10 Golden Retriever Mixes Who Make the Best Pets

Golden Retrievers have a reputation for being one of the friendliest, most go-with-the-flow, and all-around wonderful dogs in the world. When they’re mixed with other beloved breeds, you get a dazzling blend of personalities, appearances, and characteristics — all with a Golden heart. 

If you’re curious about Golden Retriever mixes and wondering which ones make great family pets, jogging buddies, snuggle partners, or all of the above, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll meet 10 Golden Retriever mixes who make the best canine companions.

Why Golden Retriever mixes are good dogs

Golden Retriever mixes often combine the famously friendly, outgoing traits of the Golden with a range of unique, wonderful characteristics from the other parent breeds. These dogs tend to be highly social, loving, and adaptable companions who thrive in a variety of homes. Let’s look at some of the top reasons Golden Retriever mixes are such good dogs.

• Intelligent and eager to engage: Thanks to the Golden’s high intelligence and desire to learn, many Golden mixes are quick to pick up on new cues, making them great for play-based learning, puzzle games, and socialization training. 

• Great with kids and other pets: Golden mixes often inherit gentle, social temperaments that make them well-suited for multi-pet households or families with children.

• Adaptable in different environments: Whether a house with a yard in the country or a cozy city apartment with nearby parks, these mixes often adjust well to a range of living situations — as long as they get daily mental and physical enrichment, and companionship.

• Beautiful, diverse looks: From fluffy to sleek, cream to tri-colored, Golden mixes come in a wide variety of coat types and colors, often with a signature feathered tail or longer coat. 

• People-loving and social: These pups really thrive in social settings and enjoy outings, meeting new people, and being included in family activities. They rarely like being left out and love curling up on the couch or tagging along for errands. 

• Reliable temperament: Goldens are well-loved for their balanced demeanor. Many mixes inherit this cheerful, steady energy that makes them ideal for both first-time and experienced pet parents. 

Golden Retriever mixes

Below, we’ll delve into the traits, characteristics, and care requirements for 10 of the best Golden Retriever mixes.

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 1. Golden Shepherd (Golden Retriever–German Shepherd mix)

Golden Shepherds are as intelligent as they are devoted, watchful, and affectionate. These brainy pups often have the alert expression of a German Shepherd and the golden fluff and friendly body language of their Retriever parent. They tend to have the body structure of a Golden Retriever with the facial features of a German Shepherd, and may have partially perked to fully upright ears. They love structured activities such as agility or long hikes, and tend to be quite social once their more wary German Shepherd side has a moment to warm up to strangers.

Traits

• Energy level: High. With their working-breed Shepherd parent, these pups thrive with 90 minutes to two hours per day of walks, active and high-intensity play, and plenty of puzzle games or scent training.

• Grooming needs: Expect to brush these high-shedding dogs daily, especially during the fall and spring.

• Size: 55 to 80 pounds, and 22 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder 

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2. Goldador (Golden Retriever–Labrador mix)

The goldador is a friendly, affectionate, and sociable mix that blends two iconic breeds, the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever. These dogs are eager to be part of everything, tend to get along well with children, love water, are great with other pets, and thrive when they’re part of the family. Goldadors typically come with cream, golden, yellow, red, chocolate, or black coats, which may be short to medium-length and often feature tail feathering.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium to high. At least 60 minutes daily of play, exercise, and walks are needed for this active mixed breed. And for most Goldadors, water sports are the name of the game. Hikes, puzzle toys, and agility are also great activities.

• Grooming needs: Both parent breeds can shed quite a bit, so expect to brush your Goldador pal at least three times per week to keep shedding in check and their coat free of tangles or mats, especially during the shedding season. 

• Size: 55 to 90 pounds, and 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder

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3. Goberian (Golden Retriever–Husky mix)

Vocal, energetic, and adventurous, Goberians bring out the best traits of their Golden Retriever and Husky parents. These gorgeous dogs often sport a fluffy coat, sporty build, bright expression, and sometimes piercing blue eyes. They can come in a range of coat colors, and some have the upright ears of their Husky parent. These dogs often have a lot of stamina, are deeply devoted to their family, and love outdoor activities and brain games. Make sure to socialize them well with small pets at a young age, because some may have a stronger prey drive.

Traits

• Energy level: High. Some Goberians will need about two hours of daily walks or runs, agility training, hikes, or high-intensity play in the backyard. 

• Grooming needs: Their thick double coat requires near-daily brushing, especially during the fall and spring.

• Size: 50 to 75 pounds, and 20 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder

Megan Betteridge/ Goldendoodle

4. Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever–Poodle mix)

One of the most popular Golden Retriever mixes, the Goldendoodle combines the social, loving nature of the Golden Retriever with the high intelligence and curly coat of the Poodle. Goldendoodles are renowned for their sociability, eagerness to learn, and outgoing personalities. They thrive in active homes where they are deeply integrated into family activities.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium to high. They enjoy about an hour of physical activity per day, spread out through walks, playing in the park or yard, training in agility, or flexing their intelligence with puzzle toys.

• Grooming needs: Most Goldendoodles inherit a wavy to lightly curly coat. Although you don’t need to worry about much shedding, it’s still important to brush them at least once per week with a slicker brush and comb to keep their wavy coat free from tangles. Trimming every four to six weeks helps manage their coat length and keeps hair out of their eyes.

• Sizes: 50 to 90 pounds, and 20 to 24 inches tall (standard-sized Goldendoodle). 30 to 50 pounds, and 17 to 20 inches tall (medium-sized). 15 to 35 pounds, and 14 to 17 inches tall (mini).

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5. Golden Pyrenees (Golden Retriever–Great Pyrenees mix)

The Golden Pyrenees is a Golden-hearted gentle giant. This magnificent mix often combines the calm, protective instincts of the Great Pyrenees with the affectionate, social nature of the Golden Retriever. These dogs often have super thick, fluffy coats, a huge stature, and a watchful, devoted presence. Make sure to socialize these pups well from a young age, because their Pyrenees side can exhibit a bit of wariness around strangers.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium. This mixed breed enjoys about an hour per day of walks and yard time, but they also love lounging, observing their surroundings, and just being near their people and other animal companions. 

• Grooming needs: Their dense, double coat requires brushing several times per week to prevent mats and manage their heavy shedding. 

• Size: 75 to 110 pounds, and 24 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder

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6. Golden Aussie (Golden Retriever–Australian Shepherd mix​)

This intelligent, energetic mix brings together the social nature of the Golden with the brilliance and agility of the Australian Shepherd. Golden Aussies are playful, eager to learn, and happiest when they have lots of daily enrichment. This mixed breed definitely does best in an active household where they can receive plenty of companionship, exercise, mental enrichment, and fun training sessions.

Traits

• Energy level: High. Golden Aussies need about two hours per day of structured exercises, agility, games, and enrichment to stay happy and balanced physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

• Grooming needs: Their medium-length, moderately shedding coat benefits from brushing at least twice per week, especially during the shedding season. 

• Size: 45 to 70 pounds, and 19 to 23 inches tall

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7. Coltriever (Golden Retriever–Border Collie mix)

A loving and ultra-smart combo, the Coltriever is a fan-favorite among pet parents who love to teach tricks, go on adventures, or spend weekends exploring in nature. This Border Collie and Golden Retriever mix is often sweet-natured, attentive, extremely smart, and highly devoted to their family.

Traits

• Energy level: High. Coltrievers need about two hours per day of exercise, play, and mental enrichment. Make sure to break up this time throughout the day to consistently meet their needs. These pups are happiest and healthiest with lots of physical activity, brain games, and people time. 

• Grooming needs: Most have medium-length, feathered double coats that need brushing about twice per week to keep clean and tangle-free. 

• Size: 40 to 65 pounds, and 18 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder

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8. Golden Corgi (Golden Retriever–Corgi mix)

This delightful low-rider is about as charming as they come with their long body, short legs, feathered coat, and bright, friendly expression. These canine cuties tend to feature the body of the Corgi with the coat type and facial features of a Golden Retriever. Social, adventurous, and cheerful, the Golden Corgi is full of personality in a compact, cuddly package.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium. Golden Corgis should enjoy about 45 minutes of daily walks and playtime, but don’t need hours of high-intensity exercise. With their little legs and elongated back, it’s best to break exercise down into a few short bursts throughout the day to protect their joints and spine. 

• Grooming needs: Brush these dense-coated pups two to three times per week, and you’ll keep their coats clean and healthy. 

• Size: 30 to 50 pounds, and 10 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder

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9. Golden Cocker (Golden Retriever–Cocker Spaniel mix​​)

Sweet-as-pie, gentle, and endearingly goofy, the Golden Cocker is a charming mix between two famously friendly breeds, the Golden Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel. These pups are the perfect canine companions for laid-back and social families, or anyone looking for a pup who offers a balance of being playful and snuggly. The Golden Cocker often features a lovely blend of both parent breeds’ features, showcasing a golden, feathered coat, long, fluffy ears, a dished, rounded head, and the sweetest eyes.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium. Golden Cockers are typically happy with about 45 minutes to an hour of playtime and exercise per day. They often enjoy scent games, walks, swimming, and fetch.

• Grooming needs: Depending on their coat length, they may need brushing at least three times per week and trims once per month to keep their ears and paws neat and clean. 

• Size: 35 to 55 pounds, and 14 to 18 inches tall at the shoulder 

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10. Golden Pit Bull (Golden Retriever–Pit Bull mix)

Confident, loving, athletic, and enthusiastic, the Golden Pit Bull combines the stocky build, people-loving nature, and exuberant personality of the Pit Bull with the Golden-colored coat and adaptable nature of the Golden Retriever. These big-hearted dogs are extremely devoted to their family and do best when people are often home.

Traits

• Energy level: Medium to high. These pups can have a lot of energy, but levels can vary, since Pit Bulls can be highly active, absolute couch potatoes, or a mix of both. Expect your Golden Pit pal to need about an hour (or potentially more) of exercise, play, and mental enrichment each day to thrive. Speaking of, these pups are often champions at tug-of-war.

• Grooming needs: This mixed breed often sports the shorter coat of the Pit Bull, so you may need to only brush them about once per week to keep them healthy and clean. Golden Pits who feature a longer, feathered coat will need more consistent brushing. 

• Size: 40 to 75 pounds, and 16 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder

Adopting a Golden Retriever mix

If you’re interested in welcoming one of these adorable mixes into your life, adoption is a wonderful way to go. Shelters and rescue organizations frequently have Golden Retriever mixes waiting for their forever homes.

You might not find the exact Golden Retriever mix that you had in mind. But with some searching, you’re bound to find a buddy who will fit your lifestyle and bring love, joy, and adventure to your home. Adopt a Pet allows you to search by breed, size, age, location, and other canine characteristics. 

Commonly asked questions

How big do Golden Retriever mixes get?

How big Golden Retriever mixes get will vary. Depending on the other parent breed, Golden Retriever mixes can be more than 100 pounds.

Which Golden Retriever mix does not shed?

The Golden Retriever mix who does not shed much is the Goldendoodle, thanks to the Poodle’s low-shedding coat.

Are Golden Retriever mixes healthy?

Yes, Golden Retriever mixes tend to be quite healthy thanks to the increased genetic diversity of mixed-breed dogs. 

How long do Golden Retriever mixes live?

Golden Retriever mixes often live 10 to 15 years. 

What is the best mix with a Golden Retriever?

The best mix with a Golden Retriever depends on the traits a pet parent is looking for. For an endearingly sweet mix who is also highly active and super-smart, look for a Coltriever or Golden Shepherd. For a more laid-back mix, consider adopting a Golden Cocker. 

References

Jade Fountain, Eduardo J. Fernandez, Todd J. McWhorter, Susan J. Hazel, The value of sniffing: A scoping review of scent activities for canines, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 282, 2025, 106485, ISSN 0168-1591, doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106485.

Why is enrichment important for dogs? (2023, May 5). kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/why-is-enrichment-important-for-dogs.