Shiba Inu Golden Retriever Mix

Deciding to become a dog parent is a grave decision as it comes with a lot of responsibility. At the same time, it is a sure shot at getting endless, unending love from a furry friend.

In order to properly take care of all your canine companion's needs, you need to understand them well. While this is usually not very difficult, it may be a little tricky to get to know everything about a mixed breed dog. 

A mixed-breed dog is the best of both worlds. The Shiba Inu Golden Retriever mix is an extremely adorable dog and gets all the great qualities of its parent breeds. Let’s learn more about this cute little doggo in this article!

Characteristics 

Let us look at the characteristics of the Golden Shibu at length. 

Physical Information

The golden retriever Shiba Inu mix is a hybrid dog breed that comes from the gene pool of two well recognized and loved pure breeds - the golden retriever and the Shiba Inu.

This hybrid dog is popularly called the Golden Shiba. It can have a height ranging from 20-28 inches and weighs around 30-60 pounds, depending on its age.

This dog has a lifespan of 13-15 years.

The coat color of the Golden Shiba varies from white, tan, honey brown, black, golden, and brindle. The length of the fur is medium.

 Their ears are usually upright, floppy or erect, depending on the dominant genes. 

Typically, the cost of an average puppy ranges from 1000- 2000 USD.

Lineage

The Shiba Inus go back to around 300 B.C. They were used as hunting dogs and were introduced to the United States of America only in the 20th century. While the Golden Retriever is very popular but relatively new. 

It is, in reality, a human-made breed achieved through hybrid mating of Tweed Water Spaniel (extinct), Bloodhounds, Irish Setters and Yellow Retrievers. 

Isn't it amazing how that beautiful golden coat and the lovable personality are accomplished through such deliberate cross-breeding? 

Personality

When it comes to temperament, Shiba Inus and Golden retrievers are very different from each other. While Shiba Inus are ancient Japanese hunting dogs that do not require human assistance, Golden Retrievers are gentle, friendly, and people pleasers.

So, what personality traits can you expect from a Golden Shiba? Here’s what we know.

• Being a mixed breed, this dog will infuse the character traits of both parents.
  
  Since Golden Retrievers were used as fetch dogs (fetching hunted ducks), the mixed breed may have the ingrained ability to hunt prey. 
• As far as friendliness is concerned, the Golden Shibu may either pick up the personality of the Golden Retriever or Shiba Inu parent.
  
  They are known to be adventurous and eager for challenges.

Grooming

Among the two dog breeds, Shiba Inu's coat is shorter while Retriever's coat is long and wavy. Golden Retrievers shed a lot of furs, but the mixture of Shiba Inu genes brings the shedding down to a moderate level. 

Nevertheless, you will need to vacuum your house regularly to keep it clean. Bathing them once every 4 weeks is a good way to help them maintain a healthy, clean coat.

Feeding

Every dog is unique and has different nutritional needs. Mixed breed dogs like the Golden Shiba are more prone to orthopedic issues like hip dysplasia. Thus, supplementing their diets with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements is a good way to protect them from these problems.

Since the Golden Shiba is a relatively smaller dog, care should be taken not to overfeed it. A raw food diet suits this breed the best.

Exercise and Training

The Golden Shiba has a high energy level which needs to be managed with long walks and hikes. While they do not need as much exercise as the Golden Retriever, they also need to get a good amount of it. 

This mixed breed dog is easy to train and intelligent. Training this dog in short regular sessions with ample praise is the way to go. Since they love a good challenge, training them is a fun activity. 

Health

Like humans, dogs too suffer from genetic problems and lifestyle diseases. Keeping an eye out for genetic conditions will help you avoid or at least prolong their presentation for a period of time.

A deformity of the hip joint called hip dysplasia, cataract, and glaucoma are known conditions that both the Shiba Inu and Golden Retriever parent dog purebreds suffer from.

Another crippling disease that is prevalent among Golden Retrievers is cancer—being the cause of death of almost two-thirds of the dog population.

Obesity is another concern for Retrievers. Ensuring a high-quality, nutritious diet and ample exercise will help your Shiba Golden Mix to have a long, fulfilled life. 

To Summarize

The Golden Retriever Shiba Inu mix is a cute and intelligent dog and has a temperament that makes it a lovable companion as well as a brave watchdog. 

We hope this article helped you gain all the information about the Shiba Inus Golden mix. To put it all in perspective, here’s what this furry friend shares with its parent purebred dogs.