GOLDEN RETRIEVERS
This is a collection of guidance I’ve received on Golden Retrievers
Feeding
Puppies are eating twice per day. Offer 3/4 cup at each feeding with warm water. Its ok if the puppy doesn’t finish as long as she is eating a good amount. If puppy seems disinterested in mealtime add a teaspoon of plain full fat yogurt. Mix to coat food, this will entice them to eat as well as give them good probiotics for their tummies.
Purina Pro Plan (with chicken!) seems like a good choice.
For water, 1/2 cup every 2 hours
Crate training
Crate training is very important to successful house braking and one should be used starting from day one. The rule for puppies 7-14 weeks is that they should be in the crate more than out. When they are out, they are confined to a puppyproof area and under close supervision. If no one is available to watch, the puppy does not get freedom.
The crate should be in a quiet dark place at night. If you must put it in your room with you, put a blanket over it so that its darker and feels more like a cave. This puts out sleepy vibes.
Some people recommend to put the food in the crate in the beginning, some advise against it. In any case it definitely shouldn’t be done permanently.
During the day its nice to have the puppy in a part of the house with a lot of foot traffic so that it gets comfortable with the environment.
House Breaking
Every time a puppy sleeps and wakes up he/she needs to go out! Sleeping is like a reset button for them so even if it was only 15 minutes she should be brought out again. Consistency is key when housebreaking; when they’re up an about they should be brought out every hour, after every meal, after coming out of the crate, and after playing. They should be able to last 4-5 hours while sleeping in a crate the first few weeks. No food or water 3 hours before bed.
Choose one spot
Choose one spot for her to go potty. Have her on a leash each time she goes there. Give at most 1-2 minutes to do her business. If she goes, reward her with some freedom to explore and play. If she doesn’t go she should go back inside (to her crate if she can’t be watched). Try again in 10-20 minutes. No freedom until she’s had a successful potty break.
Potty on command
Be sure to to take her out and to say the potty command (e.g. “go now”) just as she begins t go. Dogs need to hear words many times before they associate them with actions, so be patient.
Cleaning up accidents
Cleaning up thoroughly after each incident is crucial to house-breaking progress. Otherwise the odor of previos incidents may attract her to go there again. Blot up any moisture on the carpet and use a spray-on carpet cleaner (e.g. Nature’s Miracle Enzymatic Formula)
Training
Training is very important and should be started right away, as well as socialization. Remember that a puppy will follow pack behavior and you must be the leader of the pack. We recommend a minimum of two full obedience courses. 12 weeks in total, one at 3 months and a refresher at 6-8 months. Remember a dog is a lifetime commitment and the work now will greatly benefit you in the years to come. Also any slight behavior issue as a baby is easy to fix, don’t let your puppy et away with anything.
Health
Flea & Tick Prevention
Prevention is very important due to the high levels of Lyme in the area. They recommend Seresto collars.
Veterinary care
Our puppy initially had its first set of shots by the time we got her at 8 weeks. She will need two more sets 4 weeks apart and a rabies shot between the ages of 4 to 6 months. She was wormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks.
Around here its been said that the animal hospital at the MSPCA in Jamaica plain is the “MGH” of pet care.
Exercise
Remember she is just an infant and so should see no strenuous exercise before 6 months. At that point longer walks in wooded areas or fields are fine so long as its at her own pace. Never drag a tired puppy. The exercise can be to much on their growing joints which can lead to severe problems down the road. She should never run for long periods of time on pavement.
Harder exercise is recommended to start after 18 months, or even 2 years, when they are fully grown. Goldens are already predisposed to joint issues and so it’s wise to avoid putting them through too much strain while they’re still developing.
Swimming is awesome exercise at any age because it is not weight bearing. The good news is ti will exhaust your pup and Goldens love to swim.
References
Rory
