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Comparison

Golden Retriever vs Yorkshire Terrier

Side-by-side comparison from peer-reviewed sources. Lifespan and health figures draw on Royal Veterinary College VetCompass and AKC breed data.

"Golden Retriever studio portrait"
Large13.2 yr avg

Golden Retriever

AKC · Sporting

View breed
"Yorkshire Terrier studio portrait"
Toy13.3 yr avg

Yorkshire Terrier

AKC · Toy

View breed
At a glance

Side-by-side

The numbers that most change day-to-day care. A citrus border marks a meaningful advantage.

Large

Golden Retriever

Lifespan13.2 yrrange 13–14
SizeLarge
Weight55–75 lb24.9–34 kg
Height21.5–24 in54.6–61 cm
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10
AKC groupSporting
Energy3/545 min/day
Trainability5/5
Shedding4/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs5/5
Toy

Yorkshire Terrier

Lifespan13.3 yrrange 13–14
SizeToy
Weight7–7 lb3.2–3.2 kg
Height7–8 in17.8–20.3 cm
Senior at9 yrgeriatric at 13
AKC groupToy
Energy4/560 min/day
Trainability4/5
Shedding1/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs3/5
Health

Common health issues

Top 3 prevalence-ranked conditions for each breed. See each breed's full health profile for screening schedules and source data.

Golden Retriever

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Yorkshire Terrier

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Synthesis

Which is right for you?

Golden Retriever and Yorkshire Terrier have similar median lifespans, around 13.3 years.

Size gap is meaningful: the Golden Retriever is large and the Yorkshire Terrier is toy. Expect different considerations for housing, travel, and vet-care costs.

Energy levels are close, with a slight edge to the Yorkshire Terrier (60 min/day of directed exercise).

See Golden Retriever profileSee Yorkshire Terrier profile
Or calculate your dog's age
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