Dachshund/Retriever Mix: A Complete Guide
Golden dachshund, golden doxie, golden dox and goldenshund. These beautiful dachshund/golden retrievers go by many names. I’ve always been fascinated by the many different breeds that can breed with dachshunds, so I did some research about them, and there is a lot to learn! So I compiled a complete guide to these dogs so that it can be found simply and quickly.
So, what’s with these Golden Dachshunds? One thing about these dogs is that they’re such a new breed that there isn’t one distinct “Golden Dox” look and personality. Each Golden Dox has their own style depending on how much of each parent that they express.
Temperament
It is important to remember that many things can affect a dog’s temperament. These things can be categorized within breeding and training. Make sure that a dog comes from a good breeder who did things correctly and safely.
Also, it will require much patience and dedication to train these dogs. They come from two brilliant and intelligent parent breeds. But, while they are incredibly smart, dachshunds don’t always like to listen to commands and are known for their stubborn ways. But, with enough dedicated training you can out-stubborn your dog.
This stubborn streak might be reflected in the Golden Dox, depending on which breed they take after more. Either way, golden dox’s are incredibly
That being said, if time and effort are spent training your dog how to behave then it is possible to have an incredibly loyal and loving companion on your hands. These dogs are great for first time owners, families with kids and families with other dogs.
Small Animals – While they may be good with other dogs, the golden dox doesn’t do as well with smaller animals. Considering that both the golden retriever and the dachshund were bred to be hunting dogs and that dachshunds specifically were bred to run animals out of their holes, small animals and golden dox’s are not a good match. If you have any birds or mice or guinea pigs, make sure that they will be in separate places and they are kept out of each other’s territories.
Children – These dogs are great with kids, but to make sure of that fact it is important to socialize them well. Dachshunds are known for being incredibly loyal to their family. This also causes them though to be wary of strangers. This usually doesn’t include children strangers, but to be sure of this, while training is to be sure to socialize and normalize their interactions with other children. Always supervise playtime.
Other Dogs – This goes for other dogs as well. Socialization is crucial during their puppy stage so that they can become comfortable and confident in themselves. If the golden dox is more like the golden retriever than they are more likely to be accepting of all and everyone. If they are more like their dachshund parent it is possible they may be wary of strangers. Either way, proper socialization in young years can ensure your dog’s good behaviour around others.
Family Dog – The website, Dog Breed Plus has a very comprehensive list of attributes and characteristics of the golden dox. According to them, golden dox’s are a “very good to excellent family pet.” This is because, with the golden retriever’s kindness and the dachshund’s fierce loyalty, the golden dox is a very dependable and loving dog. They will protect their loved ones fiercely and infinitely. They will love the family deeper than anyone ever thought possible.
“Very good, to excellent family pet.”
Dog Breed Plus
Exercise Needs – Golden dox’s need quite a lot of exercise because they are quite energetic. They come from two very intelligent and active breeds, which means that they need to be both physically and mentally stimulated. It is important that you be willing to make sure that these dogs get their stimulation. One thing is for sure though, and that is that these dogs can be great motivators to get some exercise!
Weather – These dogs can stand against the heat pretty well. With their longer snouts, air has more time to cool down on the way to the lungs which increases their durability in the heat.
They can also handle the cold sufficently as well. The only thing to watch for with these dogs is the same problem that must be watched for in dachshunds. Because they can often be quite close to the ground, in wet weather (rain or snow) they may be reluctant to go outside because their belly often trails in the rain which can be incredibly uncomfortable for them.
Average Cost
The price of bringing a Golden Dox into your life actually depends on a lot of different things. One of those being the popularity of the breed at the moment. Golden Dox’s can be considered “designer dogs”, which are dogs bred from two purebred parents. It means each dog will have a different temperament and look. Purebreds, on the other hand, have been bred for hundreds of years which means that each dog will look like others of it’s kind and act the same for the most part.
Because Golden Dox’s are designer dogs their price fluxuates with their popularity. But the price also varies depending on where you buy them, who you buy them from and how old they are when you bring them into your home. The average price of a puppy is about $500-$1,000.
This of course isn’t the only price concerning dogs. No, there are expenses every year. The annual medical price of a golden dox is anywhere from $485-$660. The annual non-medical expense is around $920-$1000.
Where To Find One
It is important that if you are going to get a Golden Dox from a breeder that you do your research first. You’re going to want to be able to visit with the breeder and visit where the dogs were bred and born. There are many places that try to put themselves off as a trusted breeder’ when in reality they are not.
A good way to research is to ask your
Some other places that you can find good bred dogs are national kennel or breed clubs. All dogs that are a part of those clubs are sure to have been bred correctly because of all the standards and protocols. These are harder to find for the Golden Dox breed because of how new they are, but the Golden Retriever Club of America and Dachshund Club of America are two reputable places that could give you guidance on where to find a golden dox.
The golden dox often takes the best of the two parent breeds and creates something even sweeter. They are known to be good family dogs, especially for first time owners or people with kids. They are fun, energetic and very kind animals. While they are good with kids, they are not so good with small animals such as birds or guinea pigs. This is because of their dachshund blood.
All About Them
How long do they live? 8-14 years
What kind of coat does a Golden Dox have? They can have medium to long hair and it can be either smooth or wiry.
Health Concerns
There are certain health issues that Golden Dox’s are very prone to having to deal with. The golden retriever has its own health concerns as does the dachshund. Them being bred together has proven to magnify some of these health issues.
- They have a high tendency to gain excessive weight because of overeating and lack of exercise.
- If they gain weight this also can put too much pressure on their joints. This can be a deadly combination with the history of joint problems that come from the Golden Retriever.
- Less likely to have spinal issues compared to purebred dachshunds because of their slightly varied body structure.
- Epilepsy (can be very common with dachshunds)
- Bloating
- Canine Cushing’s Disease (when the pituitary glands produce too much cortisol)
- IDD (Inverterable Disc Disease)
- Diabetes
- Deafness
- Heart Problems
- Cancer
- Eye Problems
- Joint Dysplasia
The important thing to remember is to keep a close eye on these guys, and to constantly be looking for symptoms of these health concerns. It is especially important to watch diet and exercise wise. It is crucial to keep these dogs on a strict diet and good exercise routine as excessive weight gain or bad health habits often can lead to these other deadly problems. To help you to know what exactly your dog needs it would be beneficial to visit a vet and ask their professional opinions on the specifics of your dog’s health needs.
Size and Shape
Golden Dox’s have a very large weight and height range because of the incredible gap between their parent breeds. They can weight anywhere from 30-60 pounds and get anywhere from 10-23 inches tall.
This is about a medium to large dog. A golden dox is often much larger than a dachshund, who usually weighs in at 16-33 pounds. And a golden retriever usually weighs in at about 55-75 pounds. So these golden dox’s usually sit right in the middle of the two.
There are many variations and many shapes that Golden Dox can take form. This is because it is in the early stages of this breed’s history which means there isn’t a certain look yet. Some Golden Dox’s have short legs, and long bodies just like their dachshund parent. Others have the large bodies of the retriever and then the face of a dachshund. It all depends on which parent they take more after.
Breed History
It is believed that Golden Dox’s were bred in the 1980s or so as a healthier version to their purebred parent breeds. This is also known as a “Designer Dog” as named by the press. Designer dogs are basically hybrid dogs bred between two purebred dogs.
Golden retrievers and dachshunds being bred together is actually an incredibley interesting idea, as they have very similar breed histories, but very different physical statures. Both breeds were bred to be hunting dogs. Dachshunds were specifically bred to run badgers out of their holes while golden retrievers were bred to work on land or water to retrieve shot down game. They were bred with soft mouths as to not harm the game while bringing it back to the hunter.
So how, one may ask, did these two breeds go from those great hunting dogs to some of the kindest and most loyal family dogs around? That is a great question, as well as something else that they have in common. They both are good and loving in nature, and so breeding them together may seem like a great idea!
Especially when looking at a dachshund and its’ adorable long body and short legs; and then looking at a retriever’s golden curly locks and big brown eyes, one can clearly see the complementary qualities of the two. That could make for one beautiful dog! The only thing that didn’t match up about these two beautiful breeds is their immense size and body structure difference.
Controversy
There is quite a bit of controversy around the breeding of this breed because it could be considering an extreme hybrid and the ethics involved are questionable. Because of the extreme size difference between the two parent breeds, the breeding needs to be done in a very specific way or it could endanger the parents and the puppies.
The father must be a dachshund and the mother must be a retriever purely because of the size of the pupp. Retriever puppies in a dachshunds womb are cause for serious concern in the labor process.
Also, it is said to be more ethical if the mother is artificially seminated because the logisitics of breeding these two breeds naturally comes with some problems.
Along with this, because the two parent breeds are so different, this raises issues of concern with health and temperament. The conflicting sides of each parent can make it really difficult to know what exactly the dog bred will look like or how exactly it will act.
It is important that when looking for a Golden Dox that you clarify how the breeding process went down/will go down. It is important that you make sure that it is safe for both the parents and puppies. Also be sure to inquire about the health and temperament of the parents so you can begin to discover the health and temperament of your pup.
Related Questions:
Do Golden Dachshunds shed? Golden dachshunds shedding habits are considered low to moderate compared to other dog breeds.
Are Golden Dachshunds hypoallergenic? No, they are not hypoallergenic. No dogs are actually hypoallergenic, there are just dogs that are less allergenic than others. However, because of their longer hair this increases the hair shed.
How often to Golden Dachshunds need to be groomed? They need to be brushed every day to get rid of loose hairs.