The golden retriever Irish setter mix, also known as Golden Irish, is a beautiful designer crossbreed sought-after for its temperament.
Unlike many crossbreed dogs, the Irish setter golden retriever mix is very predictable because the parent breeds are similar.
Of course, there may be slight variation in Golden Irish appearance and temperament – after all, each puppy is unique. But you can be sure that a Golden Irish will make a perfect family dog.
These dogs are natural-born hunters, but they also do well as service dogs and therapy pets. Golden Irish get along with everyone, including kids, strangers, and other animals.
However, this cross needs an owner willing to invest time and effort into grooming, training, and exercise.
Appearance
At first sight, a golden retriever Irish setter mix may look like a purebred golden or Irish setter. That’s no wonder because these two breeds have a lot in common – in fact, the Irish setter is one of the golden retriever’s ancestors.
The golden retriever Irish setter mix ranges from 21 to 28 inches in height and weighs 55-80 pounds; the overall build is athletic. Females are typically leaner and shorter than males.
All Golden Irish have a long snout with a black nose, long drop ears, and dark, rounded eyes with an intelligent expression. They have long legs and fuzzy tails.
Golden retriever Irish setter mix colors include all shades of gold from cream to dark gold, red, mahogany, and chestnut. The color is always solid without any markings.
Golden retriever Irish setter cross has a long double coat that can be either straight or wavy. Because of the dense undercoat, Golden Irish are heavy shedders.
Temperament
Often, predicting the temperament of a crossbreed dog is challenging because it can take after either of the parents. Fortunately, this isn’t the case with Golden Irish since the parent breeds have a lot in common.
A golden retriever Irish setter mix is guaranteed to be playful, energetic, outgoing, and friendly. These dogs are curious, courageous, and confident, so they are quick to make friends and love exploring new environments.
Despite their hunting heritage, Golden Irish are affectionate with owners and make excellent pets for families with children. They are patient and rarely aggressive. These dogs also get along with other pets, even small ones.
But no dog is perfect, and neither is the Golden Irish. Both parent breeds can become mischievous if they do not get enough exercise and mental stimulation, so their puppies are also prone to such behavior.
For this reason, the Golden Irish is a better companion for older kids who can handle the dog’s bursting energy.
Still, with proper care, the Golden Irish makes a fantastic working dog that’s eager to please and smart enough to perform the most challenging tasks. Golden retriever Irish setter mix doesn’t know what stubbornness is.
Golden Irish are loyal to their owners and protective. However, they are poor guard dogs because they are too friendly and credulous.
Intelligence & Trainability
Golden retrievers rank fourth among 138 breeds in Stanley Coren’s working dog intelligence study, and Irish setters rank 35th. Consequently, the golden retriever Irish setter mix is a very intelligent dog.
These dogs quickly memorize commands and always obey the owner because they are eager to please and have excellent work ethics. These traits are critical for hunting dogs.
Furthermore, Golden Irish are empathetic and can read human emotions by assessing body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. They also effectively communicate their own needs and wants.
Lastly, Golden Irish have fantastic problem-solving skills and can act independently when necessary, but they aren’t frivolous.
Golden Irish are perfect service dogs because they don’t pose a threat to strangers in public places, can perform complex tasks, and are physically capable of assisting people with mobility issues.
Golden Irish are also natural-born hunters because they have a double hunting heritage. With proper training, they make the best hunting companions that can be used for any purpose, whether tracking, chasing, or retrieving.
Health
Generally, crossbreed dogs are at a lower risk of inheriting health conditions than purebred dogs. But if both parent breeds are prone to a particular condition, they may pass it on to their cross.
Because Irish setters are ancestors of golden retrievers, they share the same health problems, including hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, autoimmune thyroiditis, bloat, epilepsy, and cancer.
As a result, Golden Irish may develop some of these diseases throughout their lifetime. Unfortunately, none of these conditions can be predicted, but some can be avoided.
For example, hip dysplasia results from excessive exercise in puppyhood, which leads to hip joint dislocation. Owners should be mindful of the amount of physical activity they provide their dogs with.
When buying a puppy, ask the breeder to provide you with health clearances for the puppy and its parents. This way, you can at least rule out genetic conditions.
Grooming
Golden Irish grooming is time-consuming yet simple. Like all dogs with a double coat, the golden retriever Irish setter cross needs daily brushing to remove dead hairs stuck in the undercoat and prevent matting.
Daily brushing also helps spot parasites that may be hiding in the dog’s long fur and evenly distribute skin oils. During seasonal shedding periods in spring and fall, owners must brush their Golden Irish with a de-shedding tool.
How often to bathe a dog depends on its lifestyle, but professional groomers advise bathing Golden Irish at least once in six weeks. Some dogs may need more frequent bathing, but excessive use of shampoo can harm a dog’s skin.
The Irish setter golden retriever mix doesn’t need haircuts and should never be shaved, even in summer, because it may intervene in the body’s thermoregulation and damage the undercoat. Thus, owners can save money on regular professional grooming.
However, the Golden Irish will benefit from regular feather trimming to keep longer fur off the ground and prevent tangling.
Exercise Needs
Golden retrievers and Irish setters are hunting dogs packed with energy, so they need at least two hours of exercise daily, and so does their cross.
Because they are intelligent dogs, they also need mental stimulation, or they will get bored.
The exercise duration depends on its type – for example, 15 minutes of swimming replace an hour of walking because swimming is more energy-consuming. Golden Irish will appreciate amusing activities such as playing fetch or tracking prey.
It’s important not to exercise a Golden Irish puppy too much until its growth plates close because the excessive activity may put a strain on its joints and lead to hip dysplasia. Five minutes of exercise per month of age is enough.
Life Expectancy
Golden retrievers live for 10-12 years on average, which isn’t much even for large dogs. The problem is the breed’s susceptibility to cancer that takes away the lives of many goldens.
Fortunately, Irish setters are generally healthier, and so is the golden retriever Irish setter mix. Golden Irish life expectancy is 12-15 years.
Remember that a dog’s lifespan largely depends on its lifestyle, so provide your dog with enough exercise and feed it a healthy diet to ensure it lives long and happy.
Behavior Problems
Golden Irish behavior problems are the same as those of parent breeds. Both Irish setters and golden retrievers are prone to separation anxiety because they are people-oriented and suffer when left alone for long periods.
Separation anxiety causes dogs to behave destructively, chewing on things, digging, barking, whining, and pacing. Some dogs may have potty accidents or attempts to escape the house.
Another common golden retriever Irish setter mix behavior problem is jumping on people out of excitement. Puppies often pull on the leash because they are curious, but owners can eliminate this habit with early training.
Golden Irish are rarely stubborn, but they can disobey the owner’s commands if they don’t get enough mental stimulation. Without physical activity, Golden Irish may become mischievous.
Under-socialized golden retriever Irish setter mix may develop social anxiety and phobias of noise or strangers.
Fortunately, aggression and excessive barking are extremely rare with Golden Irish. All their behavior problems can be resolved with training and socialization.
Rarity
The golden retriever Irish setter mix isn’t rare compared to many other crossbreeds because mating a golden retriever with an Irish setter is easy, and both breeds are very popular in the U.S.
However, the cross is rare compared to purebred dogs because the demand for Golden Irish is lower than for purebred goldens and Irish setters. Most breeders find it easier to sell a purebred puppy than a cross.
So, you might have to invest time searching for your perfect puppy, and it may not be in your state or even the neighboring state.
Price
The golden retriever Irish setter mix price ranges from $800 to $1,500, which is pretty expensive for a crossbreed. Some puppies cost over $2,500, particularly those with champion bloodlines.
A puppy’s price depends on its temperament, appearance, lineage, breeder’s reputation, and location. Health clearances also add to the Golden Irish cost, but peace of mind is always worth the money.