Survey investigating the reasons why UK-based gundogs ceased working between 2010 and 2019

To determine the longevity of the working life of gundogs in the UK, whether owners' considered retirement was premature and to identify risk factors associated with such work.

A web-based survey seeking owner information as to the longevity of their dogs' working life and why they were retired, euthanised or died. The sample population is six hundred sixty-five dogs.

The median age at which Springer spaniels stopped work was 11 years and for Cocker spaniels, it was 9 years. The median age for Labrador retrievers was 10 years; for Golden retrievers, 11 years and Flat-coated retrievers, 9.5 years. Cocker spaniels stopped work at a significantly younger age than Springer spaniels (p = 0.0003) or Labrador retrievers (p = 0.0407). There was no significant difference between the other major breeds. The majority of owners (54.3%) were satisfied with the working lifespan of their dog. Seventy per cent of dogs were retired, the three most prevalent reasons being lameness (25.2%), old age (23.7%) and deafness (7.8%). Forty-four dogs died (6.6%) and 158 (24%) were euthanised, with cancer (58%) being the most common reason.

No work-related issues were identified and gundogs appear to have similar causes of mortality to the general canine population.