If you wonder how long dogs survive, you may not be alone in wondering. Dogs can surprise you with their survival rate. The average lifespan of dogs varies from ten to thirteen years. However, some dogs like Augie can break all the records and live much longer than the rest. Augie was a female dog that survived a record-breaking time of more than twenty years, winning the world’s oldest golden retriever award.
The tough dog lived with her dog mother, Jennifer Hetterscheidt, who looked after Augie throughout the years before she died last year. The dog left many memories with the couple when it passed in March last year.
Jennifer and Steve have been parents to many aging golden retrievers. Their passion for looking after aging dogs has led them to the spotlight. While most of their dogs aged from 5 to 14 years, August or Augie (nickname) left the world wearing the crown for aging more than twenty years.
Jennifer’s family has always been passionate about taking care of dogs. Before Augie, the family also received the golden retriever award for other aging dogs. Jennifer was sad to announce the passing of Augie a month before its twenty-first birthday.
“It is with profound sadness that I tell you Miss Augie passed away. Augie, in her own way told me her little body just couldn’t go on any more, that she was so very, very tired and, it was okay to let her go. Sherman, who passed away in January was there at the Rainbow Bridge welcoming her with full-on body wiggles, tail wagging and licking her face as he always did here on Earth,” She said.
Generally, golden retrievers live for about 12 years. This age is more than most dogs survive under healthy circumstances. While this may be correct, Augie broke all the previous records when it received the golden retriever’s award in 2020. Augie lived for twenty years and eleven months.
August lived with different families throughout her life. She was a loyal, good dog. The Gold Heart Golden Retriever Rescue kept the Augie for some time. During her time at the rescue center, a couple of families adopted her but returned later. Although the couples could not identify specific reasons for returning her, they must have regretted giving up the golden retriever.
However, it was not long before Jennifer and Steve visited the center and adopted her when she was 14. The couple from Oakland, Tennessee, became Augie’s true family.
Although she was older than most golden retrievers at the time of adoption, Jennifer and Steve found her healthy when they adopted her. Despite her good health, Augie faced renal health issues. The dog’s parents looked after Augie and fed her with the required supplements to improve her kidney function.
Most dogs at this age tend to lose their charm due to aging. They often encounter health problems, diseases, and joint issues, leading to poor health. Older dogs also lose their proactiveness and ability to play fetch games. However, they can survive better if kept with great care and fed with a nutrient-rich diet.
Augie survived six years with her newly found family in Oakland. Jennifer and Steve took great care of their dog, allowing her to live as healthy as a young pet. She loved hanging out on family trips and playing fetch games. Augie’s sleep cycle was fairly disturbed, taking her longer to wake up in the morning. While this may be correct, she showed no signs of declining health.
Augie is the world’s first dog to break the record of golden retrievers. Her good health and family helped her survive for more than twenty years. Jennifer and Steve were passionate about looking after golden retrievers. When Augie broke the world record on her twentieth birthday, she also had three golden retriever fellow dogs named Sherman, Bruce, and Belle.
Jennifer and Steve made the twentieth birthday super special for Augie. They organized a celebration event with proper decor. Like a typical birthday, Augie’s dog parents gave her a birthday cake to enjoy the day. Moreover, the presence of other golden retrievers made her day worth enjoying.
According to Jennifer, keeping your pet healthy for years is keeping in touch with a vet. Most people tend to use their judgment in looking after their pet animals. While it may save their time and vet clinic fees, it may lead to poor health for pets in the long run.
Taking your pet to the vet once a month allows you to track your pet’s nutrient deficiencies. You may continue to feed the recommended diet. However, varying health conditions, growing age, and changing environments may require a customized diet for your dog.
Another critical factor is the use of special supplements for aging pets. When your pet survives more than its average life span, you may need to be more careful about its vitals. Like humans, animals can become weaker as they grow old. Feeding them prescribed supplements can help them recover their nutrient deficiencies.
Augie faced renal function problems, leading her to consume supplements to improve kidney function. Jennifer and Steve’s timely assistance saved them from losing their dog baby earlier. As a pet owner, owning the responsibility for your pet is vital to ensure good health. You may discuss with your aging dog’s vet to decide on the diet, supplements, and clinic visits.
At twenty, Augie left the world with the crown of the world’s oldest golden retriever. While it may have left a hole in Jennifer and Steve’s hearts, the dog lived a healthy life in this world till it breathed last. Jennifer and Steve’s passion has set an example for dog owners to look after their pets carefully.
If you have an aging dog and want to know how to look after its health, you may look up some vital tips online or go to your dog’s vet for assistance.