An Australian Retriever is a mixed breed dog that’s a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Golden Retriever. Aussie Retriever puppies inherit the best qualities from both parents and may bear a stronger resemblance to the Shepherd or Retriever. The Aussie Retriever is smart, friendly, and loyal to its owner. The average lifespan of an Aussie is between 12 to 15 years. Many Aussie Retrievers are in shelters or with breed-specific rescues. The primary reasons are owners who don’t know how to properly train or socialize their dogs. If you want to add one of these beautiful dogs to your family, please adopt, don’t shop.
Aussie Retrievers are an excellent addition to any family. Aussies are highly intelligent and could be the perfect addition to families with older or younger children. This breed forms loving and long-lasting relationships with the humans that share their lives. These dogs are very active, playful, and love being around children. Australian Retrievers are highly energetic. Their owners have to commit to training, plenty of exercises, and a lot of mental stimulation.
Article Summary
Breed Characteristics Of The Aussie Retriever
Adaptability
1. The Australian Shepherd-Golden Retriever mix is a small, high-energy breed that acclimates well to living in a spacious home with a yard rather than a small home or apartment.
2. Dogs that are sensitive, assertive, and independent thinkers can be more difficult for a first-time dog owner to train. If you don’t have experience with the breed, you may want to work with a dog trainer to learn the basics.
3. Aussie retrievers are a breed that can assess their owner’s mood and don’t do well in stressful situations. These dogs acclimate well to homes with older children and owners who live a quiet lifestyle rather than in a family where things are chaotic. If you have younger children, lead an active lifestyle in a home with a lot of activity, a low-sensitivity dog may be best.
4. Dogs that are sensitive and bond closely to their owners may worry or be close to panic when left alone. Sensitive dogs may bark, whine, howl, or be destructive when left alone. An Aussie retriever fits best in a family where someone is home most of the time.
5. Dogs with short coats or no undercoat don’t tolerate cold weather as well as some other breeds. If you live in a cool climate or where the weather can change quickly, your Aussie Retriever should have a warm coat or the best dog sweaters for the cold weather—the best dog boots would be perfect as paw pad protection for outdoor activities on a cold day. Aussies are accustomed to warm weather conditions. However, it’s a good idea to go slowly with exercise in extremely warm weather and make sure your pup always has plenty of clean water to drink.
This breed can adapt easily to changing weather conditions but it’s essential to always provide your pup with the proper protection from extreme heat or frigid weather. Dogs shouldn’t be left outside in extreme hot or cold weather. Brief periods of exercise for a few minutes are sufficient during extreme spikes in the temperature.
All-Around Friendliness
1. Some dogs are independent and bond more closely to one person. The breed isn’t the only factor in a dog’s friendliness. If a dog was raised in a home with a lot of people, it will feel more comfortable meeting new friends, but still may be closer to one person.
2. Golden Retriever-Australian Shepherd mixes are usually friendly dogs that get along well with adults and kids. Some of the fiercest-looking breeds like Staffordshire Terriers and Boxers may look intimidating but are usually gentle, even around young children—however, some toy breeds may be snappy around kids. Due to their intelligence, even an Aussie retriever that comes from a shelter can be trained to be comfortable around kids. Aussies tend to be protective of their owners and should still be supervised around younger children or new pets until they get accustomed to them.
3. Aussie Retrievers are intelligent, energetic dogs that love a lot of physical activity. This breed loves meeting new friends, loves to romp in the yard with children and tends to be friendly with other pets. Since Aussie Retrievers are dog and people-friendly, they make exceptional family pets. Aussies are often trained to be working dogs and may work as police or herding dogs. Due to the agility and intelligence of this breed, Aussies are often winning competitors in obedience trials.
Grooming And Health Needs
You’ll need to brush the dog’s coat two or three times a week—this will prevent any matting issues that could require a costly visit to the vet or groomers. This breed sheds a certain amount of hair all year round. An Aussie sheds more heavily in the spring. An occasional bath can help during shedding season, but not too frequently. You don’t want your pup to have dry or irritated skin.
Physical Needs
The Golden Retriever-Aussie mix needs food formulated for their activity level and size. As an adult, an Aussie will weigh between 25 and 60 pounds. Your pup should be fed the best dog food high in protein two or three times a day. Free feeding isn’t recommended. Food fillers should be avoided to maintain a healthy weight. Aussies are prone to joint issues as seniors so it’s important to keep their weight under control.
Trainability
Aussies are easy to train, affectionate, intelligent, and have an easy-going personality. This breed needs a positive but firm trainer that established pack leadership to ensure the pup is listening and responding appropriately to commands. Aussies are protective of their human pack and will act out, howl, or bark if they feel it’s necessary.
Australian Retriever Highlights—More Interesting Information About The Breed
The Australian Retriever is one of the newer designer dog breeds. Golden Retrievers were originally bred in Scotland and are in high demand for obedience and agility trials. Australian Shepherds were originally bred in the US as working dogs.
Australian Retrievers aren’t purebred like Australian Shepherds or Golden Retrievers. Aussies are mixed breed dogs. The main colors that the coat of the Australian Retriever comes in are black, brown, and white. Some Aussies can be more golden like their Retriever parent. It’s common for every dog to have their own unique mix of colors and markings. At least an hour of exercise is needed for an Aussie each day. The ideal way for your dog to get exercise is a half-hour at a time, morning and evening.
These dogs love playtime in the yard with the kids, a brisk walk, or a romp with other pups in the dog park. Aussies are typically great with other family pets and children but may try to herd them due to their herding instinct. This breed makes an excellent watchdog and will let its owner know if a strange person or animal is nearby. A well-trained Aussie Retriever flourishes in an off-leash environment where they can run or go for a swim. The ideal home for one of these dogs is plenty of space with a fenced-in yard. They love playing retrieve and fetch games.
An Aussies’ nails need to be clipped frequently—use the best dog nail grinders. Your vet can advise you on how to clip your dog’s nails and how often it should be done. It’s essential to check the paw pads frequently for any signs of injury to the skin when they’re outside. It’s important to brush your dog’s teeth with dog toothpaste and make sure its ears don’t have dirt buildup or signs of any infection.
Australian Retrievers are typically healthy dogs. The breed can develop some of the same conditions that the Australian Shepherd or Golden Retriever develop. Make sure to take your dog for regular checkups. Among the health problems an Australian Retriever can have are:
- Bloat
- Cataracts
- Hip Dysplasia
Australian Retrievers are friendly, affectionate dogs that love being around their human companions. The breed bonds quickly with adults and children in your family and love nothing better than being part of your daily life. Although Aussies love a lot of play and exercise this is a breed that reaps a lot of benefits from training sessions on a regular basis. Training is stimulating for Aussie Retrievers and can benefit dogs that have a tendency to be possessive of their owners. A new owner must commit to training sessions and a lot of socialization at an early stage to make sure their Aussie is well adjusted.
Australian Retriever Rescue Groups
Since Australian Shepherds are a mixed breed, it may be difficult to find one at a local shelter. However, since designer breeds have become more popular in recent years, you can search for Australian Shepherd or Golden Retriever breed-specific rescues or Australian Retriever rescues. They often rescue mixed and purebred dogs.
FAQs
1. What is an Australian Retriever?
Sometimes called Golden Aussie, an Australian Retriever is a mixed breed that’s a cross between parent breeds Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever. The breed was established in California in the 19th-century. Aussie Retrievers are affectionate, sweet-natured, protective dogs that are very intelligent. This breed requires early socialization and training and does well around children and other family pets. The average Aussie Shepherd tends to bark when they hear a noise and should be trained to be quiet when given the command. One of the best reasons to adopt one of these beautiful dogs is that they’re easy to train and develop strong bonds with their owners.
2. Do Aussie Retrievers shed?
Aussie Retrievers shed but no more than the average, double-coated breed. The shedding may be more noticeable if your dog’s coat has more gold and white in it. Double-coated dogs shed more heavily in the spring. Brushing once or twice a week usually keeps the shedding to a minimum. If you bathe your dog, it’s best not to do it too frequently. Your pup’s skin can dry out and lose some of its natural oils.
3. How much is an Australian Retriever?
The average cost of an Australian Retriever is between $200 and $1000. The cost of a new puppy can depend on the breeder and the availability of puppies. The Aussie Retriever is one of the newer designer breeds. Most often, the puppies are first-generation crosses. It’s important to adopt your puppy from a reputable breeder or rescue and not a backyard breeder or puppy mill. Backyard and puppy mill breeders don’t treat their dogs well and have a bad reputation for breeding unhealthy dogs. The best way to find an Aussie Retriever to adopt is to search for Australian Shepherd, Golden Retriever, or Aussie Retriever rescue groups.
4. Is an Australian Retriever hypoallergenic?
Due to the Aussie Retriever’s double coat from its parent breeds, it’s not a breed that’s hypoallergenic. However, weekly brushing and grooming can keep your Aussie’s coat free from tangles and matting. Brushing cuts down on the amount of hair your dog will shed.
