Coat Color And Grooming
Golden Retrievers have a dense, water-repellent outer coat with a thick undercoat. Some coats are wavy, some are straight. The fur feathers on the back of the front legs and underbody, with heavier feathering on the chest, back of the thighs, and tail.
Golden Retrievers come in all shades of gold, from light to dark gold. Some breeders have begun selling “rare white Goldens,” but the American Kennel Club does not recognize white as a coat color for the breed.
Golden Retrievers shed moderately in the winter and summer, and heavily in the spring and fall. If you live with a Golden, you’ll need to adapt to a certain amount of dog hair in your house and on your clothes.
The Golden’s thick coat means lots of grooming. Daily brushing is recommended to prevent tangling, and once a week is the bare minimum. Your Golden will also need a bath at least once a month, often more frequently, to keep him looking and smelling clean.
Brush your Golden’s teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath.
Begin accustoming your Golden to being brushed and examined when he’s a puppy. Handle his paws frequently dogs are touchy about their feet and look inside his mouth. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you’ll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he’s an adult.
How Do You Groom A Golden Retriever
You’re going to need to brush your Golden Retriever every day. Yes, every day. They have a lot of hair, and you want to keep their coat as silky looking as possible. Dr. Shelly Zacharias, DVM and vice president of medical affairs at Gallant, said, “They also have long tufts of hair that grow from between the bottom of their foot pads that should be trimmed regularly,” so don’t forget about that. You’ll also need to clean their ears regularly and brush their teeth. Ask your vet if you need tips!
Watch The World Go By
Although you cant take your pup for walks just yet, you can still start teaching them that the outdoors is a rather nice place to be.
How to do it:
TIPS
This exercise is all about building positive associations with the outside world, so no need to rush.
If your puppy seems worried by something, move further away rather than closer to it. In the world of puppies, taking facing your fears literally doesnt really work it will just be overwhelming and make them more fearful rather than less!
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How Do I Fill A Kong For My Dog
It is very easy to fill a Kong dog toy. First of all, to cover the bottom hole of the Kong toy, you need peanut butter on the bottom to seal the holes. After that, put it in a cup after turning it upside down, now you can use any kind of food your dog likes to fill the Kong toy. The most common foods used for the filling are canned foods, cottage cheese, banana, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin, rice, etc. Add liquids like broth or curds and freeze to make it more challenging for the dog. As mentioned above, I have listed about 50 ingredients you can fill in a Kong Dog Toy that you may want to read.
Large Round Shaped Dog Bed
3 Inch Pu Waterproof Carpet Pet Rug Dog Couch Cover Sofa Couch Accessory If you have more than one Golden Retriever living inside, this double-sized bed is excellent because each dog can have their own bed without interfering with another ones sleeping space. Your dogs will also love having somewhere to curl up together that is large enough for them both but small enough to fit into smaller rooms!
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What Are The Best Toys For Golden Retrievers
Toys with no small parts that your Golden can swallow are ideal. They can also do with a lot of personal attention from you throughout the day or they will become bored and destructive. Giving them a stuffed animal to cuddle up to at night is also a great option because it allows them to feel comfortable while theyre asleep without taking too much space on your bed.
As always, be sure to supervise playtime so the toys do not present any choking hazards for your dog. There is nothing more dangerous than an unsupervised Golden who has gotten their hands on one of your shoes trust me, I know this from experience!
Prevention Of Resource Guarding
On a similar note, its important that your puppy learns how to give up items willingly as this will help prevent resource guarding.
Resource guarding occurs when we force puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. It can end up looking like an awkward game of tug of war especially at the park when they steal someone elses frisbee.
For breeds like Golden Retriever who are designed to want to hold things in their mouths, this is pretty important! You dont want to end up with shredded mail while wrestling you pup to give it back
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding is when a dog protects a resource from being taken by someone else dog or human.
For some reason, there is a solid list of things puppies find irresistible:
- Socks
- Toys
- Food
These can end up being guarded quite easily if we dont handle the situation correctly! Wed be sad to hear your favourite pair of pink flamingo pants are no longer yours.
How do I help prevent it?
Swap swap swap! Practice swapping their toys for food treats, or other toys.
Many dogs love to retrieve, so theyre hard wired they want to hold or carry things around in their mouths. In essence, this is fine when its a toy they can have, but not so fine when its something valuable or that could harm them.
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Golden Retrievers: Everything You Need To Know
The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds across the US and the world at large. Owing to their popularity is their adaptability to various circumstances and duties. If you are looking to acquire a Golden Retriever,this guide covers everything that you need to know about the dog and its qualities.
Contents
Fascinating Things About Golden Retrievers
Fascinating Things About Golden Retrievers
There are many reasons why Golden Retrievers are in the top three most popular dog breeds in the world. They are playful, loving, sweet, and they will do anything to please their owners. However, there is much more to Goldens, and one article is not enough to describe why we love them so much. Nonetheless, we will give our best to present you with eight fascinating things about Golden Retrievers.
Some of them you probably already know, but some of them will come as a surprise to you.
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Golden Retrievers Training Requirements
These dogs are very easy to train and theyre considered one of the most obedient dog breeds. They want to make their owner happy so learning new commands isnt a problem for them. Kennel clubs like AKC recommend obedience training for all Golden Retriever puppies while theyre still with their breeder at 8-10 weeks old.
Their trainer should also teach them how to behave in different situations and show them whats expected from them when it comes to proper behavior around strangers, other dogs or pets, and any other people they might come across while out on a walk.
What Should I Feed My Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers should be fed a high-quality dog food thats appropriate for their age. Your veterinarian can offer recommendations and advise you on a healthy feeding schedule. Be careful not to overfeed your Golden Retriever. Use a measuring cup to make sure youre providing the right amount of kibble, and dont go overboard on treats, which can be high in calories.
Its important to help your Golden Retriever maintain a healthy weight to avoid problems like joint pain, heart disease, and liver and kidney issues. Like other large breeds, theyre also prone to conditions like hip dysplasia and arthritis, which can become more painful if theyre carrying extra pounds.
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Caring For Your Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are usually real big softies and can make a great addition to a home. They are a popular pet for families, but be aware that they are prone to certain health conditions and you will need to make sure your pets been screened where possible to avoid them. Its also really important to keep your Retriever in shape, as they can easily become overweight.
Taking Care Of Your Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers dont require special care as long as you make sure they get daily walks outside and playtime with other pets or humans inside your home. Regular brushing is needed once per week for this breed but if your dog tends to go swimming often then youll need to brush his coat more often because water gathers quickly in thick fur and becomes tangled.
Bathing can be done whenever necessary, preferably with a mild shampoo that wont strip the dogs coat of its natural oils. Nails should be clipped when necessary and ears should be cleaned once per week using baby wipes for this breed to prevent ear infections.
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Golden Retrievers For Adoption
We highly recommend that any dog lover looking for a new pet to adopt or rescue instead of buying.
This is a good option for those who prefer older dogs instead of pups. After all, most shelters will ensure that each dog has been trained and are healthy so that if someone wants to adopt them, theyre all ready.
Adopting can also mean youll have a better idea of what the fur angels behavior is like, its size, and its preferences when it comes to food and exercise.
There are plenty of rescue organizations all over America, many of which are listed on the Golden Retriever Club of America National Rescue Committee.
Here are a few other adoption sites worth checking out:
Golden Retrievers At Work
The world of dog training has changed a lot in the last twenty years, with positive reinforcement taking over from more traditional punishment based methods.
With this change in technique and attitude, the range of jobs that our dogs can do has evolved rapidly.
And a lot of them heavily involve the Golden Retriever.
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Grooming Your Golden Retrievers
These dogs have a double coat that consists of a long, thick topcoat and dense, short undercoat that helps keep them warm during the winter. Its important to maintain this level of insulation in order to protect them from both heat and cold so youll need to brush their fur regularly.
You should also clean their ears on a regular basis because these are prone to ear infections due to water getting trapped in there for too long which can lead to infection if left untreated so be sure to check them out once or twice per week or more often if you see your Golden is shaking his head excessively while outside in the snow. He might be trying to shake off some snow but he could also be trying any foreign particles that entered his ear canal!
Golden Retriever Breeders If you decide to get your dog from a breeder, make sure they are licensed and certified by the kennel club of choice. For example, if you want to get one from an AKC registered breeder, look for one thats certified through the American Kennel Club.
This is important because it ensures your new Golden Retriever pup will properly conform to their breed standard which means he has the potential to supply superior offspring in terms of health, appearance, temperament, etc. This helps increase his resale value while also ensuring that youll get the best possible experience out of owning him. Please click here for more information on finding Golden Retriever breeders!
Golden Retrievers: What’s Good About ’em What’s Bad About ’em
Golden Retriever temperament, personality, training, behavior, pros and cons, advice, and information, by Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Behavioral Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
The Golden Retriever’s kindly expression says it all. This is one of the finest family dogs in the world: cheerful, demonstrative, trustworthy with everyone, and forgiving of any mistakes made by inexperienced owners.
Give this breed two brisk walks each day, play fetch games, and take him out for a good run once a week, and he is adaptable to almost any lifestyle.
Friendly with everyone , his bark is welcoming rather than protective.
You must control his tendency to chew on objects and to mouth your hands — provide a box filled with toys so he can carry things around in his mouth.
A Golden Retriever remains enthusiastically puppy-like for many years, so early obedience training is required to instill calmness and good manners.
Eager to please and wonderfully responsive, he is nonetheless distracted by exciting sights and sounds, so you must be both patient and persistent.
The mind and heart of a Golden is sweet and gentle, but his body is robust — until he’s taught not to pull on the leash, you’ll need good biceps to walk him.
If you want a dog who…
- Is large, athletic, and natural-looking
- Has a pretty feathered coat
- Has a cheerful, tail-wagging nature
- Is steady-tempered and dependable with everyone
- Is peaceful with other animals
- Is eager to please and very responsive to training
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Golden Retrievers Breed Books
Golden Retrievers have been featured in many popular dog books including:
- The New Golden Retriever by Tom Chambers,
- Puppies for Dummies by Sarah Hodgson,
- My Golden Days by Charley Ellis & Sarah Whitehead.
Various authors have written about numerous uses of Goldens in different fields plus they are the protagonists of quite a number of fiction novels so there are plenty of good reads when it comes to these dogs.
Among non-fiction, selections are Goldens! by Mary Hickey & Allen ODea or even Nancy Baers book about training a Golden Retriever.
Miniature Golden Retrievers Myth
An adorable Goldie at half the size? There is certainly appeal in that cute little package. But unfortunately, once again there isnt really such a thing as a miniature Golden Retriever.
At least not in the purebred dog world. Mini Goldens are either a Golden mix where one parent is from a smaller breed.
Or occasionally one with the gene for dwarfism or bred from runts of the litter.
In these last two examples you are best off avoiding them for health reasons.
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Write A Puppy Socialisation Checklist For Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Yes, there is a checklist and its a long one. But you can download it here, or read our full article about it here. Its an enlightening read, honestly. Theyll give you the best ideas of things to do with your puppy to help them learn that the outside world is a positive place theyll be happy to live in.
What Are Some Of The Best Dog Training Treats
Dog training treats are one of the best things that can help you train your pet. Some of the most common dog training treats available at home are: Peanut butter: Peanut butter is one of the highly nutritious dog treats. It is a healthy source of fat, protein, vitamin B, and E. Cooked lean meat: While training your dog, you should always give a very nutritious and tasty snack that can catch his senses, and for this, you can give him some lean meat. Dry Kibble: Regular kibble food can also be given as a treat to your dog. Cooked Pumpkin: It is a highly nutritious treat for dogs because it is low in calories and high in essential minerals and vitamins. Apple slices: Apple slices are an excellent source of vitamin C and are high in fiber. Fresh Vegetables: Spinach, kale, carrots, and broccoli can be used as a treat. Bananas mashed: It is one of the good sources of vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C.
For readymade treats, my article about the 10 Best Dog Treat in India details some well-known brands available in the market.
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Features Of Golden Retrievers
Appearance
Golden retrievers are strong, medium-length dogs with a feathered, water-resistant double coat that comes in different shades of gold. These come in three standard colors which are lightly golden, gold, and dark golden.
When it comes to size and weight, full-grown Golden Retrievers are considered to be large dogs. Males can weigh up to 75 pounds while measuring up to 24 inches in height, where females weigh between 55 to 65 pounds and measure up to 22.5 inches in height.
Personality
Golden Retrievers are friendly and patient dogs. They are energetic, loyal and playful making them an excellent family companion. Additionally, they are well-mannered as well as pleasant to strangers and other dogs. However, while they make excellent watchdogs, they make poor guards since they can be too friendly to strangers.
Their fine sense of smell and ability to work alongside people makes them a priority among bird-hunters, while their social nature makes them suitable for large and active families.
Behavioral Traits
Though Golden Retrievers are known to be well-behaved, they need to be raised and trained properly to make the most out of their behavior. As a result, it is crucial to look for a reputable breeder when buying a grown Golden Retriever to ensure it has had the correct crate training to avoid separation anxiety, potty training, benefitted from a well-balanced diet, and so on.