Keeping Your Golden Retriever Healthy

Once you have helped your Golden Retriever build up his immune system, he will be healthy and strong enough to fend off any type of illness. There are ways that you can help your Golden with his immune system, which is more or less what you feed him. If you care about your Golden Retriever and want to help him develop a strong immune system - you'll find this information very helpful.

When you feed your Golden, give him some homemade food. You can substitute this for canned food, or mix it in together. Homemade food tastes a lot better to your dog, and it contains a lot of the nutrients and vitamins he needs. When you give him water, give him spring water. Although many prefer to give their Golden water from the faucet, spring water is actually a lot better for him than any other type of water.

When you give him a treat or a bone, you should always give him raw bones with plenty of meat on the bone, as they will help him to develop a strong set of white teeth. Teeth are very important with Golden Retrievers, which is why you want to make sure that his teeth stay strong and healthy. If you give him a bone a day, he will have plenty to chew on to keep his teeth healthy. You can also use chew toys as well, especially when you are playing with him, as they will help him to develop strength in his jaws.

You can also help to keep your Golden Retriever healthy by knowing a bit about health problems that he could have. This way, you'll able to keep track of what your vet diagnoses. If your vet tells you something that is wrong with your Golden, you should know a little bit about what he tells you, and how you can help to take care of the problem.

To help your Golden Retriever avoid any type of reproductive problems, you should look into having a male neutered. Reproductive problems are common with Golden's, and can lead to more serious problems if you don't do something about it. If you aren't planning to breed your Golden Retriever, you should have him neutered as soon as you can, to help prevent any type of reproductive problems.

If you take care of your dog and keep him healthy, he will live a lot longer. You should always strive to keep your dog healthy, so he can live a pain free life. As long as you feed him a proper diet and let him get plenty of exercise, he will stay strong and healthy. Golden Retrievers that grow to be strong and healthy make great pets, as they can join you in exercise and provide plenty of fun for your entire family.

Socializing Your Golden Retriever

Socializing your Golden Retriever is very important. As you may already know, all dog breeds behave different in front of strangers, with some dogs choosing to ignore people altogether. They may choose to glance at someone, then go on to pay no attention to him. On the other hand, some dogs are the total opposite and love to meet everyone they can. These types of dogs love attention, and will take any attention they can get.

Some Golden Retrievers are happy with those they have come to know in their own family, or those they have selected to be friends. Others on the other hand, may feel comfortable just around those of the same sex. Most Golden's like children, although there are a few rare cases in which certain types of Golden Retrievers like adults but not children. This is extremely rare, and is normally due to the way they were bred or raised.

When your puppy is between the ages of 8 weeks and 8 months, socializing him is extremely important. During this time, you should always do everything you can to ensure that your Golden Retriever meets other people. Although he may be shy at first and not have much interaction, he will eventually come around. You will need to be patient with him during these times, as he will need quite a bit of reassurance from you.

Your dog's parents also contribute to socialization. If the parents of your Golden Retriever were good with people and other dogs, the gene could very well be passed on to your dog. On the other hand, if the parents were shy or aggressive dogs, those genes could be passed on as well. Pups inherit the traits of their parents ,which is why it is very important to make sure that the dogs being bred are compatible with each other - and share a passive temperament.

If your puppy was separated from his mother before he reached the age of seven weeks, he won't learn many of the social signals taught to him by his mom and his siblings. Golden Retriever pups that are brought to a new home earlier than seven weeks will normally tend to end up nippy or aggressive around people. Although they may be aggressive towards people, they may be shy or fearful around other dogs, as they lack the social skills needed to be themselves.

Sometimes, if a puppy was injured or frightened during his early years, he can end up with a state of trauma. This type of thing leaves a huge scar in the mind of a puppy, making it very hard for him to get past it. Most Golden Retriever pups that have been injured or frightened by an individual never get past it. They may end up fearing humans in general, or being very aggressive towards them when they feel frightened. When you take your puppy home for the first time, you should always make him feel welcomed, and never let anyone or anything harm him.

To better socialize your Golden Retriever, you should always make sure that he gets plenty of interaction with other people and other dogs in his breed. This way, your Golden will learn how to socialize at any early age. When he gets older in life, he will carry these skills with him. Golden Retrievers that are sheltered or not given the proper amount of interaction will turn out shy towards people and other dogs. With your Golden being your companion for life - you should always ensure that he gets the socialization he needs.

Andrea Scott

Buying A Golden Puppy

We all know that Golden Retrievers are beautiful, obedient, and make great family pets and hunting dogs. Golden’s also make great guide dogs for the blind, narcotic detection dogs, and even tracking dogs for finding missing people. Although there are many other dog breeds out there, Golden Retrievers remain one of the most versatile and most astonishing breeds that you can get.

Before you rush out and buy a Golden Retriever puppy, you should first take the time to learn a bit more about the breed. You can attend dog shows, meet with various owners of Golden Retrievers, and even go to your local kennel club. Most people who own Golden Retrievers are extremely proud of them and will be more than happy to share their enthusiasm with you.

When you buy you're Golden Retriever puppy, it's always a great idea to buy from a backyard breeder or local puppy mill. Backyard breeders are normally the best way to get a Golden puppy, as they know and care a lot about the breed in general. Although you can always go to a reputable breeder, backyard breeders aren't just in it for the money - they actually care about their dogs and want you to get the best Golden possible.

You can also visit the Golden Retriever Club of America and their local member clubs, as they can supply you with a list of breeders in your area. If these breeders don't have any Golden's for sale themselves, they will be more than willing to help you find what you’re looking for. This way, you can get a Golden from a very reliable source.

Whatever you do, you should never rush into buying a Golden Retriever. You should always take your time, and have a little bit of patience. When you buy your puppy, you want a healthy puppy who will grow up to be a fine testament of the breed. By taking your time and making a careful decision, you can save yourself a lot of time and money later on down the road.

Golden puppies that are poor quality, are normally produced by breeders who just want to have a litter or breeders who are just looking for the profits and care very little about giving thoughts to looks, quality, or temperament. If you buy a puppy from either of these breeders, you'll more than likely end up with a puppy who has poor health, poor temperaments, and even disqualifications in breed.

When you get your puppy, you should always think long term. Only buy from a quality breeder, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Always remember that you aren't just buying a Golden Retriever puppy - you are buying a companion and a friend for life.

Andrea Scott

Crate Training Your Golden

A lot of people normally have the wrong conception when it comes to crates. This conception leads people to believe that crates are a punishment for dogs, and therefore they won't use them. Much to the contrary, crates are actually one of the safest places you can put your Golden Retriever, which also gratifies his natural instincts to situate himself within a den.

If you have a crate and leave it open, your Golden will start to go to it when he gets sleepy or when he gets confused. Although Golden's tend to like crates, you shouldn't overuse one by allowing him to spend hours at a time inside of one. While you should be training him to get used to the crate, you should never allow him out if he is barking. Once your Golden starts to appreciate the crate, you can leave him in it for a few hours here and there - such as when you are away from home.

When you get your puppy and bring him home for the first time, you should already your crate there and situated where you want it to be. You should set the crate up in a central area, but never in areas that have a lot of traffic. Most people who use crates tend to leave them in the kitchen near a door, so the Golden can go outside whenever he needs to relieve himself.

Once you bring the puppy home, you should put him inside the house and allow him to start searching for the crate. Leave the door to the crate open, and the Golden puppy should start to wander in and out of it. You can also put a toy or dog treat inside the crate, to give your puppy extra incentive to enter. Once he goes inside praise him, and let him know that he is doing the right thing.

If your Golden Retriever stays in the crate on his own, praise him for it. Once your puppy starts getting in the habit of going into the crate on his own, you should place a new toy or treat inside for him to play with. After a while, you can close the door and see how he reacts. If he starts to whine, you can talk to him and put your fingers through the door, although you should never immediately take him out - instead wait for him to settle down.

Even though it may take some time, crate training is great for your Golden. You can use the crate when you need to leave, when you have family over, or for when your Golden has a medical condition such as diarrhea. If you use a bit of patience and never use the crate for punishment - your Golden Retriever puppy should catch on to the crate pretty quick.

Characteristics Of Reputable Breeders

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, it's nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, you'll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or Pet Shop

A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either - as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If you're looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, you'd be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard Breeders

Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Golden's and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders don't look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money - and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally aren't familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can - for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders

A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

Andrea Scott

Choosing The Right Breeder

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, it's nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, you'll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or Pet Shop

A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either - as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If you're looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, you'd be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard breeders

Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Golden's and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders don't look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money - and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally aren't familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can - for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders

A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

Andrea Scott

Selecting Your Golden Puppy

Once you have decided on a breeder that you can trust, you'll need to start thinking about what type of puppy you want. This decision could take you some time, as it can be quite a few weeks or even months before the right litter is whelped - although it will be worth the wait. If your breeder has a few litters available when you look for your Golden puppy, you may be able to compare.

Some breeders may require that you put a deposit down on the puppy of your choice, if the puppies aren't a certain number of weeks old. The good litters rarely go unsold, as most are already spoken for before the puppies are seven weeks old. If you want to get in on a good litter, your best bet is to get to your breeder early - before all of the puppies are sold.

When you arrive to get your puppy, you shouldn't be alarmed if the breeder does the selecting for you. Most quality breeders will spend quite a bit of time with the puppies and they will know just what their individual temperaments are. The better breeders however, will do temperament tests to determine the temperament of the puppies they have with each and every litter.

By performing these tests, the breeder will get assistance in selecting which puppy goes to which type of home. If you've chosen one of the better breeders, you should let him do his work and help you select the puppy that he or she thinks will be your best match. Breeders can obviously select you a better puppy, as they have been around the litter for several weeks - and you have only been around the litter looking at them for a few minutes.

Although all Golden puppies are appealing to the eyes, you need to base your reasons on more than looks. Before you pick your puppy up, you should always make sure that he has a strong build, with straight legs. The puppy should be strong and muscular, yet be squirmy and active when you first try to pick him up. You should also make sure that he has healthy teeth and gums, and look over the rest of his body to make sure that he is healthy.

If your breeder does allow you to select your puppy from the litter, then you should take the puppies that you are considering to get away from the remainder of the litter and observe each one carefully, and how they react to you. Puppies that are around 7 weeks of age should be apt to explore their surroundings. Even though they may be a little cautious at first, the puppies should still be more than anxious to look around and sniff their surroundings.

When you single out the puppies, make sure you speak to the ones you are interested in and see how they react to your voice. Try moving around and playing with them, and see how they respond to you. Some puppies will be faster than others, although you shouldn't pursue any interest in a puppy that doesn’t show any interest in moving objects or their surroundings.

If you take your time and evaluate each puppy that you are interested in, you can find the best puppy for you and your family. Golden Retriever puppies are great to have, providing you get one that's healthy. Getting a healthy puppy should be your desire - as a healthy puppy will grow into a strong and healthy adult - and be around for years to come.

Andrea Scott

Characteristics Of The Golden Retriever

Almost all breeds of dogs are group oriented, as they need to interact with other species of their group to remain secure. Golden Retrievers, in particular, have been bred over the years to be geared more towards people. They make great guide dogs for the blind, friends for younger children, and even assistants for those who love to hunt. Due to the way they have been bred, they need to interact with people on a frequent basis.

They are merciful dogs at heart, and will tolerate several mistakes from you all the while wanting nothing more than you to acknowledge the fact that they are there and pat them on the head. Further proving that Golden Retrievers aim to please, is the fact that they were the first three dogs to obtain the Obedience Trial Championships - which is quite a statement indeed.

With Golden's being so people oriented, it's very important that they live with their owners. When you do any type of family activity, you should make sure that your Golden is included. Even though they don't normally bark a lot, they will start barking if they get bored. Once a Golden Retriever is fully grown and becomes stout, he will enjoy many types of activities such as hiking, walking, hunting, jogging, and many other types of physical activity.

If you start your Golden Retriever puppy out early with exposure to kids, he will grow to become better than ever will kids. Although they can be very friendly around young kids, they can still knock them over or tend to want to lick them in the face. No matter how great your Golden Retriever may be around kids, you'll never want to leave your dog and your kids alone. Even though Golden's have a great temperament, a child can accidentally poke him or pull his tail and cause him to retaliate via his natural instinct.

All Golden Retrievers love the water, and choose to get wet any chance they get. If you have a pond or other source of water on your land, you can expect your Golden Retriever to get into it whenever he gets the chance. They are also drawn to mud, and will get themselves dirty on a frequent basis. Once your Golden is full grown, you can count on bathing him every couple of days.

During the summer, you'll need to make sure that your Golden Retriever has plenty of moving air, shade, and water. They like the heat, although it normally isn't good for them. As long as you take care of your Golden and don't let him over exert himself, he should be just fine even in the hottest days that summer can dish out.

Andrea Scott

The Golden Retriever

In a dog's world, Golden Retrievers are simply the fatal attraction. They are a preferred dog breed, making great pets, hunting dogs, obedience competitors, show dogs, and even a combination of all these traits. No matter what your intent may be to own a Golden Retriever, you'll have an excellent dog that will live up to it’s potential and then some.

Golden Retrievers are calm, well mannered, and extremely affectionate. They are easy to train as well, very intelligent, and great for those who need a companion. Golden's are also loyal to their owners, lovable, and great with children of all ages. They also make great watchdogs as well, as they will bark loud and let you know when a stranger is near.

Like other dogs, Golden Retrievers will shed their hair throughout the year and more in the spring - no matter how many times you brush them a day. They also like to be in and near the water, similar to Labs. If you have any type of water on or near your property, your Golden Retriever will be in it, and tend to be either wet or muddy quite a bit - which can tend to get frustrating.

If you are always on the go or never at home, you shouldn't get a Golden Retriever. If you prefer cats over dogs, you should look into another breed. Golden Retrievers crave attention and admiration, and normally don't do too well if you leave them at home by themselves for long periods of time. Golden’s need attention, and desire to be around you at all times. If you spend a lot of time at home on the other hand, or have kids, a Golden Retriever will be a perfect addition to your family.

A lot of people out there prefer to get a puppy and raise it themselves. This way, the puppy will grow up with the skills they have taught him. This is a great idea and very rewarding, although it can consume a lot of your time and tend to be very frustrating at times. Those who don't have a lot of time to spare or tend to get easily frustrated, shouldn't get a puppy. Instead, they should look towards an older Golden Retriever who has already been house broken and trained.

Golden Retrievers are an excellent breed, and they can provide you with the companion you have been looking for. They can participate in several activities with you as well, such as hiking, camping, and walking. Golden's love the outdoors, and they love just getting out there and doing things with you and your family. If you include your Golden Retriever in family activities - you'll have a friend for life who will quickly grow on you over the years.

Andrea Scott