Golden Kelpie Dog Breed

It's anyone's guess why and when the Golden Kelpie first appeared. As for whether the crossbred offspring of these breeds are good for first-time dog owners, the jury is still out but it's safe to say that they might be better for experienced dog owners. These dogs may or may not be good around kids, other dogs, and non-canine pets. They most likely won't do well in small apartments and probably need a fair amount of extremely well-fenced outside area.

Here are some things to consider if you plan on adopting a Golden Kelpie:

Extremely little is known about the Golden Retriever Australian Kelpie mix. As with any hybrid dog — especially those that are produced with little oversight by professional breeders — the Golden Kelpie is a highly unpredictable dog. How much of which parent is inherited is sure to determine how any of these dogs might turn out, behave, and so forth, and even in a single litter, each puppy could be very different from each other.

There's no doubt that both parent breeds are very intelligent dogs, but the manner in which they exhibit their smarts are known to be very different. How this may turn out in a Golden Kelpie offspring is anyone's guess. They could be easy to train as a guide dog, or they might be hard-wired to herd things into place.

Where Goldens are very loyal and seek friends, Kelpies tend toward solitude and suspicion. This is not to state that Kelpies are not loyal — they just show it in a different way and only to masters who are well-versed in living with this breed. Both parent breeds have a tendency to bite, however.

Golden Retrievers are active hating dogs, and Australian Kelpies are extremely active herders. You can bet your bottom dollar that you will need several hours a day to exercise your Golden Kelpie. These dogs need a great amount of exercise as well as outdoor time to do it.

Hybrid vigor might help lessen the chances of health problems in a Golden Kelpie, but the doctor's still out regarding the general health profile of this mixed breed. Golden Retrievers have a long list of possible ailments and Kelpies have very few, so it's a gamble crossing these two breeds.

Below is a list of many of the possible health issues a Golden Kelpie cross might encounter:

• Bloat
• Epilepsy
• Cataracts
• Allergies
• Osteosarcoma
• Joint dysplasia
• Hypothyroidism
• Cryptorchidism
• Hemangiosarcoma
• Collie eye anomaly
• Cerebellar abiotrophy
• von Willebrand's Disease
• Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis
• Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD)
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

It's believed that the Golden Kelpie's average life span is about 10 to 13 years.