Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is the largest and longest observational study ever undertaken in veterinary medicine, following more than 3,000 purebred golden retrievers throughout their lives to identify genetic, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors for cancer and other major diseases in dogs.
Launched in 2012 and funded by the Morris Animal Foundation, the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study enrolls dogs under two years of age from across the U.S.
Owners agree to annual veterinary visits, detailed questionnaires, and the submission of biological samples (blood, serum, tumor tissue if applicable) for the lifetime of each dog.
As of 2025, more than 1,300 participants have contributed behavioral and genomic data used in groundbreaking research on the co-evolution of canine and human temperament.
The study’s behavioral component—owner-completed surveys covering over 70 specific traits—has enabled genome-wide association analyses that revealed striking overlaps between golden retriever and human genetic variants influencing anxiety, intelligence, trainability, aggression, and emotional regulation.
Published findings in November 2025 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrated that genes such as PTPN1, ROMO1, HUNK, and ASCC3 serve parallel functions in both species.
Because all enrolled dogs are purebred golden retrievers, the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study minimizes genetic heterogeneity, making it an ideal cohort for discovering behavioral loci. The project has also become a model for “One Health” research that recognizes the intertwined well-being of humans and companion animals.