The Golden Cocker Retriever is the result of crossing a Golden Retriever with a Cocker Spaniel. This lovable and playful dog is the perfect family dog and brings joy to any home with their cute looks and adorable nature.
Because the Golden Cocker Retriever is a crossbreed, it can be difficult to know exactly what kind of dog you are going to get — you never know what they will look like or what their temperament will really be. However, based on Golden Cocker Retrievers as we know them and taking a look at their parent breeds, we can make assumptions about this wonderful breed. Read on below to find out more about Golden Cocker Retrievers are whether they could be the right dog for you.
History Of The Golden Cocker Retriever
The Golden Cocker Retriever has two of the most popular dog breeds as it’s parents and this makes for a friendly, loving and sociable family dog. Perfect for first time pet owners, the Golden Cocker Retriever is an active and intelligent dog, with both parents belonging to the sporting dog group classification. They are also known for being loyal and they love to play outside, too.
Breed Origin
To understand the breed origin of the Golden Cocker Retriever, we should take a look at the origins of it’s parents — the Golden Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel.
Golden Retrievers originate from Scotland and were used as gun dogs to retrieve game that was shot down both on land and in water. They were bred by crossing a Flat Coated Retriever and a Tweed Water Spaniel.
Cocker Spaniels first came to the US on the Mayflower in the 17th century. They were registered in 1879 and the popularity of the Cocker Spaniel grew significantly during the 1930s and 1940s. The American Cocker Spaniel has a smaller prey-drive than the English Cocker Spaniel, which makes them better family pets.
The origin of the Golden Cocker Retriever was not widely documented and it is thought that this breed could be a designer breed that was created in the later 1900s and the early 2000s. Because they are a mixed breed they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), but are recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.
Characteristics Of The Golden Cocker Retriever
As we mentioned above, because the Golden Cocker Retriever is a crossbreed, it can be difficult to know exactly what your pup might look like and what their temperament might be. However, we can guess based on past litters.
Both of the parents — either a Golden Retriever or a Cocker Spaniel — can be the sire or the dam in this cross breed. This contributes to the varying size and appearance of many Golden Cocker Retrievers. Regardless of some of the finer details, this breed is known for being an intelligent and friendly breed.
The litter size for a Golden Retriever mix can be anywhere between 4 to 12 puppies. A Golden Cocker Retriever puppy will normally cost you between $800 to $2,000. This is because they are a “designer dog”.
Appearance
One of the most popular features of the hybrid dog is the fact that they are known as a “forever puppy”. This means that they are said to maintain the look of a puppy, even as they grow up. It can be difficult to know exactly when they reach their adult life, but it is estimated anywhere between 18-24 months. Mental maturity can take up to three years.
A Golden Cocker Retriever is normally smaller than a Golden Retriever and usually weighs around 30-45 pounds and measures between 14-24 inches. They are a medium sized breed and are broader than a Cocker Spaniel with a long, smooth coat, floppy ears and a head which is slightly bigger than a Spaniels.
Coat
The Golden Cocker Retriever coat is normally medium in length and is smooth. It will have some featured fringes around the legs, ears and stomach which will need to be brushed daily to prevent any matting.
Some puppies inherit more genes from the Golden and therefore have a double coat, meaning the fur may be denser and require more thorough grooming.
We will go into more detail about grooming your Golden Cocker Retriever dog later on.
Color
The Golden Cocker Retriever normally has their parents’ golden color, although this breed of dog has been seen in other colors. If the Cocker Spaniel parent is brown, black, white or merle, then this can be passed to the pup.
Temperament
The Golden Cocker Retriever is a loyal and loving dog and is the perfect companion. They have a natural playful instinct that makes them fun to be around, and they love to chase and run around. Both parents have a sporting background which means your Retriever will love to be outside playing with you.
This spirited nature of their’s means they are also very sociable dogs and love to be around people. Because they are so friendly they can make the perfect playmate for older children, but know to gentle around younger children too.
The Golden Cocker Retriever forms a strong bond with it’s family and owners, and this mean that they can suffer from separation anxiety. They will want to be with you at all times, so they are not the right pet to have if you are going to be out for hours at a time. They will do best in a busier household where they have people around for most of the day.
Luckily, these dogs are easy to train and, most of the time, undesirable behaviors can be trained out of them. This can include barking as well as behaviors brought on by anxiety if they are left alone for too long.
Lifespan
The typical life expectancy of a Golden Cocker Retriever is normally between 11 to 14 years.
Known Health Issues
Unfortunately, as with any dog, the Golden Cocker Retriever can be prone to some health problems. These are normally inherited from their parents and are set out below:
- Hip Dysplasia — this is when the thighbone doesn’t fit snugly into the hip joint. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but you may not notice any signs of discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia.
- Cataracts — you might suspect your dog has cataracts if they are constantly bumping into furniture. Cataracts can be cured with surgery.
- Hypothyroidism — this can be caused by a deficiency of the thyroid hormone and may produce signs that include infertility, obesity, mental dullness and lack of energy. It can be treated with medication.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) — this is an eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye.
Regular vet checkups and keeping an eye on your dog will ensure you can catch any of these issues before they become untreatable.
Daily Life
We have covered what the temperament and the characteristics of the Golden Cocker Retriever are and how many of their traits depend on what they inherit from their parents. Now, we can take a look at what living with this dog is like. Luckily, no matter what features your Golden Retriever Cocker Spaniel hybrid inherits from their parents, daily life with them is pretty much the same.
Food And Diet
The general recommendation for a dog the size of a Golden Cocker Retriever is around 1000 calories a day, which should contain around 25% protein and 13% fat. Of course, you should always check the back of the dog food packet to confirm how much you should be feeding them based on their exact weight.
Try to feed your Golden Cocker Retriever high-quality dog food two times a day. If possible, you should try to put them on food that is formulated for medium to large dog breeds, again based on their weight. Always make sure the food is healthy and don’t feed them too many treats, otherwise they may become obese.
Best Dog Food For The Golden Cocker Retriever
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We recommend this adult dry dog food from Blue Buffalo for the Golden Cocker Retriever. Made with high-quality protein, this food helps your dog build and maintain healthy muscles. It also helps meet the energy needs for this dog, while providing them with omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to promote a shiny coat and healthy skin.
This blend of dog food supports immune system health too, keeping your pup healthy throughout their life. It doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or preservatives either, which is always a bonus.
Exercise
The Golden Cocker Retriever breed is a very active breed of dog and they therefore need a lot of exercise. Experts recommend that you exercise them for at least 60 minutes a day, which can either one long walk or two shorter walks.
Your Golden Cocker Retriever will also love to play games with you in your back yard and thrives when they are engaged with people. Their size means they are perfect for playing fetch with young children, too.
These pups make excellent exercise companions, perfect if you are looking for someone to join you on your hike or your run! They will also benefit from homemade agility courses and their high trainability means they have great off-leash recall. Enough exercise is very important for these dogs and too little can lead to hyperactivity.
Family Compatibility
The Golden Cocker Retriever is a loyal and loving dog that makes the perfect family pet. Sociable and friendly, this dog loves to be around and people. They will thrive in a fast-paced and busy environment where they always have humans around them and will not do well if they are left alone for long periods of time. If you are out for most of the day, this is not going to be the dog for you. They can suffer from separation anxiety and begin to exhibit destructive behaviors.
An active dog, the Golden Cocker Retriever does require a fair bit of exercise, but this can make them the perfect fog is you are an active family. They will happily join you on walks and hikes and love to play games. The perfect playmate for older children, this breed of dog also knows to be gentle with children and is therefore a great pet for the whole family.
Even better, the Golden Cocker Retriever is a dog that is easy to train, which is perfect for those who have never had a dog before or do not have much experience training. These dogs also adapt well to different situations and are friendly around humans and other animals that they don’t know, making socializing simple too.
Training
Fortunately, you do not need to be an expert in training dog’s to train your Golden Cocker Retriever. They have great trainability and and their intelligence and eagerness to please only aids this. Many Retrievers and Spaniels are used as working dogs, both for those who are blind and hard of hearing and as police dogs.
When training your Golden Cocker Retriever mix you should always use positive reinforcement, such as verbal praise or treats, to show them that they are doing a good job. Negativity towards your dog will not get you anywhere and won’t make them want to learn.
Because they are so trainable, you can train them to do complex jobs around the house. They also love to play complex puzzle games.
Socializing
We have mentioned above that Golden Cocker Retriever are a very sociable dog that get on well with humans of all ages and other animals. Nonetheless, you should always begin to socialize them from a young age and introduce them to a variety of people, places, sounds, smells and animals. This will ensure they don’t grow up with any nervousness around new experiences.
Grooming
The Golden Cocker Retriever does take a little bit of grooming because their coat can be long. As we mentioned above, you will need to be brushing their coat everyday. You will also need to get them trimmed (not shaved) every three to four months, to keep them looking tidy and to prevent matting. If they have inherited thicker fur from their Golden Retriever parent, you may need to brush them more often.
Keeping your dog’s teeth clean is also important, to prevent dental decay and build-up. You can do this with a dog toothbrush or you can use dental sticks, whichever is easier.
It is important to start grooming your Golden Cocker Retriever from a young age so they get used to it and understand that there is nothing to be scared of.
Golden Cocker Retriever FAQ’s
How much is a Golden Cocker Retriever?
A Golden Cocker Retriever puppy can set you back anywhere between $800 to $2,000. It can vary depending on the breeder, but you should always buy from a reputable breeder.
If this is out of your price range, you can always check your local animal shelter. There are many dogs there who need a loving forever home!
Do Golden Cocker Retriever’s bark?
Golden Cocker Retriever’s are not known to bark. Occasionally, these dogs can bark when they are teething, but this is not expected as they get into their adult years and their mischievous behavior normally arises while they are still a puppy. If your Retriever does bark, with the right training you should be able to fix this unwanted behavior.
Summary
A Golden Cocker Retriever is the result crossbreeding two of the most popular dogs. These pups are loyal and loving and make the perfect family pet who want to be around you at all times and love to get out and play. It is an active and energetic breed, making a great running or hiking companion and the perfect playmate for younger children. With high grooming needs these dogs do require some maintenance, but the love and hugs you get from them are worth it. Easy to train and suitable for first time dog owners, do you think this might be the right dog for you?