The Golden Retriever Corgi mix is a unique mixed breed dog that comes from two of the most-loved breeds worldwide: the purebred Golden Retriever and the purebred Corgi.
Both of these breeds are characterized by friendliness, loyalty, intelligence, and cuteness, making them amazing family pets for everyone.
But does this necessarily mean that mixing these two breeds will result in a great companion dog?
The Golden Retriever Corgi mix is a fun option to consider, especially if you’re a fan of designer breeds. Still, while they can make wonderful pets, they still have some unique care requirements and needs.
Creating designer breeds is a controversial topic on its own. Many dog breeders argue that this practice ruins the bloodlines of purebred dogs. Other animal experts point out the importance of hybrid vigor and adding new genes to the pool.
So, what about the Golden Retriever Corgi mix? Is getting this crossbreed a good choice? Let’s find out!
Golden Retriever Mix With Corgi
The Golden Retriever Corgi mix is a newer generation mixed breed. This means that it wasn’t until recently that these dogs were intentionally bred and sold. Despite this, their exact origin is fairly unknown.
As for the Corgi parent, this dog breed originates from Wales, where they were kept as herding dogs. This ancestry is the reason behind their short legs, elongated body, and a lack of tail in some Corgis.
Until the 1800s, all Corgis were considered to be one breed. However, now it’s considered that there are two Corgi breeds: the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Throughout this article, unless stated otherwise, we’ll be talking about the Pembrokes.
In the early 20th century, Corgis moved from the field into people’s homes. The fact that Queen Elizabeth II has kept dozens of Corgis inside Buckingham Palace during her reign only helped increase the breed’s popularity.
Just like Corgis, Golden Retrievers also originate from the UK, Scotland, to be precise. They are a mixture of several ancient breeds, such as the Irish Setter, Tweed Water Spaniel, Bloodhound, and Yellow Retriever.
These pups were bred to handle the harsh terrain of the Scottish Highlands, and they were used as hunting dogs and working dogs.
In the 1840s, Mr. Dudley Marjoribanks began breeding Golden Retrievers as we now know them. He also helped bring the breed inside our homes.
Today, Golden Retrievers are among the most popular family dogs and service dogs out there. In fact, they hold third place on the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) list of most popular dog breeds!
It comes as no surprise that people have wondered what would happen if you mix these two dog breeds together. This is how the Golden Retriever Corgi mix came to be.
What Do You Call A Golden Retriever Mixed With Corgi?
The Golden Retriever Corgi mix is a hybrid breed, and as such, it isn’t recognized by the AKC or any other purebred kennel club. Still, it can be found under many names.
Some of these include the Corgi Golden Retriever, the Golden Corgi, and the Corgi Retriever. Still, most people will simply refer to them as Golden Retriever Corgi mix dogs.
Do Corgis Get Along With Golden Retrievers?
One question that you’ve probably never thought about is whether Corgis even get along with Golden Retrievers, let alone whether they are compatible to mate.
Overall, Corgis like to be the boss of the house, and this can make them somewhat tricky to get along with many other dogs. While they love making new friends, they’ll hate having their dominance questioned.
Fortunately, Golden Retrievers aren’t overly dominant dogs. Most of them will gladly allow their Corgi companion to be the one in charge, as all they want is to play and have a good time. While male and female GSDs have their differences, their even temperament is shared by both.
This is especially the case when two dogs are of a different gender. Two females might not get along that well, no matter what breed they are.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix For Sale
Before we get to the characteristics of this crossbreed, you should know a thing or two about purchasing this dog breed.
If you’ve tried looking for a Golden Retriever Corgi mix, chances are you’ve seen a lot of offers with different prices and descriptions. There are a few reasons behind this.
Puppies can be found at several types of breeders. Registered breeders, backyard breeders, puppy mills, and pet shops are the most common places you’ll see. What’s the difference?
Puppy mills are places where they have one female dog or even more and then try to get as many puppies as possible in the shortest amount of time. They serve as nothing more than a place for ‘producing’ puppies.
This means they don’t really care about the well-being of the puppies and parent dogs alike. If you purchase from a puppy mill, your new pet has a greater chance of experiencing behavioral and health problems.
Pet shops, while great for providing supplies for your dog, are not a good place for buying puppies. This is because they get their dogs from puppy mills.
Backyard breeders are unregistered breeders. These are usually people who have ended up with an unwanted litter that they have decided to sell.
While they offer their dogs at a fairly low price, most of the time, these people don’t really know what they’re doing and how to take care of small puppies. This might also result in an unhealthy pet.
Registered breeders are typically the best option when you want to become a Golden Retriever Corgi mix owner. These people charge a fine sum for their puppies, but there is a reason behind that.
All reputable breeders will conduct various health tests on their dogs. They’ll do all they can to ensure the puppies they sell are healthy and well-adjusted. Many will begin training and socialization while the puppies are very young, so you won’t have many problems with this later on.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix Price
While mutts usually cost way less than purebred dogs, with designer mixed breeds, these prices are known to skyrocket. This is because designer mixed breeds are the result of intentional crossbreeding, while mutts are usually considered to be accidental.
Since the cost of Corgi is very high – you’ll hardly find these pups for less than $1,000 – you might be worried about the price of its crossbreeds.
Fortunately, the Golden Retriever Corgi mix isn’t that expensive. These dogs usually cost between $600 and $1,000. However, as they’re very hard to find in some areas, they might end up being more expensive than that.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix Puppy
To get a Golden Retriever Corgi Puppy, breeders usually mate a male Corgi with a female Golden. Switching the genders isn’t recommended. As Retrievers are much bigger than Corgis, birthing large puppies could be a problem for a smaller mother.
While very young, it can be challenging to distinguish the difference between these pups and purebred ones, but as soon as they are a few weeks old, you can already predict to an extent how these puppies will look.
Keep in mind that the younger the puppy, the more it will cost. This is because you can mold young dogs to your requirements, and the older the puppy, the less impact you’ll have on its behavior.
Still, we wouldn’t recommend purchasing puppies younger than 8–12 weeks, as separating them from their mother at such a young age can lead to behavioral problems.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix For Adoption
If you don’t feel like paying a large amount of money, or you want to choose a more ethical option, you might consider adopting your Corgi Retriever.
While this is the best option for some, you should be aware that it comes with several downsides.
First off, when you adopt, you don’t know the dog’s history. Maybe he’s been abused by a previous owner, or he used to be aggressive towards certain animals or people. While this isn’t a reason not to adopt, it’s something you should be mindful of.
Also, you don’t know the dog’s genetics. Such a pup might suffer from various genetic issues, and you don’t have a way of knowing that upfront, unlike in scenarios where parent dogs are tested for diseases.
If you can deal with these two issues, then there is no other reason why you shouldn’t adopt your Corgi Golden Retriever puppy.
When you adopt, the only thing you’ll pay is the adoption fee, which can be as low as $50.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix Appearance
photo from @paisleypetsalon
When informing yourself about the Golden Retriever Corgi mix, what you’re probably most interested in is the appearance of such a pup.
If you look up the Golden Retriever growth chart, you will see that this is a medium-sized dog that grows to be 21–24 inches tall and weighs around 60–75 lbs. It’s mostly recognized by its dense, lustrous golden-colored double coat – the reason behind the breed’s name.
Another trait of the Golden Retriever is its broad head with intelligent and friendly eyes, floppy ears, and straight muzzle.
As for the Corgi, this depends on the breed type to a certain extent. A few things that are common to both Corgi breeds are their short stature and that the body is longer than it is tall, just like Dachshunds. Both have erect ears and a fox-like muzzle that gives them a very cute appearance.
As the Golden Retriever Corgi mix can look like any of its parents or a mix of both, we’ll explain in a bit more detail below.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Golden Retriever Mix
When people mention Corgis, they usually imagine Pembrokes. This is the cute dog with a fluffy, tailless butt that you see all over the internet!
Pembroke Corgis are somewhat shorter than Cardigans, so their Golden Retriever crossbreed tends to be a small-sized dog. They have a medium-length double coat that comes in yellow, red, fawn, sable, or tri-colored.
Some of these pups might even look like Golden Retrievers with short legs!
While they can vary in size, most of these pups will be smaller in height but still larger than regular Corgis. They might or might not have a tail. Some dog breeders prefer docking the existing tails, but this is illegal in some areas.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi Golden Retriever Mix
Cardigans are about an inch larger than Pembrokes, but they are still long dogs on short legs. Still, some of the biggest differences are their long, fluffy tail and many possible coat colors. These pups can come in all shades, even including rare patterns such as merle or brindle!
Cardigan Welsh Corgis might also come with blue eyes, so many people might think they are close relatives to Siberian Huskies, but this is usually the result of the merle gene that causes heterochromia.
The crossbreed of a Cardigan Welsh Corgi dog and a Golden Retriever would look more or less similar to the crossbreed with a Pembroke, but these pups will always have a tail. Also, the chances of a litter being gold in color are very slim.
Because this crossbreed usually doesn’t have many Golden Retriever characteristics, it is very rare, and most people avoid mixing the two breeds. This is why, further in the article, we’ll only be discussing the Pembroke Corgi Golden Retriever mix.
Corgi Golden Retriever Mix Temperament
Just like their parent breeds, Golden Retriever Corgi mix dogs are silly and spunky dogs filled with love. While they vary in weight from 30 to 75 lbs, all will think they are lapdogs. You’ll have a very difficult time making them get off you!
These dogs love to cuddle and snuggle alongside their owners. They will hate being left alone, and they might even get separation anxiety if you’re away from home for too long. This is why they might not be the best choice for people who work most hours of the day.
Some Golden Retriever Corgi mix dogs might inherit herding instincts from their Corgi parents. This might make them nip your heels or even attempt to round up the kids.
To prevent this annoying and harmful behavior, you should train your Golden Corgi from an early age. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be too hard – both parent breeds are very intelligent and people-pleasers. They’ll do anything their owners want from them!
Keep in mind that Corgis can be stubborn dogs. They might not always be eager to listen, and some will prefer to do things their own way. This can make training a bit more challenging.
Still, with a lot of positive reinforcement, patience, and love, you can teach your Golden Retriever Corgi mix to be a well-behaved family dog.
These dogs might be tricky for first-time dog owners as they can be very playful and easily distracted. They will fill your time with silly antics, but this can be kept under control with proper training.
As for how well they’ll handle other pets – this depends on the individual dog. Golden Retrievers are very friendly dogs that will love everyone! They likely won’t mind any new family members or dogs at the dog park.
In fact, their friendliness makes them fairly bad watchdogs, unlike dogs like the German Shepherd or even a tiny Chihuahua! Suppose you have an intruder – a Golden Retriever is more likely to try to get them to pet him or to play a game of fetch than to attack or bark at them.
On the other hand, Corgis can be territorial and demanding. They’ll want all the attention to be on them, and they’ll fight for it. This can also make them somewhat unfriendly towards strangers, but this will rarely last for too long. Corgis, too, prefer having playmates over constant arguing.
One thing you should be wary of is the high energy level these dogs have. Both parent breeds love to play, and they can spend a large portion of the day running and jumping around.
While this makes them excellent companions for older children, it can make it difficult for owners to keep up with them. These dogs require a lot of physical and mental stimulation to keep them from getting bored – and once they get bored, they might become destructive.
Still, if you know how to deal with their high activity levels and their occasional love of mischief, you’ll likely have no issues owning this hybrid breed.
Coat Type And Grooming
The Golden Retriever Corgi mix has a double coat that consists of a thick undercoat and a longer outercoat. Like most other dogs with double coats, these pups will experience large amounts of shedding, so you can expect to spend a lot of time grooming and brushing your pooch.
If you’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog, then look elsewhere, as this isn’t the dog for you. With a high amount of shedding, dog dander is likely to get everywhere! If you have problems with dog allergies, you should look at some Poodle crossbreeds instead.
These pups will need an occasional bath, especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors (as they should). To keep their fur healthy and shiny, you should use only high-quality dog shampoos.
Even if they have long fur, it won’t require cutting unless you want it. Occasional trimming of the tips, though, is quite common, especially if you plan on having a show dog.
Just like all other dog breeds, regularly trimming their nails ensures they don’t split and crack. While this problem might sound silly, it can cause a lot of pain for a Golden Retriever Corgi mix.
Also, you should clean their ears regularly. In fact, it might be a good idea to have your vet check their ear lobes from time to time. This will ensure they don’t get an ear infection, something common in dogs with floppy ears. Dog ear plucking can help you prevent this from happening.
Training And Exercise Needs
First and foremost, all dogs, no matter their size, need to be trained. Still, the difficulty of the level of training will depend on the pup’s temperament. If your dog has inherited the Corgi’s stubbornness, you might spend more time teaching him how to behave.
Luckily, both parent breeds love to please their owners and to make them proud. If you know how to use this to your advantage, training them will be quite straightforward.
Keep in mind that both the Goldie and the Corgi are very sensitive dogs. They won’t handle harsh corrections well, so you have to be smart and tactful. If you make them hate training time, you’ll never be able to teach them anything.
No matter how difficult your dog is, you should never yell or be physical with them. Also, don’t punish your dog when he doesn’t do something the way you wanted him to.
Dogs don’t understand scolding the same way humans do, especially if it’s about something that happened in the past. If you have to scold your pooch, do it the moment he does something bad.
If you come home from work and find that your dog did something bad, don’t yell at him at that moment. You’ll confuse him instead of teaching him a lesson.
When it comes to exercise, these dogs have high energy levels that you’ll need to deplete every day. They love to run around and play, and you might feel like they never get tired, especially if they get restless at night!
A daily walk is necessary, although it might be smart to take him out more than once. Also, ensure you have some outdoor fun to keep your pup in shape. This doesn’t have to be anything overboard. A game of fetch or a romp in the backyard should be enough to burn off any excess energy in your pet.
Golden Retriever Corgi Mix Health
photo from @willopillo_corgen
The Golden Retriever Corgi mix is a fairly healthy dog. Like all other designer dogs, they have the advantage of hybrid vigor, ensuring they experience fewer health issues than purebred dogs.
Still, this doesn’t mean that some health concerns aren’t there. Your Golden Retriever Corgi mix might be susceptible to any health issue its purebred parents are prone to, especially if both of them carry the genes for the same disorder.
Most reputable breeders conduct health screenings of their puppies so they can inform you whether there is something you should be worried about. This is why many people prefer buying from them instead of pet shops or even adopting.
Despite this, it is smart to repeat the screening yourself. You can never be too sure when the life of your pooch is in question!
Early detection is key to ensuring your pup reaches its full life expectancy and lives a long and healthy life.
Here are some of the things the parent breeds are prone to and what you need to be on the lookout for:
The Corgi
The Corgi is a dog breed with a fairly long lifespan. It is expected to live between 12 and 15 years. Still, it can be prone to several health conditions, such as:
• degenerative myelopathy
• epilepsy
• elbow dysplasia
• hip dysplasia
• intervertebral disc disease
• lens luxation
• progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
• von Willebrand’s disease
• urinary stones
• obesity
A good way to prevent many of these conditions is to give your pooch only the best dog food out there. Forget about cheap brands that sell low-quality foods. Your Golden Retriever Corgi mix needs to have the best!
Another health problem you should be wary of is achondroplasia. This is a type of dwarfism responsible for the Corgi’s short build. This gene is usually passed onto its offspring, so you can expect your Golden Corgi to have it.
Achondroplasia isn’t dangerous on its own. However, it can lead to complications such as agility problems and overall discomfort.
In fact, if you look at the disease list for Corgis, you’ll notice that most of these conditions are connected with bones or joints, which is just more proof of how achondroplasia can affect canines.
The Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever has a shorter lifespan than a Corgi, as it usually lives 10 to 12 years. This is quite usual for a medium-sized dog, as this is also the life expectancy of a Labrador or Pitbull.
Because of this, the average lifespan of a Golden Retriever Corgi mix is anywhere between 10 and 15 years.
Some of the health issues in Golden Retrievers are:
• eye problems
• hypothyroidism
• mast cell tumors
• osteosarcoma
• seizures
• subaortic stenosis
• obesity
Unfortunately, cancer is very common in Golden Retrievers. As it can be hereditary, it’s important to always buy from a breeder who can ensure you that the Retriever parent doesn’t have any predisposition to this terrible disease.
Also, as both parent breeds suffer from obesity, it’s important to fulfill the exercise needs of your Golden Retriever Corgi mix and to monitor his calorie intake. This will help you have a lively and healthy dog.
Are They Good With Children?
Both the Golden Retriever and the Corgi are very friendly dogs. They are outgoing and love to play, so they are amazing active companions for children of any age!
Still, if you have a child who is no more than five years old, it might be best not to leave them alone with your Golden Retriever Corgi mix. While no Golden Corgi would intentionally hurt a child, accidents can always happen.
It is also important to teach your child how to behave around dogs. Explain to your kid not to touch a dog’s ears, eyes, nose, and anus and not to scream around them. This can upset any dog and make it lash out.
Also, despite their fairly small size, a Golden Retriever Corgi mix can still accidentally knock a child over during playtime.
Some Corgi Retrievers might have their Corgi parent’s instincts, which will cause them to nip at children’s heels or try to herd them. While this isn’t dangerous, it might scare your child.
Because of this, these pups are the best for families with older children.
Are They Good With Other Pets?
While same-sex aggression is common in any dog breed, this will likely be the only occasion when your Corgi Retriever shows any kind of intolerance toward other dogs.
These canines tend to be very friendly and playful with other dogs. As they aren’t as competitive and dominant as purebred Corgis, you can expect them to get along with other pets you might own.
The biggest issue you might see is jealousy. The Golden Retriever Corgi mix will want all the attention to stay on them, and they’ll do whatever possible to make that happen.
Still, because of both breeds’ hunting instincts, never leave your dog alone with a smaller prey animal, such as a rabbit or hamster.
Is The Golden Retriever Corgi Mix Good For My Lifestyle?
While Golden Retriever Corgi mix dogs undoubtedly make amazing pets, they aren’t for everyone. These pups require a lot of attention and care, and some might even consider them a bit clingy.
A Golden Corgi might not be an excellent choice for families with little children, as its herding instincts can get the best of it. Still, they are amazing with somewhat older kids who know how to behave around dogs.
They will likely deal well with other pets, no matter who came first to the household. They can even befriend cats! In fact, they are so friendly that they’ll want to make friends with everyone, including total strangers.
Training them can be a bit tricky, especially if they’ve inherited their Corgi parent’s stubbornness. Despite this, they are people-pleasers, and they’ll do anything to gain attention from everyone, so this can be a nice tactic.
Although it can be challenging to predict the appearance of a mixed breed dog, one thing is certain: This is a dog that will leave an impression!
