Golden Retriever Akita Mix (Golden Akita Retriever)-Physical Look, Lifespan and Temperament

Imagine one of the most popular breeds of dogs being mixed with one of the most powerful breeds of dogs…well you no longer have to wonder, because this situation is already alive and barking!

The mix between a Golden Retriever and an Akita is an interesting mash-up. Between their individual characteristics, and clashing demeanors, a Golden Akita Retriever turns out to be a strong and favored dog.

Its size, skills, personality traits, and domestication tends to make it a well-balanced dog, and a potentially useful one as well. But what else is there to know about the Golden Akita Retriever…keep reading.

Physical Characteristics (Size and Physical Look)

When you look at both of them on individual levels, it’s no surprise that the Golden Akita Retriever is a sizable dog. Males tend to be 24 to 26 inches tall, with a weight of between 75 and 100 pounds.

Their female counterparts are a bit smaller, coming in with height of 23 to 25 inches, and a weight range of 65 to 90 pounds. Most of the dogs in this special breed tend to have brown eyes, with a fur color of either white, red, tan, brown, or black.

This mix has a decent coat too; they are covered with medium length straight hair, which has the capacity to be a bit dense, but soft enough to get a brush through.

Lifespan

There are many influences that dictate the life expectancy of a Golden Akita Retriever; diet, exercise, level of health, and domestication are just a few of those factors.

But, if everything goes well within the life of Golden Akita Retriever, it has the capacity to live for at least 10 years, with max of 12; or 13 with ultimate care and health.

This may not seem like a long time, but with the activity level of the Golden Akita Retriever, it could feel like a lifetime. Simply take precautions to its physical personality, and be sure to care for it well. This type of connection also has the power to elongate the life of this special beed.

Grooming Needs

To help bring awareness, the Akita breed of dog is not a hypoallergenic one; and when mixed with a retriever, the Golden Akita Retriever does not make the cut as hypoallergenic either. Therefore, routine maintenance is needed for proper living with this breed of animal.

The grooming needs of the Golden Akita Retriever include clipping their nails, and brushing their fur out on a routine basis. Their nails can grow to about an inch, so it’s necessary to trim them so that safety-while-playing with your mix is still intact.

Their straight hair shed often, so using a pin brush or slicker brush is a must if you want to properly groom this dog. Brushing this breed should happen at least once a week too, which will help to distribute their skin oil, which could reduce dermatitis and pet dander.

And bathing is required bi-weekly, as to keep their skin and hair hydrated and strong, so that they won’t become a problem later on.

Temperament

A Golden Akita Retriever has an even-tone temperament, and it uses its emotions, or calmness, during the right moment.

They are usually a calm group of dogs, and quiet while in the house or taking a walk. But you can expect the Golden Akita Retriever to bark if something unfamiliar pops up on you; that’s the Akita side of them.

For this reason, this breed would also make for an excellent guard or watch dog. They do well within the social setting as well.

They can be highly energetic dogs – thanks to the Golden Retriever in them – which makes them fun while at the park, but may be a bit much for small children; which is why the dogs must be trained properly to control their impulsive urges.

In essence, the Golden Akita Retriever has well-balanced demeanor, and can be trained effectively, and socialize with little-to-no harm or foul.

Exercise Needs

With the mix of energy from the Golden Retriever, and the solid build of the Akita, you can expect the Golden Akita Retriever to be an energetic dog; so exercise is a big deal.

This breed of dog will require, on average, 1 to 2 hours of play per day. They enjoy running and chasing fun objects around, like a ball or frisbee, and a lot of room is needed for them to make this happen.

During one week of play, it’s important for you to know that these dogs have the ability to create about 12 miles of walking; that’s about 1 ½ miles of play per day!

If you are capable of keeping up with this type of movement, then a Golden Akita Retriever could be a good pick for you.

Working/Hunting Dogs

Considering that the Golden Retriever is a decent hunter, and the Akita is a great worker, the Golden Akita Retriever has an awesome reputation for being a wonderful companion on working or hunting trips.

They are no stranger to hard work, and their size allows them to handle being around dense land and heavy objects; while their strength grants them the power to help out with lifting sizable sticks, or guarding you as you do the heavy lifting.

Their keen sense of sight, hearing, and smell are what makes them a great hunting partner. They use these sensitive senses to sniff out and locate various types of animals, including birds, hogs, rabbits, and small rodents.

Health Risks

Although cute, cuddly, and composed, there are health risks that are associated with the Golden Akita Retriever dog breed, and they should be taken into consideration when learning about this happy-go-lucky breed.

Major health risks for this brand of dog include hip dysplasia, bloat and aortic stenosis, which is a heart condition.

Other diagnosis that may come into play during their life is cataracts, glaucoma, skin allergies, hypothyroidism, or even sebaceous adenitis, which has a negative effect on the skin of the dog.

There is also the threat of elbow dysplasia too, considering that most of these dogs are playful and moving for most of their lives.

Because of these significant potential impairments, routine radiographs and physical examination should be enacted about once to twice a year to help keep this breed healthy and intact.

Feeding

Golden Akita Retrievers are medium-size dogs, and can definitely reach the large zone with little problem; so it’s safe to say that this species of dog can eat well!

They consume about 3 full cups of dry food per day; and when tallied up, that comes out to be a monthly food stipend of about 50 dollars, just to feed your dog. No matter the cost, they are to be fed nutritious food that keeps their muscles and bones healthy.

These foods can include whole foods like potatoes, carrots, peas, or beans. Other proteins sources, like chicken or fish, may be a decent choice for your Golden Akita Retriever as well, considering that they are quite carnivorous.

With balanced nutrition, and minimal over-feeding and eating, the Golden Akita Retriever’s diet and feeding habits can be a major source for improvement of longevity within its life expectancy.

Are Golden Akita Retrievers Protective?

As a matter of fact, yes, Golden Akita Retrievers are protective animals. They are naturally keen to notice small or big items that move pretty fast, which is an automatic self-defense mechanism of this breed.

When this happens, they become adrenaline-pumped, and will begin to bark, and if allowed, even chase the threat that dares to approach its family.

Caretakers are very happy about this feature because it grants them more of a feel of safety within their family dynamic, thanks to the assertiveness of the Akita, and the intelligence and forthright of the Golden Retriever.

When trained properly, this special mix of breed can be very good watch dogs during camping or hunting trips, or even a domesticated guard dog within the home. Either way it goes, the Golden Akita Retriever will protect their companions without hesitation.

How Much Does A Golden Akita Retriever Cost?

The Golden Akita Retriever is a hot commodity in the dog world, and can become in high demand when the supply is ready. For this reason, you can expect to spend about 700 to 800 dollars for a Golden Akita Retriever.

The price is rarely beneath 500, and has the ability to reach as high as 2,225 dollars, if the Retriever is in tip-top shape. Puppies and Akita Retrievers in their prime tend to range a bit higher on the price scale simply because of their optimal level of health.

However, if a Golden Akita has any of the aforementioned health risk present within them, then the price could be negotiated down. Another way to get a better deal on a Golden Akita Retriever is to adopt one! It’s a holistically great idea that could save you a couple of bucks.

Is a Golden Akita Retriever Right For Me?

Are you an outdoor type of person? Are you willing to move around for about an hour a day? Are you looking for a companion that could be a good friend and a useful entity?

If you answered yes, then a Golden Akita Retriever could be right for you. These dogs are very into having caretakers that actually take interest in their dog’s lives.

The mix of the Golden Retriever makes them active and loyal dogs that will stick by your side in both the sun and rain; while the Akita side makes them useful during tips, while still transparent and connected to their owner.

The dogs of this breed can be a good fit into most families, and are willing to be a functional part, with the proper care and domestication.

Best Climate For Golden Akita Retrievers

The best climate for Golden Akita Retrievers would be temperate. Their Golden Retriever side enjoys the tropical temperatures that land between 73 and 82 degrees; while the Akita mix is quite fond of cooler temperatures between 69 and 75 degrees.

Because of this blend, the Golden Akita Retriever does very well in the optimal tropical range of 72 to 80 degrees fahrenheit. Their coats are a top reason for why they prefer such even-tone weather. They tend to have straight hair, with an undercoat and overcoat layer.

Although straight, the hair tends to still be quite thick, which is why they still feel like the fluffiness of the Akita.

Due to this thickness, they are capable of handling higher than average cool temperatures, but do better at cooler temperatures that won’t reach too high to overheat them.

The Attention That A Golden Akita Retriever Needs

Golden Akita Retrievers can come off with the demeanor of a friendly cat; they love to play with you and interact with their toys, or the outside world; but when they want to be alone, they are prone to going off into their own space and staying that way for a while.

With that being said, Golden Akita Retrievers require an adequate amount of attention. They are pretty active dogs, and love to move about and have fun while being engaged; and it will be up to you to help them achieve this goal on a daily basis.

The good thing about it is that when the adventure is complete, they tend to go off on their own and be alone for a while.

This allows them to cool off their bodies properly, while giving you a break to regain your energy that you spent while giving some loving attention to the Golden Akita.

Compatibility With Kids

Golden Akita Retrievers can be some of the most loving dogs that you can ever come across. They tend to be honest dogs that express their emotions towards those that trigger them; and that stands true with children as well. Golden Akitas do well with children.

They are keen to their senses, and have the capacity to become quite protective over the ones that take care of them and show them love and affection.

However, Golden Akita Retrievers are a high-energy dog, and have a tendency to not be fully aware of their size in comparison to younger children.

So, toddlers would probably have a more challenging time handling a full-size Golden Retriever, but overall, they do well with children, and can be labeled as fairly compatible with them.

Compatibility With Other Animals

Golden Akita Retrievers can be pretty easy dogs to socialize, if they start the process as a pup. If this is the case, they tend to do well with other animals, and have a cordial level of compatibility with both cats, dogs, and even birds.

The Akita parent is known to show aggression towards other animals, which makes the Golden Akita initially skeptical of other animals.

But the Golden Retriever parent has more of a docile demeanor; thus, making it easy for the Golden Akita to give friendship with another species a shot.

All in all, if the other animal doesn’t pose a threat Golden Akita Retrievers are capable of having meaningful and compatible dynamics with other animals.

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