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Smiling Golden Retriever lying on a living room rug

Golden Retriever Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Golden Retriever is a large sized dog from Scotland that has become a popular dog breed worldwide.&nbsp;Known for their distinctive coats of cream, yellow or golden, they have a gentle temperament and love human interaction. If you&rsquo;re looking for the perfect family dog, the Golden Retriever will fit the bill.

Sporting

Type

10 - 12 years

Lifespan

Large

Size

25 - 34 kg

Weight

51 - 61 cm

Height

Gentle, obedient and playful

Temperament

60 - 120 mins per day

Exercise

High maintenance

Grooming

Yes, Golden Retrievers shed a lot! They shed all year round but even more so in spring and autumn. Brushing every day will help and stop the fur from matting, but no matter how much you brush, you&rsquo;ll have to get used to dog hair being everywhere.

What is the Golden Retriever life expectancy?

The life expectancy of Golden Retrievers is 10-12 years. Their lifespan can be affected by diet, exercise and inherited health problems.

What Age is a Golden Retriever Fully Grown?

Golden Retrievers are usually fully grown by 18-24 months. They can reach their adult height by 9-12 months but will generally stop growing and filling out when they&rsquo;re around 18 months to 2 years old.

What's the difference between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever?

Both the Labrador and Golden Retriever are retrievers and bred for hunting, so they share similar personalities, and are roughly the same size and build. But they&rsquo;re not the same and aren&rsquo;t even related. The main noticeable difference between them is their coats. Labradors have short, straight fur, whereas Golden Retrievers have long, wavy fur.

How much exercise does a Golden Retriever need?

Golden Retrievers need an hour or more of exercise every day. This can be split into two half hour sessions. A walk in the morning and then again in the evening with some playtime included is ideal.

That’s All You Need to Know About Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers are a social breed that get on well with everyone! Their fun-loving personalities make them ideal companions for children. And they’re an adaptable breed so are well-suited to most households. They need regular exercise though and love to play. They’re always willing to please, so training them is a doddle. There are quite a few health conditions that are common in this breed, so make sure you know what to look out for.

Golden Retrievers are a social <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Breed Guides">dog breed</a> that get on well with everyone! Their fun-loving personalities make them ideal companions for children. And they&rsquo;re an adaptable breed so are well-suited to most households. They need <a href="/all-things-pet/the-dog-exercise-guide" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Exercise Guide">regular exercise</a> though and love to play.

They&rsquo;re always willing to please, so training them is a doddle. There are quite a few health conditions that are common in this breed, so make sure you know what to look out for.

<ul>
	<li style="display: block; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: -9999px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The Kennel Club &amp; Varley E (online) Golden Retriever. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/retriever-golden" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Golden Retriever page">https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/retriever-golden</a></li>
	<li>Harari J &amp; Langley-Hobbs S (online) Hip: dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Hip-dysplasia" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog hip dysplasia page">https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Hip-dysplasia</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Hip dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/hip-dysplasia" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog hip dysplasia client information page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/hip-dysplasia</a></li>
	<li>Neil Burton &amp; Rob Pettitt (online) Elbow: dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/elbow-dysplasia" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog elbow dysplasia page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/elbow-dysplasia</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Elbow dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/elbow-dysplasia" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog elbow dysplasia client information page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/elbow-dysplasia</a></li>
	<li>Brooks D E, Williams D L &amp; Gould D (online) Retina: generalized progressive retinal atrophy. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Retina-generalized-progressive-retinal-atrophy" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog generalised progressive retinal atrophy page">https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Retina-generalized-progressive-retinal-atrophy</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/progressive-retinal-atrophy-(pra)" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog progressive retinal atrophy client information page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/progressive-retinal-atrophy-(pra)</a></li>
	<li style="display: block; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: -9999px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Content provided from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link to vet experts Vetstream's website">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Canis</a>

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

A Golden Retriever puppy bounding in a garden

Like all <a href="/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppies</a>, they will be playful, adorable and have energy to burn. They&rsquo;ll need <a href="/all-things-pet/puppy-socialisation-helping-your-pooch-make-pals" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to puppy socialisation">socialisation</a> so they learn to cope with any new situation and people. If well-socialised as a puppy, your Golden Retriever will grow up to be a confident, happy, gentle and affectionate adult.&nbsp;

A big Golden Retriever running on the grass

Golden Retrievers are popular pets and will enrich your life with their calm, affectionate natures. They are big dogs and will need training from an early age. As with a lot of dog breeds of this size, that extra size comes with an appetite. You&rsquo;ll also need to be prepared for all that fur, <a href="/all-things-pet/dog-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to dog grooming">grooming</a> them will become part of your day-to-day.

Golden Retrievers can be greedy. If allowed, they&rsquo;ll beg for food, but this can be stopped through training and a regular feeding routine. Feed your dog once or twice a day. They&rsquo;ll be less likely to beg if they have two meals every day.

Make sure your dog doesn&rsquo;t become overweight by measuring their food and don&rsquo;t give them too many treats. Measurement guidelines are on the food packaging. You can also ask your vet or weight management nurse for advice on how to keep them at a healthy weight.

Golden Retrievers have a double coat &ndash; a flat, wavy outer coat and a dense undercoat. They shed a lot and need brushing every day to stop their fur from matting. If your dog&rsquo;s hair mats, you might have to use scissors to cut it out.

You may find that they need to have a bath at least once a month. Their long coat and love of the outdoors make them prone to that familiar &lsquo;doggy&rsquo; smell!

Golden Retrievers are intelligent and obedient dogs which makes them easy to train. Originally bred to fetch game birds, they&rsquo;re now often bred as service dogs such as guide dogs.

If your dog needs house training, be patient with them. Golden Retrievers learn quickly but all dogs need repetition to learn alongside positive, <a href="/all-things-pet/your-guide-to-clicker-training-dogs" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to dog clicker training">reward-based training</a>. Training classes are a great way to socialise your dog and pick up training tips.

Golden Retrievers ideally need an hour or more of exercise a day. You can split this into shorter sessions, <a href="/all-things-pet/guide-to-dog-walking" title="Link to the Everypaw Dog Walking Guide">walking them for half an hour</a> in the morning and half an hour in the evening. <a href="/all-things-pet/the-dog-exercise-guide" title="Link to the Everypaw Dog Exercise Guide">Dog exercise</a> doesn&rsquo;t just mean walking, playing games counts too. Most retrievers love to play fetch, and this is a great way to burn off energy.&nbsp;

<a href="/all-things-pet/dog-recall-training" title="Link to Everypaw's Guide to Dog Recall Training">Give your dog time off the lead</a> so that they can run around but make sure your dog responds to your call before letting them off the lead in an open space.

Golden Retriever puppies are full of energy, so it&rsquo;s good to think about insuring your Goldie from an early age. Everypaw&rsquo;s Puppy Insurance starts from 8 weeks old, so you can look to have them covered for as soon as you get them home.

New <a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Golden Retriever Insurance</a> policies are available for Golden Retrievers with no age limits on a new policy. With a range of cover levels available, you&rsquo;ll be able to find one that suits you both. To keep insuring your Golden Retriever as they get older, all you need to do is renew your cover every year.

Golden Retriever puppies are full of energy, so it&rsquo;s good to think about insuring your Goldie from an early age. <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">Everypaw&rsquo;s Puppy Insurance</a> starts from 8 weeks old, so you can look to have them covered for as soon as you get them home.

New&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/lifetime-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Golden Retriever Insurance</a>&nbsp;policies are available for Golden Retrievers, and with a range of cover levels available, you&rsquo;ll be able to find one that suits you both. To keep <a href="/pet-insurance-for-older-pets" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance for Older Pets">insuring your Golden Retriever as they get older</a>, all you need to do is renew your cover every year.

Golden Retrievers make <a href="/all-things-pet/best-dog-breeds-for-families-with-kids" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to the best dog breeds for families">great family pets</a>, particularly those that are active and love the outdoors. They have a lot of energy which will need to be worked off but sometimes as a pup that energy and their size can make them a little clumsy, loveable, but clumsy. They are easy to train, and their energy will calm as they mature.

Developed from the flat-coated retriever and a Tweed water spaniel in the 19th century, the breed is often used as a gundog to retrieve game. Golden Retrievers can also be trained as guide dogs due to their obedience and intelligence.

Golden Retrievers make <a href="/all-things-pet/best-dog-breeds-for-families-with-kids" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to the best family dog breeds">great family pets</a>, particularly those that are active and love the outdoors. They have a lot of energy which will need to be worked off but sometimes as a pup that energy and their size can make them a little clumsy, loveable, but clumsy. They are easy to train, and their energy will calm as they mature.

Hip Dysplasia is a hereditary condition in Golden Retrievers that causes instability in the hip joint, pain, lameness and arthritis. Factors such as diet, growth rate and the amount of exercise when young can affect the severity of the condition.

Golden retrievers can have X-rays taken to establish their hip score. A low hip score means that there are less likely to suffer from Hip Dysplasia.

Management of the condition at an early stage will mean fewer difficulties in later life. If your dog has become overweight this puts extra strain on the bones and joints. In addition to weight control and a restricted exercise programme, your dog can be treated with pain relief and anti-inflammatories. Hip replacement surgery may be needed in severe cases.

Elbow Dysplasia is the collective name for a group of developmental orthopaedic conditions affecting the elbow joint in young dogs of medium and large breeds. The early sign of elbow dysplasia is lameness in one or both of the front legs. The elbow dysplasia scoring scheme identifies dogs suffering at an early stage.

Dogs with a high score should not be used for breeding. This will prevent them from passing the condition on to their puppies.

Golden Retrievers can be affected by several inherited eye conditions including Hereditary Cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Multi-Focal Dysplasia.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a group of inherited eye diseases. Vision loss can happen over months or years, progressively leading to blindness. Poor vision at night and during low lighting are first signs of the condition. This condition normally affects dogs aged between 3-8 years old. There is no treatment, but blind dogs can still live a long, happy life.

Screening tests are available for the various eye conditions and Golden Retrievers are recommended to have eye screens every year, especially those used for breeding. DNA tests are also available to identify dogs with the gene mutation.

Unfortunately, Golden Retrievers have been reported to have a higher incidence of cancer than other breeds. Cancers such as Hemangiosarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Lymphoma and Mast Cell Tumours can be seen. Make sure you take your dog for regular health checks so that any signs of cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage.

Common Golden Retriever Health Problems by Vetstream

Golden Retriever Insurance, Care, and Health Advice | Everypaw

Get a quote for your Golden Retriever's insurance

Golden Retriever

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Zoomies to Senior Snoozes, We've Got Them Covered

The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

An older dog for pet insurance for older pets

As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

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Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

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How Does Pet Insurance Work: Getting a Quote

Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ul>
	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

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For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

Why Choose Everypaw for Pet Insurance in the UK?

<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/multi-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance page">Insure multiple pets</a>&nbsp;for a multi-pet discount

99% of claims paid in 5 working days*

Unlimited 24/7 access to UK vet nurses and vets with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/petcall" title="Link to Everypaw's Petcall vet page">Petcall</a>

Manage your UK pet insurance policy online in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal Information page">Pet Portal</a>

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Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

Two levels of our Lifetime Pet Insurance cover have been rated 5 Stars by independent financial business, Defaqto, for 8 years in a row.

Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Golden Retriever Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Golden Retriever Facts

Is a Golden Retriever Right for Me?

What are Golden Retriever Puppies Like?

Life with a Golden Retriever

Caring for Your Golden Retriever

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise

Golden Retriever Insurance

Common Golden Retriever Health Problems by Vetstream

Hip Dysplasia (HD)

Elbow Dysplasia (ED)

Eye problems

Cancer

Quick Golden Retriever Q&A

Do Golden Retrievers shed?

What is the Golden Retriever life expectancy?

What Age is a Golden Retriever Fully Grown?

What's the difference between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever?

How much exercise does a Golden Retriever need?

That’s All You Need to Know About Golden Retrievers

References