Schweenie vs Goldador - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Introduced as a designer dog, the Goldador is beautiful – a mix between Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, two of the most popular dog breeds in the world.

The dog was specifically bred to be an excellent working dog, and in fact today he makes the most wonderful guide-, rescue- and therapy dog.

Known also as Golden Labradors, the Goldador is a dog that has many capabilities, one of which is to make a wonderful family pet. As a designer breed, the dog isn’t recognized as a standardized breed by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Schweenie is a hybrid dog, with the parent breeds being the Shih Tzu and the Dachshund.

The Schweenie dog has been around for about 4 decades when breeders were looking for a dog that would be free of the health issues of the purebred parent breeds.

Because the Schweenie is a mix breed, it doesn’t qualify to be part of the American Kennel Club. He is however recognized by the Designer Breed Registry and some other clubs.

The Goldador is a large muscular dog standing at between 56 – 61cm in height at the withers and weighing between 27 – 36kg in weight.

His double coat is short and smooth but in can also be longer. It comes in shades of gold or yellow with hints of red, but it can be liver or black too. Goldadors are well-balanced dogs, and just the look in their kind brown eyes makes you realize that this beautiful dog can make a wonderful pet.

He has a well proportioned head with medium length floppy ears, a black nose and a long tail.

Temperament:

Loving, intelligent, loyal and playful, the Goldador is the kind of dog that gets on well with everyone. It’s why he isn’t a particularly good watchdog as he is just too friendly with strangers. You have to be careful though – his rambunctious nature, his energy and playfulness can see him being a bit rough around small children or the elderly. It is why socialization and training are so important for him as then he becomes obedient and more relaxed around everyone.

He loves his human family and never wants to be left on his own for too long. Intelligent and alert, he is an easy dog to train as he makes it easier by being a dog that wants to please.

The Schweenie will be a smallish dog standing at roughly 27cm to 50cm and weighing 4 – 9kg.

Because of the Dachshund parent, he will likely have a long body. The coat is shortish to medium length and can be a variety of colors – from a rusty color to brown, black, grey and even a cream shade. The ears are floppy and the tail medium length.

Temperament:

He is a small dog who is smart and bright and who wants to please his human owners. He loves people and wants to be around them and involved in their activities.

Small and cute though he is, he can be a stubborn dog and become a little big aggressive too if he is feeling a bit moody. He will need to be trained and socialized if you want him to obey your simple commands such as sit, stay, lie down and come.

He is intelligent enough to learn these simple commands with ease.He is both alert and vigilant, and this makes them good watchdogs.

Goldadors are intelligent dogs and they’ve been used extensively for guide- and therapy dogs, loving to be useful and busy. Its the kind of dog that thrives in a loving, active family – one that counts him in as a family member.

He makes an exceptional family pet and companion and you can rely on him to be a loyal, loving pet.It’s why the Goldador is becoming such a sought after pet – he simply ticks all the right boxes.

The Schweenie can be somewhat reserved and they need exercise regularly as well. If they don’t get enough exercise, they tend to become jittery and this can make them become a bit snappy. The are more prone to be snappy and aggressive with children who haven’t been taught how to treat animals gently and with respect.

They’re small enough to adjust to life in the city or countryside but will still need to be exercised.

The little Schweenie, with the right kind of owner can become a great little pet and companion.

Goldadors luckily don’t have many health issues, and as a hybrid, he has fewer health issues than pure breds.

You can say with confidence that a nutritious diet, regular exercise, good grooming, lots of love and attention and visits to the vet if your pet is ill are key aspects for maintaining good health.

There are always going to be some common health problems that your Goldie could get -

Ear Infections:

You’ll need to be checking your Labrador Retriever's floppy ears. They don’t get as much air in them as a dog with erect ears. A dog like the Goldador with floppy ears will need to have his ears cleaned for bacteria. Be very careful how you clean your pet’s ears as you can damage them if you probe too deeply.

Spaying and neutering:

Did you know that by spaying or neutering your Goldador can save them from getting some serious illnesses later on? Speak to your vet about it when your pet reaches 9 months to a year of age.

Obesity:

Goldadors can easily put on weight if they aren’t given enough daily exercise to burn off the calories. Some put on weight after being spayed or neutered and it's important to watch their weight after these procedures. Being overweight puts a lot of extra strain on a dog’s internal organs.

With good care, your Schweenie can live to be 12 to 15 years of age. Every dog, no matter how healthy, can get some of the health problems that plague many dogs.

Intervertebral Disk Disease:

This is where the cushions between each vertebra come into contact with the spinal cord. It can result in nerve damage and sometimes even paralysis. Because the Shih Tzu is one of the parent breeds, you will need to be aware of this ailment as these dogs are more susceptible to this disease.

Hypoglycemia:

Hypoglycemia is fairly common in small dogs and it is where there is a drop in blood sugar. It can be brought on by stress. It can also be referred to as low blood sugar and it can be deadly. If your pet is hypoglycemic, you will notice a loss in appetite, extreme lethargy, trembling and unusual behavior. You will need to get your Schweenie to the vet immediately for tests and treatment.

Grooming:

Goom your Goldador regularly. He can either have short- or long hair, but he is a fairly low maintenance dog so a good brush twice a week to remove loose hairs will be good for him.

Diet:

Diet is everything, and by giving your Goldador nutritional food, you can actually lengthen his life. If you’re going to be giving him commercially manufactured food, follow the feeding guidelines on the packaging. Remember there are foods that cater specifically for a dogs age and his energy levels.

Try and give him some home-made food from time to time such as cooked rice, vegetables and chicken as well as some raw meat occasionally as this can ensure his skin and coat remain healthy.

Always provide plenty of cool, fresh water, especially seeing that he will be thirsty after a long walk or other exercise. Dehydration in a dog can be fatal.

Shelter:

Provide your Goldador with a warm, dry place to sleep. Make sure that it offers shelter from the sun and rain and also provides shade.

Your Schweenie will need to be brushed at least twice a week to rid him of loose hairs. Because of his floppy ears, you will need to clean them and check for redness. If you don’t like the idea of probing inside the ear, professional groomers or the vet will do it for you.

Trim his nails if they don’t wear down on their own.

Provide him with a nice dry, warm spot to sleep.

Provide him with nice chewy toys that will keep him occupied.

Exercise him every day. Taking him on walks and playing ball games with him will keep him fit and trim but also help with staving off boredom.

Ensure his vaccines against deadly diseases are up to date. See that he gets to the vet when he appears to be under the weather.

He is a small dog so you have to be careful about how you feed him. You need to feed him a nutrient-rich dry kibble. Read the packaging and buy dog food according to his size, age and activity levels.

Try and include some home-made food into your dogs diet. A little bit of boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach all chopped up will do him good and can be added into the dry kibble twice a week. Some raw meat should also occasionally be added in as this can help to prevent some skin problems. Be sure that cool, fresh water is available for your pet at all times.