Common Health Problems

There are many common health problems that your Golden Retriever will experience from time to time. Most of these ailments are nothing serious, providing you know how they should be treated and prevented. Below, we will take a look at the most common ailments, and tell you how to prevent your Golden from getting them.

Distemper virus
The distemper virus is an airborne disease that poses a high risk. This virus can be prevented by getting your Golden 3 different vaccinations when he is between 6 and 16 weeks of age, along with his regular annual booster shot. The symptoms from this virus include fever, cough, diarrhea, and vomiting. If your Golden Retriever has these symptoms, you should immediately take him to see the vet.

Heartworms
Heartworms are among the most common ailment with all dog breeds. They can reach lengths of up to 12 inches in the heart and the lung arteries, leading to heart failure, a decrease in blood circulation, and even death in some cases. The symptoms with heartworms may not appear until it is too late, so you are better off preventing them with the correct heartworm medicines.

Heatstroke
During the summer months or hot days, your Golden Retriever can get a heatstroke. You can prevent this from happening by giving your dog plenty of water, and never leaving him in direct sunlight. If you are playing together on a hot day, you should give him plenty of time to rest so he doesnt overdo it. The symptoms indicating a heatstroke include a lot of panting or drooling, dark gums, a glazed expression, rapid pulse, and even vomiting. If your dog starts to show any of these symptoms, you should immediately take him to the vet.

Rabies
Rabies is one of the more serious ailments that your Golden Retriever can get, as it has an adverse affect on your dogs nervous system. Normally, dogs get rabies through a bite of another animal that is infected with the disease. There are rabies shots that helps to prevent the disease, and your dog should get them at least once a year. The symptoms of rabies include seizures, aggression, and foaming at the mouth. If you suspect your Golden has rabies, you should call the vet immediately.

Tapeworms
Tapeworms are normally caused by fleas, and affect your dogs stomach. The symptoms for tapeworms include a loss in weight, diarrhea, and even biting of the rectal area. You can easily prevent your Golden from tapeworms by using a rigid flea control. If your Golden Retriever exhibits symptoms for tapeworms, you should take him to the vet immediately. If the vet catches them in time, he may be able to kill the tapeworms with an oral medicine.

Hookworms
Hookworms result from your Golden coming in contact with feces, his mother, or the worm simply burrowing under exposed skin. You can prevent your dog from getting hookworms by cleaning his living area and keeping his skin clean. The symptoms that accompany hookworms include a dry coat, weight loss, weakness, and blood in the stool. As with all other ailments, you should immediately contact your vet if your Golden Retriever starts to show any of these symptoms.

Although these are just some of the most common ailments for Golden Retrievers, there are other ailments and health problems that your dog can get. If your Golden starts to show any signs of ailment, disease, or health problem, you shouldnt hesitate to contact your vet and set up an appointment. Some of these diseases and ailments can be pretty serious – although they can be treated if you catch them in time.

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Feb 18, 2010 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Choosing The Right Breeder

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, its nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, youll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or pet shop
A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either – as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If youre looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, youd be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard breeders
Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Goldens and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders dont look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money – and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally arent familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can – for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders
A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

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Feb 16, 2010 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Characteristics Of The Golden Retriever

Almost all breeds of dogs are group oriented, as they need to interact with other species of their group to remain secure. Golden Retrievers, in particular, have been bred over the years to be geared more towards people. They make great guide dogs for the blind, friends for younger children, and even assistants for those who love to hunt. Due to the way they have been bred, they need to interact with people on a frequent basis.

They are merciful dogs at heart, and will tolerate several mistakes from you all the while wanting nothing more than you to acknowledge the fact that they are there and pat them on the head. Further proving that Golden Retrievers aim to please, is the fact that they were the first three dogs to obtain the Obedience Trial Championships – which is quite a statement indeed.

With Goldens being so people oriented, its very important that they live with their owners. When you do any type of family activity, you should make sure that your Golden is included. Even though they dont normally bark a lot, they will start barking if they get bored. Once a Golden Retriever is fully grown and becomes stout, he will enjoy many types of activities such as hiking, walking, hunting, jogging, and many other types of physical activity.

If you start your Golden Retriever puppy out early with exposure to kids, he will grow to become better than ever will kids. Although they can be very friendly around young kids, they can still knock them over or tend to want to lick them in the face. No matter how great your Golden Retriever may be around kids, youll never want to leave your dog and your kids alone. Even though Goldens have a great temperament, a child can accidentally poke him or pull his tail and cause him to retaliate via his natural instinct.

All Golden Retrievers love the water, and choose to get wet any chance they get. If you have a pond or other source of water on your land, you can expect your Golden Retriever to get into it whenever he gets the chance. They are also drawn to mud, and will get themselves dirty on a frequent basis. Once your Golden is full grown, you can count on bathing him every couple of days.

During the summer, youll need to make sure that your Golden Retriever has plenty of moving air, shade, and water. They like the heat, although it normally isnt good for them. As long as you take care of your Golden and dont let him over exert himself, he should be just fine even in the hottest days that summer can dish out.

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Jan 21, 2010 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Characteristics Of Reputable Breeders

When you decide to get a new Golden Retriever puppy, the first choice you will face is where to get your puppy from. No matter how hard you try, its nearly impossible to know whether or not the puppy you are buying will grow up to be healthy and strong. In order to even assume that your puppy will grow up to be healthy, youll need to trust the individual you get your Golden from.

There are three options available to you, in terms of breeders. You should carefully think about each one, as they all will vary. Below are the three options you have to choose from, and a little bit of information to help you make this very important decision.

Dealer or pet shop
A pet shop is simply the worst place that you can get your Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies they have for sale here are bred poorly, and raised in poor locations to say the least. At these types of places, the puppies are thought of as a profit and nothing more. There is little to no emphasis on quality here either – as pet shops prefer quantity over qualify.

Due to the way the puppies are bred and raised, pet shops make quite a bit of profit. With there being so little that goes into the breeding and care of the puppies, pet shops make a lot of money. They mainly rely on impulse buying, not giving you a lot of time to evaluate the puppies that they have for sale. If youre looking for an addition to your family, and a puppy that you know is healthy, youd be better off looking somewhere else for your puppy.

Backyard breeders
Backyard breeders are considered to be yet another poor choice for your puppy. Almost all backyard breeders are people who own a few Goldens and find it to be fun to breed their female for the fact of having puppies, or breed her once or twice before they decide to go ahead and get her spayed. Backyard breeders dont look for quality or go out of their way to care for their litters, as they are more or less breeding to make money – and nothing more.

Normally, backyard breeders know very little about the breed in general, and even less about how to properly care for their Golden Retrievers. Backyard breeders normally arent familiar with the problems associated with breeding, and most could care less. Their only goal here is to breed Golden Retriever puppies. Once the puppies have been bred, their remaining goal is to sell the puppies as fast as they can – for the highest possible price.

Hobby breeders
A hobby breeder is the ideal way to get your Golden puppy. Hobby breeders are loyal, committed, and think of their pups as more than just a hobby. Although they do make money breeding, they could honestly care less. Hobby breeders care more about the quality of their puppies than anything else, and they commit themselves to helping you get the best Golden Retriever pup possible.

Hobby breeders accept responsibility for each one of their puppies, and they stand behind each and every one of their pups. If you want the best pup you can get for your money, you need to visit a hobby breeder. They very rarely produce poor quality Golden Retriever puppies, as they care a lot about quality. If you get your Golden puppy from a hobby breeder, you can rest assured that you getting a healthy puppy from the start.

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Jan 19, 2010 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Breeding Golden Retrievers

For beginners, breeding Golden Retrievers is nearly impossible. Breeding can be very complicated, although it can be easy as well. You should never attempt to breed unless you know a lot about requirements for hobby breeders, as it is simply unfair to the breed if you have a litter of puppies that simply arent what they should be. People who look to buy Golden Retrievers only want top quality, which is why you shouldnt attempt to breed just have a puppies or make a few bucks.

Breeding Golden Retrievers is a very serious hobby, one that should be left to those who know how to make the right choices. There is a certain amount of cost and care involved with breeding, especially if breeders are going for a certain quality. There is also a lot of responsibility involved as well, which can take quite a bit of time to say the least.

Motivation for breeding
Breeding can help to fulfill the need of a Golden, although the dog still has no knowledge of it missing, no regrets, or no guilt towards living a life without having been breed. A pregnant Golden Retriever female doesnt gain anything in regards to health, as it instead causes problems. Golden females that have been spayed on the other hand, cannot be bred. If you have chosen to have your Golden spayed, always remember that she will be unable to breed.

When looking to breed, quality breeders will have a lot of choices in front of them. They will need to determine the pair, such as the mother and the father. To get the highest quality possible from the litter, the breeder will need to determine the traits of both dogs, temperaments, and how well they seem to react to one another. The breeder will also need to determine in either of the dogs have any type of health problems, to prevent any diseases or ailments from being passed on to the litter.

Sometimes, when breeding Golden Retrievers, the mother of the litter will prove to be unfit, which requires more work for the breeder. If the mother isnt doing her job of nurturing her young, the breeder will need to do it for her. This can be the most time consuming aspect of breeding, as the breeder will have to feed the young and make sure that they turn out as healthy as possible.

Aside from that, breeders also face quite a bit of costs as well. The prices for daily care, food, and vet bills can be very steep to say the least. When you crunch the numbers, youll quickly realize that breeders dont make much money at all when they sale. Most breeders do it for a hobby, not looking to make money. Quality breeders on the other hand arent concerned with money at all, as they are more concerned about the quality of their litters. Quality is better than quantity, as even the best breeders out there have problems selling puppies from time to time.

Although breeding is fun for hobby breeders, it is something you really shouldnt be doing if you dont have the experience. Although your Golden may get knocked up by a dog of a different breed without you knowing it, you should do your best to avoid it at all costs if you can. A pure bred Golden Retriever should be bred only with dogs of her breed, to help preserve the breed and keep their bloodline going. If you have thought about breeding in the past – you should really study long and hard before you actually make a reality of it.

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Dec 14, 2009 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Bedding For Your Golden

Bedding for your Golden Retriever is very important, as this is where he will be spending quite a bit of time – especially at night. The ideal bedding for your Golden should be a natural fiber, such as wool, as wool absorbs most moisture and will keep your companion warm. When you get your blanket, you can try thrift stores, as they arent very expensive. You dont want to buy an expensive blanket, for the fact that Golden Retrievers love to chew. They can chew or tear the blanket in no time at all, which would make an expensive blanket a waste of money.

When bringing your Golden puppy home, he may be a little upset having to leave his mom and the others of his litter. The scents and memories that he come to know and love are now being replaced with totally new ones. If you provide a towel for your Golden to sleep with, it may help to ease him a bit. Towels are a great way to remind Golden puppies of their mom and their litter, which will help them to sleep and relax.

If you are planning to have your Golden Retriever sleep with you, you should be ready to get up in the middle of the night and take him outside to use the bathroom. You should keep his food and water near his bedding at all times, so if he gets hungry or thirsty he can get what he needs. Then, you should planning on taking him out around an hour or so after he has eaten.

If you plan to leave your Golden Retriever outdoors, youll obviously need to use a different style of bedding. Doghouses are essential for Goldens who stay outdoors, as it helps to keep them warm and free of weather. Inside of the doghouse on the other hand, most people tend to use straw so the Golden can make a bed out of it. You can also use a blanket or quilt as well, so that your Golden can wrap himself up in it should he get cold.

You can also use wooden shavings as well, as most Goldens tend to like them. Newspapers work good as well, as they give your Golden something to lay on besides a wooden floor. Although doghouses work great for outdoor dogs, you should take your dog for walks on a daily basis and let him join you in activities that he finds enjoyable. This way, you can build a unique and lasting friendship with your pet. Golden Retrievers can quickly become the best friend you have ever had – as long as you take care of them. Making sure that have the proper bedding is a great place to start.

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Dec 11, 2009 | 0 | Golden Retriever

Best Dogs for Families with Kids

Choosing the right dog for your family with kids need some research if you are new to the dog ownership. Families with kids need to pay attention on certain dog qualities such as temperament, size and energy level before adopting or buying a dog.

Kids like to play with dogs. Sometimes they forget to respect dog’s cue to back off. You need a dog that won’t mind if his hair or tail gets pulled. Size is the another important consideration. This is for the safety of children as well as for dog. There are dog breeds that are very good with children but too big; especially with small children who may be accidentally stepped on or knocked over.

Some dog breeds that are good with children have high energy or activity levels than others. If dogs don’t receive the exercise they physically require, they are more likely to develop behavior problems such as excessive chewing or barking. Select a dog breed that loves children but requires less exercise if your family is not so active.

Here are some breeds that work well with kids:

Beagle: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 40 to 59 lbs. Beagles do shed. if you or a family member suffer from allergies, it is worth looking into other breeds that do well with kids.

Bassett Hound: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 50 to 65 lbs. Gets along well with other dogs and pets. Minimal exercise needed.

Cairn Terrier: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 13 to 25 lbs. Minimal shedding.

Cocker Spaniel: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 13 to 30 lbs. Regular exercise may be needed.

Dachshund: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 16 to 32 lbs. Minimal exercise needed. They are medium shedders and require modest exercise. Housebreaking can be difficult.

Golden Retriever: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 65 to 75 lbs. Easy to train. Get along well with other dogs and pets. Daily exercise needed. Loves to pay with balls and other toys, so exercise is fairly easy.

Labrador Retriever: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 60 to 75 lbs. Minimal grooming required. Requires daily exercise.

Pug: Generally a non-biting breed. Good with kids. Approximate size: 14 to 18 lbs. Sheds copious amounts, usually seasonally.

While there is no guarantee a certain type of dog will get along well with children, there is a wide range of dog breeds (many more than mentioned here) that are known for being excellent family dogs. Always remember, before adopting or purchasing your next puppy, please do your homework.

To find puppies and dogs online, visit http://www.Petboro.com

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Dec 03, 2009 | 0 | Dogs

Adopting An Older Golden Retriever

Those of you who want a Golden Retriever but arent ready to go through the trials and tribulations of a puppy, should look into adopting an older Golden. Older Golden Retrievers are mature, and prove to be great in homes where they need to spend a quality amount of time by themselves. They are a very adjustable breed, being good tempered. No matter how old the Golden may be, he will quickly become a valued member of your family in little to no time at all.

Many times, breeders will have older dogs for sale. There are several reasons for this, which include show dogs that have lost their potential, studs that have been used for breeding, female Goldens that have been bred a few times then retired, or other types of special conditions where a breeder is helping a friend get rid of his Golden Retriever. There are other reasons as well, although whatever they may be – the adult Golden Retriever will be available for anyone who wants him.

Most older Golden Retrievers are already housebroken, and known a lot of behavior patterns and how to adapt to a new and loving family. Although it will be a little hard on your new dog at first, if you give him plenty of love, attention, and patience, hell be just fine. You need to keep reassuring your new Golden on a regular basis, and let him know that you are his new owner and that you love you and you are glad hes a member of your family.

If you have been thinking of adopting an older Golden Retriever, you should make sure that you learn everything you can about him. You should also determine his temperament, and whether or not its compatible with your family. You should also learn important things as well, such as his diet, likes, dislikes, daily routine, and his habits. Before you decide to take him, you should always make sure that the members of your family meet him as well, so you can talk it over and decide whether or not everyone wants the dog to be a member of your family.

With an older dog, you need to take care of him for the first days, and let him know where everything in your home is. Youll need to show him where he sleeps, where he should use the bathroom, and where his food is. Take your time and be patient with him, as will normally take him a few days to learn how things in your home work.

You should always give your new Golden Retriever at least a month or so to get used to his new environment, before you start his new obedience training. Even though your new dog may have some prior obedience training, you should still enroll him in a new class. This way, he can brush up on training and you can work with him to help him understand. Once you have finished training, hell understand your commands better and you and him will get along just fine.

All Golden Retrievers, regardless of their age, love attention. Older Goldens on the other hand, may have medical problems that you arent aware of. You shouldnt let this stop you from getting one though, simply because the rewards that youll find are far greater than any cons that may come to mind. Although many people dont give a lot of thought to getting an older Golden Retriever – they are perfect for families who dont want to put up the time and troubles of raising a puppy.

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Dec 03, 2009 | 0 | Golden Retriever