Health
Our health programme
We meet the Royal Kennel Club Health Standard at Best Practice level. Before any dog of ours is bred from, it has every test the RKC asks of Golden Retrievers at both Good and Best Practice, plus a few more. We publish every result, including the ones that are only average, and the carriers.
Hip and elbow results and BVA eye certificates are on the Royal Kennel Club Health Test Results Finder under each dog's registered name. Our DNA results from Laboklin UK and Optimal Selection are recorded with the RKC too. We will email you a copy of any certificate if you ask.
What each test is, in plain words
Hips (BVA/RKC)
An X-ray after 12 months, scored by a panel: 0 to 53 for each hip. Lower is better. We write it as left:right (total) next to the breed median, which is 11 for Goldens scored 2019–2024. We breed only from dogs with each hip under 15.
Elbows (BVA/RKC)
X-rayed at the same time, graded 0 to 3. We breed only from grade 0.
Eyes, every year (BVA/RKC/ISDS)
A specialist examines the eyes for hereditary cataract, PRA, retinal dysplasia and pigmentary uveitis. Goldens need it every year because some of these appear late.
Gonioscopy (PLA)
A one-off check of the eye's drainage angle for glaucoma risk. Since 1 January 2026 the grades are 1, 2 and 3, and Grade 1 means unaffected. Results from before 2026 say 'Grade 0' for the same thing, which is why some of our dogs show one and some the other.
GR_PRA1 and GR_PRA2
DNA tests for two forms of progressive retinal atrophy, which causes blindness. Clear, carrier or affected. We never pair two carriers.
Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
A DNA test for a skin condition that causes flaking skin. Around half of Goldens carry it. Hazel and Wren are carriers, and we pair them only with clear dogs, so no puppy can be affected.
prcd-PRA, NCL and DM
Three more DNA tests from the same blood sample: another form of PRA, a neurological storage disease, and degenerative myelopathy. Every dog we breed from is clear of all three.
Heart
Auscultation by a veterinary cardiologist at a breed-club heart-testing day, listening for the murmur of subaortic stenosis. We test every dog before each litter.
Hips and elbows against the breed median
BVA/RKC scores for every dog on this site. Each hip is scored 0–53 and the total is out of 106, so lower is better. The Golden Retriever breed median for 2019–2024 is 11.
| Dog | Left : right | Total | Against the median of 11 | Elbows | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wren | 2 : 3 | 5 | 6 below | 0 | 2 June 2025 |
| Hazel | 3 : 4 | 7 | 4 below | 0 | 21 May 2020 |
| Rory | 4 : 4 | 8 | 3 below | 0 | 17 May 2022 |
| Bramble | 5 : 5 | 10 | 1 below | 0 | 20 February 2023 |
| Jasper | 4 : 6 | 10 | 1 below | 0 | 3 November 2021 |
| Meg | 5 : 6 | 11 | At the median | 0 | 6 June 2011 |
| Clover | 6 : 7 | 13 | 2 above (median then 12) | 0 | 11 July 2016 |
We breed only from dogs with each hip under 15 and elbows graded 0. The results are on the Royal Kennel Club Health Test Results Finder under each dog's registered name.
Every result for every dog we breed from
Sh Ch Meadowbrook Hazelnut
Dam · Show Champion- Hips
- 3:4 (total 7) — breed median 1121 May 2020BVA/RKC Hip Dysplasia SchemeRKC AW04127305
- Elbows
- Grade 021 May 2020BVA/RKC Elbow Dysplasia SchemeRKC AW04127305
- Eyes (annual)
- Clinically unaffected12 March 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AW04127305
- Gonioscopy (PLA)
- Grade 0 — unaffected (pre-2026 scale)18 June 2020BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AW04127305
- GR_PRA1
- Clear9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- GR_PRA2
- Clear9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
- Carrier — bred only to clear dogs9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- prcd-PRA
- Clear9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- NCL (CLN5)
- Clear9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- Degenerative myelopathy (SOD1)
- Clear9 July 2019Laboklin UK
- Heart
- No murmur (grade 0/6)9 August 2025Cardiologist auscultation, Golden Retriever Club heart-testing day
Meadowbrook Bramble Rose JW ShCM
Dam · current litter- Hips
- 5:5 (total 10) — breed median 1120 February 2023BVA/RKC Hip Dysplasia SchemeRKC AZ03374519
- Elbows
- Grade 020 February 2023BVA/RKC Elbow Dysplasia SchemeRKC AZ03374519
- Eyes (annual)
- Clinically unaffected3 February 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AZ03374519
- Gonioscopy (PLA)
- Grade 0 — unaffected (pre-2026 scale)20 February 2023BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AZ03374519
- GR_PRA1
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- GR_PRA2
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- prcd-PRA
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- NCL (CLN5)
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- Degenerative myelopathy (SOD1)
- Clear14 March 2022Laboklin UK
- Heart
- No murmur (grade 0/6)9 August 2025Cardiologist auscultation, Golden Retriever Club heart-testing day
Meadowbrook Wren Song JW
Young bitch · planned 2027 litter- Hips
- 2:3 (total 5) — breed median 112 June 2025BVA/RKC Hip Dysplasia SchemeRKC BB02261847
- Elbows
- Grade 02 June 2025BVA/RKC Elbow Dysplasia SchemeRKC BB02261847
- Eyes (annual)
- Clinically unaffected22 January 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC BB02261847
- Gonioscopy (PLA)
- Grade 1 — unaffected (2026 scale)22 January 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC BB02261847
- GR_PRA1
- Clear16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- GR_PRA2
- Clear16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
- Carrier — will be bred only to a clear dog16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- prcd-PRA
- Clear16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- NCL (CLN5)
- Clear16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- Degenerative myelopathy (SOD1)
- Clear16 July 2024Optimal Selection (Wisdom Panel)
- Heart
- No murmur (grade 0/6)9 August 2025Cardiologist auscultation, Golden Retriever Club heart-testing day
Thistlebay Jack of Hearts at Meadowbrook JW ShCM
Our stud dog- Hips
- 4:6 (total 10) — breed median 113 November 2021BVA/RKC Hip Dysplasia SchemeRKC AX02815530
- Elbows
- Grade 03 November 2021BVA/RKC Elbow Dysplasia SchemeRKC AX02815530
- Eyes (annual)
- Clinically unaffected14 January 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AX02815530
- Gonioscopy (PLA)
- Grade 0 — unaffected (pre-2026 scale)3 November 2021BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AX02815530
- GR_PRA1
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- GR_PRA2
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- prcd-PRA
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- NCL (CLN5)
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- Degenerative myelopathy (SOD1)
- Clear2 December 2020Laboklin UK
- Heart
- No murmur (grade 0/6)9 August 2025Cardiologist auscultation, Golden Retriever Club heart-testing day
Sh Ch Glenbrae Highland Fling JW SGWC
Outside stud · planned 2027 litter- Hips
- 4:4 (total 8) — breed median 1117 May 2022BVA/RKC Hip Dysplasia SchemeRKC AY01146623
- Elbows
- Grade 017 May 2022BVA/RKC Elbow Dysplasia SchemeRKC AY01146623
- Eyes (annual)
- Clinically unaffected5 March 2026BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AY01146623
- Gonioscopy (PLA)
- Grade 0 — unaffected (pre-2026 scale)17 May 2022BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye SchemeRKC AY01146623
- GR_PRA1
- Clear26 April 2021Laboklin UK
- GR_PRA2
- Clear26 April 2021Laboklin UK
- Ichthyosis (ICT-A)
- Clear26 April 2021Laboklin UK
- prcd-PRA
- Clear26 April 2021Laboklin UK
- NCL (CLN5)
- Clear26 April 2021Laboklin UK
- Heart
- No murmur (grade 0/6)20 September 2025Cardiologist auscultation, Golden Retriever Club of Scotland health day
What testing can't do
Hips: a good hip score in the parents lowers the risk, but it is not a guarantee. One of our puppies in 2024 scored 21. Hip and elbow problems are partly inherited and partly caused by how fast a puppy grows, how heavy it is and how hard it is exercised while young. That is why our diet sheet and exercise guide matter as much as our X-rays.
Skin and ears: Goldens are prone to allergies and ear infections. ICT-A explains some of the flaky skin you see in the breed, not all of it.
Cancer: this is the hard one. Haemangiosarcoma and lymphoma are among the most common causes of death in Golden Retrievers, and there is no test that predicts them. Meg died of haemangiosarcoma at 12 years 10 months. We list every death among our dogs that we know of, with age and cause, on the Litters page. Our dogs live on average about 11 to 12 years, which is typical for the breed.
Other things we watch for: hypothyroidism (Clover has it), epilepsy (one of our 2022 puppies has it), and being overweight, which makes every other problem worse.
Is a Golden right for you?
Exercise
An adult needs an hour or more a day, some of it off the lead and ideally some of it in water. A puppy needs short, gentle outings: no long runs or jumping until about 14 months.
Hair
They shed all year, and heavily twice a year. You will find hair in the butter. Plan on a good brush two or three times a week and a trim of the feet and ears every few weeks.
Size
Bitches 51–56 cm and 25–30 kg; dogs 56–61 cm and 30–36 kg. A puppy at 6 months is already big, and a big puppy is clumsy.
Cost
Beyond the £2,200: about £80–£120 a month for food, insurance and flea and worm treatment, plus grooming and holiday care. Lifetime insurance for a Golden costs more than for many breeds.
Lifespan
About 10 to 12 years. Cancer is the leading cause of death in the breed.
The downsides
Mouthy, chewing puppies. Very social adults who are unhappy left alone. A love of mud, ponds and dead things. Not a guard dog. If you want a tidy house, think hard.