Meet Augie, The Oldest Golden Retriever In History Who Turned 20 Years Old


August's owners celebrated her 20th birthday along with her other furry friends and a dog-friendly cake.

The world's oldest golden retriever is celebrating her 20th birthday and the senior pup looks absolutely adorable. August, better known as Augie, has reached a truly remarkable milestone given that the average life expectancy of golden retrievers is between 10-12 years old. August's owners, Jennifer and Steve Hetterscheid, celebrated their beloved pet's 20th birthday on April 24 along with her other furry friends and a dog-friendly cake, reported PEOPLE


Since she was 14, Augie has lived with the couple in Oakland, Tennessee and because of their excellent care, she has managed to live twice as long as most dogs of her breed. Even at 20 years of age, Augie is surprisingly healthy. Jennifer said, "She can still move around well (although she’s a bit shaky when she first gets up) and enjoys daily walks around the yard. Since she was diagnosed with some kidney issues when she was 14, she now eats a mixture of wet and dry Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d, and takes some supplements for her kidneys and joints."


Jennifer also said that Augie gets her SQ fluids twice a week and that has definitely helped her in staying healthy. There have been a lot of accounts of goldens living to 17 or 18, and even a few stories about 19-year-old goldens, but August is the first one to reach 20. The GoldHeart Golden Retrievers Rescue in Maryland also confirmed via Facebook that August is indeed the oldest known and living golden retriever in the world. 


While Augie's birthday was hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, her humans still made sure Augie felt all the love. Jennifer in an interview with CNN said, "She had a dog-friendly carrot cake, the interior of the house was completely decorated. She got all her favorite foods like blueberries, bread, and pasta, of course, in moderation." Augie was adopted by the Hetterscheidts before being rehomed twice at the age of 14. When Jennifer was working at a golden retriever rescue organization in Nevada as the intake director, she saw Augie and it was love at first sight. 


The shelter said, "They figured that most people wouldn’t want such an elderly golden, but they had no idea of the upcoming journey they would be on with Augie. She's lived so long largely because she's got great genetics, but also her owner, Jennifer, has done a great job of taking care of her and ensuring that they have a good relationship with Augie's vet." 


Jennifer said, "She's just darling. There's nothing to not love about her. She's happy doing something and happy doing nothing. I can't imagine life without her." Although Augie was already a senior dog when she was adopted, it didn't stop her or her family from taking road trips across the country or spending their summers splashing in the pool. True that Augie has turned a little slow and wobbly with age, but she still has the same spirit. 


Jennifer added, "She'll stumble now and then but as long as she can get a grip where she is, she can get up. Even though she's easy to care for, we watch her like a hawk every moment that we're awake." 

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