Due to the golden retriever’s long feathered coat daily grooming is essential to keep your dog healthy and well, the golden retriever is particularly known for it’s beauty and to keep it looking beautiful you not only have to groom it daily but also occasionally trim the coat. Grooming can either be done by yourself or if you prefer a visit to a dog grooming parlour, if you want to look after your dog yourself then you will need several items and these are:

Unless your name is Dr Dolittle then of course you aren’t going to be able to actually “talk” with your retriever in plain English, however this doesn’t mean to say that you cannot understand what your dog is trying to tell you and for sure your dog understands basic words that you take the time to teach them and to some extent your body language.

When it comes to what your dog is telling you then it is all about watching their behaviour and the way they move, just as people use facial expressions and their hands when talking and getting a point across, your dog will use their head and of course their tail to help get what they want, how they feel and their point across to their owner. You can also come to understand how they are feeling and what they want through the different barks and whimpers they make, in fact some of these are simple, such as if a stranger walks up the path then your retriever may bark or even growl if he senses danger and this is telling you “hey watch out”. While this is just one example of a way your dog is communicating with you there are many more and with time and understanding it can be like the two of you are having a regular conversation. Your retriever will show you signs of being alert and ready to communicate, whether they want to be left alone, if they are scared, feeling playful or if they are in a bad mood.

Your dog’s stance will tell a lot and if your retriever is feeling playful and wants to rough and tumble with you or chase a stick then he will show this in the body movement. The whole body will appear to be very relaxed and your dog’s ears with flop around freely as they move with no sign of tension, the tail of your retriever will almost be certainly wagging and their mouth will probably be open a little, this is similar to you smiling when you are happy. One of the most common signs that your retriever is in a playful mood is when he goes down onto his belly with front paws outstretched and his rear end stuck up in the air.

If your retriever is feeling very scared then he will be full of tension and probably whimpering quietly with the occasional deep throated growl. He will have his tail tucked between his legs and could even go into what is called the submissive position which is on his back with his legs in the air.

If your retriever is alert and waiting for a response from you then his tail will be wagging slightly, he could be whimpering or whining quietly and almost certainly his head will be moving from side to side in anticipation of what is to come. Communicating with your retriever will take time, it is like getting to know a person and the more time you spend together the easier it will become for you to understand each other and communicate.

If you are thinking of buying a golden retriever puppy then you will probably have a lot of questions regarding the breed and if they are a breed suitable for you, there are numerous books available on the breed and websites specialising in the golden retriever but to get you started here are some of the most common questions that are asked about the breed.

Golden retrievers guide

There are many different types of retriever and they all make great pets and companions, of course one of the most common is the Golden retriever with its luxurious golden coat, but there is also the Labrador retriever with a smoother shorter coat, the Curly coated retriever and the Flat coated retriever all of which make excellent pets and are good for those families with children. The Golden retriever is the most popular not only due to its long wavy coat, but also for the fact that is has a delightful nature, however at the same time they are one of the larger breeds of retriever and can be quite boisterous, while they do make an excellent pet to have around children the excitability of this breed can mean that they could knock over a very small child. As with all dogs very small children should never be left alone with them.

The Golden retriever is one of the easiest breeds of dogs to train due to their nature and the way they love nothing more than pleasing their owner, however training should begin at a very young age to establish who is the boss, because due to their large size and their playful attitude a large dog can get out of hand. Although it has to be remembered that while the dog might look big it isn’t fully mature until around the age of 2 and in some cases the dog doesn’t lose its “puppy ways” until the age of three.

The Labrador retriever is another very popular breed among the retrievers and again has a very gentle nature; the Labrador retriever has a shorter coat than the Golden which of course doesn’t require as much grooming. The Labrador retriever is around the same size as the Golden and they don’t shed as much. The Labrador retriever is well known for its excellent temperament and is considered to be very gentle which makes them a suitable dog for those with children.

Although the Labrador retriever isn’t specifically a guard dog they can be very protective with members of the family and in particular when around strangers. The Labrador retriever is also known as an hunting dog and as such they love to please their master and are willing to learn and adapt very well to training which should start at a very early age due to their robust size.
The curly coated retriever is well known as a hunting dog but they also make for great and loyal companions and shouldn’t be overlooked when considering one of the Retriever family members as a pet and companion. Because they are hunting dogs they are very easy to train and are loyal, they are also excellent around children and have a wonderful temperament while at the same time having character, which sometimes shows through as being mischievous. They are however a very “lively” dog and they do require plenty of exercise and love being out doors so aren’t suitable for those who only have a small yard.

Finally don’t overlook the Flat coated retriever when choosing from the retriever breeds, it is devoted to its master and this makes the dog very easy to train. The same as the other breeds of retriever, the Flat coated retriever has a wonderful, gentle temperament which makes it an ideal and loving companion. Again this breed does require a lot of exercise and is not a dog to just lie down quietly in the corner of a room; it has what sometimes seems to be boundless energy and if left cooped up can become mischievous even to the point of destroying your belongings. While it does make an excellent pet this is a breed that does require a little more attention.

Due to the golden retriever’s long feathered coat daily grooming is essential to keep your dog healthy and well, the golden retriever is particularly known for it’s beauty and to keep it looking beautiful you not only have to groom it daily but also occasionally trim the coat. Grooming can either be done by yourself or if you prefer a visit to a dog grooming parlour, if you want to look after your dog yourself then you will need several items and these are:

• A brush.
• A comb.
• A pair of straight edged scissors.
• A pair of thinning scissors.
• Nail cutters.

While your dog will benefit from daily grooming trimming of the coat will only have to be done when it becomes untidy, it is better to remove a small amount of hair over a couple of days than try and do it all in one session. Some important points to remember when trimming your dog are:

• It is better to be on the conservative side when trimming, you can always take more off but you cant stick it back on.
• Always make one or two cuts with the trimming scissors then comb to see what the coat looks like before continuing.
• Never make the cut across the hair.
• Always push the scissors underneath the top layer keeping an upward movement.
• Always keep running the comb through the coat as you trim.

Before you begin trimming make sure you have brushed and combed your dog thoroughly being very careful of any tangles your dog may have in the coat. Where you start is up to you but usually professional groomers will start with the feathering on the hind quarters, before you start hacking away take a good look at what actually needs trimming.

If hair is hanging over your dogs hock then it needs trimming above the hock, pay attention to the tail the correct length should be reaching to the hock and trim if necessary. Always remember to cut twice and comb and cut on the conservative side, slowly work around your dog and if they are showing signs of boredom then leave it until tomorrow.

Of course this is stating the obvious but never try to groom a dog that wont stand still, you could not only cut away too much hair but also risk injury to the dog.

If you are unsure or nervous about tackling the trimming then maybe a better idea would be to take your dog to a professional groomer and ask if you can stay and watch them trim before tackling it yourself.

Nail cutting

Your dogs nails will need to be trimmed occasionally and this can be done just as you would your own with nail clippers. Just as you can hurt yourself if you cut the nails down to the quick then the same will happen if you cut your dogs nails too short.

Only trim the very tip of your dogs nails, if you don’t think you have took enough off then cut again but bear in mind not to cut into the quick as it will bleed and could make your dog very wary of letting you near them again.

If you are thinking of buying a golden retriever not just for a pet but also for showing then you will have to find a breeder that breeds puppies specifically for show. To enter a dog in a show it must meet certain standards set out by the Kennel club, every breed has what the kennel club calls a standard and only dogs matching as close to this standard will win top prizes. The breed standard for the golden retriever is set out below:

General appearance – the dog should be a sound, active, well balanced dog with a kind expression.

Characteristics – intelligent, biddable and should posses a natural ability to work.

Temperament – a confident dog that is kind and friendly.

Head and skull – the head should be broad well balanced and well chiselled and should be set well on the neck; the muzzle should be wide, powerful and deep with the nose being black.

Eyes – the eyes should be dark brown set wide apart with dark rims.

Mouth – the jaws should be string with a perfect and regular scissor bite; the upper teeth should closely overlap the lower teeth and be set square to the jaw.

Neck – the neck should be clean and muscular with good length.

Forequarters – the forequarters should be straight with excellent bone, the shoulders should be well laid back and be long in the blade with upper arm being of equal length. Elbows should fit close to the body.

Body – the body should be balanced well being short coupled and deep through the heart, the ribs should be well sprung and deep with level top line.

Hindquarters – loin and legs should be strong and muscular with good thighs and strong stifles, the hocks should be straight when viewed from the rear with cow hocks being very undesirable.

Feet – the feet should be cat like and round.

Tail – the tail should be level with the back and reaching to the hocks in length with no curl at the tip.

Gait – the stride should be long and free, straight and true in the front and rear.

Coat – the coat can be wavy or flat but must have good feathering with a dense water repellent undercoat.

Colour – the coat can be any shade of cream or gold but shouldn’t be red or mahogany in colour.

Size – the adult dog should be 22 to 24″ to the withers with the bitch being 20 to 22″ at the withers.

Faults – any departure from the points listed above will go against the dog and points deducted accordingly to the degree of departure.

The golden retriever is among one of the most popular breeds of all the retrievers with its rich golden long feathered coat of creamy to light brown. They are one of the most lovable and intelligent of all dog breeds and are excellent as pets and have a lovable temperament, the golden retriever makes an excellent pet for those families with children. The golden retriever is a loyal sweet natured dog who loves nothing more than pleasing their owner which makes them easier than certain other breeds to obedience train and housetrain.

The retriever as a pet

The golden will normally get on with anyone anything including other dogs however they lack in one thing, guarding, due to their amicable nature the golden retriever doesn’t make a very good guard dog. On saying this however they are very protective of their owner and family and will be very wary of strangers approaching if left with children and they will make their presence know though they will very rarely attack anyone.

The breed is not a breed that you should leave alone for long periods of time as they love nothing more than being around the family and can get up to mischief should they be left. They are a dog which does require frequent exercise and as the name suggests they love to retrieve anything and everything, from balls to Frisbees, in fact the dog will delight in chasing and retrieving whatever you throw for it.

Keeping your retriever happy and well

The breed does have a longer coat than some of the retriever breeds and this will need regular grooming in order to keep your dog in great overall condition. The coat is double and of medium hair length which is smooth and is very easy to groom and should be brushed with a comb and a firm bristle brush, with particular attention being paid to the dense undercoat. A dry shampoo should be used on a regular basis with a full bath only very occasionally as this can dry out the lustrous coat too much.

The retriever can be prone to hip dysplasia and also congenital defect of the eye, so when purchasing your puppy make sure you buy from a reputable breeder who have had the puppies parents checked and cleared. Von Williebrands disease and heart problems are also know in the golden so the puppy’s parents should also have been checked for these too.

Some retrievers are known to have problems with skin problems and skin allergies can occur, these should always be given immediate attention from the vet. On average the golden retriever will live for around 10 to 12 years and when fully grown they measure roughly 24″ in dogs and 22″ for bitches, the weight of the adult dog will be around 80 pounds and around 70 pounds for bitches.

The golden retriever is usually one of the breeds in the retriever family which are very quick to learn, due to the golden’s excellent temperament they are very willing and eager to please. Once your new puppy has settled into its new home you should either begin training at home or enrol your puppy in a puppy obedience class. The advantage of taking your puppy to a class is that you will mix with owners who are all in the same boat as yourself, learning, and you will get excellent advice, another big advantage is that your puppy will learn to mix with other dogs from a young age.

When choosing a place for training you should enquire as to what methods they use for training as the golden loves and responds best to positive rewards. Shouting, yelling or berating the golden very often will only result in them retaliating with stubbornness, however should you prefer to train your dog on your own in your own time then this is acceptable too and several DVD`S or books are available to help get you started.

How and when to start training

From around the age of 8 to 12 weeks is the best time to start teaching your dog obedience and housetraining, of course housetraining should be the number one priority to stop those little accidents from occurring. Obedience training from an early age is essential as by doing this you are setting out rules for behaviour and what you expect of your dog just as you would with a young child. You will also want to teach your puppy from a young age how to stand still while you groom him and brush his teeth.

If you are intending to put your dog in a show then you will also have to teach show skills such as the correct stance and no fidgeting around. You will also want to teach your puppy good socialisation skills such as how to act around other dogs and people, the first few months of your puppies life are essential to how the dog will turn out later in life and these skills aren’t inbuilt only you can determine the outcome.

Housetraining

You should follow a very strict routine from the beginning when housetraining your new puppy and you will need a lot of patience to start off, while your puppy is very little it is wise to assign a place near your dog’s bed where he can go to the bathroom. You should always place him onto the newspaper or litter tray after he has been fed and at various times throughout the day and when he goes praise him profusely and offer treats.

You can gradually move the paper towards the door and out into the garden as he gets older, if your puppy does make a mistake take him to his toilet place immediately and place him there holding him there for a few seconds. Always make sure you disinfect the area well after a mistake, this is not only for cleanliness but also to get rid of the smell that your dog will be susceptible to. Dogs often use smell as a trigger action and this smell could trigger your dog into thinking this is where he should go.