Dogs Todays Information about dog breeds, food and training
Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds in the United States. Golden Retrievers are known for their intelligence, good temperament, and high energy level. They are easy to train because they take naturally well to learning tasks. Golden Retrievers have a lot of endurance so they can be used as hunting dogs or search-and-rescue dogs in addition to being great family pets.
Golden retrievers need an hour long walk every day and should not be left alone for more than 8 hours at a time without someone coming home to let them out or playing with them indoors. A golden retriever needs plenty of exercise outside where they can run around off-leash once it is fully grown, but when young it needs to be trained to walk on a leash and come when called.
Golden retrievers need an owner who is active and loves to spend time outdoors. If they are not provided with physical activity, golden retrievers can become destructive from too much energy or from being bored. Golden Retrievers enjoy playing fetch for hours, but do best in warmer climates because they tend to drool more than most other breeds. However, the amount of drooling doesn’t affect their ability as working dogs.
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Adaptability
Golden Retrievers are very adaptable dogs. They can be happy in an apartment, living among other pets, or at the country house with acres of land. They thrive under routine or boredom and enjoy exercise.
Advantages- Golden Retrievers are very intelligent dogs that are easily trainable; they also have a gentle temperament that makes them good with children and seniors. They enjoy water and will retrieve game for you in it.
Disadvantages- Golden Retrievers shed, though not as much as some breeds, and require everyday grooming to keep their coat shiny and healthy looking.
Trainability
Golden Retrievers are extremely trainable, making them a good choice for obedience competitions. They will need lots of exercise and should be allowed to run and play freely. Many Golden Retrievers excel in agility competitions .
Physical Needs
Golden retrievers need to be groomed regularly. Your dog should be brushed at least once per week or more if they become dirty. They should be bathed about once per month, with the water reaching to their collar. Golden retrievers should never be bathed with soap, as it strips the natural oils from the coat which lead to dryness and dandruff.
History Golden Retriever
The Kennel Club registered dogs of Lustrous Golden type in 1906, but did not recognise it as a separate breed until 1922. The American Kennel Club added the dog to its list of recognized breeds in 1925. After World War II, interest in the retriever dwindled until the 1980s, when breeding efforts by fanciers helped revive interest in the breed. The Golden Retriever in popular culture “Golden Retrievers in popular media”
The name Willy from the 1993 film Homeward Bound The Journey Home was based on a real golden retriever named Hilton. Other famous fictional dogs portrayed as golden retrievers include: Air Bud, Bailey, Beethoven, Buddy (Air Buddies), Chance, Comet, Jock (Turbo), Shadow and Shiloh. In Fantastic Mr. Fox , the three main protagonists are all ‘goldens’. At the end of two long volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis , Jill Pole is transformed into a Golden Retriever to become a hero among talking dogs who have been oppressed by humans for centuries.
Size
Golden Retrievers are medium-sized dogs that can reach up to 23 to 24 inches in height and weigh between 65 and 75 pounds. Females tend to be 21.5 to 22.5 inches tall and weigh 55 to 65 pounds, while males are usually 23 to 24 inches tall and weigh between 65 and 75 pounds. Golden Retrievers mature rapidly, reaching their full stature by the age of one year old, with an adult weight of roughly 70 kg (150 lbs).
Personality
Golden Retrievers are obedient, patient, and tolerant. They are also great family pets because they are so well behaved. Golden Retrievers are very affectionate with their owners. They are not aggressive or shy unless provoked. They are not particularly quick-tempered; they are instead, even-tempered. Golden Retrievers make good watchdogs because they announce visitors but are usually friendly. Families with small children should buy a Golden Retriever puppy because this breed is very gentle with kids. However, care should be taken to teach the dog not to jump up on people or mouth them unless permitted by the owner.
Health
A Golden Retriever is often considered to be a healthy breed, though there are some potential health problems, such as eye disorders and hip dysplasia, which may affect the dog’s quality of life.
All Golden Retrievers should undergo periodic health screenings, including annual eye examinations with a veterinary ophthalmologist; screening for signs of hip dysplasia with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) using X-rays taken by an orthopedic veterinarian; and thyroid testing at least once every three years.
Golden Retrievers should not be exposed to certain types of anesthesia during surgery because their coats, especially those with white areas, can turn a pale bluish color when exposed to drugs such as lidocaine and sevoflurane. This same anesthetic effect is seen in red Golden Retrievers, but the fur does not turn completely blue due to the underlying yellow pigmentation. However, coat changes do not occur with the use of intravenous regional blocks such as ropivacaine or even stronger agents such as bupivacaine.
Eyes – Golden Retrievers may suffer from canine hip dysplasia (CHD), elbow dysplasia and various eye including progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and retinal dysplasia. These defects may cause blindness or other handicaps for the dogs affected by them.
Hip dyplasia is a heritable condition in which shallow hip joints result in malformed bones and chronic pain. The medical procedure for checking for this disease is called a PennHIP, after the university that created it – University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. It should be noted that not all Golden Retrievers suffering from CHD exhibit clinical signs associated with it. However, if left untreated this condition can cause problems later on in life such as arthritis. Research has shown that roughly 46% of all Golden Retrievers will contract Hip Dysplasia within their lifetime compared to 11% of Labradors and 16% of German Shepherds.
Care
Golden Retrievers are bred to be active, and they enjoy outdoor adventures. Your Golden will be delighted to go hiking or jogging with you if that’s what you like to do. They’d also love to play a game of fetch in the backyard; Goldens are named for their enthusiasm for retrieving.
When your dog is back inside, tired him out with 20-30 minutes of hard exercise twice a day. When you don’t require it, though, this might lead to behavioral issues.
The Goldendoodle is a breed of retriever that was originally bred to retrieve fish from the river. They are naturally “mouthy,” and they enjoy carrying anything in their mouths: a ball, soft toy, newspaper, or even a stinky sock.
If you are raising a Golden puppy, you must take particular care. These dogs develop rapidly between the ages of four and seven months, posing a risk of bone problems. Don’t let your two-year-old Golden run and play on hard surfaces like pavement until his joints are fully formed. Puppy agility lessons are also OK.
Feeding
Feeding Golden Retrievers is easy. They are happy to eat just about anything, but you should never leave food down for them to free-feed. Feed them three times a day which will keep their weight in check. If they have too much or too little food it can lead to health problems which you don’t want for your loved pet. The best way to feed your dog is with two cups of dry kibble split into two meals per day. You can use wet food as well, if that makes it easier for your pet, but stick to the same schedule of feeding twice a day.
Golden Retrievers are known to be picky eaters, which is not good since they need lots of healthy foods in their diet! In order to help them get used to eating different types of food, you can add some wet or dry dog food to the kibble. This will give your pet a variety—you’ll have less trouble with finicky eating. They may even surprise you by becoming more adventurous with how many different tastes and smells they enjoy.
Coat Color And Grooming
The Golden Retriever’s coat ranges from a light gold to a dark golden-yellow, to cream. They are usually off-white to white at the stomach. The Golden Retriever sheds little or no hair. They should be brushed two or three times a week with a firm brush that has metal pins in it, starting with the head and working down the body. This will prevent matting and keep them clean.
The ends of their hair will form a natural change in texture, so they need little or no trimming. They should be bathed only when necessary and have their ears checked weekly for dirt and wax buildup.
