Tips on Golden Retriever Puppies

Breeding

• It's best to leave dog breeding to those who have dedicated themselves to the work. Since the late 1800s, golden retrievers have been bred with certain physical and temperament characteristics in mind. A conscientious and responsible breeder understands precisely what these characteristics are and how to maximize them through mating choices. If you know little about the standard or history of the golden retriever, as well as the possible health issues of the breed and what tests to perform to minimize them, you should not breed your dog. You would be doing the breed -- as well as the goldens in shelters who already need homes -- an injustice if you chose to add more to the population.

Buying

• The best place to find a healthy, well-socialized puppy is from a careful breeder who has a long-term commitment to the breed and a reputation to uphold. Ask the breeder questions concerning the age of the parents, how the puppies have been raised, how many years she's been a breeder and why she chose to breed this particular pair of dogs. Ask if she has copies of the sire and dam's health clearances for their hips, their hearts, their elbows and their eyes.

  A conscientious breeder cares about the puppies she brings into the world and feels responsible for them. Therefore, she should question you as well, asking about your plans for the puppy's exercise, housing and training. She should be willing to address questions about or problems with your golden retriever through its entire lifetime. If the breeder seems evasive or cannot answer your questions, or if she does not question you, think twice about acquiring a puppy from her.

Grooming

• The golden retriever is a double-coated breed, which means it has a soft undercoat and a longer outer coat of guard hairs. These dogs are notorious shedders, and the dog fur in your house will increase substantially in spring, when the golden sheds its undercoat in astounding quantities. To combat this, you should brush your golden at least twice a week, though a daily brushing is best. Along with coat care, you'll need to trim the hair between the foot pads and around the ears and keep the toenails cut short. It's wise, therefore, to get your puppy accustomed to these grooming procedures early. In the beginning, keep the practice grooming sessions short and appease the puppy with lots of tasty treats and praise throughout.

Exercise

• Golden retrievers are a sporting breed, active and energetic. But it's important to be very careful with exercise choices during your golden retriever's first two years of life. The Golden Retriever Club of America explains that until they are two years old, a golden retriever's bone growth plates are still developing and can be injured during intense exercise. Until your golden is over the age of two, it should not accompany you as you jog or bike, and you should see that it avoids steep climbs and descents. Daily walks on a soft surface, swimming or casual short hikes on flat ground are healthy and safe exercises for golden retriever puppies.

Growth and Weight

• Keeping your golden retriever puppy lean and fit appears to not only reduce hip dysplasia, but also extend your dog's lifespan. Many breeders believe that a growing puppy's weight gain should be slow and steady, with no sudden growth spurts. You should be able to easily feel your pup's ribs, but they should not be prominent. Keep your puppy from getting fat by giving it a high-quality food, from a company you trust, that provides the calories and nutrition the puppy needs for healthy growth.