The Golden Retriever dog was originally bred in Scotland to assist with hunting and retrieve ducks and other game birds. This goofy, fun-loving dog makes a great family pet if you can put up with the large amounts of hair they shed!

Golden Retrievers have a long, thick double coat, which was designed to keep them warm and insulated and repel water when swimming. They usually reach 25-34kg in weight and reach up to 61cm tall. The typical golden coat is characteristic for the breed, and there are no colour variations.

Living with a Golden Retriever means that your best friend will always be by your side. They have an affectionate, loving nature and tend to love kids. In fact they tend to love life, play, cats, everything really. They make excellent family pets for this reason and asides for a tendency to be hyperactive as pups, they are very easy to train and live with.

Health-wise the Golden Retriever has a few conditions you should be aware of. They can be susceptible to hip dysplasia, so be careful to only purchase an animal from a good breeder who uses hip scoring. Avoiding excessive weight gain during growth will limit the risk of hip dysplasia and also elbow dysplasia in your developing Golden Retriever. For reasons that have not yet been fully investigated, Golden Retrievers also have higher rates of cancer, particularly lymphoma and haemangiosarcomas compared to other breeds. They are also known scavengers on their walks, so get frequent gastrointestinal upsets for this reason.

The average life expectancy of a Golden Retriever is somewhere between 10-13 years of age.

Information provided by Eloise Bright, Resident Vet, Love That Pet