I am thinking of getting a golden retriever but have just been told by a friend who has had lots of different dogs that Golden Retreivers are prone to many illnesses and are always sick? Is this true? I have narrowed down my choice to a Golden or a labrador but am now slightly concerned by what I have been told. I would also be interested to know readers for and againsts for retrievers and labs. Many thanks

All breeds and crossbreeds have weaknesses that make them prone to certain conditions. A responsible breeder will only breed from tested, healthy animals in an attempt to eradicate these problems. When you look for a pup, make sure that the parents have had the relevant health tests for that breed. It can take months to track down the right puppy from the right breeder, but it's worth it.

Never buy from a puppy farmer whose dogs are unregistered and untested.

I have bred golden retrievers for 20 years and I haven't had any sickly ones. Like any breed or human you can be unlucky and have problems.

Retrievers don't take kindly to their diet being change all the time this can cause upset tums, but on the whole they are fine.

Bigger breeds like goldens, labs, german shepherd, etc can get hip problems or shoulder/elbow (OCD) so yo go to a breeder that know their lines well and has hips scored, and gives you good advice and is always ready to help you with any queries.

Hi Guest

My Golden Retriever is 14yrs old this year, apart from having a sensitive tum occasionally, she's had no major health problems, perhaps I've just been lucky with her; but as mentioned in a previous post, find a good breeder who has had all relevant checks done on their dogs. Goldens are wonderful dogs, who should give you years of pleasurable dog ownership and sloppy kisses :D

Good luck with your puppy!

Liberty