Things You'll Need
- Dog crate
- Food and water bowls
- Toys
- Chew toys
- Collar
- Leash
- Plastic grocery bags
- Puppy food
- Newspaper
- Baby gates
- Towel or blanket
- Appointment with a veterinarian
- Obedience classes
Instructions
Equipment
Purchase a large crate, or dog carrier, from a reputable pet supply store. This will be the puppy's "room."
Purchase food and water bowls. Dogs may sometimes step in their food dishes, so get bowls that have large, "untippable" bases.
Golden retrievers love to play! Be sure to supply your puppy with plenty of balls and toys to chew on.
Every dog needs to be leash-trained. Provide a small collar and leash.
Select a good-quality dry dog food for your new puppy. Your veterinarian or breeder should have appropriate recommendations.
Have plenty of newspaper on hand for house-training your new puppy.
Puppy-proof your home ahead of time. Puppies eat and chew on everything. Secure electrical cords; fix holes in fences; keep chemicals, household cleaners and rat poisons out of reach; get rid of toxic plants; keep the toilet lid down; and get baby gates for balconies and stairs.
Coming Home
See if the puppy will go to the bathroom before riding home with you.
Do not bring the puppy home in his crate. Wrap him in a towel or blanket and allow someone other than the driver hold the puppy in his or her lap for the drive home. This person should speak in comforting tones so the puppy will not be frightened by the ride in the car.
If the puppy needs to relieve himself on a long trip home, do not stop at a rest stop. Highway rest stops are the perfect breeding grounds for dog diseases. Puppies have not built up enough immunities to resist these diseases. Instead, choose a grassy spot away from foot-traffic for the puppy to "do his business." Become a responsible dog owner immediately by bringing along a few plastic bags from the grocery store to "scoop" the puppy's stool.
The First Few Days Home
Give the puppy plenty of love and attention while he adjusts to his new family. Your golden retriever may suffer from separation anxiety when he gets home. He may miss his mother, brothers and sisters.
Teach children common sense rules about playing with their new puppy. With gentle handling and plenty of petting, the puppy can happily adjust to the family.
Schedule a visit to the vet for an examination. If you got your golden retriever from a reputable breeder or shelter, he will already have gotten his puppy vaccinations and been dewormed. The veterinarian can determine the level of your puppy's health and can start him on heartworm and flea preventatives.
Schedule basic puppy "kindergarten" obedience classes for your golden retriever. A beautifully behaved adult golden retriever can be a pure joy. Your puppy should be house-trained, crate-trained and leash-trained as soon as possible after coming home.
Feeding your new puppy
Continue feeding your puppy the same brand of puppy food he received in his former home. Most breeders and shelters begin feeding puppies at three weeks of age.
Plan to feed your puppy twice a day.
Don't feel the need to add water or milk to your puppy's food. Six- and seven-week-old golden retrievers are perfectly capable of eating dry puppy food.
Always have clean, fresh water available to your dog.