrador cross golden retrievers need a lot of exercise, otherwise, they get restless
• Dont underestimate their intelligence just because they dont always want to do what youre asking them to do, doesnt mean they dont understand you
• They generally have the food drive and motivation of a Labrador, so are fun dogs to train
• You can very quickly teach them tricks and behaviours, just as quickly as you can teach them bad habits, so be careful what you are rewarding
• Introduce them to water because they love to splash about!
• They should be brushed two or three times a week and properly groomed in moulting season

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Training And Exercising Your Golden Retriever Lab Mix

Both the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever come from strong working dog backgrounds.

As Retriever group dogs, the Lab and the Golden are both accustomed to a high level of daily activity and exercise and a high level of interaction with people.

This means that regardless of which parent dog your Goldador puppy may take after, you can count on bringing home a smart, eager, active and social pup who will need plenty of ongoing socialization and training from day one.

Your Goldador training regimen should include lots of exposure to new people, new places and new situations so your dog grows up to be a poised and calm member of the greater community.

Also, a word of caution: Goldadors will likely possess a strong prey drive because of their hunting and retrieving background, so you should be sure to keep other vulnerable family pets far out of harms way.

For help with other aspects of training, take a look at our potty training and crate training guides.

Food And Dietary Requirements

You may find, that like other Labradors, your dog is extremely food oriented, and will often attempt to charm scraps of food out of your hands or off the table these delightful dogs will do anything for a tasty reward.

Ideally, your Golden Retriever Lab Mix needs to eat three cups of kibble each day.

This should be split into two meals to avoid the possibility of gastric torsion developing, as this is common in Labradors.

Dry, wet or raw, it is all just as tasty for this dog breed .

Labradors are known to have sensitive stomachs so it is best to try to feed one type of food consistently.

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Activity Level And Temperament

Bred as hunting companions, labs and goldens are members of the sporting dogs group. They were designed to be active with their human partners all dayswimming, running, and of course, retrieving game. This means that theyre best suited to an active lifestyle. Theyre both ideal breeds if you enjoy jogging, walking, and exploring.

Both goldens and labs are highly intelligent dogs and excel in different roles, working as service dogs, guide dogs, and search and rescue dogs.

One thing to keep in mind if youre considering adding a retriever to your family: these breeds are not particularly good guard dogs. While their friendly demeanor makes them exceptional family pets, it also makes them less of a threat to intruders.

Labs and goldens are family dogs to their core, and they want to spend time with their favorite people. They dont do well when left to their own devices and will need a trusted pet sitter or dog walker to help out if youre not available during the day.

So with all these similarities, how do you choose? Hopefully, this guide solves your debate between a Golden retriever vs. Labrador retriever.

No matter which breed you choose, youll be gaining a lovable family member. And nothing beats that.

What Health Problems Do Golden Retriever & Lab Mix Have

Despite the many benefits of owning a Goldador, there are some drawbacks. Both Labs and Golden Retrievers have several health problems that can potentially be passed to their Golden Lab puppies.

Here are some of the common health problems Goldadors may have:

• Elbow and hip dysplasia. As previously mentioned, this is a malformation of these joints that results in the bone not being in the joint properly.
• Cruciate ligament injury. Another health problem that Goldadors can run into is cruciate ligament injury which involves the knee joint on the hind leg.
• Eye problems. This mixed dog is prone to several eye problems, including progressive retinal atrophy which can lead to blindness.
• Diabetes. In dogs, this disease requires regular blood sugar level checks and may need insulin injections as well.
• Hypothyroidism. This condition is hereditary and causes the thyroid to slow down which leads to low energy, weight gain, and hair loss.
• Skin conditions. Ear infections and skin allergies are among two of the most common skin conditions that your Goldador may experience. In the case of allergies, you should always have them tested to be sure its not a preventable food allergy.
• Obesity. If you feed these dogs too much and exercise them too little, then theres a good chance that they will become obese. In dogs, obesity can lead to a higher incidence of elbow and hip dysplasia, and cruciate ligament injuries, which makes it even more necessary to control your Goldadors weight.

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