taking care of a golden retriever puppy

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: The Best Tips!

The golden dog is a common addition to many American households. In reality, the Golden Retriever ranks number 3 in the American Kennel Club popularity rankings. Not surprisingly, golden retriever puppies are also used on many calendars, greeting cards, and posters as the perfect sign of canine sweetness. In this article, you will know about taking care of a golden retriever puppy. 

Golden retrievers have not been found there as often as they are celebrated in the US. In the mid-1800s, they were bred and raised by game-keepers in the estate owned by Lord Tweedmouth (what a name!) in Scotland. He crossed his “yellow retriever” Tweed Water Spaniel (now extinct), an Irish setter, and a bloodhound. This new golden retriever was trained to hunt outdoors.

Golden retrievers are so popular. They were owned by two presidents of the United States while in office. President Ford’s golden retriever was named Liberty, and President Reagan’s dog was Victory.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: What To Know

taking care of a golden retriever puppy

Often known as “America’s Sweetheart,” the golden retrievers are playful, trustworthy, and bring their puppy-like attitude into adulthood. Golden retriever puppies might be friendly, but they do require a lot of socialization and training to better prepare them for well-mannered adulthood—when they’re much bigger, but they still want to sit on your lap.

Size Golden retrievers weigh between 55 and 65 pounds for females and between 65 and 75 pounds for males. They hit heights between 21.5 inches and 24 inches on the shoulder.

A. Characteristics Of Breed

Active and solid, golden retrievers are not clumsy. They have a dense, long golden coat and a robust frame associated with the American dream dog. They’ve got short ears, a straight muzzle, and a feathery tail that’s always wagging. Their coat is normally golden or red; the English cream golden retrievers are creamy white, as their name indicates.

B. Disposition

Golden retrievers love to play the game. They just love to play fetch, they’re natural swimmers, and they’ll try to catch waterfowl if they get a chance. Their puppy-like enthusiasm is retained during adulthood, and they’re pretty easy to train. Goldens make a great family pet, and they are very loyal to their owners. They enjoy companionship, and they’re not going to do well when they’re left alone for long hours.

C. Needs For Hygiene And Wellbeing

Golden retrievers shed moderately on a very regular basis. Their coats are water repellent, so they only need a bath sometimes. They shed heavily once or twice a year, so it’s best to brush them out every day during this period.

Golden retrievers are usually healthy, but owners should check their ears for signs of infection and brush their teeth daily. The National Breed Club suggests that your gold be given the following: hip assessment, elbow assessment, cardiac examination, and ophthalmologist assessment.

Unfortunately, golden retrievers are more susceptible to cancer than other dog breeds—so be sure to have a balanced diet and get regular vet checkups.

D. Training

Between seven weeks and four months, the golden retriever puppy should be exposed to all kinds of people and circumstances to acquire outstanding social skills. They are very eager to please, so reward-based training is successful. Playing fetch is a perfect way to teach your new golden retriever to adapt to your cues.

E. The Level Of Exercise

Since they are a sporting breed, the goldens need a lot of exercises. Golden retrievers love to ride, hike, or even ride a bike. Be sure to do a few trials runs before taking them out on longer excursions like hiking or hunting trips.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Who’s The Right Human To Get A Golden Retriever?

taking care of a golden retriever puppy

Golden retrievers are a tried-and-tested family breed. They love to swim (even with their humans!), run, and play in a large backyard. Also, they are very social, so a large and involved family household fits well for them. They like a lot of attention and snuggles, too. They love to play fetch because of their hunting heritage! Looking to please you, it’s pretty easy to train.

They’re great with kids and seniors alike. Golden retrievers do their best with a lot of companionships, and so, considering their level of activity, they always do very well with pensioners who can devote a lot of time to them.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Having A Gold Retriever Puppy

Choosing to foster or pass a breeder for your new golden retriever puppy is a personal decision that needs study. Luckily, there are many options out there to help you locate a rescue or breeder that provides safe, ethically sourced golden retriever puppies.

Knowing what you’re in when you get a golden retriever puppy is a vital step in being a responsible pet owner. If you find a responsible breeder or decide to adopt it, it is up to you to be prepared for an enthusiastic and welcoming addition to your household.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Adopting

Most breed rescuers claim that most of their rescue dogs come from individual owner surrender, with the most common factors being a lifestyle shift or a breed not being a good match. This means that there might be many dogs and kittens out there looking for a new home forever.

The biggest difference between the breeder and the rescue team is that the rescue does not always have young puppies to choose from. However, the advantage is that most are mandated to only recognize dogs that have been microchipped and/or neutered. This means that you may end up with a dog that has already been housebroken, and you do not need these standard medical procedures. You could even find a golden retriever mix that has all the characteristics you expect from the breed, along with a little extra. Finding a golden rescue retriever can be as easy as searching the internet.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Diet And Consumption Of Water

Wild dogs would hunt and scavenge, consume a wide range of different foods, take care of their diet, and ensure that they get all the nutrients they need. Modern dogs no longer search and scavenge and rely on their owners to provide them with all they need.

Very cheap dog food and human table scraps don’t cut it when feeding your dog. You need to study, find, and have a good scientifically formulated diet to satisfy their unique nutritional requirements.

You should remember that a puppy has different dietary requirements than an active adult dog, which is again different from a very old dog that might have slowed down a little. Dog foods are balanced to meet dogs’ various needs at each stage of their life and operation.

One thing that you do need to look out for with Golden Retrievers is over-feeding. Obesity in Golden Retrievers is a common issue, mainly because it’s hard to say no to a well-practiced begging routine from a very professional and beautiful beggar!

More Information

If you feed your Golden twice a day, maybe a few treats while you practice, and then feed them with table scraps and leftovers, it’s very easy to get too much food and the wrong kind of food. And the Golden One will never say no. They just love to eat!

So please be aware of their consumption of food and monitor their weight. When they start looking a little heavy, cut down on the food you’re offering them. No dog is expected to be overweight. It can lead to common conditions that lead to mobility problems and diseases of their internal organs that can potentially shorten their lives. As well as good food, every day, your Golden needs access to a good, safe, and fresh supply of water.

Dogs drink between 1/2 and 1 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight, depending on the weather and their activity levels. Dehydration is a major concern, as is over-hydration in some dogs. Check how much they’re drinking, and make sure they’re not drinking or drinking. And any major shifts in their intake usually include an underlying health issue, and you should seek advice from your vet.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Exercise

Golden Retrievers are a sports breed, bred for work, and thus considered a high-energy breed. You will need to give them plenty of structured exercise opportunities to keep them fit and safe and occupy their minds.

This means that you can’t just let them get into your yard and hope they take care of the exercise themselves. And they’re not. They’re going to wander around a little and mostly just spend their time begging to be let back in with you. You’ve got to schedule organized activities like running, playing fetch, or swimming.

You’ve got to take them out for a minimum of 45 minutes of exercise a day at the peak of their daily walks, preferably with a decent 2-hour bout of longer exercise at least once a week. If you don’t give this the energy they store instead of burning off, it’ll drive them nuts, usually resulting in aggressive chewing activity and looking wild and out of control.

But if your gold is just a puppy, they don’t need as much exercise like this! There is a ‘5-minute rule’ that can be extended to the puppy. The five-minute rule is that a puppy requires no more than five minutes of structured exercise per day for every month they’ve been alive.

So a 4-month-old puppy requires just 20 minutes, a 5-month-old puppy needs 25 minutes, etc. This doesn’t involve regular play they can do on top, but more than this 5-minute rule is always too much exercise and can lead to skeletal growth and problems with their joints. So please take it easy with a puppy.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Training

How critical preparation is to your Goldens’ quality of life cannot be overstated. A dog who listens and responds to only a few well-trained commands can be kept infinitely safer than an untrained dog. And their quality of life is so much higher as they are educated that they are allowed more freedoms and more space to be monitored and trusted not to cause trouble.

Taking Care Of A Golden Retriever Puppy: Scheduling The Vet Appointments

You can see your vet regularly and get a full health check for your Golden. Try to do it every six months, but at least once a year. Don’t wait to see them sick. Go on a normal schedule anyway. This will make it easier for your vet to get acquainted with your dog, making it easier for them to see improvements. And it offers them a chance to spot problems early enough that you can’t pick up without an untrained eye.

As always, prevention is better than cure and if there is ever a problem, then finding it as soon as possible is essential for more successful care and less pain and distress for your pet. Daily visits to the vet make this early discovery possible. You’ll still need to visit the doctor to get your dog vaccinated. There are many illnesses, even deadly, the course of vaccines can easily avoid that.

Distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis and notorious rabies, can all be kept at bay with vaccines. A puppy will need shots beginning at six weeks, with different shots taking up to 18 weeks. The rabies shot is given at around six months of age, and after that, your Golden will only need an annual supplement to maintain protection.

How To Take Care Of The Golden Retriever: The Best Stops

taking care of a golden retriever puppy

Golden retrievers are a friendly, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Phase 1

Golden retrievers are a sociable, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Slowly acclimate the golden retriever to his new life when you carry him home. Puppies tend to adjust to a new environment faster than adults, so it’s a safe idea to confine your new dog to a single room or floor for the first few days. Although golden retrievers are rarely violent, a recent move’s tension can cause him to respond unexpectedly if he is startled. Feed your dog with the same kind of food he ate before you started taking care of him. If you want to switch food brands, slowly combine the new brand with the old one, increasing the amount of new food per day.

Phase 2

Golden retrievers are a sociable, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Track the actions of your dog for the first few weeks after you add it to the household. Both puppies and adults may have a disease or medical condition that is not yet evident, so it is necessary to look for signs of discomfort, lethargy, loss of appetite, and aggression. Consult your veterinarian if you find odd or suspicious activity. According to the Golden Retriever Club of America, the four most important places to track for golden retrievers are their hips, knees, eyes, and heart. The breed has a genetic predisposition to medical problems in these fields.

Phase 3

Golden retrievers are a friendly, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Exercise your gold retriever every day. The breed is known for its enthusiasm and playfulness, and the goldens need some vigorous exercise to get the excitement out of their system. Throw a ball or stick for your dog to take about 20 minutes twice a day or make it easier for your pet to do the same exercise. This may sound like a big-time commitment, but it’s an essential part of your dog’s everyday life. Golden retrievers who do not have enough time to exercise are likely to annoy their owners or destroy items inside the house from boredom, according to Gaylan’s Golden Retrievers.

Phase 4

Golden retrievers are a friendly, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Take your dog to the vet for a checkup at least once a year. Golden retrievers have several hereditary weaknesses that lead them to various diseases, including cancer and bleeding disorders. They are also vulnerable to joint dysplasia on both their front and hind legs. One of the most critical aspects of a golden retriever is the evaluation of his heart. Retrievers have a natural propensity to have heart disease, and signs may not be apparent to a dog’s owner without medical training.

Phase 5

Golden retrievers are a sociable, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Clean your dog’s entire body a couple of times a week to prevent the tangles from maturing his fur. Brushing more often makes your dog happy, particularly in the summer, and helps prevent your dog’s hair from spilling all over the place. You may also cut your dog’s hair with scissors or take it to the grooming room several times a year to thin and clean the coat. Bath your dog in a bathtub with room temperature water and canine shampoo as appropriate.

Phase 6

Golden retrievers are a friendly, human-loving breed that makes perfect pets for families with young children. They are medium to large dogs that weigh between 50 and 80 pounds. Apart from their friendly personalities, the golden retrievers are also loyal and reasonably quick to train. Unfortunately, as with many other known breeds, the golden retrievers have their share of genetic weaknesses, and their maintenance can be high. Exercise, interaction, and frequent veterinary appointments are all important to keep your dog safe and happy.

Examine your dog’s teeth every couple of months by softly raising his lips with your index finger. Wash your hands thoroughly or wear plastic gloves before touching the mouth of your dog. Consult your veterinarian if your dog has an exceptionally bad breath for a prolonged period or if his teeth begin to discolor. You should brush your dog’s teeth at home on a semi-daily basis or take it to a cleaning specialist multiple times a year. Just use a toothpaste made for dogs, although you can use a regular toothbrush. Feed your dog with hard treats instead of soft ones to minimize tartar buildup and bad breath.

Final Words

We agree that the number one thing any dog owner should do is show a lot of love for their dog! In particular, the Golden Retriever needs a lot of affection and care to be content. They enjoy the time spent with you, and every dog owner knows that the time spent with their precious Golden Retriever is never enough.

A Golden Retriever will easily steal your heart and become your best friend. Their elegance, both inside and outside, is addicting to the fact that most owners of this exquisite breed typically own more than one. Keep in mind that if you let the Golden be the Golden, by making them do what they enjoy, such as meeting new people and swimming, you will be rewarded with a happy dog.

 

About Tom Thorpe

Tom Thorpe has overtime interacted with different species of dogs mostly through breeding and training; according to him, man’s best friend is yet to find solace in the company of man, as they are continuously mistreated. He, therefore, runs a rescue center that provides shelter to stray dogs, and has been advocating for the rights of animals; the Golden Retriever dogs are among his favorites, the reason he came up with the extensive excerpts to help educate the society on the right treatment and care of the respective breed. Tom spends most of his time running his dog shelter; he is a husband and proud father of two boys and loves to go fishing during his free time.

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One comment

  1. Thanks for the tip about always getting your puppy vaccinated against dangerous diseases. I’m getting my daughter a puppy for her 16th birthday in two weeks. I want to make sure that I have all of the necessary vet visits planned before I actually give him to her though.

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