Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular and loved breeds throughout the world and current sit 4^th on the register for the most popular family dog to have.  They have a great temperament with the breed often being referred to as kind, caring and loving. As a breed they are also known for have generally good health, this isn’t surprising as the breed used to be bred for working as a gundog, they would be sent to go and fetch water flow that had been shot and also birds that were shot.

Due to them being originally breed for going into water, the breed still holds this trait and you will find that Golden retrievers have a love for water and a lack of fear so they are more than likely to jump into a river, lake without caring.

However some breeders aren’t as careful and watchful as they should be today, which ultimately results in a litter of the dogs having some genetic issues. One of the most common health problems for the breed is hip dysplasia; this is affects their hip sockets and can lead to arthritis and for the area around the hips to swell. Golden Retrievers can also suffer from cancer, the most common within the breed is Hemangiosarcoma; this is when blood vessels grow directly into the tumour leading to it being filled with blood, tumours tend to occur on their liver, to the right of their heart or on their skin. It is fairly difficult to know if your dog has this cancer and it is often not discovered until after they have collapsed.

Although the breed does have some illnesses linked to them it shouldn’t put you off welcoming one into the family. If they have been breed probably and you look after them they will remain fit and healthy. You should also take out an insurance policy when buying a pet for cover if you ever need it, and having a Golden Retriever isn’t any different, it will mean if they do have any accidents due to their adventurous behaviour or become ill you will have some cover to help you pay for treatment to get them back on their feet again!