PLEASE, PLEASE, I WANT ONE! "He is your friend, your partner,
your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his
leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last
beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such
devotion."
While dogs make great companions and friends, they require a level of
responsibility that not everyone can achieve. Goldens, in particular, crave human attention and companionship.
Constantly keeping them tied in
the yard, or locked in a basement or garage due to behavior or housebreaking problems, is
not responsible care.
So, take the test and see if you can answer yes to all of the
questions . . . to see if you're ready for a Golden family member.
1. Have you read about the history of the
Golden Retriever? 2. Do you know the desired characteristics
of Goldens? 3. Do the characteristics of Goldens fit
into your life style? 4.
Does the Golden Retriever's high activity
level match yours? 5. Do you have the necessary supplies for a
new puppy, such as food & water dishes, food, a crate, collar, leash,
comb and brush, etc. 6. Have you considered the cost in time and
money to provide health care, food, and training for a puppy? 7. Will you make an appointment with a
veterinarian for a health examination, shots, and worming if needed? 8. Will you be able to take time to
introduce your new pup to the routine at your house? It's best to get pups
when you can take some
extended vacation time. 9. Have you located a puppy training class?
Do you know when your pup can start training? Do you have books to help you cope
with your puppy until he/she is old enough for classes? 10. If no one will be with the puppy during
the day, are you prepared to teach your puppy to spend these hours alone? Since dogs are
social animals, your puppy will not want to be alone. Expect your pup to whine, cry,
and/or bark when you leave for school or for work.
This is a normal survival
behavior to get the pack leader (you) to rescue the puppy before he or she gets into real
danger. If your
pup protests being alone, he may annoy your neighbors even if he doesn't
bother you, causing problems.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO . . . 11. Take full responsibility for
this dog and all its needs for the next 10-15 years? This is NOT a task that can be left
to children! 12. Invest the considerable time,
money and patience it takes to train the dog to be a good companion? (This doesn't happen
by itself!) 13. Always keep the dog safe; no
running loose, riding in the back of an open pick-up truck or being chained outside? 14. Make sure the dog gets enough
attention and exercise? (Golden puppies need several hours of both, every day!!) 15. Live with shedding, retrieving,
drooling & high activity for the next 10 to 15 years? 16. Spend the money it takes to
provide proper veterinary care including but certainly not limited to: vaccines, heartworm
testing and
preventative, spaying or neutering and annual check ups? 17. Keep the breeder informed
& up
to date on the dog's accomplishments & any problems that may arise? 18. Take your questions to the
breeder or other appropriate professional before they become problems that are out of
hand? 19. Have the patience to accept (and
enjoy) the trials of Golden puppyhood (which can last for 3+ years) and each
stage afterward? 20. Continue to accept
responsibility for the dog despite inevitable life changes such as new babies, kids going
off to school, moving
or returning to work? 21. Resist impulse buying and
instead have the patience to make a responsible choice? 22. Become EDUCATED
about the proper care of the breed,
correct
training methods and how to groom?
If you've answered yes to all
the questions above, best wishes on your new Golden! Now, it is time to
read, Why a Golden is NOT the Perfect Family Dog.
If you've answered no to
several questions, dog ownership may not be for you. While dogs make great companions and
friends, they require a level of responsibility that not everyone can achieve. Don't add
to the number of dogs in animal shelters that will be euthanized because no one wants
them. And, don't be inhumane by neglecting a dog's need for social interaction. This
occurs when you keep Goldens constantly tied in the yard, or locked in a basement or
garage due to behavior or housebreaking problems that could have been prevented! 1st Books
to Read! —Dr. Ian Dunbar's, Before You Get
Your Puppy, is the perfect way to get a
good start before your puppy
arrives. And his After You Get
Your Puppy is unbelievable as well.
Getting into the
Right Mindset — These
Golden ABC's are just the trick. And, getting over to our
Fun and Motivational Dog Training page is a must.
One of the
friendliest and most lovable dog breeds, many people feel
the Golden is the perfect dog. Some believe they
may even be angels in disguise. Surely, they tempt you with
their beauty. But, just as quickly, you are stunned by their
determination and intelligence. Yet, it is their ability to
read their human companion's thoughts and feelings that make
them almost magical. Just look at
Dakota with his 4-year-old brother Jared. So accepting.
It is important to understand just what the
Golden Retriever Standards are, as they tell us what this breed is
supposed to look and act like. There are actually slightly different ideas about
this very definition, as you will see here in the U.S., U.K. and Canadian
standards.
And, when looking for a
breeder to find your Golden pup, it is very wise to
GIVE YOUR BREEDER THE TEST first.
Why
Puppies Do That: A Collection of Curious Puppy Behaviors Why do puppies sometimes lie on their backs when
approached? Why do they sleep in a pile? Why do puppies have that
special "puppy smell"? Why are some puppies runts? Few things can cause
as much head scratching as the peculiar behavior and characteristics of
a new puppy, and this book aims to answer all of the questions new dog
owners wonder about their new little charge.
Illustrated with pencil drawings, Why Puppies Do That is
lighthearted, informative, and as fun as a new puppy.
About the Author: Tom Davis has been living with and writing about dogs for 30 years. He
has written several Golden books and
is an editor for several magazines including Sporting Classics and
Pointing Dog Journal.
Bonus gifts ($4+ value) with book purchase — glossy puppy
stickers &
an art illustration greeting card!
Getting
your very first Golden Retriever is an experience that
stands alone. Listen to 17-year-old Kristen's story: "For
starters, when I was five years old, I saw a Golden
Retriever for the first time. Even though it was a huge dog
at the time to me, I was head over heels in love.
I walked
over to the Golden, and when the owner saw the excitement in
my eyes, he was generous enough to let me pet his beautiful
animal. I extended my tiny fingers towards the Golden's
powerful looking muzzle. Without taking a step, he stuck his
nose in the air and sniffed my fingers, and then began
wagging his tail as fast as it would go. I squealed with
delight and amusement, at his behavior. And before I knew
what I was doing, I wrapped my small arms around his body
and gave him a hug. (Even though my arms wouldn't even go
half way around his body.) He bent down and licked my face,
until I was drenched in 'doggy slobber.' I'm sure to
strangers passing by, we looked like a couple of old friends
meeting for the first time in a long time. I felt that a
magic moment passed between us that we only knew about.
(Like it was meant to be.) Right then his owner said, "I'm
sorry little girl, but we have to go," and then to his dog,
"C'mon big guy."
That night, I
cried and cried. Then an idea struck me, "Why couldn't I own
a dog like that?" When I ran the idea by my parents, they
said, "We're sorry, sweetheart, but we don't have a big
enough house or yard for a dog like that. Your dog wouldn't
be happy, and he wouldn't get enough exercise. Maybe in a
few years." After waiting patiently, when I was in my 17th
year, I finally received my Golden puppy this past
Christmas. Max is now 6 months old, and he is the best thing
that has ever happened to me. Now, I feel the emotion when
someone says, "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, like a
Golden RETRIEVER!" I have come to find out that my
Golden
isn't owned by me, but OWNS me. The day he owned me was when
he stole my heart and looked up at me with those sparkling,
brown eyes. (Now he shares my bed with me.)"
According to information from
An
Introduction To The Golden Retriever by The Golden Retriever Club of America,
puppies go through five critical periods. And, therefore, it is most important that they
remain with their mother and littermates until 7½ to 8 weeks of age. During this time
your puppy will learn about pack hierarchy, bite inhibition and proper social behavior
within the pack. Taking a puppy home before this age can deprive the puppy of much needed
training by mom and littermates and will make your job of training that much more
difficult.
During the first 3 weeks of life puppies
have next to no mental capacity and their basic needs are provided by their mother. Little
or no handling by humans is required (assuming all is well with mother and puppies).
Around the 4th week puppies become aware
of other living beings and have very slight trainability. This is an extremely critical
period and puppies should not be removed from their mother or littermates. Introduction to
humans should be started but carefully controlled.
In weeks 5 through 7 they begin
socialization within the litter and also with humans. At this point they are capable of
responding to voices and to recognize people. Training by their mother is in progress and
they are becoming aware of the differences between human and canine socialization.
During the 8th through 12th week puppies
are removed from littermates and mother. They require human socialization, love and
security. Play with children should be well supervised. At this point they require a new
mother image for security. It is also during this point that they develop man-dog
relationship. They are also capable of learning simple training such as Come-Sit-Stay-No.
It is important that children or other animals not injure the puppy either accidentally or
maliciously. Introduction to people is important but should be closely supervised.
Gradually expose to loud noises such as autos, washing machine, vacuum, etc.
At 13-16 weeks puppy's mental capacity is
fully developed and needs experience. During this time puppy needs love, attention,
socialization, discipline and security. Puppy will also try to establish itself as the
dominant one. Your puppy is now capable of undergoing formal obedience training and can
adopt a good or bad (positive or negative) attitude about training so please select your
trainer with great care! Praise & reward for correct behavioral response will go a long
way in training your Golden puppy!
You will notice that your
Golden does his fastest maturing in his first two years, already
equal to a 15-year-old teenager after only one year. And, believe it or not, he or she is
equal to an adult's age after only being with us two years. After that, however, only 4
years in maturity is gained with each passing year.
Age of Dog
Human Years
Age of Dog
Human Years
5 months
=
10 years
12 years
=
64 years
8 months
=
13 years
13 years
=
68 years
10 months
=
14 years
14 years
=
72 years
1 year
=
15 years
15 years
=
76 years
2 years
=
24 years
16 years
=
80 years
3 years
=
28 years
17 years
=
84 years
4 years
=
32 years
18 years
=
88 years
5 years
=
36 years
19 years
=
91 years
6 years
=
40 years
20 years
=
94 years
7 years
=
44 years
21 years
=
94 years
8 years
=
48 years
22 years
=
97 years
9 years
=
52 years
23 years
=
100 years
10 years
=
56 years
24 years
=
106 years
11 years
=
60 years
It's Never Too Late To Learn Watch Dr. Yin with her dad's new puppy, Lucy, at 7.5 weeks of age. It's her
first day at Dr. Yin's house. Lucy's already learned to sit for kibble. Now she
is training her to sit to be petted (getting attention), and Dr. Yin is removing
rewards for jumping. Then, she does the same thing with her own dog Jonesy
around. Lucy correctly reads Jonesy's signals and backs down when Jonesy makes
it clear he doesn't want her in his face.
Please be sure to check out the many articles
references above as well as these links below. That way, you can be sure to do right by your
furry family members.