Afghan Retriever (Afghan Hound & Golden Retriever Mix): Info, Pics, Traits & Facts

The Afghan Retriever’s parents should be apparent just based on the name of this dog. The Afghan Hound and the Golden Retriever make up the beautiful Afghan Retriever crossbreed. The Golden Retriever is absolutely one of the most popular family dogs and is devoted, smart, and super friendly, while the Afghan is loyal, dignified, and independent. The Afghan Retriever is a mix of both of its parents and has its own exceptional appearance and personality.

The Afghan Retriever is a large dog that tends to more closely resemble a smaller boned Golden Retriever. The nose and ears tend to be longer like the Afghan and has a thick and wavy coat that comes in various colors such as gold, cream, brown, white, and black.

Afghan Retriever Puppies

The Afghan Retriever is a highly energetic dog that is quite healthy and has a long lifespan, particularly for a large dog. They are easy to train but might have a bit of an independent streak thanks to their Afghan Hound parent. The Afghan Retriever is an amiable dog that tends to get along with everyone they meet.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Afghan Retriever

1. The Afghan Retriever’s personality will be a mix between its parents.

The Golden Retriever is known for an easygoing and playful personality, and the Afghan Hound tends to be an aloof and dignified dog. The Afghan Retriever will be a mix of this and might be an independent and sometimes silly dog.

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2. The Afghan Retriever will have hunting instincts.

The Afghan Hound is in the AKC’s Hound Group, and the Golden Retriever belongs in the Sporting Group. Both breeds were bred to assist hunters, and therefore, the Afghan Retriever should have the same instincts as their parents.

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3. The Afghan Retriever is known to inherit large pads.

The Afghan Hound has large pads on their paws, which are meant to help protect them feet while moving over the Asian mountains’ rough terrain. The Afghan Retriever tends to inherit the same large pads, which will help protect their paws but will also need looking after.

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Temperament & Intelligence of the Afghan Retriever 🧠

The Afghan Retriever is a combination of dignified and goofy thanks to the diverse personalities of their parents. Overall, this crossbreed is both goofy and sweet-natured, as well as loyal and noble, and they can be the perfect companion.

Both the Afghan Hound and the Golden Retriever are intelligent dogs, so expect the Afghan Retriever to have the same smarts as their parents. Depending on which parent they take after most, they might be more easygoing like the Golden Retriever or stubborn and aloof like the Afghan Hound.

Are Afghan Retrievers Good for Families? 🏡

Expect the perfect family dog if you invite an Afghan Retriever into your household. The Golden Retriever is well known for their amazing abilities and trustworthiness with children, and the Afghan Retriever will have much of the same qualities. They are known for their silly and playful behavior and will make wonderful playmates for the children. However, just like with any dog, younger children must be supervised while spending time with the Afghan Retriever. You should teach your children to respect all dogs.

Do Afghan Retrievers Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

Training and socializing the Afghan Retriever is vital to ensure that your dog will get along with your pets and other dogs. They are generally friendly and social dogs and are not aggressive. However, keep in mind that both parents are hunting dogs, and the Afghan Retriever might be prone to chasing smaller animals. If they are raised within the same household, they will get along very well with the smaller pets.

Things to Know When Owning an Afghan Retriever:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

First, you should find a high-quality dry dog food that is meant for your dog’s current size, age, and activity level. Have a look at the instructions on the back of the food bag, as it can help you figure out the amount and how often you should be feeding your dog every day. You should consider speaking to your vet if you’re ever concerned about your Afghan Retriever’s health or weight.

Exercise 🐕

Both the Golden Retriever and the Afghan Hound are very active dogs that require a great deal of exercise. The Afghan Retriever will also need a lot of exercise to help burn off excess energy. Expect to spend an hour at a minimum every day walking and playing with your dog. This can include training them in obedience, agility, and sporting activities, or just allow them to run in your fenced yard or at the dog park.

Training 🦮

Training your Afghan Retriever might be a challenge if they take enough after the Afghan Hound parent. The Golden Retriever is intelligent and eager to please and generally easy to train, but while the Afghan Hound wants to please their owner, they are also independent, making them more challenging to train. Expect something in the middle with the Afghan Retriever. The training could be easy or difficult, depending on which one of the parents they take after the most. Be sure to use positive reinforcement, as your Afghan Retriever is a sensitive dog.

Grooming ✂️

The Afghan Hound usually needs regular grooming that includes brushing them several hours every week, and the Golden Retriever also requires brushing several times a week. Therefore, your Afghan Retriever will need brushing about every other day and more frequently during the shedding seasons of spring and fall. You should give them a bath only when absolutely necessary but no more than once a month using a good dog shampoo.

You should brush your Afghan Retriever’s teeth about two or three times a week, clean their ears around once a month (or as often as necessary), and trim their nails every 3 to 4 weeks.

Health and Conditions ❤️

The Afghan Retriever is not expected to have the same issues with health as the purebred parents. However, it’s a good idea to make yourself familiar with some of these health conditions in case your dog does inherit some of these health problems.

The veterinarian will check your Afghan Retriever’s eyes, tail, and skin and will run urinalysis and blood tests if hypothyroidism is suspected.

Your veterinarian will check your dog’s elbows and hips and will run blood and urinalysis tests to rule out any of these conditions.

Male vs. Female

The male Afghan Retriever is usually larger and heavier than the female. The male is generally 24 to 27 inches and the female 22 to 26 inches in height. The male could weigh 55 to 70 pounds, and the female might be 50 to 65 pounds.

If you choose to have surgery for your dog, neutering the male is an easier operation than spaying a female, so expect to pay a little less, and your male dog will have a quicker recovery time than the female. One of the advantages of spaying or neutering your dog (other than preventing pregnancy) is it can help prolong your Afghan Retriever’s life as it may help stop future health problems from occurring.

Finally, some people believe that there are differences in temperament between female and male dogs. It has been said that females are slightly more affectionate and easier to train than males, but there are debates about this. However, how your Afghan Retriever was socialized and trained as a puppy, and how they have been treated as an adult dog will truly determine their personality and behavior.

Final Thoughts: Afghan Retriever

As previously mentioned, finding an Afghan Retriever might prove difficult. You can start by talking to breeders of Afghan Hounds and Golden Retrievers as they might provide you with more information on these puppies. Otherwise, you can speak to national and local dog clubs, attend dog shows, and definitely post on social media, and don’t forget to look into adopting a dog.

The Afghan Retriever is a gorgeously affectionate dog with both a funny and dignified personality, and they may just be the best fit for your particular family.

Related Reads:

• Doberman Pinscher Golden Retriever Mix
• Basselier (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel & Basset Hound Mix)

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Featured Image Credit: Pixabay