My sister's Golden Retriever 'Sam' has after after what seemed an endless night, finally given birth to her puppies. Seven in total, 4 boys and 3 girls all in perfect condition and sleeping soundly when I left them this morning.
This being Sam's first litter she had more 'midwives' than our local hospital. Non of us would have missed it for the World but I am sure she would have coped admirably left to her own devices. As we already own three fantastic Golden Retrievers of differing ages I declined the offer of one of the puppies. My eight year old daughter however has other ideas and is working on me relentlesly, I suppose I will eventually cave in to her request or my life will become a nightmare.
Goldie puppies and Kids eh what a combination, we must be crazy to have them!
Goldie Puppies and Kids
Golden Retriever Facts
Golden Retrievers were first bred in the 1860's in England. They were initially bred to work as retrievers for hunters, hence their name. When Golden Retrievers were first shown in England, some tourists took them back to America.
Personality
Golden Retrievers make wonderful pets because they usually get on famously with children, adults, and mostly, are good with other dogs. They are a kind breed, very affectionate and always crave your attention. They are extremely unlikely to be violent, however, they do make good watch dogs, because they tend to bark loudly when somebody, or something approaches. With an average lifespan of about 14 years, they are very lovable, naturally gentle, quick to learn and train plus always eager to please.
Exercise
They are usually reasonably active, and do require a certain amount of exercise each day, although the amount and intensity varies from dog to dog. They need long walks every day as well as the opportunity to run freely. This is important because they can become overweight if not exercised regularly. Males tend to need more activity, but the breed as a whole can be less active than others.
Coat
Golden Retrievers have a double coat. On the belly side, it is a dense undercoat which is water resistant. The outer coat, on the other hand is thick, sometimes straight and sometimes wavy.
Did You Know?
A fact that most owners don't realize, is that Golden Retrievers adore being in the water, and enjoy getting all wet and muddy. They are excellent swimmers, which is wonderful exercise for them, and should be encouraged to do so when possible.
Grooming
The Golden Retriever sheds a lot of hair, at the very minimum, twice a year. This means that they need a thorough brushing every day, or at the very least, twice a week. It is best to use a firm, bristle style brush.
Conclusion
A Golden Retriever is an ideal companion, a great family pet and they also make wonderful guide dogs. Another bonus is that, generally, they tend to be extremely healthy.
Tina Blackwell is the publisher of the free weekly Happy Dog Report.
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Golden Retriever Puppy And Dog Information
The Golden Retriever is a highly intelligent, people loving dog. She is the fourth most popular pure bred dog in the United States. She is loyal, eager to please, takes obedience like a champ and loves children. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog. She is generally good with other dogs and makes a great family pet.
Approximate Adult Size
The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the male Golden Retriever is 22 to 24 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 60 to 80 pounds. The female ranges from 20 to 22 inches to the withers and 55 to 70 pounds.
Special Health Considerations
Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Golden Retriever is no exception. Be on the look out for Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness), epilepsy (common in dogs), allergic skin problems (immediate Veterinary care required), congenital eye defects and Von Willebrands disease (a problem with blood clotting), kidney problems, Lymph Cancer. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
Grooming
The Golden Retriever has a dense and firm, water repellent outer coat and a medium inner coat. She is a shedder so brush regularly but only bathe when necessary. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats and help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore and competent instructions to accomplish this can be found on the net.
Life Span
The Golden Retriever can live between 10 and 12 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
History
The Golden Retriever comes from Great Britain. A Lord Tweedmouth was said to have interbred Yellow Retriever to a Tweed Water Spaniel to develop the Golden Retriever. Some say that the Newfoundland and possibly Bloodhound were also involved. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1925.
Some Registries
- Golden Retriever Club of America
- UKC United Kennel Club
- NKC National Kennel Club
- CKC Continental Kennel Club
- APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
- AKC American Kennel Club
- FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
- NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
- KCGB Kennel Club of Great Britain
- ANKC Australian National Kennel Club
- ACR American Canine Registry
6 to 10 Golden Retriever puppies
Category
Gundog, Sporting Group
Terms To Describe
Powerful, active, kind, self-confident, eager, alert, reliable, friendly, trustworthy
SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
- They make a medium watch dog.
- Sensitive to moods of owner.
- Wants to please.
- Wants to be friends with everyone.
- Very gentle.
- Very obedient.
- They make a poor watch dog.
- May shed a lot.
Yellow Retriever, Golden Flat-Coated Retriever
Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.
About the Author
Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website developer for the popular pet site http://www.petpages.com, a pet information site with free pet ads, dog classifieds, and puppy for sale info. Petpages.com also offers information on cats, fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets, rabbits, mice and even pet bugs.
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Golden Retriever History
Ever wonder where did the magnificent breed – the golden retriever—came from? This fairly new breed has a wonderful history. The origin of the breed can be traced back to the 1800s in Scotland. The breed was developed by Lord Tweedmouth, a British noble who wished for an agile hunting dog that was equally good to look at.
The foundation of the golden retriever is the cross between the Tweed Water Spaniel (a breed that now ceases to exist) and the Flat Coat Retriever. The first litter had four puppies that were named Crocus, Primrose, Cowslip, and Ada. Crosses with several other breeds, including the Red Setter, the Newfoundland and the Bloodhound, over the years resulted into the glorious golden retriever at the turn of the twentieth century. The golden retriever combines the sweet disposition of a family companion dog with the spirit and vivacity of a retriever.
The golden retriever was exhibited for the first time by Lord Harcourt in a Kennel Club show in 1908. Though Lord Harcourt had named it the golden retriever, the Kennel Club registered it as the golden variety of the Flat Coat Retriever. The greatest enthusiast of the breed was Mrs. Charlesworth, who made sure that the golden retriever was maintained as a dual purpose dog – a hunting dog that was a wonderful family companion. She also pioneered the opening of The Golden Retriever Club with her fellow enthusiasts in 1911. It was because of her efforts that the Kennel Club registered it as a distinct breed in 1913. The breed was brought to North America, and later to many other parts of the world.
The gentle, obedient and friendly golden retriever has now become one of the most popular breeds of dogs. The color of coat has changed from dark golden of the earlier dogs to the lighter shades of the present, but the mildness of manner, the loyalty and the hunting instincts have remained unchanged.
Golden Retrievers provides detailed information on Golden Retrievers, Golden Retriever Puppies, Golden Retriever Training, Golden Retriever Collectibles and more. Golden Retrievers is affiliated with German Shepherd Kennels.
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Training Your Golden Retriever - 3 Important Tips
When you bring home a golden retriever pup its exciting and sometimes exasperating times. But once you get the hang of training your golden retriever it can be a lot of fun and learning. So here are the three most important golden retriever puppy training tips
Teething Troubles of Golden Puppies
Training of Golden Retriever puppies, the first point to remember is their Teething troubles. When the teeth are growing they love to chew stuff, anything they can bite into. Golden puppies love to chew and this may sometime prove to be expensive. Chew toys are the preferred mediums. However you can keep some old socks filled with ice cubes in your freezer and give it to your golden retriever whenever it gets into a chewing frenzy due to pain of teething.
Have several socks filled with Ice cubes ready. Put a tight knot with the ice cubes and keep them in the freezer. When ever required simply take out the socks and give it to your puppy. Be watchful that your golden puppy doesn’t chew through the socks and swallow the ice cubes. This could lead to health problems.
Golden Puppies love Digging
It is in the essential nature of the puppies to dig. Give your puppy a space to dig in your yard. Otherwise they may dig through your floor, couch or the bed. Don’t punish your puppies if their natural instinct makes them damage your stuff. Give your Golden puppy a small space in the yard with a treat in a specific spot so that it doesn’t damage the entire yard. Make a sand box and put its favorite toys and let it dig it out. Give the golden some praise whenever it does it right. Once it start growing give your golden retriever obedience classes to exercise more control over the digging habit.
Leashes Training of the Golden
No one likes to be leashed or chained least of all the golden retriever. During leash training, a lot of people prefer to attach the leash to the Golden then drag him in the direction they want him to go. This isn’t the best way to train, as it often sends the wrong signal to the puppy. Instead, you should first get your Golden puppy used to the collar and the leash. You can do this by putting his collar and leash on inside the house or outside in a fenced in area, so that he can walk around and move about freely with the leash on, dragging it alongside him.
Once you have given him some time, pick the leash up, and then start calling him to you. Once he comes over to you, start praising him for it, so he knows that he is on the right track. Always be patient when leash training, as it will take some time for him to get used to it. If you continue to praise him when he is doing it right and continue giving him time to get used to the leash, you shouldn’t have any problems.
These 3 tips can help a great deal when training your Golden Retriever puppy. Golden puppies are great dogs, although you’ll need to have a bit of patience with them. Even though they are very smart dogs, it may take them time to learn. Once they start learning however - they will become an integral part of your family and enjoyable antics of the pup can be fun to watch.
R.G. Srinivasan is an author, writer and syndicated columnist. If you love dogs, get more interesting facts, resources and books about dog training at http://www.dogtraining.learnhowto-ebooks.com
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