The Border Collie – Golden Retriever is a famous mixed breed dog. They are often called Golden Collie, Coltriever, Golden Border, and Gollies. They are loyal, intelligent, hardworking, very energetic, and make good family pets. When Border Collie is mixed with Golden Retriever, the result is a loving, friendly dog that is eagerly waiting to please. They need owners who are ready to spend quality time with them. Things like appraisals and a vast backyard to play will make these Gollies very happy. So, if you are looking for a dog that can be suitable for all weather conditions, then Golden Retriever – Border Collie would be the right choice. Pet owners of Gollies should be energetic to keep them engaged to maintain their physical and mental stimulation.
Gollies are large dogs used basically for rescue and search, guarding, guiding, retrieving things, chasing, and herding.
Table of Contents
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
Highly energetic and intelligent
Prone to separation anxiety
Excellent exercise partners
High grooming needs
A loyal, loving and adorable family pet
Hunting and herding instincts make this Coltriever unsuitable for the house with small children.
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Mix Basic Information
Name: Border Collie – Golden Retriever
Height: 21 – 24 inches
Weight: 30 – 75 pounds
Coat: Double coat, dense, bristly or silky, and wavy.
Color: Black, brown, yellow, pale, white, and chocolate.
Energy: High
Activities: Herding, guiding, guarding, sporting, retrieving, and companion.
Other Names: Golden Collie, Gollie, Coltriever, Golden Border, Golden Border Retriever, Golden Border Collie.
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Comparison
Features
Golden Retriever
Border Collie
Origin
Scotland, United Kingdom
Britain
Height
21 to 24 inches
Male: 19-22 inches, Female: 18-21 inches
Weight
55 to 75 pounds
Male: 30-45 pounds, Female: 27-42 pounds
Size
Medium
Large
Group
Sporting Dogs
Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Breed Type
Purebred
Purebred
Children Compatibility
Medium to high
High
Family Compatibility
High
High
Pets Compatibility
Low to medium
Average
Barking Level
Medium to high
Low to medium
Shedding Level
Medium to high
Medium
Hypoallergenic
No
No
Grooming Needs
Medium to high
Medium
Overall Health
Low to medium
Medium to high
Energy
Medium to high
High
Exercise Needs
Medium to high
High
Trainability
Medium to high
High
Activities
Fetching, hunting, running, and swimming
Walking, running, and agility training
Complication in Breeding
No
No
Litter Size
4 to 12 puppies
4-8 puppies
Life Span
7 to 12 years
12-15 years
Other Names
Goldens
Scottish SheepDog, Welsh SheepDog, and English SheepDog.
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Personality
Like any other mixed breeds, Border Collie – Golden Retriever Mix combines the physical traits of both the parent breeds. Therefore, it may look much like a Border Collie or a Golden Retriever with minor changes depending on the dominant genes.
Border Collie Golden Retriever’s body is sturdy, with a straight topline that starts from the neck and ends at a bushy tail. They bear a long face, almond-shaped eyes, a long snout, floppy ears but short and pointed at the edge as a Border Collie, fore, and hindquarters suitable for swimming and running. Your Gollies may have webbed feet and rudder-like tails like their Golden Retriever parents. Also, they are extraordinary swimmers, and so you can use them to retrieve waterfowls.
Thanks to their parental genes, they have dense, double-coated fur, either silky, wavy, or bristly, and can adapt to any weather conditions. In addition, their coat comes in a wide range of colors – black, black-white, yellow, golden, light to dark brown, pale, chocolate, red, tan, and white with some markings on chest and face. They are not hypoallergenic and are medium to high shedders.
Friendliness Overview
Affectionate with family
High
Kid-friendly
High
Dog friendly
Medium to high
Friendly towards strangers
High
Adaptability Overview
Adapting to new owner
Medium
Adapting to apartment living
Low to medium
Sensitivity level
High
Tolerates being alone
Low
Tolerates cold weather
Medium
Tolerates hot weather
Medium
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Temperament
Gollies are lovable, intelligent, playful, clingy, loyal dogs. Border Collie – Golden Retriever makes a great combination as a family pet. Due to their clingy nature, you can find them right next to you all the time. Early socialization is essential to ensure a smooth relationship. Both Border Collies and Golden Retrievers cannot tolerate being left out. Since Gollies are a mixture of these two breeds, they will also naturally suffer from separation anxiety.
Gollies are high-energy dogs, and they should be kept occupied, or they may become aggressive and destructive. If some Golden–Border mixes take traits from Border Collies, you may find them alert and sensitive. Though they can be good with kids, their herding, and hunting instincts, causes harm to a household with little children. Gollies love to dig and get dirty in the mud. Try distracting him from the muddy areas. So, keep an eye on your pet if you have a garden, when you take him to dog parks, or for walks.
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Training
Border Collie – Golden Retrievers love their pet owner, making the pet owners train them efficiently. They are compassionate, so you should take care not to scold or punish them. Gollies are timid. It is better to provide socialization as early as puppies. Gollies can also be given agility training. Since they have mental traits from both breeds, they will excel in any agility. You should provide training to control excessive mouthing, herding, and hunting. Gollies bark if they are suspicious about something and alert you when somebody is at your gate.
Border Collie – Golden Retrievers love positive reinforcements and will excel when they are praised for achieving tasks. They can perform well in dog sports too. Along with socialization, training for potty and crate can make the pet owners very comfortable in handling their pets. By providing crate training, your pet will understand that they should not be clinging to you all the time. This can make them self-dependent. Potty training is necessary to avoid pet peeing or pooping anywhere and everywhere.
Trainability Overview
Easy to train
High
Intelligence
High
Potential for mouthiness
Medium to high
Prey drive
Medium
Tendency to chew, nip & play-bite
Medium
Tendency to bark or howl
Medium
Potential wanderlust
Medium
Attention/Social needs
High
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Exercise Needs
Exercise schedules of Gollies may include walking, outdoor, and indoor game sessions to keep them physically and mentally stimulated. However, you need not restrict their exercise requirements to walks. They can be a great partner in activities like hiking, cycling, jogging, running, and walking. Also, they can have a fusion of game sessions as well. For example, a Border Collie is good at chasing, and a Golden Retriever is good at fetching. So, a mixed breed puppy of these breeds can be suitable for running and bringing frisbees and for disc dog games.
Gollies are not ideal for apartment living. They need a lot of space to tread on. Ninety minutes of the walk can be good for Golden Borders. However, some Gollies require 180 minutes of physical exercise to burn off their energy. Regular walks will keep them away from obesity and boredom.
Exercise Needs Overview
Energy level
High
Intensity
Low to medium
Exercise needs
High
Potential for playfulness
High
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Grooming
Your Border Collie – Golden Retriever requires extensive grooming. Since they are pretty moderate shedders during shedding seasons, brush their coats with a solid bristle brush. This avoids shedding and prevents their skin from getting matted or tangled. Bathe them once or twice a month and whenever they go swimming or pick up dirt. Clean their ears and keep them damp-free to prevent ear infections. Regular brushing of their teeth avoids tooth decay and gum infections. Trim their nails once every four to six weeks. It is better to keep them dry after bathing to counteract any skin infection. A visit to a professional groomer once in a while can help you understand more about grooming these kinds of mixed breed dogs.
Grooming Overview
Amount of shedding
Medium
Drooling potential
Medium
Easy to groom
Medium
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Health
Coltrievers are generally healthy. However, they may be prone to some health issues that are found in both parents.
Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition in which the thigh bone would not fit into the hip joints. X-ray screening for hip dysplasia can be done in the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. It is challenging to breed dogs with hip dysplasia. Do not buy a puppy without asking the breeder for proof that the parents have been tested and are hip dysplasia-free.
Elbow Dysplasia: Elbow dysplasia occurs when the bones of the elbow joint don’t align properly. This misalignment causes abnormal pressure at the joint, leading to chronic rubbing, resulting in severe osteoarthritis. Symptoms include
Mild to moderate pain
Lameness in the forelimbs
Although the symptoms begin to show as early as four months of age, some dogs will not show these signs until later in life. Further, the disorder may also injure both the elbows, but one of them may be heavily affected.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: An eye disorder that causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eyes. It can be detected earlier. A very later stage is blindness. Dogs with this condition can survive for several years since they have other senses to compensate.
Canine Cataracts: The cloud-like spots on the eye lens are a symptom of cataracts. Dogs might suffer from vision impairment.
Sub Valvular Aortic Stenosis: This is common in dogs. A condition in which the connection between the left ventricle and aorta narrows.
Collie Eye Anomalies: This genetic condition seen in Border Collies causes eye issues and blindness. This problem occurs when the dog turns two years old, and unfortunately, there is no treatment for this anomaly. The disorders include:
Choroidal Hypoplasia: This is an abnormal growth of choroids.
Coloboma: This is a flaw in the optic disc of the eyes.
Staphyloma: Thinning down of sclera
Retinal detachment.
Cerebellar Abiotrophy is an inherited neurological disease that affects certain dog breeds like Brittany Spaniel, Kerry Blue Terrier, and Rough-coated Collies. Symptoms include goose-stepping, falling, muscle tremors, and being unable to nurse, to mention a few.
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis is an inherited disorder especially seen in Border Collies, that causes neurodegenerative lysosomal disease. It is seen in cats, dogs, sheep, goats, humans, and cattle. The condition can show symptoms like change in gait, posture, muscle twitching, and even cause premature death.
Anesthesia Sensitivity: Some Border Collies are sensitive to anesthesia. Hence, before adopting a Border Collie, it is better to check with the breeder and inform your vet accordingly.
Osteochondrosis of Knees and Shoulders: The condition of improper cartilage growth in the elbow, knees, and shoulder joints. The stiffness of the joints makes it unable to move or bend its elbows and knees. Osteochondrosis can be detected in puppies as early as four to nine months. Overfeeding of formulas causes this disease.
Allergies: Golden Retrievers are usually allergic to various substances which involve food to pollen. If your Golden is licking his paws or rubbing his face, get him checked by your vet immediately.
Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus: A life-threatening condition that affects deep-chested dogs like Golden Retrievers, especially if they have an overfed meal, eat rapidly, drink excessive amounts of water, or exercise vigorously after eating. Gastric Dilation Volvulus leads to bloating in the stomach. Your dog cannot vomit to get rid of excess air in his stomach, and blood flow to the heart is prevented. Blood pressure lowers, and the dog goes into shock. Without immediate medical attention, the dog may die. Suspect bloat if your dog is drooling excessively and is not throwing up. He might be restless with rapid heartbeats. If you notice the above symptoms, take your furry friend to the doctor as soon as possible.
Epilepsy: A brain disorder that causes seizures. In most cases, there is no cure for epilepsy in dogs. Therefore, dog owners should maintain a seizure-free environment.
Von Willebrand’s Disease: A hereditary blood disorder that conflicts with its clot ability. The chief symptom is excessive bleeding after injury or surgery. Other symptoms include nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or bleeding in the intestines or stomach. Unfortunately, there is no proper treatment for this condition, and a blood transfusion from normal canines’ blood is the only treatment.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Since they are clingy to humans, they may have this psychological disorder. They may feel disowned if left alone or suffer from depression due to separation anxiety.
Deafness: This can be a genetic disorder seen in Collies, and there is every possibility that the mixed breed pup gets inherited.
Hypothyroidism: Imbalance in the thyroid gland causing epilepsy, loss of hair, obesity, lethargy, and patches on the skin.
Hemangiosarcoma: A dangerous type of cancer that occurs in the blood and spleen.
Osteosarcoma: Bone cancer is malignant, common in large and giant breeds like the Golden Retrievers. Your Gollies may inherit it from the parent breed.
Cancer: In canines over the age of ten, cancer is the prime cause of mortality. Golden Retrievers are highly susceptible to cancer. However, if diagnosed early, one can rectify half of all the malignancies in one’s dog and his mixed breed puppy.
Symptoms of cancer
Unusual discharge from the mouth, eyes, ears, or rectum
Weird odors emanating from the mouth, ears, or any other part of the body
Lumps and bumps underneath a dog’s skin
Non-healing wounds or sores
Changes in appetite
Lethargy or depression
Evidence of pain
Changes in bathroom habits
Abdominal swelling
Sudden and irreversible weight loss
Coughing or difficulty in breathing
Health Overview
General health
Low to medium
Potential for weight gain
Medium to high
Size
Medium
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Diet and Nutrition
A high–quality dry dog food that is allergen sensitive and rich in omega – 3 is recommended. With all other points, it is equally important to take care of your dog’s diet intake as that has a vital role to play in the dog’s metabolism. Feeding them 1 to 2 cups of dog food divided into two meals would be sufficient. Care should be taken that dogs are not left with the food on their plate all day long. This might cause them to gain weight leading to obesity and diabetes. It is recommended to contact your vet and check if your dog’s daily nutritional needs are met. While it is two times a day for adult breeds, it is three times for Gollie puppies.
Border Collie – Golden Retriever Living Condition
They are unsuitable for apartment living since they need a lot of space—a house with a vast backyard that is appropriately fenced.
They are unsuitable for families with smaller breeds or children.
Not suitable for a household where they are left alone for long hours. They can suffer from separation anxiety and become destructive, biting furniture and turning berserk.
Thanks to their Golden Retriever genes, they are double coated and can tolerate any weather conditions.
Things to Remember Before Breeding Border Collie – Golden Retriever Mix
They shouldn’t be left alone for long hours.
They are moderate to heavy shedders and will need high grooming requirements
They are high–energy dogs, and dog-owners will have to dedicate some time to meet their exercise requirements.
Mixed breeding may pass on the health issues of the parents to their puppies. So, when crossing a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever, check their lineage and health records from a responsible breeder to avoid ending up with a weak hybrid pet.
Adding a Border Collie – Golden Retriever Mix to Your Family
