Golden Sheltie

40-50 lbs
16-20"
United States
Golden Retriever
Sheltie

The Golden Sheltie is a mixed breed dog. Its parents are the Golden Retriever and the Shetland Sheepdog, also known as a Sheltie. The Golden Retriever truly personifies man’s best friend. Highly intelligent and loyal, the Golden Retriever is a friend to anyone he meets. He does have a tendency to shed. The Sheltie looks like a smaller version of a Collie. The dog was originally used for herding livestock such as sheep in Scotland, specifically on the Shetland Islands. The combination of these two breeds gives us the Golden Sheltie, a spunky, clever canine who loves his family and is easy to train.

purpose Purpose
Companion
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Golden Retriever and Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

Golden Sheltie Health

Average Size
Male Golden Sheltie size stats
Height: 18-22 inches Weight: 50-60 lbs
Female Golden Sheltie size stats
Height: 16-20 inches Weight: 40-50 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Cataracts
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Minor Concerns
  • None Known
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Deafness
Occasional Tests
  • X-Rays
  • CT Scan
  • Eye Examination
  • Physical Examination

Golden Sheltie Breed History

The Golden Retriever has been one of the top choices of dog lovers for many years. An amicable, easy going canine, the Golden Retriever was once primarily a waterfowl hunter and retriever developed in Scotland on the estate of Sir Dudley Majoribanks, First Lord Tweedmouth. An animal lover, he focused on creating a helpmate with a disposition that suited the home, the field and the water. Breeding his dog, Nous, with a Tweed Water Spaniel he was able to achieve his goal. The Golden Retriever was prized for his ability to bring back the waterfowl from a long distance, carrying it softly in his strong jaws. Registered with the American Kennel Club in 1925 as the Golden Retriever, this dog was once classified as the Flat Coat (Golden). The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie, is a keen working dog. Known for his ability to gently and efficiently herd sheep, his other charges once included the pony, the cow, and even the chicken. Brought from the Shetland Islands to Britain in the early 1900s, the breed was first recognized by the American Kennel club in 1909, but was not classified separately from the Collie until 1914. A very clever canine, he aims to please and is one of the top obedience competitors today.

Golden Sheltie Breed Appearance

A dog of medium size, the Golden Sheltie is often seen in the colors gold, tan, blue merle, sable, black, white or a combination of any of these colors. His body is long, ending with a tail that curves slightly and is well feathered. His coat is long and can be quite silky. His ears may flop down like the Golden parent but are just as often seen as upright like the Sheltie. Typically, his muzzle is long and rather pointed. His nose will be black and his eyes dark, with a sparkling expression of fun and intelligence. His height can vary and will depend on the dominant parental genes. Feathering will be seen on the legs and underbelly of the Golden Sheltie. His teeth are well defined and nicely shaped. He has an athletic, agile stance, a natural expectation based on the characteristics of the parents and their background as working dogs.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Golden Sheltie eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Golden Sheltie nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
white Golden Sheltie coat
White
sable Golden Sheltie coat
Sable
black Golden Sheltie coat
Black
blue Golden Sheltie coat
Blue
fawn Golden Sheltie coat
Fawn
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Golden Sheltie wavy coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Golden Sheltie Breed Maintenance

Because the Golden Sheltie can have very long and abundant hair, a thorough weekly brushing (at minimum) is required; it is recommended that owners use a pin brush to do weekly grooming. In order to prevent damage to the coat, spritz the coat with water from a spray bottle and brush from the bottom of the coat to the tip of the hair. Hair between the ears has the potential to tangle, so be sure to brush there carefully as well. This hybrid only really needs a bath when they are truly dirty, so routine bathing is not necessary. Extra attention is to be paid to the ears which may harbor moisture, particularly if your Golden Sheltie likes to swim. Check them often to make sure they are clean and dry. Brush your Sheltie’s teeth at least two or three times a week. It is recommended that you begin grooming your hybrid at a young age to get him accustomed to the practice.

Brushes for Golden Sheltie
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Comb
Comb
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Golden Sheltie requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Golden Sheltie Temperament

The Golden Sheltie is an affectionate canine and loves to be with his family. He may be a barker and will warn you of the approach of a stranger but with the proper introduction to new people at a young age and at regular intervals, this characteristic should lessen. He may herd young children or small animals due to his innate herding instinct. The Golden Sheltie is very smart, loves to please, and enjoys a job to do so obedience training is a good thing for him. 

Golden Sheltie Activity Requirements

The Golden Sheltie will need a moderate amount of daily exercise. He is very intelligent, and he thrives on play which stimulates his mind. He needs vigorous exercise  and you can split an hour’s worth of exercise into two thirty-minute sessions if you like. A lack of proper exercise can lead to behavioral problems. He loves to carry things in his mouth – from balls, bones, or other toys, to tree limbs and newspapers. This hybrid can be prone to weight gain; he will make an excellent jogging partner which will keep both you and him in shape.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
12 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
90 minutes
activity minutes

Golden Sheltie Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.10 - $1.40
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$34.00 - $45.00
food bag monthly cost

Golden Sheltie Owner Experiences

Heidi
8 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
most amazing dog I've ever met or owned in my life. Truly my best friend. Has never bit or attacked anyone, LOVES meeting and spending time with people, doesn't mind the cat, patient and gentle, loving and always wants to be the center of attention. She would make a perfect therapy dog and she 100% is my mental health support. She's also very smart and food-motivated. She's lazy and doesn't mind laying around the house all day, and she sheds a LOT so frequent brushing and grooming are a must.
1 year ago
Casey9DOG (Casey)
10 Years
1 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Treat games
Probably the best I've ever had after goldens and black labs. Now at 10 years old she's starting to slow down but so am I - lol. She's 10+ and I'm 71+. Got her at 8 weeks.
6 years ago
Casey9DOG
10 Years
1 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
chase, hiding treats
Excellent companion
5 years, 11 months ago
Firefox
5 Years
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
He loves to hang out with us, he loves little kids. He is friendly and loving. He’s very protective of us. He hates getting wet specially when it’s raining. He puts up a lot with our 8yr old daughter. He’s very nossy and he likes to get involve in what we do. He gets jealous with our daughter when we don’t pay attention to him and so he’ll take her toys or anything tiny toy or slippers that belongs to our daughter and he’ll take it outside the house and he will chew it. The last but not the least... he sheds a lot.
4 years, 7 months ago
Charlie
4 Months
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Most adorable best friend
4 years, 7 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd