Using Chew Toys For Training
Two of my favorite ways to use chew toys for training are:
When it comes to teaching your puppy to not chew on household items, heres what doesnt really work:
- Yelling at them
- Spraying bad-tasting liquid on items
- Punishing them
Heres what does work: getting them to want to chew on other things and teaching them not to chew on things besides chew toys.
If you see your puppy chewing on your shoe, interrupt them with a clap or a Nope! and then give them an enticing chew toy to chew on .
Once they start chewing on the chew toy, instead of the shoe, praise them and let them know theyre doing a good job.
Pretty soon when they have the urge to chew theyll be looking for a chew toy that they know is ok to chew and they like chewing it.
For crate training, durable chew toys are great for keeping them occupied in the crate.
If theyre in the crate stressing about being alone, youre going to have a tough time getting them comfortable in there.
But if theyre in the crate going to town on a chew toy and loving life, theyll soon realize the crate is not so bad.
Ifetch Interactive Ball Launcher For Dogs
Golden Retrievers are considered to be the fourth smartest dog breed in the world! Due to their high intelligence, these dogs need to be mentally stimulated on a daily basis in order to keep them from getting bored.
If you own a golden, then you know that you could spend hours on end playing fetch. While its fun and gives you an opportunity to bond with your dog, it can get tiring after a while.
The iFetch Automatic Tennis Ball Launcher will keep your dog happy and busy for hours. This machine launches balls up to a distance of 30 feet.
You can adjust the distance to 10 or 20 feet as well. This toy comes in two sizes. So, you can purchase the smaller one for the puppy years and graduate to the larger one as your puppy grows.
Theyve Got A Nose For A Reason
Like most dogs, golden retrievers have a very powerful sense of smell. This makes them excellent at following scents. For that reason, golden retrievers have been used professionally to find contraband and even as avalanche search and rescue dogs.
You can train your dogs sense of smell by playing scenting games with them, like hide-and-seek. Like obedience challenges, playing hide n seek inside during cold days is a great way to keep your high-energy pup occupied inside.
It can be as simple as hiding treats or toys around your home and allowing your dog to sniff them out. When they locate the toy or treat, you can praise them, and they will love you for it.
Just make sure that if you are using treats, that youre not accidentally overfeeding your dog. That last thing they want is a bellyache.
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Why Do Golden Retrievers Like To Hold Stuff In Their Mouth
Golden retrievers like to hold stuff in their mouth because this is ultimately what this endearing breed was bred for. No, it’s not like goldens were purposely bred to carry stuffed toys around or bring you the mail or a beer from the fridge, rather, it’s the other way around, golden retrievers love to carry stuff simply because they were selectively bred to retrieve back in the days when they were primarily used as hunting partners.
Andis Famous Plush Dumplings
Does your Golden get bored easily? Is a boring old plush toy not enough for their active brain? Well with Andis Famous Plush Dumplings, each smiling soft fuzzy dumpling is stuffed with a sturdy squeaker. Delivered in a tough, crazy-crinkly plush carry-out carton, this toy will never make it to the fridge.
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Ifetch Interactive Ball Launcher
If the ChuckIt wont cut it for your fetch-happy golden, try an automatic ball launcher. No human throwing required! Your golden simply drops a tennis ball into the top, and the iFetch throws the ball 10, 25 or 40 feet away.
Golden retriever owner review:This device is a lifesaver. My service dog LOVES tennis balls, but I cant throw them very far. The iFetch Too has helped him get much more exercise. Ryver often stands directly in front of the thrower but he doesnt seem to mind having the ball pitched right into his face.
Why Do Golden Retrievers Bring Clothes To Their Owners
Many dog breeds including Golden Retrievers love to abduct dirty laundry and bring them right to your feet as if its your most prized possession.
But why do they behave this way?
Well, it all goes back to your personal scent. Your clothing is a sacred item in your dogs eyes, embedded with your distinct smell. Retrieving clothing is a dogs way of saying, Hey, I found this for you! It must be important because it smells just like you!
Our beloved furry friends are just trying to strengthen their bond with humans by stealing laundry. However, if your dog ruins your clothes, it might be time to change your routine and reinforce a different behavior.
How to Avoid Losing Socks to Your Golden Retriever
If you find yourself in a losing battle with your dog over socks, it may be time to change your routine. Golden Retrievers steal socks for several reasons, whether theyre bored or suffer from separation anxiety. Since socks smell like humans and have a soft texture, this article of clothing is highly coveted, but heres what you can do:
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They Are Prone To Certain Health Problems
Before getting a golden retriever dog, its better to know about common health issues. According to PetMD, common golden retriever health issues are Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Sub-Aortic Stenosis , Hypothyroidism, Eye Disorders, Mast Cell Tumors, Seizures, Osteosarcoma, Lymphoma, Hemangiosarcoma , and skin problems.
To ensure that the pup is healthy, its imperative to select a reputable breeder. It may cost a bit more, but it will give you an idea about the puppys and its parents health background.
Benebone Maplestick/bacon Stick Durable Dog Chew Toy
If your dog loves to chew on sticks, then theyll love the Benebone Maplestick/Bacon Stick. These chew toys will be loved by your golden retriever as they are easy to grab a hold of and provide a very satisfying chew. If your golden is a super chewer, this toy is the perfect challenge for him or her.
This chew toy contains real maple wood flavor, something that your golden retriever will really enjoy and, hopefully, spare your furniture in the process.
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Put Away Medicines And Cleaning Supplies
You want to make sure your puppy wont get its paws on anything that can kill it, and a big issue with puppies is medication and cleaning supplies. Both of these types of substances can kill a dog that ingests them. So, keep your medications and cleaning supplies high up in cupboards or include childproof latches if the cabinets are on the dogs level.
Why Do Golden Retrievers Like Fetch So Much
Golden Retrievers, in a way, are made for fetch. If you Google the word fetch, the definition reads as go for and then bring back for someone. Similarly, if you Google the word retrieve, the definition is getting or bringing back.
So, for all intents and purposes, the Golden Retriever is a designer dog bred for the purpose of going for and then bringing back something for someone, a.k.a. retrieving or fetching.
Sure, other dog breeds may love the game of fetch as well. Its fun and satisfies a prey drive, which all dogs still possess to some degree or another. But, the Golden Retriever was bred to fetch or retrieve it was what the dog was designed to do, so to speak.
So, the fetch behavior has deep roots in the genes of the Golden Retriever . Fetching is much more gratifying for the retriever breed of dog because it satisfies at a deep level at a genetic level the dogs instinctual drive to do something it was designed to do.
Hold up. If youre interested in whether Golden Retrievers have a low or high prey drive, then check out this post: The Golden Retriever Prey Drive: Is It High or Low?
But, something else makes fetch so appealing to the Golden Retriever its a game played with a person.
Golden Retrievers are an exceptionally smart breed. They have a strong willingness to learn, are athletic, and are sweet-tempered. Additionally, the Golden Retriever was developed to work closely with humans, which is an important trait of a sporting or hunting dog.
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Pick Up Dirty Socks Off The Floor
Keeping all dirty clothing off the floor when youre housing a dog is helpful by itself, but socks are the most appealing for pups.
Leaving dirty socks on the floor is an open invitation for Golden Retrievers to steal them when you arent looking. This article of clothing is imbued with its owners scent which only makes socks more attractive to dogs.
Our canine friends have an acute sense of smell, up to10,000 to 100,000 times better than people. Not only that, but dogs can intensely miss their owners while away and will even ignore food to greet their humans. So its easy to see that dirty socks provide comfort to Golden Retrievers in the absence of their human family.
A Look Back In History
The Golden Retriever dog breed is believed to have originated from Scotland in the mid-19th century. This dog breed was selectively bred to fill a niche at a time when hunting birds such as pheasants and mallard ducks was quite popular among the wealthy of Scotland.
At that time though, no dogs were found to be suitable for retrieving downed game from land and water as typically occurring in Scotland back in the days when the area hosted various marshy ponds and rivers scattered throughout difficult terrain.
The golden retriever perfectly fit the bill, having been obtained by crossing water spaniels with some existing retrievers. These dogs were blessed with double coats making them particularly suitable for Scotland’s rainy climate and their biddable temperaments made them motivated fellows eager to follow directions.
Golden retrievers were selectively bred to bring downed game to the hunter
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Best Dog Toys For Golden Retrievers
Now that you know what to look for, here are some of the best toys on the market for Golden Retrievers. With chewies, tuggers, and fetch toys, there is something for everyone, whatever their preference is. Only toys made by reputable brands and highly recommended by pet lovers feature here.
If you asked us which dog toy wed choose over all others, wed have to settle in on the Classic Kong as our top pick. So if youre on a budget, and can only pick one, the Kong classic would be our choice. But who usually picks one dog toy? Youre likely to pick multiple, so wed recommend any of the other toys on this list to find which one your pup likes best.
Carrying Fake Birds Around
This Golden retriever is carrying a stuffed animal as if it was a real bird
Still as of today, golden retrievers retain strong instincts that are reminiscent of the old days when they were used as gun dogs. When your golden retriever carries around a stuffed toy or a slipper with his head high and a proud look on his face, he is mimicking what he was selectively bred to do.
Just as children’s play entails games that mimic chores observed in adults , golden retriever puppies often engage in games from an early age that involve the enactment of hunting moves such as chasing, mouthing and carrying around a feather or toy as if it was a prized possession.
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Nine Types Of Dog Toys An Overview
Canines love to play, they love to chew and chase. As a dog owner, you are looking for ways to keep your dog active and happy. Sure, you can take him or her for walks once, twice, or maybe three times a day. However, even the dog will get bored with just walks each day. You need to find other ways to occupy your dog so they do not get bored and begin to act out destructively or aggressively.
The way we do this when we have a dog as part of our family is to find toys that he or she can play with. There are likely millions of toys on the market today. Finding the perfect toy for your Golden Retriever will take some careful consideration.
To begin, what is the purpose of the toy? Will it be used as a training toy? Will it be used for play? There was a time when the only items available to interact with your canine were a rope, a stick, or a frisbee. Times have changed drastically since then.
Contents
Toys That Promote Activity
Your golden needs to run to release their energy. Introduce toys that encourage your dog to be active to make exercising more fun and exciting.
If you own more than one golden retriever, your pups are going to love playing with tug toys. A ball or soft toy will often become a pretext for a fun chasing game.
Toys like balls, Frisbees, and even chew toys can be used to play fetch. Let your dog pick which toys they want to play fetch with.
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Godog Dragons Skinny Dog Toy
The goDog Dragons is a soft plush toy that will hold up to heavy chewing thanks to its Chew Guard Technology. It features a heavy-duty chew-resistant lining and reinforced seams to make this toy extra durable.
goDog plush toys are designed to be tougher, stronger and last longer than other plush toys for dogs. They even guarantee this toy to last or you get a one-time free replacement or your money back.
This toy features a bright green textured bubble plush which is soft and gentle on your dogs mouth. A noise-making squeaker is in the body to entice your dog and the limbs of the dragon dangle.
The dragon is long and skinny, making it the perfect toy for your Golden to carry in its mouth.
Features:
- The wings make a crinkle noise.
Pros:
- This toy definitely lasts longer than any other plush toy, even after numerous chew sessions.
- Great for tug-of-war and fetch.
- Its easy to carry around and is soft on your dogs mouth.
- It squeaks and the limbs dangle.
- Comes with a guarantee.
Cons:
- This toy is stronger than other plush toys, but it is not indestructible. Aggressive chewers can still rip it.
- Parts of the Dragon such as the pink spikes on the back are not reinforced or as durable, some dogs were able to chew them off.
West Paw Zogoflex Echo Zwig
The West Paw Zogoflex Echo Zwig is a great toy for fetching, chewing on, tug of war and tossing. Golden Retrievers are always carrying something in their mouths, usually sticks which can be harmful, this toy is a great alternative.
This fetch stick is lightweight which makes it easy to throw at a greater distance. It bounces, bends and is squishy, all ideal characteristics to have in a toy for your Golden. You can also take this toy to the lake or pool because it floats, and thanks to its bright colour, it can easily be spotted at a distance.
The unique shape and texture of this fetch stick make it easy for your dog to grab onto, and it makes for a great chew toy as well! It measures 13.75 long and weighs 0.21 kilograms.
West Paw toys are extremely popular among dog owners, especially for heavy chewing dogs. Their toys are durable, completely safe, non-toxic, and come with a Love It Guarantee against damage.
Features:
- Ideal for fetching, tossing, tug-of-war, & chewing.
- It bounces, floats, bends, and is squishy.
- Ideal for moderate chewers.
- Love It Guarantee against damage.
Pros:
- A very versatile toy that can be used for tug-of-war, tossing, fetching, chewing or playing in the water.
- West Paw toys are designed to last a long time, their toys are great! All of their toys are backed by a guarantee.
- This toy is safer than chewing on a real stick, and its definitely more fun.
- Has a unique shape and is bendy, making it easy for dogs to grab.
Cons:
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Nylabone Dura Chew Power Chew Textured Bone
Cons
- Can be too hard for some dogs
The Nylabone Dura Chew Power Chew Textured Bone is a low-cost chew toy manufactured in the USA and comes in a delicious chicken flavor that your Golden Retriever is sure to love.
This Nylabone is one of our favorite budgets chew toys. The cost is minimal, but these chew toys will give your Golden chewing hours of pleasure. These chewers are ideally suited to dogs who like to gnaw but are a bit less aggressive.
We like Nylabone not just for a low price, but because its made in the USA and has a delicious chicken taste that your Golden Retriever will love. This feature lets your dog associate a chewing toy, which can help keep it entertained longer.
Nylabones also have grooves and bumps built to assist with your dogs dental hygiene. Many vets recommend these dental toys along with brushing your pupas teeth, so if safe gums or fresher breathing are a concern for your Golden, we recommend looking at this product.