When To Spay And Neuter Golden Retrievers
In recent years there have been newer recommendations put out for large breed dogs, including Golden Retrievers, on when to spay and neuter. Now it is recommended that you wait until your Golden is at least 18 months old before spaying or neutering them.
The reason to wait until your Golden is at least 18 months old prior to spaying or neutering is to ensure they have a chance to fully go through their version of puberty. A recent suggests this can decrease the risks of bone and joint abnormalities as your Golden grows.
The information from this study came from the on-going Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, supported by the Morris Animal Foundation. If you are interested in contributing to the research helping to understand the development of cancer and other health conditions in Golden Retrievers, you can voluntarily participate in this study with your dog.
Up until recently, it was recommended that dogs be spayed and neutered before they are able to reproduce. For female dogs, this means before they go into their first heat cycle.
In addition to preventing your dog from getting pregnant, another reason it was highly recommended to spay before their first heat cycle was to prevent mammary cancer. Studies have shown that spaying your dog prior to their first heat cycle can drastically decrease the risk of them developing mammary cancer later in life.
Should You Get A Golden Retriever From A Breeder Or A Rescue
If you want a golden retriever puppy, chances are youll have to get one from a breeder.
There are usually more people that want to rescue goldens than there are goldens that need to be rescued, and golden retriever puppies available to be rescued are rather rare .
If you do want to rescue a golden retriever, check out this article to find a golden retriever rescue near you.
But if you want to get a golden retriever puppy from a breeder, you need to know how to find the right breeder for you.
How To Calm A Hyper Golden Retriever Puppy In 10 Steps
We realized that most if not all puppies have a certain time-table of such hyperactivity and they grow out of it soon. That said, to calm a hyper golden retriever is the toughest task in bringing up a puppy.
Do you have a hyper puppy or a hyper dog? Does he seem to be crazy at times? He wont stop jumping, biting, and playing? Hyperactive puppies have a lot of energy and they need exercise and attention, but they also need to learn to settle down and stop playing when you ask them to.
What You Can Do To Keep Your Retriever Stay Calm
Naturally, Golden Retrievers are an energetic breed of dogs; this is why they never seem to get tired. One reason why they get hyper is that they are not exercising as they should. Start by giving the Golden Retriever exercise at least one hour daily to keep them fully invigorated.
One type of exercise that is effective is playing fetch with the Golden Retriever. Fetch is an ideal exercise as it will not wear you out but will it will engage the dog sufficiently; if you choose to run with the dog, you will get tired before the Golden Retriever thus Fetch is a better game option.
The other type of exercise you can give your Golden Retriever is to let it join other dogs for a walk. When dogs are together, they play together where they will use energy while doing that. This will not wear you out as you will just have to watch as they play.
The other exercise option for your Golden Retriever is using a dog walker. The dog walker will provide exercise for your Golden Retriever without taking much of your time.Golden Retrievers sometimes become hyper when they want to get your attention. If you ignore it, it will eventually calm down and if this continues, it will stop doing this as the action is not yielding any results. Pay attention to it when it is calm and it will start practicing being calm when it wants something from you.
5 Worst Chew Toys for Retrievers
Calm Your Golden Retriever With Training
Apart from the sit, stand, and stay command, adding word commands like settle or calm followed by a reward will do the trick. Changing your command timing from after to during and then just before he/she gets hyper can also greatly improve your interaction.
Just like human beings, Golden Retrievers need to learn self-control, and Goldens find it fun to learn new things and earn rewards. Since Golden Retrievers are friendly and intelligent, its easy for you to teach them new tricks to keep them mentally stimulated.
Proper obedience training will go a long way towards teaching you Golden how to have some self-control.
Recommended Reading: Are Golden Retrievers Smarter Than Other Dogs?
More About This Breed
It’s no surprise that the Golden Retriever is one of the top ten most popular dogs in the U.S. It’s all good with the Golden: he’s highly intelligent, sociable, beautiful, and loyal.
He’s also lively. The Golden is slow to mature and retains the silly, playful personality of a puppy until three to four years of age, which can be both delightful and annoying. Many keep their puppyish traits into old age.
Originally bred for the physically demanding job of retrieving ducks and other fowl for hunters, the Golden needs daily exercise: a walk or jog, free time in the yard, a run at the beach or lake , or a game of fetch. And like other intelligent breeds who were bred to work, they need to have a job to do, such as retrieving the paper, waking up family members, or competing in dog sports. A tired Golden is a well-behaved Golden.
As well as giving your Golden Retriever physical and mental exercise, you should also be prepared to include him in your family activities. The Golden Retriever is a family dog, and he needs to be with his “pack.” Don’t consider getting a Golden unless you’re willing to have him in the house with you, underfoot, every day.
There’s one other potential drawback to the breed: He’s definitely not a watchdog. He might bark when strangers come around, but don’t count on it. Most likely, he’ll wag his tail and flash that characteristic Golden smile.
Ask Friends To Help With Dedicated Training Sessions
Rope in some friends to help with training thats what friends are for!
A ten-minute session every now and then is all thats required and your friends will benefit from your dogs new found manners just as much as you will.
Prep them beforehand so theyre prepared to implement the four methods outlined above. If you are practicing sit for greeting, keep your dog on a long leash and be sure your friend backs away if your dog breaks the sit. You want to avoid any occurrence of your dog successfully jumping up. A long line enables you to do this.
Ignore Hyper Golden Retriever
Another reason for Golden Retrievers to become hyper is that they want more attention from the owners. However, it is not good to teach them that becoming hyper will gain the owners attention even it is inadequate attention.
To make sure that Golden Retrievers dont learn that by becoming hyper, they will get the attention, ignore them when the dogs are looking for attention. Give attention to the Golden Retrievers when they calm down.
Is There More To Jumping Than Just Excitement
Most golden retrievers are saying hello in the only way they know how. Some dogs, however, jump up to express more than just an excited greeting.
If your dog jumps up while growling or barking, they could be showing aggression, not excitement.In addition to growling and/or barking, aggressive dogs might muzzle punch , become still and rigid, lunge at visitors, and potentially bite.
Luckily this is rare in golden retrievers who are bred for their gentle temperaments as much as any looks, but if your dog has a history of aggression, or you feel theyre showing aggression when greeting people, please consult a professional trainer or a behavioral modification specialist. It is not a behavior that can be taken lightly or treated yourself.
You can read more about aggression from this link at the .
When Is A Female Golden Retrievers First Heat Cycle
This will vary, depending on if they are a small, medium, or large breed dog. For Golden Retrievers, this typically occurs before they are one year of age.
Most veterinarians recommended spaying before your pup is 6 months of age. However, for Golden Retrievers, this recommendation has now changed to 18 months.
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More traits and characteristics of Golden Retrievers
If I was considering a Golden Retriever, I would be most concerned about…
To help you train and care for your dog
Strangers Can Help Too
When a stranger asks to say hello to your dog, say sure, but Id love it if you could help us with our training.
Let them know that your dogs not allowed to jump and ask them to back away if your dog loses control. If youve been working on a sit for greeting, now is a great time to practice.
Have your dog sit beside you and treat them lavishly as the person approaches to say hello. If your dog breaks a sit, the stranger must back away and ignore the dog.
With you, all friends and even strangers doing the same thing and not rewarding jumping with any attention, before long your dog will learn they get longer hellos and a lot more treats and attention if they keep all four on the floor.
What Are Some Problems That Can Arise From Having A Hyper Golden Retriever
If you have a hyper dog, then chances are that the problem has already arisen. As weve established, all dogs have a lot of energy when theyre young and some breeds have more than others. The Golden Retriever is one such breed.
Hyperactivity is the name we give to energy thats unchanneled, and this is where youll find problems that wont just go away. A hyper dog is a frustrated one and will demonstrate lots of unwanted behaviors that are harder to stop the longer they go on.
Chewing, , scratching, moulting and even biting and other aggressive behaviors can all be the result of a frustrated dog with too much energy to burn off. But a lot of the time its not just excess energy but boredom, too.
Dogs need more than just physical exercise. All the long walks in the world can still result in a hyper dog if theres no mental stimulation to go along with those walks.
Golden Retrievers are incredibly intelligent, and they love to use their brains.
It means that training and learning games and tricks are ways to channel your Golden Retrievers energy, and you dont always even have to leave the house to do it.
Once your dogs mental needs are met, youll find his physical energy levels arent quite so demanding.
Cons Of Spaying And Neutering
One of the most common side effects after spaying and neutering is weight gain. Your dogs metabolism will slow down after they are spayed or neutered. So it is very important for you to provide your dog with regular exercise and the proper portion of food. Your veterinarian can help you determine how much dog food your pup should eat on a daily basis after they are spayed or neutered.
If you follow the instructions on a typical bag of dog food, you will likely be feeding your dog too much. The instructions are intended for non-fixed dogs that get lots of exercise. This is why it is important for you to consult with your dogs veterinarian regarding how much food you should feed your individual dog based off of their lifestyle.
More studies are currently underway to further understand if there are any other cons to spaying and neutering at the correct time. Right now, there really arent, and there are more benefits than drawbacks. But, again, this really depends on you and your dog. Talking with your vet is the best way to decide what is best for your particular Golden Retriever.
How To Care For Your Dog
Golden Retrievers simply love outdoor plays and live for action. If you are fond of jogging or hiking and you have a Golden Retriever as your pet, consider yourself to have a pal to accompany you at all times. Or, if you want to toss a ball in your yard, your Golden Retriever dog will be overjoyed to play a game of fetch.
As their name implies, Golden Retrievers truly love to retrieve. 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous exercises 2 times a day is enough to exhaust your dog and keep it mellow when he/she comes back inside. However, slacking on activities will only result in behavioral issues.
Golden Retrievers are most happy when you give them a soft, chewy toy, a ball, rolled newspaper, or a smelly sock to carry in their mouths. Special care is advised for raising and taking care of a Golden Retriever puppy. This particular breed grows quickly, and you can see a significant difference between 4-7 months.
However, this age is crucial and can make them vulnerable to bone disorders. Dont let your fur baby play or run against rock hard surfaces like pavement, at least until he turns 2 years of age and has fully-formed joints. Playing on the grass and puppy agility classes are safe.
Golden Retriever Dogs Diet/Food
The diet for a Golden Retriever must comprise an adequate balance of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals. If you choose any premium brand of dog food, it is best to prevent ones with rich ingredients.
Grooming and Maintenance
Common Health Problems
When Do Golden Retrievers Stop Growing
Your puppy will reach her full height between 9 to 12 months of age, but shell only fill out .
Golden Retrievers grow the fastest between 3 to 6 months of age. Around the six-month mark, their growth starts to taper off.
This will give you an idea of how big theyll grow because they will be ? their adult size.
Energy Levels In Golden Retrievers
Retrievers, more so the Golden Retriever is not a stationary animal. They need to receive physical and mental exercise in order to keep them contented. One of the reasons why Retrievers are hyperactive is because they do not receive enough exercise.
Retrievers are a breed that is full of energy and they need regular exercises and when they do not get it, their hyperactivity is more pronounced.
To dispense this energy, you should take your retriever out for jogs, walks, and runs. If there is no one in your home for 8-10 hours in a day, a Golden Retriever is not the pet for you as it needs exercise every day.
Golden Retrievers are hyperactive in nature as they are an energetic breed of dogs. Also, age is a factor when it comes to hyperactivity in Golden Retrievers. Puppies are more hyperactive than grown-up Retrievers; their hyperactivity involves stealing socks and other home objects. To curb this, take them out a number of times in a day and for one long expedition at least once a week.
Puppies tend to be more hyperactive than grown dogs thus you should expect it to tone down as it gets older. But, you should start training it to be calm when it is still a puppy to make it more manageable when it becomes an adult.
Reasons Why Is My Golden Retriever So Hyper
This is a great question for new owners or even some seasoned Golden Retriever owners who may have had a Golden with a slightly different personality. A Golden Retriever dog breed has hard work and outdoor activities running through their veins, they have a free spirit and love to explore. They were bred to be hunting, and working dogs, so many generations have accumulated one fluffy, domesticated, ball of energy!
When Do Golden Retrievers Calm Down And 3 Ways To Train Them To Be More Chill
The energy of your golden retriever is a large part of their charm, but sometimes it can be too much and youre left wondering; do Golden retrievers calm down? and if so, when?
Days, weeks, and months pass by and your pup dont seem to ever want to just chill. Its as if they are always cranked up to 11 and there is no off button on them.
Well, the good news is that Golden Retrievers do calm down.
So, when do golden retrievers Calm down? Golden Retrievers start to calm down when they are 2-to-3 years old when they are turning from puppies into adult dogs. They often become much calmer at the age of four, but their energy levels can still be high compared to other dog breeds.
When Golden Retrievers are puppies, they have all this pent up energy that needs to go somewhere, and it often goes everywhere. From jumping on new people to chewing everything they can reach, they always find ways to release this pent up energy.
Even more, some golden retrievers can keep this level of energy through all their lifetime. As much enduring as this is, it can take a lot to keep up with them at all times. However, there are things you can do to help your puppy chill down.
Lets talk about them more
Table of Contents
- Find my list of recommendations here.
Golden Retrievers Get Bored
Similar to the issue of the lack of exercise, Golden Retrievers get bored and act out by showing their hyperactivity. The boredom can stem from many things like a lack of attention, exercise, or not having enough stimulating activities or training. To keep your dog from feeling bored, it is best to keep up their training and introduce new games and activities for them to try. Much like children, they need to be constantly stimulated, so switching up toys, or taking them to a dog park so they can have new interactions are great ways to rectify this.
Whatever You Do Dont Reward Bad Behavior
If kids realize that they can get attention by being bad, they will continue the bad behavior because they want the attention. Golden Retrievers and Labradors are the same. If you reward the crazy behavior with your attention, then the message is: Go crazy so that mom and dad will pay attention to me.
That is not the message you want to send.
So here is what you do if you think that your dog is lacking attention. Take him and put him in the kennel for a few minutes. This is not a punishment because, if you have done it right, your dog will love the kennel. It is his home. The kennel is one place that will help Golden Retrievers calm down.
After a few minutes, go get your buddy and take him for a walk or outside to play fetch.
You have just reinforced the fact that your attention is not a reward for bad behavior. Instead, your guy had to calm down first and then he got what he wanted.
There is so much to learn when it comes to your Golden Retriever. Make sure you check out my book on what I think is the sweetest breed in the world. I explain where the Golden Retriever comes from .
I also get into some of the dangerous health issues that face Golden Retrievers. Some of them are preventable if you know what to look for and catch them early enough.
There is also a chapter on how dogs think and how that changes the way we train our Golden Retrievers. I am sure that you will find new information that will help you and your best furry buddy.
Other Ways To Calm Your Golden Retriever
It is not easy to find a home environment that is conducive to the most calming Golden Retrievers. This breed needs a very specific type of living environment to be at its best and for them to thrive and enjoy their lives to the fullest. Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent, sensitive, playful, quick, acrobatic, and friendly dogs. They are beautiful, affectionate, and friendly with their loving nature. However, one must remember that they are very active, exuberant, and dogs that require a lot of attention. Here are a few more tricks to help soothe your Golden pup.
Things To Get Before You Bring Your New Puppy Home
When you bring your puppy home, the last thing you want to do is wait for Amazon to deliver something that you need right away, likepoop bags or pee cleaner.
Its best to get these things before you bring your puppy home.
Heres what youll need, as well as links for where to get them:
To learn more about these products, like why we chose these specific ones, or why theyre necessary, check out our article about golden retriever puppy supplies.
Next up is another thing to do before you bring your puppy home
First And Foremost Remove The Reward
To your dog, the obvious reward for jumping up is getting up-close-and-personal with you or the person they are greeting.
Your dog wants your attention and jumping up is their way of demanding it. And if they get any good or bad then thats the reward. And they will do it again next time.
Therefore, when your dog jumps, remove all attention, both positive or negative.
Do not look at your dog, do not reach your hands out to push them away. Simply walk past or away from them, and go about your business.
This may leave your dog wondering what happened. It may also encourage your dog to try new tactics. But only when your dog puts all four feet on the floor to greet you should you turn to them and offer up treats, pets, and calm praise.
Do not offer up too much excitement, which may cause your dog to jump up again. If this happens, go back to ignoring your dog. Theyre smart, and eventually theyll get it. Eventually they will twig that if they jump, they get ignored, if theyre calm and remain on the ground, they get what they want.
Only four on the floor should earn any form attention from you!
And we shall discuss a little later, you must do this every time, all the time. Never, not once, can you encourage or reward jumping. If you do, it will never end.
Howto Calm A Golden Retriever
Tiring your dog out by playing with it or taking it on a walk, works pretty well when you have plenty of time. But, this can also get mundane and boring real fast. Plus, you dont know what to do when your dog starts to nag at you at awkward or inconvenient times.
Fortunately, there are many different ways of training your dog to be calm and knowing when do golden retrievers calm down. Whatever you do, however, know that is always a good idea to start the training when your dog is still a puppy.