When it comes to designer pets, a Corgi Golden Retriever mix is one of the most unique dog breeds. Also known as Corgi Retriever or Golden Corgi, this pooch has qualities borrowed from both parent breeds. They come with both the English royalty that a Corgi commands and the classic American gun dog image of a Golden Retriever. Due to the mixed heredity, you need a complete guide to fully understand these Fidos.
What Is A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix? This is a cross between a Golden Retriever and Corgi. They are double-coated with a solid or combination of colors and can weigh up to 75 lbs with a lifespan of up to 13 years. Standing at about 18 inches, Corgi Retrievers are bold, protective, and fearless.
Nevertheless, these furry babies are prone to diseases such as hip dysplasia and IVDD. It is also possible for a Golden Corgi to grow overweight if fed on the wrong diet. In this post, we will look at not just the right nutrition and how to groom your canine, but we will also answer important FAQs about Corgi Retrievers. Before we get to that though, let’s define how a Corgi Golden Retriever Mix looks like.
What Does A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix Look Like?
Golden Corgis draw their traits from their parents. Just to give you an overview of what to expect, here’s how a Corgi and a Golden Retriever look.
Corgi
- 9 to 12 inches in height
- Up to 30 lbs in weight
- Fox-like head
- Long body and short stubby legs
- Medium-length hair, sometimes long-hair
- Upright and pointy ears in the Pembroke, upright and more rounded in the Cardigan
- Oval-shaped and dark eyes
- Docked tail for the Pembroke Corgi and a long tail for the Cardigan Corgi
Golden Retriever
- 21 to 24 inches tall
- 55 to 75 lbs in weight
- A broad head
- Long body and long legs
- Triangular-slanted eyes
- Straight or wavy fur
- Floppy downturned ears
- Fluffy tail
Back to a Corgi Golden Retriever mix, your doggie will either take after the Golden Retriever side of the parent, the Corgi side of the parent or have mixed features from both sides.
Your pooch will have a double coat, a characteristic of both Corgis and Golden Retrievers. The coat is short and straight, medium, or wavy. Expect your pup’s coat color to be either solid or a combination of brown, golden, fawn, tan, red, black, and white.
If the legs are short, they will not be as short as a Corgi’s. It is possible to tell the length of the legs as soon as a puppy is born.
There are no standards set as to how big Corgi Golden Retriever Mix get. Even so, your pooch will weigh somewhere between 30 to 75 lbs and stand about 10 to 18 inches tall.
Common Health Problems Of A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix
The lifespan of a Corgi Golden Retriever mix is between 10 to 13 years.
However, Golden Corgis are predisposed to the same health problems that affect their parents, some of which can greatly reduce the lifespan of your furry companion.
For a Golden Retriever Corgi mix, you should be aware of the following health problems from both parents.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia happens when the thigh bone does not properly fit into the hip joint. The condition can get worse with obesity and lack of exercise. Signs to look out for include decreased activity, limping, and reluctance to use hind legs.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
PRA is an eye problem where the function of the retina gradually declines. Earlier in the condition, a dog loses night vision then the day vision deteriorates as the disease progresses. There is no known PRA cure but you can work with your vet to ensure that your Golden Corgi stays safe.
Von Willebrand’s Disease
This is a hereditary blood disorder that inhibits blood clotting. It is characterized by spontaneous and prolonged bleeding. With no cure yet, severe symptoms are treated with blood transfusions.
Other problems from either the Golden Retriever or the Corgi side include Intervertebral disk Disease (IVDD), Degenerative Myelopathy, Cataracts, Subvulvular Aortic Stenosis, and Hypothyroidism.
While it is not given that your puppy will inherit all or any of the above health disorders from the parents, it is important to get the parent breeds’ health clearance documents before taking your pup home. The documents show that the dogs used for breeding have been tested and cleared for certain health issues.
Further, early screening for various conditions is key in ensuring that your pup lives a fulfilled life.
How To Take Care Of A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix
Taking care of your Corgi Golden Retriever mix entails regular health check-ups, proper nutrition, and exercise. We will also address grooming later.
Regular visits to the vet will help you keep track of your furry companion’s health and catch any problems early enough. Nutrition and exercise, on the other hand, are a daily affair:
Nutrition
Golden Corgi mixes have a tendency to become overweight if they are overfed or if they are given food that is not balanced. Nevertheless, the food needs to cater to their high energy levels.
Dog food, like Pet Plate, not only takes care of all your pooch’s nutritional needs but also aids in better digestion. The food also contains immunity-boosting supplements, like salmon oil and taurine. Additionally, the food comes with natural toppers that appeal to even the pickiest eaters.
Exercise
Exercise keeps your dog from becoming obese. At a healthy weight, your canine companion will avoid stressing hip and elbow joints which can lead to arthritis. Also, exercise helps to keep away IVDD, a condition in which your doggie’s intervertebral disc ruptures or slips, leading to back problems.
It is worth noting that the risk of IVDD is heightened in overweight dogs, long-bodied dogs like the Corgi, and large breeds of dogs like the Golden Retriever.
Luckily, you can significantly reduce the risk of IVDD by combining proper nutrition, 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day, and glucosamine supplements. When supplemented, glucosamine has been proven to counter disc degeneration, the main symptom of IVDD. Doggie Dailies Glucosamine works with other 5 ingredients to keep your dear Fido’s joints healthy for maximum comfort and mobility.
Does A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix Shed As Much As The Parents?
Just like both parents, a Corgi Golden Retriever mix sheds a lot. This calls for regular brushing of your furry companion’s coat. Additionally, bath, nail clipping, ear care, and dental care is paramount. Below are some tips on how to go about it:
Coat Grooming
Coat grooming evenly distributes natural oils on your doggie’s coat to keep it healthy and lustrous. Also, it helps to get rid of loose hair while giving you an opportunity to thoroughly examine your pooch.
With Dakpets pet grooming brush, you are guaranteed to reduce your furry friend’s shedding by up to 95%. The brush features an ergonomic rubber handle and a detachable stainless steel comb that you can use on its own in hard-to-reach places.
Since Corgi Golden Retrievers shed all year round, you should brush your Golden Corgi between 2 to 3 times every week. During spring and fall, however, the shedding increases, necessitating a daily brushing.
This also means dog hair will be all over the place, right? Luckily, you will find the help of the TaoTronics HEPA Air Purifier very timely. The air purifier rapidly and efficiently removes 99.97% of airborne particles such as smoke, pollen, dust, and pet hairs to keep your home environment clean and healthy.
Bathing
Your canine buddy requires a bath once in a while and at your discretion. While at it, ensure that you use a good dog shampoo to avoid damaging the coat or irritating the skin.
Nail Clipping, Ear Care, And Dental Care
Clip the nails of your Fido once or twice a month or when they look too long. Also, check for wax build-up, pests, and debris in the ears and use dog-specific ear solution to clean them. Finally, brush its teeth daily or at least twice per week.
Temperaments Of A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix
When it comes down to the temperament of the Corgi Golden Retriever mixes, it is worth taking a look at the temperament of their parents. So what does each parent bring to the table?
Corgi
Corgis are protective, faithful, and fearless furry friends. The breed was originally developed to help in herding cattle. As such, the modern-day Corgi still retains the personality of a working dog. Today though, these Fidos have acclimatized to being cheerful family pets.
At home, they are high-spirited and involve themselves in almost every activity around them. One minute they will be playing with their toys and, in the next, helping you cook. They pack so much energy in their small bodies that they can play with everybody in the family and not tire.
Golden Retriever
In the standard, Golden Retriever’s temperament is described as kind, confident, and friendly. Originally the breed was kept to track and retrieve downed wildfowl during hunting.
Without much hunting going on today, Retrievers are good at fetching things around the house, including your mail and paper. The breed also scores major points for being very trainable. They are the go-to breed for rescue operations as well as emotional support.
The Corgi Golden Mix
With this in mind, a Corgi Golden Retriever mix has a combination of the above personality traits. Generally, though, they are active, playful, and very affectionate.
In the face of strangers, they position themself between you and the perceived threat, ready to attack. A friendly and intelligent nature also makes Golden Corgis perfect for families with children, both young and older kids.
Related Questions
How Much Does A Corgi Golden Retriever Mix Cost? The cost of a Corgi Golden Retriever mix varies widely depending on the size of the puppy, coat color and type, availability of puppies, and the breeder’s reputation among other factors. Drawing from the cost of the parent breeds, and the fact that the price is not standardized, you can buy a Golden Corgi at anything from $500 to $3,000.
Are Corgi Mixes Healthy? Corgi Mixes are generally healthy dogs. However, they are genetically predisposed to the health problems of their parents. Their health is, therefore, dependent on responsible breeding, timely vaccination, and regular health check-ups. Additionally, proper nutrition, exercise, and grooming help to counter the risk of contracting or worsening some of the health problems associated with Corgi Mixes.
How Smart Are Corgis? The Corgis are smart. They can learn a new command within 5 to 15 repetitions and follow a known command on the first attempt. Generally, it takes the average dog between 25 to 40 repetitions to learn a new command and a 50% success rate in obeying a known command with the first attempt.
