Today I fell into a trap that I should never have allowed myself to get into. I actually trusted my dog, my Nikki, a 3 year golden retriever.
Nikki is an amazingly affectionate dog, even more than normal for a golden retriever. She is gentle, good natured and behaves pretty well.
She loves going out for car drives, and she is a very well behaved dog in the car. She sits beside me, head hanging out the window and gently watching the world go by. She never gets agitated, restless or excited, even when she spots another dog out the window.
The other day, I took both Nikki, and Benny my black lab out for a drive. This time Benny was sitting in the front. Nikki was in the back. As usual I had the back and front window open.
I drove around the corner, and pulled into my driveway. And, what do I see…Nikki, sitting by the front gate. She must have jumped out the back window as I was pulling around the corner and ran to the gate.
I had absolutely NO clue she had even jumped out. Never before did she ever show any signs of jumping out.
Needless to say I was freaking. I mean, with a little imagination, I could imagine what could have happened.
Rule number one: Don’t trust your dogs. No matter how well behaved your dogs are, they are still dogs. Look out for their safety. Always make safety your first priority.
I should have known better. I try to make dog safety and dog training and dog nutrition my priorities. I have 3 dogs, 2 black labs, and my Nikki, a golden retriever. Dukie, one of my black labs is blind. Oddly enough, when I walk my 3 dogs and my neighbour comes and joins me with her dog, Dukie behaves the best. He loves walking and going for car rides. If you are observing him, you would never know he is blind.
The Labrador Retriever (”Labrador” or “Lab” for short), is one of several kinds of retriever, and are the most popular breeds of dog (by registered ownership) in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The breed is exceptionally friendly, intelligent and good natured, and as a rule these qualities mean that Labs love people, handle children well, and therefore make excellent family and service dogs. Benny, my black lab and Nikki are both Certified Therapy Dogs. They visit the elderly in homes.
Labradors are relatively large with males typically weighing 60 to 80 lb (27 to 36 kg) and females 50 to 70 lb (23 to 32 kg). They are energetic outgoing dogs, and are black, yellow, or brown (called “chocolate”) in color, in that order of frequency. Their fur is usually fairly short and straight, and the tail quite broad and strong. The otter-like tail and webbed toes of the Labrador Retriever make him an excellent swimmer. Their interwoven coat is also waterproof, providing more assistance for swimming. The tail acts as a rudder for changing directions. Yellow labs can have black or pink noses; chocolate and black labs’s noses match the coat color.
As with some other breeds, the English and the America lines differ slightly. Labs are bred in England as a medium size dog, shorter and stockier with fuller faces than their American counterparts which are bred as a larger dog. I have both, one English, My Benny, and one American, my Dukie.
Famous Labs
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golden retriever puppies, 55 days old (aug 09, 2006) please check: www.dxwatch.com
| Animals
Having a Golden Retriever for a pet is the greatest in my opinion. They are wonderful animals that are a joy to be around. They are always happy to see you when you come home, love to be by your side, are great with kids, and are just darn good looking.
But, and it’s a big but, they are a fair amount of work to take care of. If you already own one you know what I am talking about. If you are considering getting a Golden Retriever you want to make sure you are ready for the commitment it requires to properly care for one of these beautiful dogs.
Every year, thousands of Golden Retrievers are abandoned at local dog pounds, and rescue centers, for various reasons. Sometimes the owner gets sick and can no longer care for the Golden, or often the owner is forced to move to housing that does not allow pets.
But a very common reason that Golden Retrievers end up at shelters and rescue centers is simply because the owners decide they are just too much trouble to take care of. As sad as this is, it happens more that you would think.
People are drawn to the beauty and the popularity of the Golden Retriever, but they never do any research on what is required to properly care for this breed. After a period of time they find out that it is more than they bargained for, and they give the dog up.
Golden Retrievers are a great breed, but they are definitely not for everyone. First of all they’re a large dog. If you have a very neat house with a lot of fragile breakable items, a Golden may not be the right dog to have.
Golden Retrievers are constantly walking around wagging their tails, so anything you may have on a coffee table, which is just the right height, will be cleared off in a wag or two of their tail.
They shed their beautiful coats quite often, so there will always be dog hair to vacuum up, and they will require at least a quick brushing once every week or so to keep their coat looking good, and free of knots and tangles.
Daily exercise is probable one of the hardest requirements to fulfill for the Golden Retriever. If you have a large yard, and maybe some kids to throw the ball, and run around with your Golden you are all set, but if you don’t have that, then you will have to provide at least 30 minutes of exercise for your Golden once, and preferably twice a day.
This can be a problem if you work long hours, or live in a region where weather is a concern, like New England in the winter. Giving a Golden Retriever proper exercise is something you have to do every day.
If they do not get the proper exercise they need, it can cause behavioral problems. They are also prone to becoming overweight very easily without proper exercise, and can develop health problems.
The Golden Retriever is definitely not a dog you can just leave in the house all day. They have been know to get bored without proper exercise, and start getting into mischief by chewing on things around the house, including themselves.
Golden Retrievers like any dog require regular health care from a veterinarian. They will require the normal vaccinations and shots. They are also number one on the list for certain health problems like cancer, and hip dysplasia, which is a disease of the hips in the rear, causing problems walking, which can lead to surgery.
If you are looking for a watch dog the Golden Retriever is probably not the right dog for the job. They will often bark if an intruder approaches but that is about it.
If a robber breaks in, a Golden Retriever will probably help carry your stuff out the door, if he thinks there is a biscuit in it for him.
Golden Retrievers need to be with people. They love to be with the family and be involved with what is going on. They want to be part of the family.
If you are looking for a dog to leave outside in a kennel, or dog house, or down in the basement away from the family, the Golden Retriever is definitely the wrong dog.
Golden Retrievers seem to need to be involved in everything you do. They are definitely not a stay in the corner all day type of dog.
Whatever you are doing, they need to be there, even if it is as simple as dusting the coffee table.
The only time I can get rid of my Golden Retriever is when I get the vacuum cleaner out. Then she runs for her life. Other than that she is my shadow wherever I go in the house.
If you think that could be a problem, then the Golden Retriever might not be the right dog for you. I suppose you could train them to stop following you, but I really think it is just their nature.
If you are considering getting a Golden Retriever, just realize that these are the needs and traits of the breed.
There are thousands of people like myself that wouldn’t have it any other way, or have any other dog besides a Golden Retriever.
They are sweet, loveable, beautiful dogs. They just require a lot of care and exercise, but the love and companionship you get back from them is well worth the effort.
If after reading this you still think the Golden Retriever is right for you, then find a reputable breeder, to help you make the right choice.
Just be sure you can make the commitment for the life span of the Golden that you choose, which can be ten to twelve years or longer.
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My family and I deciding to buy a dog,golden retriever. but i need to wait for the house to be done so i can buy a retriever and i’m really excited to buy… but a was wondering what should i name for him?
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I went to visit my future puppy - this is a few minutes of the litter of 9 pups, plus the mom!
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This is a video of a litter of golden retriever puppies at 4 weeks of age. One of the males will be ours :) He’ll join our golden, Augie, as his new baby brother. To see more of Augie, and to get puppy updates, visit us at www.AugieDoggy.com. Check out our blog, too! www.augiedoggy.com
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Im babysitting a large cream/light colored Golden Retriever and he will pin me on the bed and literally lick my mouth to death and stick his tongue inside my mouth….he is incredibly affectionate?????
| Dogs
Here’s a cat getting caught out giving a dog a massage. The dog looks guilty, but the cat seems proud of what he’s doing….
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The household also consists of my sister, brother-in-law and 13 year old nephew. The goldie is very loving with no aggression issues. I’ve never heard of a household with a German Shepherd and Golden Retriever in it. How can I help my sister find out if these two breeds could live in harmony???
| Dogs
Be prepared to spend up to a half hour daily during shedding season for Golden Retriever grooming sessions. For feathery-coated dogs, it can take a half hour daily just to prevent the matting to which the dog is prone. Both types of Golden Retriever, the smooth-coated and the feathery-coated, will shed and are prone to matting and hot spots.
Hot spots are an irritated skin condition for which you must regularly check your dog’s skin. Since Golden Retriever grooming is so important to your dog’s health and comfort, you have to start grooming puppies with good grooming supplies. This way, you can introduce and familiarize the puppy with the Golden Retriever grooming supplies.
It takes thirty minutes to thoroughly brush your pet. You can control the amount of hair that is shed in your home with regular Golden Retriever grooming. A smooth-coated dog needs one thorough grooming session a week. A feathery-coated Golden Retriever may need daily grooming depending on the amount of matting that is present.
Matting should be cared for immediately through proper grooming. For some feathery-coated Retrievers, resting for long periods can produce a mat. The typical locations for matting are the ears, rear, tail and feathery sections. For dogs with feathering, a mat problem can result overnight.
A mat will enlarge by pulling in nearby hair into itself. This can produce painful spots that are prone to irritation. Wetting the mat worsens the condition by pulling the hair tighter. Mats are inviting hiding spots for fleas. Regular Golden Retriever grooming must be performed regularly to avoid matting problems.
There are several Golden Retriever grooming supplies that will help with mats. A mat should be gently combed out with a wide toothed comb. Problem mats can be removed safely and gently with mat breakers. A hair detangling formula or oil can help with detangling a mat. Trimming the feathering or cutting the mat may be necessary. Use rounded scissors to prevent any accidents during grooming.
Regular brushing is a part of correct grooming. You can choose two main brushes for your Golden Retriever grooming supplies needs.
The slicker brush is versatile. The wide head and short bristles, set wide, are useful for shedding and regular brushing of smooth and feathered coats. The pin brush has longer pins, set wide, is useful for brushing feathered portions. The pin brush will reduce shedding as well. Regular brushing will remove any particles and dirt from the coat.
Brush your dog thoroughly before a bath or wetting the coat. Tangles tighten with water. A vegetable oil or detangle solution can help to detangle tangles. Avoid too much bathing or using detergent based shampoo because of undercoat fall out or skin irritation. Brush dirt from the underside and legs for spot cleaning and wet as necessary.
Use a flea comb to detangle mats and check the skin for hot spots or other irritated spots. Clip the nails when necessary. Check and clean the nails and ears once a week. Include all these Golden Retriever grooming tasks in your grooming plan to maintain your dog’s health.
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