# Golden x Collie Mix



## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

Hey all!

So when we adopted Zelda from the shelter, we were told she was a golden retriever x collie mix (I'm assuming they meant Border Collie). So far she's very golden in her personality and behaviors, such as the chewing and mouthing yuck. I'm just wondering if there are any BC traits I should watch out for? She's 15 weeks right now with the energy of a thousand Quarter Horses. 

Any other Golden x Collie mixes out there?

P.S. The second pic is her with her bff, Pepper.

P.P.S. Don't look at her nose. At 11 weeks she stuck her face in a hole in a fence that was smaller than her face and she couldn't get it back out without a solid tug from me - pretty sure it will stay scarred forever. Sigh.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

"The energy of a thousand quarter horses"...sounds like a Border Collie to me!

You may be pleasantly surprised at how well the young ones can heal. My Golden Boomer had been surrendered to rescue because of a massive staph infection that had scarred his entire face. It took a couple of years, but it all healed and the fur grew in. He turned out to be a handsome boy.

As the owner of a BC/Australian Shepherd mix, I mostly see BC in my dog in terms of his crouching, staring herding behaviors (he's not above a nip to the rear of another dog or a nudge to the cat) and wanting to chase cars. Oh, the car chasing. We're working and working on it! So if you're not seeing that in your GIRL, that's really good. Resource guarding might be another issue and since Goldens can have that, too, you might want to really double down on your training in that area. The good news is that some really great focus can come with the BC genetics--you might have an easier teen transition!

SHE's a cutie and half, isn't SHE!


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

I don't mind the scar, it just makes for a slightly embarrassing story.

Oh, the car chasing! I had to switch to a pinch collar on our walks and that nipped the car chasing for now, but I'm just waiting for the day she takes off after a car anyway. I'm hoping she doesn't get to that point, though. As for resource guarding, I've noticed it once or twice, but nothing major and we work through it. Not many things are high enough value for her to guard thankfully.

She's very food oriented. Bring out the treats and she becomes totally intense and focused, to the point where she can think about nothing else. It makes for easy learning!


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

Yikes, I just realized I called her a he about eight times...should NOT post before caffeine as I am pronoun challenged...will edit ASAP!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Here is Jack, our GR/BC mix. Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn till the end, car chaser, deer and cattle herder, deer poop roller, snow lover, never resource guarding and the sweetest boy. We lost him 7/15/11 at almost 16.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Zelda's adorable and so is her bff Pepper.

Zelda's nose should heal up nicely. My girl scraped up her nose a few years ago and you can't even tell it now. The spot where she scraped it is a bit sensitive though. She sticks her nose through the fence every now and then and it will get messed up again, but it heals up pretty fast.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

On craigslist in my area there are some goldenxcollie pups. I assumed they were rough coat collies I wonder if they are talking border collie. If I had one with those breeds I would look into herding. We have a few people a few hours from us that do herd training.


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

Claudia M said:


> Here is Jack, our GR/BC mix. Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn till the end, car chaser, deer and cattle herder, deer poop roller, snow lover, never resource guarding and the sweetest boy. We lost him 7/15/11 at almost 16.


I am sorry about your loss, *Claudia*. He looks like a very loving boy (even though he was apparently quite the lad!).

NewfieMom


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

Rkaymay said:


> So when we adopted Zelda from the shelter, we were told she was a golden retriever x collie mix (I'm assuming they meant Border Collie). So far she's very golden in her personality and behaviors, such as the chewing.
> ...​At 11 weeks she stuck her face in a hole in a fence that was smaller than her face and she couldn't get it back out without a solid tug from me - pretty sure it will stay scarred forever. Sigh.


Zelda is adorable. I am sure her nose will heal. I know nothing about Border Collies, so I will sit back and listen to the advice of the experts among us! Keep posting photos and stories!

Hugs,
NewfieMom


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

Thank you everyone! She's very much in to the crouching/staring/stalking behavior, especially in play. She'll even try to do it during fetch - the ball doesn't react the same as another dog, though.


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