How Long Can A Golden Retriever Live
Most Golden Retrievers live to be between 10 and 12 years old.
Genetic factors play a large role in how long a particular canine lives.
Genetic factors likely play a role in a pets susceptibility to cancer, which can decrease their lifespan considerably.
Hip and bone problems can also factor into a dogs quality of life as they age.
Genetic factors also play a role in these disorders, though being overweight is also a big factor in Golden Retriever lifespan.
Do you have a Golden Retriever?
Let us know how old they are in the comments below!
Make Changes To The Dogs Feeding Plans
To deal with a dying Retrievers lack of appetite and subsequent weight loss, it can help to feed the pooch smaller meals at a regular interval. You can also embrace the use of appetite stimulants or a special weight management diet plan, but this should be done after consulting your vet.
You should also ensure that your poochs food and water bowl are within reach at all times.
Keep Your Golden Retriever A Healthy Weight
Obesity causes many of the same problems for dogs that it does for people such as diabetes, heart problems, cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, and other health problems.
In fact, obesity can shorten a dogs life by as much as 2 years!
How can you tell if your Golden Retriever is a healthy weight?
When your dog is standing up, you should be able to feel their ribs.
If you cant feel your dogs ribs, they need to lose some weight. Talk to your vet about the ideal weight for your golden and how you can safely help them lose the excess weight and gain months or years to their lifespan.
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Heart And Respiratory Diseases
Apart from cancer, another leading cause of death in Golden Retrievers is any of the several heart, lungs or circulatory health conditions. And one heart defect that is responsible for a significantly high number of Golden Retriever deaths is the Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis .
Causes of SAS in Golden Retrievers isnt independent of this breeds typical large size, and it is characterized by the narrowing of the aorta blood vessel that is responsible for carrying oxygenated blood out of the heart This, in turn, makes it increasingly difficult for the dogs heart to push out blood, and it may eventually lead to the poochs death.
Ensure Good Dental Hygiene
Just like us, a dogâs dental hygiene can affect their overall health.
Without good dental hygiene, a dog can have periodontal disease. Bacteria can enter the blood system and affect organs, attacking the kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs.
Unfortunately, 80 percent of dogs show dental disease by the age of three.
Many vets recommend brushing your dogâs teeth on a regular basis. Daily is best.
Itâs good to have your vet check out whether your goldenâs teeth need to be cleanedor if any need to be pulled.
I brush my dogsâ teeth daily. And, when the vet indicates that they should be professionally cleaned, I take her advice.
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Golden Retriever Life Expectancy Span And Lifecycle
The first thing you need to know is how long do golden retrievers live? Golden Retrievers have a life span of 10 to 12 years, and the oldest living golden retriever is 20 years old. They reach their full height when theyre 9 to 12 months of age, and are considered adults when theyre 18 months old.
Back in the old days, Golden Retrievers used to live for 16-17 years, but this has dropped to the 10-12 year-lifespan we now know.
Cancer is the largest killer for golden retrievers, and in fact, Golden Retrievers die of lymphoma, cancer of the blood vessels, and bone cancer more than any other dog breeds.
The Morris Animal Foundation launched a $25 million study into the lifespan of golden retrievers. The study has more than 3,000 golden retrievers from all over the world involved in the study.
The study will focus on reviewing the environmental factors and health conditions faced by Golden Retrievers and the results of the study are expected to benefit all other dog breeds and even humans .
They also plan on using the findings as launching points for other health studies in dogs in the future.
Even though the study was started years ago, it still hasnt yielded conclusive results till now to help with the cancer research, and scientists expect it to last for several more years before any conclusive results are published.
Here are some of the results of the Golden Retriever Lifespan Study:
Golden Retriever Lifespan: 9 Great Tips To Prolong Its Life
It is known that Golden Retriever dogs are very popular, as they rank third most popular in the USA, according to the latest statistics conducted by the Kennel Club of America. So, when we consider adopting a new dog like Golden Retriever, the first question we ask is how long the golden retriever lifespan?, in order to determine the cost of maintenance.
The popularity of Golden Retriever dogs is due to their very friendly and loyal nature and the suitability of their pets for home breeding. But from the beginning, we need to know their average age, to avoid being shocked when we say goodbye to our faithful dog shortly after breeding, especially since not all dog breeds live like humans. Golden retrievers are no exception to this painful fact.
In this article, we will discover the average life expectancy of a golden retriever as well as the factors that can affect its life in order to help it live happily for as long as possible. But before that, lets take a look at the history of the most ancient dogs in the world and the oldest golden retriever.
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How Long Do Labs Live Average Labrador Lifespan The Oldest
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Its tough to gauge exactly how long your Labrador might live as there are so many factors, both genetic and environmental, that contribute to their life expectancy.
The average Labrador lifespan is somewhere between 10 and 14 years, provided they arent beset by any exceptional health issues or injuries.
But what factors go into determining how long Labradors live? Can you have an effect on this?
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: Weve read many books and magazines about Labrador Retrievers. One of our favorites, Your Labrador Retriever Puppy is a great resource for all Lab owners.
Contents & Quick Navigation
Ingredients Label On Dog Food
This will tell you what product has been used inside of the dog food but does not guarantee to tell you where it came from. Quality is another topic that may not be discussed on the label of any dog food product.
This is not something that is a huge factor to the majority the main focus is to know what product as used in the product. A great product will ensure a good balance of nutritional value in every bite.
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The Horrible Truth About Foods Manufacturers
The dog food industry is a multibillion-dollar industry that always has been built on half-truth told stories. This is not to knock all the genuine pet food manufacturers out there and I respect what they do.
But we all know the vast products that are found in kibble time and time again that I always due to trying to save some cash. Because of that, it leaves our loved ones at risk. They are not getting the right nutrients and foods that they require to live a healthy life.
What really piqued my interest was the fact that I found dogs overall are living a whole 11% less than they used to in our current climate. Theres definitely some sort of shift happening and by the looks of it, it doesnt look like its happening for the better!
What Makes Good Food For Your Dog
Good foods are made up of nutrients that contain a variety of grains, fruit, and vegetables. You will find that a majority of the dog foods are made of meats with fillers which are also just as important for their nutrition too.
Best quality foods currently on the market contain a variety of all of the above nutrients all in one. Not every food will include this, so youll need to take a look at which ones are best suited for your pup.
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Average Lifespan For Golden Retrievers
The average lifespan for golden retrievers, according to the American Kennel Club and other authorities, is 10 to 12 years old.
Unfortunately, golden retrieversâ lifespan has been decreasing over the years,
In the 1970s, goldens commonly lived to be 16 or 17 years old. Thatâs the exception now, not the rule.
A golden retriever named and was said to be the oldest-living golden at the time.
She was adopted when she was 14 years old. Of course, she was given a birthday celebration to mark the happy occasion.
‘augie’ Breaks Record As World’s Oldest Golden Retriever At Age 20
25 June 2020
A golden retriever in Tennessee just became the oldest of its breed known to date, after turning 20 this April, according to news reports.
August or “Augie” who was adopted when she was 14 from the Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Nevada after being rehomed twice, is still surprisingly healthy, one of her owners Jennifer Hetterscheidt told Golden Hearts, a blog about golden retrievers. Augie is a bit shaky when she wakes up, but enjoys her daily walks around the yard, she said.
Most dogs live between 8 and 15 years, but there are accounts of some dogs, generally smaller breeds, that live for more than 20 years. The oldest dog known was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey who was put to sleep at age 29 on Nov. 14, 1939, according to The Guinness World Records. Golden retrievers typically live between 10 and 12 years, but there have been some records of them living to 17, 18 or 19, according to Golden Hearts.
But why do our furry friends have relatively short lives compared with humans?
“We don’t know,” said Trey Ideker, a professor of genetics at the University of California, San Diego. But Ideker said he’s not surprised that Augie lived to age 20. Dog life spans will “undoubtedly” improve over time and already have, he said, similar to how human life spans have improved since we stopped sculpting rocks into tools and began erecting hospitals.
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What Can Be Done To Slow The Progression
What can you do to help your golden live longer right now? We know that it is hard to address genetic issues other then making sure that your pets history is up-to-date, all health issues are listed so that they can be monitored and preventative measures can be taken.
Lets look at what other steps can be done to keep our golden around longer:
The general belief or formula about a dogs age is that one dog year is equal to seven human years. This is misleading since scientist now believe it actually depends on the size of the dog. The new calculation is that for every 4.4 pounds of weight a dog has, its life expectancy is reduced by one month. Goldens can be large dogs so is this contributing to their lifespan?
We really dont know how much time we will have with our pet. What we do know is that they become part of the family once they step in our house. We should care for them and love them like there is no tomorrow. We should appreciate all the joy, smiles and love they bring to us each and every day.
Increasing Your Goldens Life Expectancy
Golden retrievers are amazing dogs whose life expectancy is around 10 and 12 years. However, you also play a huge role in how long your dog will live. There are a few things you can do to increase your dogs life expectancy.
Healthy parents = Long life
If you get your dog from an unreliable breeder, someone who doesnt even have the parents full documentation, youre not doing yourself a favor.
Yes, sure, you are saving a couple of hundred dollars, however in the long run it will cost you much more and cause heartbreak once your dog becomes ill.
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There are many bad people out there who are breeding dogs only for the money, they dont care about the puppies or the parents health. Unfortunately more often than not these puppies wont even get the vaccinations or medications they need.
This is why its important to do research and find a reliable breeder who cared about the health of their dogs.
High-quality food
Good, high-quality food is another important factor in how to increase your dogs life expectancy. Food is definitely not something you want to save money on.
With good food your dog will get all the nutrients necessary for a healthy and long life.
If youre lost and dont know which dog food is the best, we do have articles on this topic too.
Exercise is a must
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Tip #: Fix Your Dog But Not Too Early
According to this research article, dogs that are fixed may live longer than those who are not.
And, according to this article, dogs that are fixed a little later in life may be better off than dogs who are fixed too early .
Interestingly enough, theres also evidence that suggests fixed men may live longer than intact men, if were using canine terms here.
Ill let you decide how you want to process that information!
Differences Between Golden Retrievers And Red Golden Retrievers
While the main difference between standard golden retrievers and red golden retrievers is their color, there are a few other differences to be aware of.
However, it is worth noting that these differences dont stem from the same genetic markers that cause red retrievers to have their mahogany color.
Rather, red retrievers tend to come from hunting lines, while many other goldens are bred to be pets, service dogs, or show dogs. As a result, different characteristics have become dominant.
Red retrievers tend to be slightly smaller and lighter in weight than other goldens.
Male red retrievers will weigh at the lower end of the 65 to 75-pound range that is standard for golden retrievers, and will be 22-23 inches tall, while standard goldens often grow an extra inch or two.
Female red retrievers will again be at the lower end of the 55- to 65-pound range that is standard for golden retrievers, and tend to be 20 to 21 inches tall, while standard goldens may be an inch taller.
They tend to have a more streamlined and athletic build than other goldens and have a little bit more energy, so need a bit of extra exercise.
This makes red retrievers the smallest of the golden retriever breed.
Their coat is also a little bit different in texture. Like all goldens, they have a short undercoat and a longer outer coat, which allows them to retain heat in cold temperatures.
All retrievers need to be groomed at least once a week to keep their coats under control.
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Spay Or Neuter With Caution
Spaying and neutering your retriever may add up to three years to their life span. This is because it limits any hormone-causing cancers within their sexual organs. Not to mention, it also limits the heat factor. .
Its also integral to spay/neuter at the right time. The general age for the procedure is between 3-9 months for most breeds. For Golden Retrievers, however, its 1-2 years.
This is important because of the gonads which produce crucial hormones. These hormones help to develop the long bone-growth plates and set a foundation to prevent major diseases.
Golden Retriever Life Expectancy: How To Increase It
There is one thing that all Golden Retriever owners fear the most, cancer. Goldens are incredibly susceptible to cancer, as a matter of fact, it is the number one cause of death for this breed.
A study by the Morris Animal Foundation has discovered that a whopping 60% of Golden Retrievers will be affected by some type of cancer during their lifetime. Cancer deaths in Golden Retrievers are higher than any other dog breed in the world.
The most common types of cancers that impact Golden Retrievers are:
- Bone cancer
- Lymphoma
- Skin cancer
These are devastating data, and it makes you wonder why Goldens are so susceptible to cancer? The main reason is genetics. Years of irresponsible breeding have left the breed genetically weak and predisposed to this deadly disease. However, genetics is not the only culprit, environmental pollution and quality of food also play a big role in this.
Cancer Prevention
Since cancer is a top cause of death in Golden Retrievers, it is only natural to try to prevent it. The prevention of cancer starts with buying a puppy. Buy a Golden Retriever puppy only from a reputable breeder and ask for the health checks of its parents. By doing this, you will not only get a healthy puppy, but you will also promote good and responsible breeding practices and improve the overall health of the breed.
Spay or neuter
Balanced, High-Quality Diet
Other Options For Increasing The Lifespan Of My Golden Retriever
Hygiene
Avoid Stressful Situations
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