Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Golden Retriever


In a dog’s world, Golden Retrievers are simply the fatal attraction. They are a preferred dog breed, making great pets, hunting dogs, obedience competitors, show dogs, service dogs and even a combination of all these traits. Regardless of what your intent may be to own a Golden Retriever, you’ll have an excellent dog that will live up to it’s potential and then some!

Golden Retrievers are calm, well mannered, and EXTREMELY affectionate.  They are easy to train as well, very intelligent, and great for those who need a companion. These qualities are what make the Golden Retriever the most popular breed for service dogs. They also make the perfect pet, as they are loyal to their owners, lovable, and great with children of all ages.  They make great watchdogs as well; as they will bark loud and let you know when a stranger is near.

Like other dogs, Golden Retrievers will shed their hair throughout the year and more in the spring - no matter how many times you brush them a day. However, the darker red/golden coated dogs (like Mulligan) have a thinner top and undercoat than do the lighter golden coated dogs and therefore don’t shed quite as much as their lighter counterparts.

  They also like to be in and near the water, similar to Labs.  If you have any type of water on or near your property, your Golden Retriever will be in it, and tend to be either wet or muddy quite a bit - which can tend to get frustrating. Train your puppy at a young age to get used to the garden hose, so when he comes back all muddy you can easily rinse him off without scaring or frightening him.

If you are always on the go or never at home, you shouldn’t get a Golden Retriever. They crave and demand attention and admiration, and normally don’t do too well if you leave them at home by themselves for long periods of time.  While dogs typically live “in the moment” and really have no concept of time, they can and do get depressed and can experience separation anxiety.

Golden’s need attention, and desire to be around you at all times. If you spend a lot of time at home on the other hand, or have kids, a Golden Retriever will be a perfect addition to your family. Take them with you whenever you can.  Mulligan loves to go with me for a ride in the car. I call it a “date” as he is always pawing and nuzzling and resting his head on my shoulder. If he could find a way to fit in my lap comfortable while I am driving…he would do it.

A lot of people prefer to get a puppy and raise and train it themselves.  This way, the puppy will grow up with the skills they have taught him. Golden Retriever puppies are easily trainable and you should start training them as soon as possible. This is a great idea and very rewarding, although it can consume a lot of your time and tend to be very frustrating at times if you don’t have the patience to see it through.   Those who don’t have a lot of time to spare or tend to get easily frustrated shouldn’t get a puppy.  Instead, they should look towards an older Golden Retriever who has already been house broken and trained. If you don’t want to take the time to train a puppy consider adopting an older dog through a Golden Retriever Rescue.

Golden Retrievers are an excellent breed of dog and they can provide you with the companionship you have been looking for.  They can participate in several many activities with you as well, such as hiking, camping, and walking and even golf!

Golden’s love the outdoors and they love just getting out there and doing things with you and your family.  If you include your dog in family activities - you’ll have a friend for life and a loyal companion throughout yours and his life!

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