– Red-Dawn breaks down the data for only Golden Retrievers in this multi-breed study in 2016 by Dreger and Ostrander et al; Whole-genome sequence, SNP chips and pedigree structure
Golden Retriever DNA COI vs Pedigree COI– proof that pedigree calculations of inbreeding in Golden Retrievers is pure fiction. Only DNA testing of inbreeding is accurate.
Pure Golden vs 3/4 Goldens -levels of inbreeding shown using Embark’s Pair Predictor tool for dog breeders in this hypothetical evaluation
Embark COI vs Wisdom Panel Heterozygosity – documenting the rise and fall of inbreeding with a side-by-side chart of dogs with both DNA tests for genetic diversity: Embark and Wisdom Panel
3 DNA Diversity Tests Compared on 1 Golden Retriever – Embark, VGL UC Davis, and Laboklin genetic inbreeding DNA testing companies were used on 1 dog a Golden Retriever in this side-by-side evaluation of 3 canine genetic diversity platforms
Documenting Genetic Diversity – in multiple dog breeds using Embark, Wisdom Panel’s Optimal Selection, VGL UC Davis, and Laboklin. Embark tests COI. Wisdom Panel and Laboklin test Heterozygosity. VGL tests Internal Relatedness, a grading of inbreeding. All these platforms look at DNA tested amounts of inbreeding of each dog tested.
Actual inbreeding of purebred dog breeds- One of the largest population study ever done, Bannasch et al. (2021), analyzed the genetic coefficient of inbreeding (COI) for 227 of the most common dog breeds. The researchers found that the average COI across these breeds was 0.249 (24.9%). To put this into perspective, a COI of 25% is what you would expect from a brother–sister mating in a population with no prior inbreeding. In other words, the average purebred dog today is genetically as similar as the offspring of full siblings.
Golden Retrievers had 4× the cancer claim risk of Goldendoodles – Nationwide Insurance examined 1,612,884 insured dogs over six years, including tens of thousands of Goldendoodles and Labradoodles. Both Doodle populations had substantially lower cancer claim risk than their contributing purebred breeds.
Golden Retrievers, Cancer, and Spaying or Neutering: What the Studies Show. Golden Retrievers face a substantial cancer burden. Research also links spaying and neutering with higher occurrence of certain cancers, particularly in female Goldens. Studies across other breeds have found similar associations, although the findings vary by sex, breed, and cancer type.
Alicia & Randy
