Checklist For Our New Puppy Linus
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So, what happened with our first puppy, Linus?
If you recall we decided to bring home a puppy from the shelter and had one hour to get puppy supplies for at least the next day or two.
What did we do? We went with all the recommendations made by the employee at the local pet store which happened to be one of the large pet retailers.
While not a horrible decision also not a great decision. This pet retailer also had its own line of products and at the time we didnt know it, but the employee pushed all of the pet retailers products.
Not everything was terrible. We still use the stainless steel bowls and the Midwest Crate we purchased over 14 years ago.
However, today we always heavily research any new puppy products before making a purchase.
Theres a lot of information right at your fingertips. Dont just take my word for it. Do your own due diligence and read others opinions and experiences by searching Google and check out or Chewy for product details, descriptions, reviews, and ratings.
Go For A Drive With Your Puppy
Now that your puppy is happy sitting in the car, we can try and go for a short drive with them. Weee!
PRO TIP: Make sure this is done when theyre on an empty stomach and between meals. Were sure you dont want to spend your afternoon cleaning up puppy vom.
How to do it
Watch out! Never leave your puppy alone in the car!
PRO TIP: Remember to carry your puppy in from the car since its not safe to put them on the floor until theyre fully vaccinated. Lucky theyre getting the royal treatment.
Teach Your Puppy Their Name
Just like with people, its important that our puppies know their name. Kind of awkward if they dont.
Lucky for you teaching them their name is easy peasy.
Recommended Reading: Golden Retriever Clipped
Introducing Nose Work To Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Besides your puppys talents and impressive skills, for most breeds its actually their nose that deserves the most praise. Lets play a game of hide and seek with a toy to spotlight their gift of good sniffs!
How to prepare
- Find an old towel to use.
- Stuff a Kong or a toilet roll with some food
How to do it
TIPS
· Dont make it too hard to begin with thoughlet some of the toy poke out from under the towel
· Once your puppy has had a few practice runs you can start to make it more difficult. I could personally play this game all day.
If only this could work so they help us find our keys.maybe well teach them that trick when theyre older.
Getting A Golden Retriever Puppy
Choosing to adopt or go through a breeder for your new golden retriever puppy is a personal choice that requires research. Thankfully, there are many resources out there to help you find a rescue or breeder that offers healthy, ethically-sourced golden retriever puppies.
Knowing what youre in for when you get a golden retriever puppy is an important step in being a responsible pet owner. Whether you find a responsible breeder or are planning on adopting, its up to you to be prepared for an energetic and friendly addition to your household.
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My Top 10 Tips For Raising A Puppy
I regularly receive emails from readers with new puppies asking for advice on everything from food to training to exercising to gear and more. Since Im such a dog person and I share so much about our dogs with you, I thought that Id sprinkle a few pet posts in here and there.
Im going to start general today with some of my top 10 tips for raising a puppy. While they are so cute and fluffy, they are a ton of work!
Supplies To Bring With You To Puppy
Leash and Collar
First of all, bring a leash and a collar. Most families live too far to bring their puppy home without needing the leash and collar for at least one potty break.
Crate
Secondly, youll need to bring a crate for the trip home.
If you will be flying, bring a soft sided carrier . If you are traveling alone or will be in your vehicle for more than an hour, bring a 24 inch wire crate . Many families fly in and out of the Atlanta airport with our puppies. We suggest these families bring both a soft-sided carrier as well as a small wire crate.
The soft-sided crate is necessary for a flight. However, it is far too small for a puppy to be comfortable in it without a persons occasional intervention. It works fine for air travel where you can often take your puppy out after take-off and before landing. At the very least, you can stick your hand in the carrier to pet him. If you are driving, you wont be able to adequately tend to your puppy in such a small carrier.
The wire crate is very inexpensive and is worth the extra purchase even if you leave it behind you in your rental car before entering the airport. If you dont have a wire crate, make sure you bring a second person with you to care for the puppy while you drive. Try to keep stress out of the trip as much as possible. A wire crate will help you to accomplish just that.
Food, Water, a Bowl, and a Bully Stick
Training Bag
A Phone to Video Puppy Information Given By Breeder and/or Trainer
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Finding A Golden Retriever Breeder
The first step is to do your research. Sadly, there are many puppy mills posing as reputable breeders along with plenty of online scams. Be aware, and reach out to different online forums for conversations about getting your future furry family member.
Be sure to ask questions, make arrangements to meet the parent dogs or mother, and follow your gut. If something seems wrong at a breeder you visit, or the golden retriever puppy seems too good to be true, theres likely something sketchy going on. The AKC also offers resources for finding a breeder, with fairly strict guidelines on who they let participate.
How To Prepare For Your New Puppy
Heres a sneak preview from the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook about 6 things you need to do to prepare for your new puppy:
For more tips on how to raise your new golden retriever puppy, check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook.
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What To Bring With You When Picking Up Your Puppy
The day I brought home Linus I thought I was just taking a trip to the local shelter to visit puppies I came across on PetFinder.com. Needless to say, I was not prepared that day.
Now that you have from our new puppy checklists above. Heres what you should bring with you the day you pick up your puppy.
- Camera Its funny to think about today, but back in 2005 my phone did not have a camera, so we have zero pics of Linus or his sister at the shelter. Today most people have smartphones with built in cameras. However, if you really want to capture the moment then bring your fancy pants DSLR or mirrorless camera to get the best pics of your puppy and his litter mates. Dont forget to take as many pics of your puppy as possible today and everyday. They grow up way too fast.
- A Friend or Family Member You need someone to document the moment: a photographer, videographer, and someone to share the moment with. When I picked up Stetson it was only me. No one to take pictures. No one to help me on the car ride home. No one to share the memories with and I only have one picture from the pickup day. ð
- Plush Dog Toy and Puppy Blanket Make sure you have a plush toy and puppy blanket and rub it all over your pups litter mates and mama. This way when you get home you can put the toy and blanket in his crate so hell smell the scent of his litter mates and mama when its time for bed.
An Indoor/outdoor Shower Wand For When You Want To Wash All Your Golden’s Hard
Promising review: “I have three golden retrievers with A LOT of fur. This thing makes washing them so much easier. The pressure is awesome and rinses through their thick fur much faster than any other shower attachment Ive tried. I also love that it can be twisted to different settings or so the water stops running without shutting the water off each time. Would highly recommend.” Shannen Cobb
Price:$32.99
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New Puppy Essentials Checklist
Our New Puppy Checklist should apply to all puppies, but keep in mind that I raise mostly Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and of course Linus was an Australian Shepherd mix puppy, other breeds can have different specialized needs that arent reflected on this list.
Our New Puppy Essentials Checklist are the items we recommend you have the day you bring home your new puppy.
QUICK UPDATE: We are only recommending one product per category. It was difficult to always pick the best/favorite so please do your own due diligence and find what works best for your puppy
Great Accessories For Golden Retrievers
- This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
As a proud golden retriever parent, you probably have the basics covered: leash, collar, food bowl, dog bed. But you can step up your goldens accessory game with some fun and practical new accessories.
From hiking backpacks to silly costumes, these are some of our favorite accessories for golden retrievers.
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This Ingenious Product That Makes Bathtime A Breeze
Most dogs dont love getting baths, but you can convince them its not so bad with the Aquapaw Slow Treater Dispensing Mat. This silicone mat has a nubby surface, and you simply smear peanut butter over the bumps, then stick the mat to the wall of your bathtub. Your dog can go to town licking the peanut butter, and theyll barely even notice as you wash them. I own one of these, and its the sole reason my dog likes bathtime!
Get the Aquapaw Slow Treater Dispensing Mat from Chewy for $10.95
A Set Of Washable Dog Bowls
Your new dog is going to need food and water bowls, and these affordable stainless steel bowls are a great option. They have a 4-¾ cup capacity, so theyre best for medium to large dogs, and they have a rubber base to prevent skidding and protect your floors. Plus, when the bowls get dirty, you can just toss them in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
Get the Frisco Stainless Steel Bowl from Chewy for $8.99
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Jack Russell Terrier Hunting Dogs
Specializing in small games, this powerhouses energy far exceeds his size. Jack Russell Terriers were initially bred to hunt foxes and flush them from their burrows.
Intelligent and loving companions, this breed does well with children. These dogs require only minimal maintenance, perhaps a brushing once a week.
This small breed needs a lot of exercises to release all its energy. If you must channel that boundless energy, the dogs will engage in destructive behaviors.
They enjoy long daily walks with their people or running alongside a bike. These dogs also like playtime, which helps to stimulate their quick, active brains.
Jack Russell Terriers excel at dog sports, including agility, flyball, obedience, and lure coursing.
Since these terriers have a strong prey drive, they require early socialization and obedience training. They become bored quickly, so the activity must be engaging.
A dog from any of these thirteen breeds can make a skilled hunting partner as well as a devoted companion.
Bark Brite Paw Protector Dog Boots
Amazon
Golden retrievers have strong paws built for swimming, but on land, sometimes they need a little extra protection. These all-weather neoprene booties are water and puncture-resistant, ideal for winter city walks or summer trips to the lake. Plus, they provide protection for injured paws and can help older dogs walk better on slippery surfaces.
Golden retriever owner review: Seeing running on the trail in these booties with no issue made me happy. I am impressed how well these boots held up and protected our puppys paws. By the way, he got tons of compliments from everyone on the trail and was known as the puppy in the booties.
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Getting A Golden Retriever
Do plenty of research before you get a Golden Retriever. Make sure you have the knowledge and dedication to give to these sweet natured dogs to keep them happy and the time and space to exercise them. While they make great family pets, make sure you are absolutely ready to take on the commitment of getting a dog first.
How To Trim Your Golden Retriever Puppys Claws
The day has finally come. Today, were clipping your puppys claws.
Before you start, heres a couple of important things you need to know:
- In order for this to work, your puppy should be comfortable around the nail clippers. If you see them struggle, go back to the exercise from 2 weeks ago and have a go at it again.
- This one is quite important. Dog claws have a vein running through them this is called the quick. You dont want to cut out puppys claws too short as we will nick the quick and this will bleed. And it looks scary and you wont want to do it again.
- If your puppy has black claws and you are worried about the quick ask your vet or groomer to show you how to cut them.
How to do it
TIPS
Also Check: How Much Do I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy
Meeting Another Dog: How To Introduce Your Puppy To A New Dog
Its important to socialise puppies when theyre still young to really make sure theyre at their friendliest and kindest with other dogs as adults. In humans or dogs worlds, everybody likes a friendly guy.
A good way to do this is by organising a visit from one of your friends dogs.
PRO TIP: The other dog should be friendly with puppies, and up to date with their vaccinations!
How to do it
PRO TIP
We know that all you may want is to let loose in some off lead play. But lets not get ahead of ourselves, keep the adult dog on lead for now there will be plenty of time to play later on. Dont worry youre not being a Debbie Downer, youre just making sure your puppy is safe, and is able to go one step at a time!