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.
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.
Are You Looking For A Good Hunter
Golden Retriever PuppyIf you’re choosing a Golden Retriever puppy to take hunting, bring a duck wing or pheasant tail with you when you visit the litter, and tease the puppies with it. Some pups will immediately be fixated on the feather and chase it around constantly, even picking it up when you toss it.
Other pups won’t care one way or the other what’s tickling their nose. Look for the pups that like to hold things in their mouths or carry them around.
All Golden Retrievers have a natural retrieving instinct, but some have practically a compulsion to have something in their mouths at all times. There’s your hunter pup.
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They Are Playful And Loving
This breed of dog loves to love their humans. They enjoy cuddling, and as mentioned before, they love to play. Since they were made to hunt birds, games of fetch are their favorite and one of the best ways to satisfy that instinct.
They keep their playfulness well into adulthood. The energy they have when they play is similar to a puppy. Theyll love playing any games you are able to teach them.
Theyre The Most Enthusiastic People We Know
If humans acted like golden retrievers do, it would be a strange world indeed!
Members of this breed are so enthusiastic about everyone they meet, everywhere they go, and everything they see and do that it would almost be annoying if it wasnt so endearing.
In fact, their enthusiasm for life, the universe and everything is contagious, so spend time with a golden and youll soon start to become one of those cheery glass-half-full people!
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When Am I Old Enough To Leave Home
Once you’ve taken the time to pick the right puppy, you’ll have to wait a couple more weeks to take the new family member home. Now is the time to buy puppy supplies, make the veterinary appointments, check back with the breeder to make sure the puppy is up to date with his vaccinations, and spend time puppy-proofing your home in preparation for the canine invasion.
In general, puppies should stay with their mother until sometime between the eighth and tenth weeks. By this time, the puppies have learned critical canine socialization skills from their mother and littermates.
They’re also weaned off their mother’s milk, are eating puppy food, and are old enough to pass Beginning Housebreaking 101 with flying colors.
The Best First Dog To Have
If I could go back and choose to have a golden retriever as my first dog, I definitely would.
From my experience of owning them, I feel there are few breeds better suited to introducing you to the world of dog ownership.
The pros of the breed massively outweigh the cons, and theyre so easy going that they make it incredibly easy to learn how to care for an animal.
You should always research whether a particular breed will fit into your home life though, and this is no different for golden retrievers.
One of the most important things to consider is that theyre quite an active breed.
This is because they were bred as working dogs, and so have a lot of energy.
I take my golden retriever on at least one long walk a day, if not two.
Granted, much of that is because I love being outdoors, but consider that you will need to walk it every day.
And unlike smaller breeds, you wont be able to get away with too many short walks around the block.
Golden retrievers are very easily trained, and respond well to obedience training of any level.
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I would recommend taking them for at least basic training so they respond to the sound of your voice, but you shouldnt have any problem teaching them more advanced commands.
Considering you probably dont have much experience training a dog, this is another reason why theyre one of the best dogs for first-time owners.
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Engage Your Golden Retriever In Fun Training Games
Engaging them increases the communication level between the Retriever and humans. Inside the rope is one such game. It includes the following steps:
- Make a circle on the floor using the rope.
- Throw a treat inside that circle.
- Your Retriever will run towards the treat to catch it.
- Praise him and repeat the game.
Other such games are tug and sharing, hide and seek, fetch the toy, etc.
What Dog Is Right For Me
Is a Golden Retriever the right fit for me and my family?
Goldens are sweet, loving, loyal and generally make wonderful family pets. They are outgoing people dogs. We lovingly call them Velcro dogs, because they prefer to be close to their humans whenever possible. They are generally next to you, on top of you or lying at your feet. Most will follow you adoringly from room to room. Because they love to be with their people, Goldens generally do not make good outside dogs they are indoor companions. Goldens left as outside dogs may become depressed, neurotic, and destructive. Consider your life-style and household schedule If you travel frequently, work long hours, have no time to give love, attention and exercise to a Golden, you might be better off considering a different breed.
In addition, Goldens need regular daily exercise in order for them to be calm enough to be good citizens in the house. Dogs will not exercise by themselves. Their owners must interact with them. Goldens that do not get enough exercise can exhibit behavior problems such as excessive barking, inappropriate chewing, digging, and other destructive behavior. They need fenced areas for safe exercise. Even senior Goldens need daily walks and play time in order to stay healthy.
Youngster or Older Dog?
Some advantages of a senior Golden:
Puppy Love?
Yes, we occasionally get puppies!
Homeward Bound
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Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Are Such Awesome Pets
Theres no doubt golden retrievers make wonderful pets, but what is it about them that has captured the hearts and minds of millions?
There are countless great things about goldens, but weve tried to distill the essence of their lovely personalities down to sixteen points. Its challenging, sure, but we think weve got it just about covered.
Although every dog is an individual with their own quirks that make them who they are, golden retrievers, like other dog breeds, tend to share a number of traits that make them the awesome animals they are.
So, here are sixteen reasons golden retrievers make such great pets.
Why Choose Golden Retrievers Puppy
When it comes to choosing our breeders. Here at Golden Retrievers Puppy, we carefully screen our breeders and only work with those who meet our industry-leading standards. Once a breeder has been accepted we visit their homes and see how they are raising their puppies, we also continue to ensure that they are raising healthy puppies by requiring comprehensive health evaluations for every puppy they place through Golden Retrievers Puppy.
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How Much A Golden Retriever Puppy Cost
The TRUE Price Of A Golden Retriever Puppy Lots of potential puppy parents want to know about the golden retriever price that they can expect to pay before they decide to add a new furry friend to their family. You can expect a golden retriever price to be about $1,000 to $4,000 when you purchase from a quality breeder. However, all golden retrievers cost about the same amount when you consider all of the other expenses that you can expect to incur.
The initial Golden Retriever price.
The Golden Retriever price varies greatly, perhaps more than any other breed.
On average, you can expect to pay between $500-$2,000.
At the lower end of the price spectrum may be dogs from a pet store or home breeder without AKC documentation.
Top Ten Reasons To Not Get A Golden
Thinking about a Golden Retriever as a pet?
Top 10 Reasons NOT to get a Golden Retriever Printed with Permission – Cheryl Minnier
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They Are Extremely Loyal
Golden retrievers bond quickly with their owners. Once that happens, they work very hard to make sure to please. This intense bond is what drives their loyalty. Its even widely known that golden retrievers will rescue their owners from danger.
There are many instances where a golden retriever was able to save their owners or their neighbors from fires or other dangers. For example, there was a dog named Angel, who saved the life of his 11-year-old owner Austin by getting between him and a charging cougar in their backyard in Canada.
Angel was able to stop the cougar from attacking Austin even though the dog himself was injured. Austin was saved and Angel the golden retriever survived.
Golden retrievers will protect those they consider friends or family. Its this loyalty that will cause a golden retriever to bark at a stranger, even though it isnt in their nature to bark often.
Theyre Great Hunting Dogs
One look and you can tell that a Golden Retriever is meant for hunting. It possesses an extremely eager personality to begin with its like it just wants you to give it the go-ahead to pounce onto something. In regards to its comprehensive appearance, the dog is extremely powerful with a balanced gait that gives it an edge while out in the wild. It isnt long in the leg, or clumsy. The hindquarters in particular are strongly muscled and broad, with well angled stifles to complement. Its simply a highly active dog, bred for hard working conditions such as hunting and its not that hard to see why.
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Grooming A Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever has a medium length double coat, consisting of a water repellant top coat and a soft undercoat. They have longer feathering fur on the neck, legs, and tail. Goldens are sometimes bred for longer, silkier coats than what is described in the breed standard. Many owners like soft, flowing coats while breed purists say that Goldens, as hunting dogs, should have more moderate coats.
All Goldens, regardless of coat length and texture, require regular grooming. The undercoat grows denser in cold weather and sheds in warm weather. Use of an undercoat rake can help remove loose fur from the undercoat. For the top coat a good quality slicker brush is a must-have. Some also like steel tooth combs.
More than one brushing per week is recommended for Goldens. Grooming a Golden also requires trimming some of the longer fur with scissors, specifically thinning shears. Areas that require regular trimming with scissors include the ears, feet, neck, and tail. The coat of a Golden Retriever should never be shaved.
Besides maintaining the coat, basic grooming needs for a Golden also include baths, nail trimmings, and ear and teeth cleaning. Remember that drop eared dogs are prone to ear infections. So how does Golden Retriever grooming compare with Labrador Retriever grooming?
Labrador Retriever Vs Golden Retriever
Both Labradors and Goldens rank high on most peoples lists of the ideal dog to add to their family. Its no accident that the Lab has been the most popular dog breed in the U.S. for the past 26 years, and the Golden is not far behind.
If you are looking for an energetic, intelligent, and outgoing dog to keep up with your active lifestyle, particularly if you have children, the Lab might be the perfect dog for you. You will have to watch their weight, and make sure that you get your puppy from fully health tested parents.
If a loving, kind, and gentle dog is more your speed, be sure to consider the Golden. Golden Retrievers also need fully health tested parents, but there is the added risk of cancer in Golden Retrievers to consider.
This is something you cant avoid through health testing, but might be helped by choosing puppies with older parents and no family history of cancer.
Cant decide? Then maybe a Goldador is what you are really looking for!
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How To Choose A Golden Retriever For Newbies
Golden Retrievers have a reputation for being cute and smart, and when you see other people’s cute Golden Retrievers, you’ll want to have one of your own. If you are a newbie, then you should take a good look at this article, which will teach you how to quickly pick a cute and healthy Golden Retriever puppy. Healthy Golden…
Golden Retrievers have a reputation for being cute and smart, and when you see other people’s cute Golden Retrievers, you’ll want to have one of your own.
If you are a novice, then you should read this article, which will teach you how to quickly select a cute and healthy Golden Retriever puppy. Healthy Golden Retriever puppies should have the following characteristics on their appearance.
1. moist nose , eyes without secretions, no eye droppings.
2. The Golden puppy’s coat is shiny, and the skin is not red.
3. The body temperature is between 38oC~39oC, while sleeping peacefully and reacting immediately when hearing a call.
4. Not obese, but lively and spirited. The appetite is strong, the teeth and tongue are bright red, and there is no bad smell.
5. Clean around the anus, soft and moderate stools, in strips, no signs of diarrhea.
6. Have a cough or not.
If you meet the above 6, it is basically a very healthy Golden Retriever puppy, if possible, you then choose one of the more active Golden Retriever puppies can be.
Golden Retrievers Are Relatively Easy To Train
Because theyre smart, like to please people, and love treats, golden retrievers are relatively easy to train.
You can start training them as soon as you bring them home at eight weeks, and many good breeders start training their pups even a little bit before that.
This is a great way to build your relationship with them, plus it helps stop bad habits from forming.
Also, not only are they easy to train, but they love to train.
They like to be challenged and like to be rewarded with praise and food.
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Theyre Always In The Action
One thing youll notice about golden retrievers is that they dont like to be left out of the action one little bit.
If youre at home doing something, the chances are that your dog wants to be doing it, too. Even if the thing that youre doing is trying to take a bathroom break, unfortunately.
Out and about, they want to get involved with everything thats going on, whether that means making a new dog pal or splashing their way through the muddiest puddles they can find.
The History Of Golden Retrievers
As legend has it, Lord Tweedmouth of Scotland wanted to create a hunting dog that could retrieve shot down birds from both land and water.
His solution was to breed a wavy-coated retriever with a Tweed water spaniel, thus creating the first litter of golden retrievers in 1868.
Now although theyre common family dogs today, the fact that golden retrievers were originally bred for retrieving birds all day in the wilderness has left some lasting physical and personality traits that we see in them today.
- They have lots of energy because they were bred to hunt all day
- They are athletic because they were bred to swim in lakes and rivers and run through fields
- They have a tendency to be mouthy because they were bred to hold birds in their mouths
So what does this have to do with the different types of golden retrievers?
Everything!
Knowing where golden retrievers came from can help us understand where we are today.
So now lets dive into the supposed 8 types of golden retrievers and discover the truth about each one.
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