Before The Pup Arrives Home
In a lot of ways, training your Golden Retriever begins before the puppy even arrives home. Dog training demands a tremendous amount of energy and time from both you and your puppy. Not only will you need time, but a few supplies as well.
For this reason, we recommend you have the following supplies ready before your new puppy arrives:
Recommended Supplies
You Must Make Room For Your Dog And Her Hair
Golden Retrievers are mediumlarge dogs. A male Golden is about 23-24 inches tall and weighs between 60 and 75 pounds . Females are smaller, but they still need space to move, being 20-22 inches tall and weigh between 55 and 70 pounds .
Youll have to give your dog enough room to move freely around the house. Having a yard can be helpful, but as Goldens are very social dogs theyll prefer staying inside with their families rather than running around by themselves outdoors. So be sure your house or apartment is large enough to host such an active and intelligent dog, even if youve got a yard.
The dog isnt the only thing youll see around the house all day. Free your schedule for cleaning up hair as Golden Retrievers shed all year, becoming heavier in spring and autumn. The easiest way to reduce the amount of lost hair is by brushing your dog 3-5 time a week, for about 15 minutes. However, youll still need a powerful pet hair vacuum cleaner to remove the mess from your carpets and sofa.
Raising A Golden Retriever Puppy Training
You have a great advantage when starting to train your Golden Retriever puppy because Goldens are a highly co-operative breed and most Golden puppies are very easy to train.
You also have a range of fantastic guides right here on the site. The Happy Puppy site was created by dog expert Pippa Mattinson.
Youll find many of her puppy training guides and a range of guides by our team of highly qualified professional dog trainers, in our training section.
Here are some to get you started!
They are packed full of training tips and information, together with links to more advanced training topics. You can also check out our puppy training archives.
Recommended Reading: Golden Retriever Longevity
Golden Retriever Clubs In Washington
Not only can Golden Retriever Clubs help you potentially find a Golden Retriever, but when you get one, they can help you raise them.
For example, they might help with:
- Socializing and exercising your Golden through their dog sports and other events
- Getting advice from experienced Golden Retriever owners
- Getting referrals for services like vets, groomers, and doggy daycares
Here are the two Golden Retriever clubs in Washington:
Evergreen Golden Retriever Club
Heres a list of everything you need for a Golden Retriever, and you can click here for a list of Golden Retriever rescues in every state.
Sneaky Ways To Find A Rescue Golden Retriever
If Seattle Golden Retriever Rescue doesnt have a Golden for you, and none of the rescues in nearby states do either theres still hope!
There are three other ways you might be able to find a Golden who needs your home.
The first way is to scour your local animal shelters.
Yes, its a long shot, but you might get lucky and find a Golden Retriever there.
You might also fall in love with another dog who needs your home!
The next way is to keep an eye out on your local Golden Retriever Facebook groups.
Ive seen several people post in there trying to find a new home for their Golden that they can no longer keep.
People are all over these posts, so youll have to be quick to reply.
Also, be sure to watch out for scammers!
The next way to find a Golden who needs your home is to get involved in your local Golden Retriever club.
The members there might have insider info on a Golden who needs to be rescued.
This is another long shot, but it could be worth it.
The more Golden Retriever lovers you know, the more likely you are to find one of your own.
And speaking of Golden Retriever Clubs
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Feeding Schedules And Guides
Small puppies need small and frequent meals. As a rough guide:
- Four meals a day until three months
- Three meals a day until six months
- Two meals a day until one year
Many people worry a lot about getting food quantities and schedules exactly right and want to know how many ounces or grams of puppy food to give their Goldie pup at each stage of their lives.
You can find all this and more in our guide:
Try not to worry too much it isnt an exact science!
Golden Retriever Puppy Zoomies
At first, it might not seem like zoomies should be anything to worry about. But all puppy owners can tell you just how destructive these random bursts of energy can be.
Especially with a relatively large breed like the Golden Retriever.
In fact, it can lead to broken ornaments, ripped fabric, muddy pawprints all over the house, and knocked over children. It can be quite distressing for new puppy parents!
Running after your puppy can often make this worse as it seems like a fun game to your puppy.
Instead, encourage calm behavior by rewarding your puppy when theyre relaxing peacefully.
You wont be able to avoid the zoomies altogether, but you can try to minimise them by ignoring this behavior and rewarding calmness.
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Difficulty Walking On Leash
Some Goldens either never really got the hang of leash training, werent ever trained, or have regressed due to poor reinforcement. Either way, its important to correct this behavior as soon as possible. While on a walk, if your pup goes wild, stop.
Wait until your pup calms down. Once they do, continue the walk. You will literally repeat this repeatedly. Granted, youll need ample amounts of time to make this successful. Try walking three times a day this way for a few weeks to see if the behavior improves.
Where To Get Help And Advice
Puppies are great fun, but they can also be hard work. At times youll benefit greatly from the support of other new puppy parents.
We used to be able to help new puppy parents by answering questions in the comments on this website. But there are now so many that we needed a better way.
Do check out our support forum. Youre welcome to simply browse and read the answers to other peoples questions. Or you can join in and ask your own.
Its free and wed love to see you there!
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Golden Retriever Puppy Growth
As a medium to large breed, Golden Retriever puppies carry on growing up to and beyond their first birthday. In fact growth isnt complete until the middle of the second year.
However, those last few months are mainly about filling out and your Golden puppy will have reached close to their maximum height at between 9 and 12 months of age.
You can read all about puppy development stages and puppy growth in our guide:
Its full of fascinating puppy growth facts!
Raising A Golden Retriever Puppy Setting Up
Before your puppy comes home, you should work to set up everything that theyll need. Its much easier to do this before you have an excited puppy running around your feet at every turn.
Three of the most important things to set up are your crate, your puppy zone, and any baby gates that youve bought.
Make sure your puppys crate is big enough for him to turn around in, and sleep comfortably in. But, remember that if its much bigger than this, your Golden may try to use one end as a bed and the other as a toilet.
If your crate is too big when your puppy comes home, you can use a crate divider to create a smaller bedroom area.
A puppy zone is an area in your house that is puppy proof. It usually contains your puppys crate, some toys, and fresh water. You may choose to feed your puppy in their puppy zone too.
Some people create a puppy zone within a playpen. But others like to dedicate an entire room, like the kitchen. If you want to do this, its best to use baby gates on the doors, so that you can get out easily without releasing your puppy.
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What To Buy For A Golden Retriever Puppy
Once youve chosen your Golden Retriever puppy, you need to make sure youre prepared for their arrival at home with you.
Theyll be old enough to come home at 8 weeks. So, you should have plenty of time to prepare.
We mentioned the key products Golden Retriever puppies need at the start of this article. So, you can scroll up to remind yourself.
We also have a number of articles that review the best products for Goldens. And you can find more reviews on our main products page
Here are some you might enjoy:
Now, once youve got everything you need for your new puppy, youll need to start setting it up in your home.
Youll Also Need To Puppy Proof Your House And Yard
A new puppy can be a very destructive force around the home for the first few months. With that in mind, youll want to make sure you puppy proof your home and yard to prevent your puppy from destroying your prized possessions.
Puppy proofing will not only keep your essential items safe, but it will also keep your puppy safe from harm when it cannot be supervised at all times.
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Every Dog Deserves A Golden Life
Newspaper recognizes book about RAGOM dog Sully
The Pioneer Press recently recognized the children’s book “Sully” in their feature on children’s books that teach and touch the heart.
Meet our Featured Dog, Bessie, a gentle and bashful girl
Bessie is a learning how to relax and enjoy the Golden life after living a long, restrictive life in a commercial breeding facility.
RAGOM 2022 Calendar Available Now
“The Golden Life” 2022 RAGOM calendar features 12 months of beautiful RAGOM dogs and their stories. It makes a great gift for any Golden Retriever lover.
What Its Like for Your Dog to Have Heartworm
Heartworm disease is caused by worms, which live in your dogs heart. It is extremely serious, and deadly if left untreated.
Create A Sleeping Area
Youll need to make sure you make a sleeping area for your dog. Even if your dog starts to prefer sleeping on the bed with you and you are okay with that, youll still want to give your dog its safe sleeping area thats all its own. Thats usually where a crate comes in handy.
If you purchase a crate, youll want to make sure its big enough for your golden retriever so it can stand up and turn around inside of the box.
Crates not only provide an excellent place to sleep but come in handy when crate training and potty training. Many owners also purchase dog beds to put inside the crates or to put on the floor for the dogs when they dont get to sleep in the bed with their owners.
To create a sleeping area for your dog, here are some products youll need:
- #8 BeddingYoull want to make sure your puppy has a soft bed to sleep on at night. Its up to you if you wish to a puppy-sized one or a larger one that your dog will grow into later.
- #9 Dog crateMany owners choose to crate train their puppies. If you want to do that, youll need to buy the right size crate. Its a good idea to purchase one that is big enough for your golden retriever when it is fully grown, and use dividers for now to alternate the size.
Plan Out Your Yard
Besides an invisible gate or some kind of physical gate, heres what youll want to have for your new golden retriever puppy while it plays in your yard:
Be Ready for Walks
Here is what youll need to take your dog on walks:
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Why Are Golden Retriever Shelters Needed
Rescue shelters dedicated to the Golden Retrievers offer a needed service to New Jersey and the Northeast. Not only are Golden Retrievers faithful, loving pets, but theyre also energetic and can be challenging in small apartments without a yard. Thats where New Jersey Golden Retriever rescue shelters come into play: they offer a second chance for puppies and adult dogs who need rehoming. So whether their shedding, constant fetching, or some other characteristic becomes an issue for the doggie family, they can turn to these rescues as a humane option.
Most rescue shelters operate out of facilities, although some are remote and require the assistance of foster families to function. Offering a refuge for Golden Retrievers of all ages, theyre community-based organizations that provide a needed service. One of the most common issues pet owners run into is moving to another house or apartment that either doesnt accept dogs or doesnt have a large enough yard space.
Sometimes, this means a Golden Retriever needs a new home. Shelters on our list offer training and other resources to new owners to ensure health and stability for their furry friends. Unfortunately, some pet owners fall in love with Golden Retrievers before realizing how much work pet ownership can be. Whatever the reason, these shelters allow their dogs to experience a second chance within a loving home.
More Golden Retriever Rescues:Best Golden Retriever Rescues in the United States.
Golden Retrievers That Need A Home Now
There are hundreds of benefits to owning a dog. If you are looking to add to your fur family, consider adopting a dog. You will save the life of that dog and allow another to come into the shelter to be saved.
Golden retrievers are well-mannered, loyal companions that love to play. They love meeting new people, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Goldens make great family dogs and hiking partners.
Check out all 25 golden retrievers looking for their forever homes and share with a friend.
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Goldens Without Borders Rescue
With a Golden Retriever rescue in every state and more than 80 Golden Retriever rescues in the U.S., we saw a great need to help the thousands of Goldens that are killed each year in overseas countries from the horrific dog meat trade.
We are exclusively an international rescue and we rely on both passenger and cargo flights to safely transport our rescued Goldens home to America. We are a 5013 nonprofit run entirely on donations and 100% by volunteers. We are a foster based rescue with no physical location and no paid staff. We are a platinum member on GuideStar for our transparency.
Golden Retriever Rescue In Washington
Want to rescue a Golden Retriever in Washington?
Im not sure whos luckier your future Golden Retriever, or you!
Goldens are loyal, loving, fluffy balls of joy, but because theyre so popular, it can be hard to find an available Golden who needs to be rescued.
In this article, youll see the main Golden Retriever rescue in Washington, as well as three other ways to find a Golden who needs your home.
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Give Yourself A Pat On The Back
As a dog owner, you do everything you possibly can to keep your dog happy, healthy, and well-behaved. A big part of obtaining these goals is training your pup from the very beginning.
It takes time to train a puppy. You are going to need a lot of patience and plenty of time. In the beginning, your Golden Retriever is going to need your time a lot. He needs to have you around to guide him and keep him safe.
Putting in time and effort, in the beginning, will help to ensure your puppy grows in obedience and understanding. A trained dog is much easier to handle and will allow you to keep him safe at all times.
Make sure to give yourself a pat on the back for your efforts in training your new Goldy. Loving and caring for a Golden Retriever is one of the most rewarding journeys you can take in life. Enjoy every minute!
Make Your Home Safe For Your Golden Retriever Puppy
An essential part of preparing for a new dog is to puppy-proof your home and yard before you bring your pooch to the house.
Youll need to make your home safe for a puppy and then keep it safe as your puppy becomes a dog because even older dogs get curious about things like the trash and get into trouble if you make it easy for them to do so.
Make sure your dog cant reach any electric cords, remove items from low tables where your puppy might reach them, and put away anything vital that you think might harm your dog.
Here are a few other items youll need for your golden retriever at your home:
- #4 Puppy padsWhile not everybody feels the need to buy these, they can come in handy while you are potty training your dog. If you have an especially lovely carpet, it might be a wise idea.
- #5 Puppy toysPuppies require several different types of toys to keep them busy. Chew toys are essential because your puppy will need to chew while teething. Your puppy can learn what is proper to chew and chew toys can help keep your puppy from chewing on your items. Make sure you buy the right size of toys for your golden retriever puppy. You dont want to purchase tiny toys that your dog might choke on.
- #6 Travel harnessYoull want this while you are riding with your dog in the car.
- #7 Baby gatesIf you want to keep your puppy out of individual rooms in your house, a baby gate will be an idea.
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