Golden Retriever Lifespan: Life Expectancy & Life Stages

However, nature is cruel, and dogs don’t live as long as humans do. Furthermore, large dogs age at an accelerated pace compared with small dogs.

A dog’s lifespan depends on many factors, including its genetics, environment, and the care it receives from the owner.

Every owner should know the average golden retriever’s lifespan, life stages, and primary risks at a particular age to assist their pet in living longer and healthier.

Average Golden Retriever Life Expectancy

Many people are surprised when they find out the answer to how long golden retrievers live.

These seemingly healthy, active dogs only live 10-12 years on average, which is significantly less than many other dog breeds that can live up to 20.

However, such a short lifespan is typical for large dog breeds. For comparison, Dalmatians live for 10-13 years and German shepherds only 9-11 years. Some dogs, like English bulldogs, live an average of 8 years.

That’s not to say that a golden retriever can’t live longer. With proper care, some retrievers can live 15 years.

The oldest golden retriever, Augie from Tennessee, died when she was 20 years and 11 months old – that’s about 100 human years.

Of course, the golden retriever Augie was an exception rather than a norm, but her case is a motivation for owners to take extra care of their dogs. However, the owner’s effort isn’t the only factor that affects a golden retriever’s lifespan.

Interestingly, in the 1970s, the average golden retriever’s lifespan was 16-17 years. Golden retriever life expectancy has decreased rapidly in the past decades. Perhaps, this was a result of reckless breeding or environmental changes.

Why Do Golden Retrievers Live So Short?

Nowadays, dog owners have access to advanced veterinary treatments and vaccines unavailable in the 1970s. Human life expectancy is constantly increasing as medicine becomes more advanced. However, this isn’t the case with golden retrievers.

One may think that the answer to why golden retrievers live so short lies solely in their size – after all, their lifespan is similar to other large dog breeds.

However, this explanation doesn’t make much sense when we look at how golden retriever life expectancy decreased in the past 50 years. We still need more research on that matter, but some hypotheses that have been put forth are plausible.

One possible explanation for the short lifespan of golden retrievers is genetic health issues that are rooted in some breed lines.

When the breed became so immensely popular, some breeders became less picky regarding the dogs they used for their breeding program.

Perhaps, some breeders didn’t filter out dogs with genetic issues, striving to meet the high demand, which resulted in the development of medical conditions and a decreased lifespan.

The most common cause of death in golden retrievers is cancer. The disease affects over 60% of golden retrievers at some point in their lifetime. Unfortunately, the lethality rate at the late stages of cancer is extremely high.

Early detection and treatment are vital for a positive outcome, but many owners who have never had experience dealing with dog cancer before don’t notice the symptoms until it’s too late.

Apart from cancer, golden retrievers often die from heart conditions, respiratory diseases, and tumors. However, when we only look at a specific breed, we’re losing the bigger picture and neglecting environmental factors.

Studies have shown that golden retrievers in specific regions or with certain traits are less likely to develop particular conditions, so we need more research to find the root of the problem.

Factors Affecting The Lifespan

An individual golden retriever’s lifespan can be much shorter or longer than the average breed lifespan.

The primary factors affecting a dog’s lifespan are genetics, breeding, nutrition, exercise, appropriate veterinary care, environmental factors, and emotional state.

Although golden retrievers are known to be susceptible to particular health conditions, such as hip dysplasia and epilepsy, not every golden is at risk. The conditions may be common, but they are not present in every breed line.

Prospective golden retriever owners should request lab test results for specific genetic conditions from the breeder to ensure that the puppy and its parents don’t carry bad genes.

Experienced breeders who know the traits of specific breed lines can often determine whether a puppy will have good health simply by looking at its pedigree.

However, even if a golden retriever puppy carries bad genes, it can live a long and healthy life with the correct diet, sufficient exercise, and timely veterinary care.

Golden retrievers are prone to obesity, which, in turn, may lead to diabetes or cardiovascular conditions. Owners should be mindful of their dog’s serving sizes and limit treats to 10% of the total calorie intake.

Furthermore, dogs have different nutritional needs at different life stages. Neutered or spayed and intact goldens may also need a different diet.

Adult golden retrievers must exercise at least an hour a day, but some require even more activity.

Owners wishing to prolong their dog’s lifespan should keep their pet well-groomed and always keep an eye on behavioral and physical abnormalities. Timely veterinary intervention is the key to the successful treatment of many diseases.

Frequent exposure to pollutants, toxins, and other chemicals can lead to the development of respiratory and skin conditions, so dogs living in clean environments tend to have a longer lifespan.

Lastly, golden retrievers need love. They genuinely suffer when their favorite human isn’t around and can develop separation anxiety, which negatively affects a dog’s heart and nervous system.

First Life Stage: Puppy

The first golden retriever life stage is a puppy, beginning at birth and lasting until nine months old. At this age, dogs rapidly grow and learn to communicate with the world.

At eight weeks old, golden retriever puppies can be separated from their mother and brought to new homes, although some breeders recommend waiting until 12 weeks old. However, a golden retriever’s attention span isn’t yet sufficient for proper training.

Owners can start training golden retrievers at three months old. At four months old, goldens begin transitioning from the puppy phase into adults, at least physically – it’s a phase of the most active growth.

At six months old, golden retriever puppies begin changing their fluffy baby coat to adult and baby teeth to adult teeth. Their legs become longer and stronger, and some goldens also start maturing sexually.

Second Life Stage: Young Adult

At nine months old, a dog enters the “teenager” phase, becoming a young adult. Golden retrievers may become rebellious and extra-active at this age, so training is essential to raise a well-behaved adult dog.

Golden retrievers reach their full height by about one year old, but they don’t add weight as quickly and often seem too skinny. However, the dog’s bone structure should already be fully formed.

Although golden retrievers at one year old already look like adult dogs, they remain puppies at heart. They are intelligent and mature enough to perform tasks but are still goofy and playful.

Third Life Stage: Mature Dog

Golden retrievers become fully mature at about three years old, although this may depend on an individual dog’s temperament. Goldens don’t change much physically throughout their adult years -the primary difference is the gained weight.

Main changes happen with their mental state. At three-four years old, golden retrievers become less goofy and more reasonable. They are still energetic but don’t cause as much mischief.

By three years old, a dog’s personality and habits are already formed, but the owner should continue rewarding desired behavior. Some genetic issues manifest at adult age, so owners should also keep an eye on any abnormalities.

Fourth Life Stage: Senior Dog

Golden retrievers enter the senior age at about eight years old. They may become less energetic and playful, but owners should keep their pets active to prevent the development of health conditions.

At this age, many goldens also start putting on weight or losing it, so an adequate diet is vital.

The owners should regularly inspect their dog’s body for suspicious lumps and bumps and watch out for any symptoms of common golden retriever health problems.

How To Tell A Golden Retriever’s Age

Keeping track of a dog’s age is simple if you’ve bought it as a puppy. But how to tell a dog’s age if you’ve adopted it as an adult?

Although determining the exact age is impossible, owners can approximate the dog’s life stage by its teeth, body shape, fur color, and behavior.

Young adult dogs usually have white, non-stained teeth. After three years old, the teeth develop tartar build-up and start becoming dull. If the teeth show significant wear, the dog is most likely senior.

Young dogs usually have slim bodies and can be a bit clumsy. Mature adults have muscular bodies unless they are overweight, and senior dogs typically start putting up weight as they become less active.

Another way to determine a dog’s age is by checking how much white fur it has. Golden retrievers start going white at about six years old. The 20-year-old golden Augie used to have an entirely white face in her last years.

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