A Golden Retriever is one of the best types of pets for any family. They are friendly, they get along with almost anyone, and they have lots of energy to run around with your kids and anyone else around the home. These are some of the best family pets out there. But before bringing a new Golden Retriever home, many families wonder what the average lifespan of this breed is.
The average lifespan of a Golden Retriever is 10 to 12 years. This is lower than many other dog breeds because of some common health concerns the Golden Retriever faces. With the right exercise and diet, along with good veterinary care, your Golden Retriever can live closer to 12 to 14 years instead.
Let’s take a closer look at the average lifespan of a Golden Retriever, some of the ways we can help our favorite family pet live longer, and common health issues that tend to cut the lifespan of these dogs down a bit.
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How Long do Golden Retrievers Live?
In most cases, a Golden Retriever’s average lifespan will be somewhere between 10 and 12 years. This is a much shorter lifespan than many of the other types of dogs out there, which may prevent families from getting this type of dog. Golden Retrievers can make themselves an instant member of the family, so it is often hard to know that they will not be members of the family for that long. Although we believe even though this may feel like a short period of time getting a golden retriever is well worth it.
There are Golden Retrievers who have lived past this time frame though and it is not uncommon to find them living for up to 15 years. In fact, the oldest known Golden Retriever recently known lived to be 20 years old! The average lifespan of a Golden Retriever does tend to be lower, but there are a number of reasons for this. And many Golden Retrievers are able to live long and healthy lives despite this.
Choosing the right breeder is a big part of the longevity of your golden retriever. Breeders that provide health testing and breed responsibly will provide a healthy puppy. Puppies from these breeders are usually substantially higher in price, but when you factor in a sick dog that may require extensive vet care, paying for a quality breeder is well worth it.
Along with choosing the right breeder, the right kind of diet, plenty of exercises, and care from a good vet, your Golden Retriever can live between 12 to 14 years rather than the average lifespan. A few common health conditions seem to limit how long this pet breed will last. But if you take care of them, it is possible to help them live longer. Pet owners need to provide the right care to their dogs to ensure they can live longer than this average for this breed.
How Can I Help My Golden Retriever Live Longer?
While Golden Retrievers often have a short lifespan, there are a few things that pet owners can do to help with this. With the right diet and exercise, and routine vet visits, it is possible to give your dog a much longer and happier life. Some of the steps that you can do as the pet owner to increase the lifespan of your new family friend includes:
Good Exercise
The good news with this one is that most Golden Retrievers like to be active and move around. They like to go on walks, play in the backyard, and spend time with the whole family. It should not be too hard to get them up and moving so they can stay healthy in this manner.
As the pet owner, you need to be active and make sure your Golden Retriever gets out and is active. They cannot open the door and go on their own and can’t take themselves on walks. Make it a habit to get them out for either two short walks or one long walk each day, and then add some playtime at a minimum. The more time you can spend being active with them, the better and healthier it is for both of you.
Good Diet
Your Golden Retriever needs to rely on a healthy diet to stay safe and live a long time. One of the most common reasons many Golden Retrievers die earlier is developing cancer from poor diets. If you feed them lots of good food without all the fillers and harmful stuff, you can help them live longer lives.
Be careful about the ingredients in the dog food that you choose to give to your dog. Real meat and vegetables should be the top ingredient. Be careful about too many grains as well. If there are a lot of ingredients that you can’t pronounce the name of, then this is probably not the best option. If you are uncertain about the exact type of food to feed your dog to prolong their life or have a health condition that needs specific things, then talk with your vet to help you make good decisions.
An easy, great way to think about this is how we feed ourselves or our children. We know processed foods are unhealthy for us. So why is it okay for our dogs? When deciding on a dog food research the brand name for recalls, many big brands have had many recalls that have made dogs sick or caused death.
Veterinary Care
Along with a good diet and plenty of exercise for your dog, it is a good idea to give them the veterinary care that they deserve. You need to schedule routine checkups for your dog and come in for any necessary follow-ups based on the schedule your vet gives you. During these checkups, the vet will look for some of the common health conditions that Golden Retrievers tend to have and can catch them early, limiting and sometimes preventing them from shortening the lifespan of your dog.
It is easy to get busy with life and not take the time to do these checkups. But for your dog’s health and to keep them around for longer, it is something you need to do. If you are uncertain about when to schedule these visits, just contact your vet and ask them. If you ever feel like something is wrong with your Golden Retriever in-between visits, call them and see if an appointment is necessary. Keeping up with these visits can be a good way to take care of your dog.
It is possible to help your Golden Retriever live past the average lifespan for this breed. It does take some work and includes a healthy diet and lots of exercises. But when you can give these good things to the dog, you will find that they can be a part of your family for much longer.
Common Health Issues
Pet owners need to be aware of the common health issues that will affect their dogs. When not properly handled, these health issues can lead to the dog getting sick and not living as long. With proper care and treatment and the help of your vet, you can curtail these health issues and keep your Golden Retriever healthy for longer. Some of the most common health concerns that your Golden Retriever may face include:
Hypothyroidism: The thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones that help with the dog’s normal metabolism. When these do not work, then not enough hormones will be produced. Your dog may experience lethargy and weakness, skin infections, hair loss, unexplained weight gain, and intolerance to cold.
Cancer: Golden Retrievers do have a higher risk of cancer. This is the main reason why this dog does not have as long of a lifespan as some other dogs.
Hip Dysplasia: This is a common issue in many dog breeds and is a deformation of your dog’s hip joint. This is when the socket of the hip is too shallow and cannot fully support the thighbone. It can cause inflammation and pain, making it hard for your dog to walk or even stand.
Elbow dysplasia: This is a similar problem, but it is in the elbow joints of the dog’s front legs rather than in their hips.
Eye problems: Golden Retrievers have several eye problems that can show up as they age. The most common include pigmentary uveitis, progressive retinal atrophy, and juvenile cataracts.
Heart problems: Your dog can have several heart conditions as well. It is best to discuss this with your vet to see which problems are common and to watch out for them early on.
As a pet owner, you need to visit the vet regularly to avoid these problems and to treat them if they do show up. This can help your dog avoid a lot of discomfort along the way and can keep them safe and living a longer and healthier life.
Enjoying Your Golden Retriever
Each Golden Retriever is a little different in how long they will live. Some, depending on the genetic background that they have, may get sick more often or show those health issues more than others. Some of these pets seem to never get sick or struggle with health problems so they will live for a lot longer time.
Even though some Golden Retrievers can live shorter lifespans compared to other dogs, they often lead really happy lives. As their owner, work to give them everything they need, especially when it comes to their health so they can live even longer.