General Stuff About Goldens | Texas TLC Goldens

Breeding Dogs Every Heat

The question of the day is whether breeding a dog (in our case: Golden Retrievers) on back-to-back heat cycles is a good idea. We will show in this article that the answer is not the same in all cases and the correct answer is: Sometimes.

We’ll start by saying two things up front:

We are not veterinary medical professionals. We are caring breeders of healthy, happy Golden Retrievers that are also our pets. Terri has human medical background and we are both thoroughly researched with years of experience.
This is a VERY controversial subject in the breeding world that pits anthropomorphic emotion and absolutism against science. That said, we have no interest in debate. This article is our carefully researched opinion and you should feel free to do your own objective research and arrive at your own conclusions on how YOU may want to breed.

The science

Canine reproduction expert Dr. Robert Van Hutchison gave a seminar on breeding, whelping and general canine reproductive subjects in 2002. In that seminar he explained that a canine uterus ability to deal with pregnancy declines over time and breeding back-to-back is actually advisable while the bitch is in prime breeding years. At a high level it has to do with progesterone bombarding the canine uterus for the entire 3 week heat.

When asked about breeding on the next heat:

Dr. Hutch: Absolutely. It’s suggested not to skip a season, because we have been preserving the uterus from the effects of progesterone; what would be the benefit of exposing her uterus to two months of progesterone? Progesterone’s effect on the uterine lining is the reason why bitches six and over have a 33.3 percent less chance of conceiving than bitches under 6 years of age.

Dr. Kate Schoeffel published a well structured article in The Australian Journal of Professional Dog Breeders in February of 2011 that spoke of the benefits of back-to-back breeding compared to skipping heats. Her stance was that skipping heats can encourage “pseudopregancy” which is the leading cause of canine breast cancer.

The authors go on to say:

Pregnancy protects against life threatening uterine diseases. The most common uterine disease in the bitch is cystic endometrial hyperplasia. It is linked to several serious uterine diseases including the potentially life threatening disease “pyometra” (literally – a uterus full of pus) which affects nearly one quarter of dogs under 10 years old which are not desexed . According to canine reproduction specialist Dr S. Romagnoli “bitches whelping regularly throughout their reproductive life almost never develop pyometra, while those who whelp rarely or never in their lives have a greater chance of developing this condition”.

Dr. Claudia Orlandi Ph.D. (AKC’s breeder of the year and author of The ABC’s of Dog Breeding) spoke at an AKC dog symposium held at Michigan State University and was reported to have said:

~it is detrimental for dams to skip heat cycles. It was shared that once you have begun to mate a dam that you should NOT skip any heat cycles until she is completely finished breeding. A dam is said to be “finished” breeding when her litter size is drastically decreased.

We were unable to find any science nor qualified and objective expert that tells us otherwise so we have concluded that the science tells us breeding back-to-back heats is healthier for the bitch’s uterus and reduces chances of certain types of cancer. That is however not all there is to it. Health, happiness and Quality of life for the bitch must be addressed.

Quality of Life

A Golden Retriever’s prime time to reproduce (for example) is generally between 2 and 6 to 7 years old. As we have already described, skipping heats can have serious health implications. On top of that, the uterus will decline in it’s ability to sustain pregnancy at the same rate whether or not she is bred so wasting heats is not helpful if she continues to be healthy, happy, loved and is a good mother (not all are).

Dr. Kate Schoeffel tells is in part:

No responsible breeder who cares about their dogs would breed their bitches until they are exhausted,~

The key words there are “responsible breeder”. It takes care and attention but back-to-back can be done and keep mamma healthy and happy.
The heat cycle for our Golden Retrievers is typically 6.5 to 8.5 months. Gestation is 63 days and the puppies are weaned at around 5 or 6 weeks of age and (in our case) go to forever homes at 8 weeks. That leaves ample time between breeding for mom to recover and have a happy life. This does not mean the breeder can just drop her into a cage and expect her to do well. She will require careful attention, love, vitamins, exercise, companionship, proper feeding with really good quality food and the willingness to skip a heat if she does not fully recover.
If the bitch remains healthy and happy, breeding can continue until there is a sudden unexplained drop in puppy count (usually in the 6th year). After that happens, she will be immediately spayed and allowed to live out the rest of her life as a a happy Auntie with us and the pack.

The other side of the argument

The people that don’t agree with back-to-back breeding typically in our experience are very emotional and judgemental about it, tend to be vocal evangelists and seldom give a rational argument. From what we have been able to see, they believe the way they do for a very few distinct reasons.

Puppy Mills

Puppy Mills breed back to back heats – always – no matter the health and happiness of the bitch. Puppy Mills are cruel, ugly operations that slap a bitch in a cage and all she does is feed and breed until she drops. Sorry, but I cannot think of a softer way to say that and still describe what happens in puppy mills most of the time. As we have explained, that is NOT the proper way to breed in back-to-back heats but humans like absolutes and because the evil puppy mills do it, many people out there say no-one should. No real objective thought is applied; just guilt by association.

“Humans Mothers would not want to have babies back-to-back”

That makes perfect sense except that it does not apply to Golden Retrievers (or dogs in general for that matter); at all.

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.

- Human gestation – 9 months vs Canine gestation – 63 days

We have 3 grown children so Terri knows full well what it’s like to be pregnant as a human. It is a physically uncomfortable, some would say miserable experience that lasts for 9 full months. Yes, in the first few months there is little ill effect but it’s still many months of discomfort and limits. Labor and delivery for humans is also extreme in most cases. It is painful, requires pushing a relative huge baby out of her body and requires doctor assistance in most cases. Ripping and tearing of mom’s body (or an episiotomy) is commonplace with human females during delivery (not so much for dogs). All that said, it is understandable that most women cannot imagine the thought of getting pregnant a month after delivery. As a result, many improperly apply that anthropomorphic thought to dogs.
A dog’s gestation is 63 days with only about 3 to4 weeks of discomfort and delivery is much easier than human labor. While there are multiple puppies, each of them are relatively small compared to the bitch. Ironically, more puppies typically means easier labor since the puppies tend to be much smaller. If she only has one puppy, the bitch will likely go through similar trauma as a human female during delivery because the puppy will be MUCH larger and MUCH more difficult to get out; luckily this is seldom the case..

- Human cycle – 28 days vs Canine cycle – 6 to 10 months

Back-to back by definition means breeding on the next cycle. For humans that would be brutal, and means getting pregnant again in 30(ish) days after delivery. Mom is not yet fully healed, has a new, helpless baby that she is still feeding and caring for and she could not possibly be fully recovered from the whole ordeal.
The above does not apply to dogs. Breeds vary but canine heat cycles generally range from 6 to 10 months. Our Golden Retrievers typically have 6.5 to 9 month cycles. Dogs typically have their puppies mostly weaned by 5 to 6 weeks of age. By 8 weeks of age (2 months), most breeders have sent puppies to forever homes. Even if the puppies stay with the breeder, the mother will treat each puppy as just another dog in the pack 2 to 3 months after their birth and no longer take responsibility for them. That said, barring an unusual delivery or other health issues, and with proper care, exercise, play and love, there is plenty of time to recover before the next heat cycle.

Summary

This entire subject is a heated debate due mostly to emotional and incorrect anthropomorphic application of human experience to dogs. The science tells us that with proper care, attention, and love; back-to-back breeding is most likely healthier for the bitch. We at Texas TLC Goldens love all our dogs at pets and carefully nurture them though back-to-back breeding while they are in prime breeding age. We do not apologize for this practice as it is supported by science and veterinary breeding experts. All responsible breeders must do their own careful research and arrive at their own breeding plan and we respect their decisions but this is our plan until science definitively tells us we should change.

About the Authors

Bryan, Emma, Harley, Ryder, Terri, Dexter and River

Bryan and Terri Curry love all dogs in general, especially Golden Retrievers. They have had dogs for all but 6 months of their long lives and all have lived happy and much longer lives than average. Bryan and Terri are co-owners of Texas TLC Goldens; a small responsible breeder producing high quality Golden Retriever puppies.

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Novel COVID-19 (“Corona Virus”) and your dog

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist, doctor or Veterinarian. I am simply someone that REALLY cares about dogs and has done quite a lot of research. The following article is what I believe to be true based on my research but please also do your own research, talk to your veterinarian and arrive at your own conclusions.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a “novel” corona virus sickness in that it has never been seen before 2019. It has recently been incorrectly nicknamed “The” Corona Virus but in fact is is just sickness caused by “A” Corona Virus. “Corona” refers to the shape of the virus under an electron microscope but there are many Corona Virus’s. The COVID-19 sickness is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that happens to be in the Corona Virus family. So, COVID-19 is the sickness, SARS-CoV-2 is the corona virus that causes it and neither one is “The” Corona Virus. Some example of virus strains in the Corona family include SARS, MERS, CCoV (Canine Corona Virus), and the common cold among others.

The survival rate is reported as quite high for all but the very elderly and those with other underlying conditions like Diabetes, Heart Disease and those that are immune compromised. It’s a numbers game though. If even 1% or 2% die but many thousands are infected, the mortality rate builds to large numbers. Strangely enough the very young seldom show few if any symptoms even though they can be infected as carriers and can transmit the virus to others.

COVID-19 appears to have originated in China and is believed to be transferred from animals to humans. While the exact transfer method has not yet been confirmed as of this writing but an interesting article on sciencedaily.com suggests it may have come from bats in China but may have had some intermediary animal meat deliver the patient zero infections via a particular meat market in China. The transfer from animal to human is difficult to achieve but it’s happened before. SARS jumped across to humans from Civets and MERS came from Camels. In my research, a serious corona virus has never been transferred to a human from domesticated pets but my research is not extensive on that particular thing.

OK, but what about dogs?

Lets get the scary stuff out of the way. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is no evidence that COVID-19 can “infect” dogs in that the virus cannot thrive in a dog’s body and does not cause any symptoms. There is also no evidence that the dog can transfer the virus to humans via bodily fluids like humans do to each other. That said, one dog in Hong Kong was tested and found to have “weak positive” COVID-19 virus after being quarantined with an infected couple for some time. The dog had no symptoms; ever.

OK.. so your fur baby should be safe. We can move on now.

Can my dog spread COVID-19?

Well, technically yes but it’s exceedingly unlikely (don’t panic – read on). The chances are so slim that you could be infected from a dog’s bodily fluids that the CDC says there is no evidence it’s even possible.
It is however possible that a highly infected human could rub the virus into the fur of a dog which could then be transferred to the hands of another human. Even this is not incredibly likely since the fur absorbs so much as is not a slick virus friendly surface. Bonus: there is an easy fix (read on).

Note that dogs DO suffer from another corona type virus called Canine Coronavirus (CCoV). It is canine specific and most domestic dogs are vaccinated against it in the normal vaccination process and is usually referred to as canine flu. It is highly infectious between dogs but not humans. I am told it’s technically possible for CCoV to transfer to humans but it’s so very rare, and hard to do, it’s considered statistically irrelevant and most agencies says it’s impossible.

What can I do for my fur baby?

Since as this point no-one thinks dogs can actually get infected you should not have to worry about your dog’s health as it relates to COVID-19 but you should pay attention to your own health. What that means is if your dog is exposed to unknown dogs or more likely – humans that could possibly be infected, your dog may have the virus riding in it’s fur. There is an easy fix: give them a bath with soap any time they return from being in public where they have close contact with other humans until such time as the 2020 pandemic is cleared up.

While there is no evidence that a dog can be infected by the virus and pass it on to humans and it makes sense that they would not, it has not been absolutely proven . Out of “an abundance of caution”, the CDC also recommends that dogs not have close contact with humans that are infected since they do not have actual empirical proof that they cannot be infected. If you do get quarantined for COVID-19, find a close friend or relative to care for your pup. If you have no-one to do this then use a mask and wash your hands before and after handling your dog and do not allow them to lick you.

Should I get rid of my dog?

HELL NO! There has been a measurable and irrational spike in abandoned dogs since that one 17 year old Pomeranian in Hong Kong tested as “weak positive” then later died of completely unrelated causes. There is absolutely no reason to abandon your much loved fur baby out of irrational panic. There are literally millions of dogs in the world and never has there even been a hint that they can transmit COVID-19 to humans via bodily fluids.

Can I still take my dog out in public?

Absolutely! Walking your dog outside you home is still allowed under all the lock down rules I’ve seen anywhere. If you absolutely MUST go somewhere away from home that dogs are allowed, there will be no harm to your fur baby but you should use some common sense. Be warned that many dogs are absolute people magnets; especially children. While your fur baby would almost certainly want the attention of others, you should politely decline. You need to maintain distance both for yourself and your dog. Even if an infected person does not get close enough to infect you, they could possibly rub the virus in the dog’s fur and thereby transfer it to you. Again, this sort of transfer is unlikely but the possibility exists so use good sense and some amount of caution. You should avoid allowing your dog to drink or eat anything you do not directly provide. Food and water have not been shown to transfer the virus but with our fur babies, caution is the word of the day. You may want to also consider wiping your dogs feet with disinfectant wipes before getting back into the car.

Summary

COVID-19 is a really scary thing for humans, not so much for dogs. While it’s possible for COVID-19 to enter a dogs system under extreme circumstances, it cannot thrive there and the CDC states there is no evidence that it can infect them nor transmit to humans.
If you are quarantined for COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution it is suggested that you have someone else take care of your fur baby until the quarantine is finished.
It is possible (however unlikely) for a dogs fur to carry the virus in it’s fur so it is suggested that until the pandemic recedes that you bathe your dog with soap after being around other humans you do not know well.
Don’t go into an irrational panic and dump your fur baby. They are actually dramatically safer than your own baby as it relates to COVID-19 so keep them, love them and care for them as they care for you. You are everything to them.
Do your own research. Talk to your Vet. Make informed and rational decisions. I believe that after you do these things, you will generally agree with my findings.

Corrections:
4/4/2020 – COVID-19 is the sickness, SARS-CoV-2 is the virus

About the Authors

Bryan and Terri Curry love all dogs in general, especially Golden Retrievers. They have had dogs for all but 6 months of their long lives and all have lived happy and much longer than average. Bryan and Terri are co-owners of Texas TLC Goldens; a small responsible breeder producing high quality Golden Retriever puppies.

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Food Recommendations for Golden Retrievers

Everyone who has them wants what is best for their precious Golden Retrievers and the food you feed them is a huge part of that equation. There are WIDE ranging opinions on this subject and an amazing amount of suggestions on the web, some of which almost sound religious. Terri and I have received quite a few requests for advice on this topic so at the risk of enduring the ire of the misinformed or companies with a vested interest, I decided to write something up. The following advice comes from our own extensive research and is stock full of our opinions based on that research. We are not veterinarians nor certified pet nutritionists (although we do include a great interview with one) but it is what we believe to be the best way to go about choosing the right food for our Golden Retrievers. It is however, just advice. You should do your own research and make fully informed decisions on your own.

Dog Food Ingredients

Let’s start here: Dogs do NOT need to eat all meat and nothing else. It is a myth that wild dogs eat only meat and that really high protein with no grain is a good plan for a domesticated dog’s diet.

The facts are that wild dogs actually DO eat grains and other non-meat things. Wild dogs mostly feed on herbivores. When they consume a kill, they consume it ALL which includes stomachs and other organs full of non-meat things. The healthiest pack members (the alphas) typically get to eat those prime bits.

Related image — Endangered Ancient Himalayan Wolf photo credit: https://thehimalayantimes.com

Dogs are omnivores, not carnivores even though they need a reasonable mix of protein. It is also important to realize that our Golden Retrievers are 15,000 to 40,000 years removed from their ancient wild dog ancestors and are not wild any longer; their needs, while similar, are not the same as their wild ancestors. Domestic dogs do not need to be “grain free”, they do not need to eat exotic meats like rabbit, kangaroo, venison or bison. In fact there are some scientists that believe these exotic meats may be contributing to heart problem since many of them are naturally low in the building blocks that allow dogs to create Taurine. In any case, domestic dogs certainly don’t need an all meat or pure protein diet.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) generally recommends a minimum of 18% protein for adult dogs and 22.5% for growing puppies but be careful here; these recommendations are based on dry weight. Most dog food manufacturers use pre-processing wet weight to figure report quantities and that, while legal, is at best misleading since processing dramatically changes both weight and content of each ingredient. For example: Meat is full of water, corn is not. When you dehydrate both, meat will be most heavily affected. It would be useful for you to read the full details on minimum nutrition/ingredient amounts by dry weight table in THIS AAFCO publication. Note that there is wiggle room in the recommendations in that the quantities listed are minimums (except where noted) but it does go to show that having like 80%+ protein is complete overkill.

All that said, your Golden Retriever does need a diet with sufficient protein mixed in proper quantities with a healthy group of vitamin rich ingredients designed specifically for large breed dogs.

Important note: A Golden Retriever has different dietary requirements compared to a chihuahua, miniature poodle or any other smaller breed dog. Feeding large breed dogs like Golden Retrievers foods not specifically designed for large breeds, especially as puppies, can cause weight, health and bone formation problems.

Ingredient lists

I wrote an article entitled “The Truth About Dog Food Ingredients Lists” that is worth a read but I’ll summarize here. The FDA requires dog food manufactures list the ingredients used by order of volume or weight prior to processing. they tend to do it by weight since processing takes out all water and dramatically reduces weight, especially in the meat products. That said, while ingredient lists are important to evaluate and required by law, we MUCH prefer reputable and established dog food manufactures that actually list percentages based on dry weight. Note that you may have to go to the manufacturer’s web site to get this more valuable information.

Note: Don’t be afraid of “by-products” or a named “meal” (ie: chicken meal, byproduct meal, etc) listed in ingredient lists. There is nothing nasty in them. Government regulations define and restrict what is allowed to be in “By-products” and “meal”s and does not allow things like hides, hair, hooves, companion animals, etc. This fact is another excellent reason to stay with American Made dog foods. In truth, “meal” is typically denser and higher in protein than the original product. AAFCO rules only allow certain things to be listed that way. Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for more detail but if someone is claiming that “by-products” in the list for AAFCO certified foods is evil, you should probably avoid that source of information as they are either misinformed, lying, trying to sell something or any/all of the above..

Grain Free Foods

Much has been written recently and I included a bit on it in many of my articles. In my article entitled “Schedule vs Free Feeding your Golden Retriever“ I even included a now somewhat dated but useful YouTube Video that I did for a university course in 2018. The short version is this: The FDA and UC Davis have determined that “Grain Free” foods are linked to a sudden spike in deaths in dogs (including Golden Retrievers in a big way) due to diet related Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) heart problems in Golden Retrievers. The common thread in most of those deaths was food claiming “Grain Free”.

Both organizations are still actively studying the issue to determine specific causes but your food choice as it relates to this is simply DO NOT feed your Golden Retriever foods labeled “Grain Free” unless your veterinarian specifically recommended it for allergy issues based on actual and specific allergy testing and there is no other non “grain free” option to remove the specific allergen.

The following podcast is definitely worth a listen. It does a great job explaining the science about the problems with “Grain Free” and “Raw” diets and comes from a leading and unbiased expert in the field.

Helpful links

- - The Truth About Dog Food Ingredient Lists
  - Scheduled vs Free Feeding your Golden Retriever
  - UC Davis Study linking Grain Free foods to potentially fatal heart problems
  - FDA Study linking Grain Free Foods to potentially fatal heart problems
  - Taurine Deficiency in Golden Retrievers Facebook Group

Kibble or Wet (canned) food?

This one is easy; kibble is your friend. Kibble is less expensive, is less smelly, is eaten a little slower and does not spoil as fast but most importantly, it is MUCH better for the dog’s teeth and gives them a little chewing exercise which is a good thing (as opposed to socks).

Vetinfo.com in part says this on the subject:

Dental Benefits

The kibble food is an excellent plaque remover and this is essential for the dog’s oral health. Dogs need teeth cleaning on a daily basis, but you may not always succeed in brushing his teeth, which can result in plaque deposits. Plaque can calcify within less than 3 days. Calculus deposits cannot be removed and may be the beginning of more complex dental and gum problems.

The kibble food has an abrasive surface, which can easily remove the existing plaque on the dog’s teeth. If the dog eats kibble food daily, the plaque will be regularly removed, so tartar will not form. Wet food doesn’t have this benefit.

Dog Food Recommendations

In recent years, there has been a huge influx of new dog food manufactures creating all kinds of “boutique” foods and fanning the “Grain Free” fad. Because the oversight of the FDA is so loose and there are so few inspectors, many if not most of the newer manufactures have had formulation issues and with so few performing quality tests based in actual repeatable science that is designed and implemented by certified pet nutrition specialists; frankly, we don’t trust them. The new crop of manufactures also advertise in a way that plays on and/or builds incorrect beliefs about wild dog diets and criticize diets that include grains and use established protein sources like chicken, beef, lamb and fish. They are quite simply wrong and are using marketing methods to scare people into buying their overpriced boutique food. Additionally, humans have recently been on a “Gluten Free” diet craze even though the vast majority don’t actually have celiac disease. They then apply their own diet practices to their dogs and this is a really bad mistake. Dogs have completely different dietary requirements compared to yours and seldom have celiac disease. Many of our common foods are actually poisonous or at least harmful to them. There is absolutely NO evidence that grains are bad for dogs and in fact the opposite is true unless there is a proven allergy.

Note also that dog food price is NOT a good indicator of quality. There is no reason to break the bank to feed your dog really good food. Some of the expensive foods break every rule I mention in this article and some others are not all that good so do your research for mid-priced foods and move on.

Our recommendations are simple.

Do your own research – know which ingredients are acceptable and what percentages are good.
ALWAYS feed Golden Retrievers food designed specifically for large breeds
Only buy foods that meet AAFCO guidelines and testing.
- Another useful resource are the WSAVA guidelines. WSAVA uses AAFCO guidelines for it’s specific food information but goes into much more detail on how to make informed choices.
Buy a mid-priced food that comes from an established dog food manufacturer that has been in business at least 15 years.
Evaluate recall history on your chosen foods.
- Note that not all the food brands that have unhealthy mixes get recalled. Recalls are about dangerous individual ingredients, not the health of the mix. They can however give you an inkling of a specific manufacturer’s quality control in the manufacturing process.
Only use dog food manufacturers and foods that have been scientifically researched by a certified pet nutritionist, meet AAFCO guidelines, tested in a lab and publish actual percentages of ingredients based on dry weight or volume.
Never feed “Grain Free” foods to your Golden Retriever without specific and well reasoned instruction from your veterinarian, and then, only to treat a specific, well defined medical issue.
- Even established manufactures also have “Grain Free” lines in order to remain competitive. Do not feed a “grain free” food even though it’s made by Purina (or another established company).
Avoid peas, chickpeas, legumes and potatoes of all varieties in the first 5 or 6 ingredients as these are the currently suspected problematic ingredients in the Diet Related DCM discussion for Golden Retrievers (and many other breeds).
Avoid feeding your your dog table and cooking scraps; period. In most cases, that practice is bad for the dog, can contribute to obesity and risks feeding them things that are bad for them or even poisonous. It also trains them to be beggars and pests at the dinner table.

What We Feed Our Dogs at Texas TLC Goldens

Golden Retriever — Harley playing in the back yard

We often get this question so I’ve included it in the article. Understand however that while this is the right food for us and is thoroughly researched, it is not the only good mid-priced food out there. This line of foods is the primary food fed to almost all AKC champions, is mid-priced and meets ALL of our food criteria so it is our food of choice.

Note that if you are not prepared to do your own research into other foods as well, we feel safe in telling you this is a good choice.

Puppies: Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy Focus
Adults (14 months and older): Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Savor (chicken)

Purina Pro Plan is not your only choice. There are several really good mid-priced dog foods out there. I don’t want to get involved in rating specific brands of food in this article so as always, do your own research and choose the right food for you and your fur-babies but don’t buy into hype; stick to science.

Summary

There are huge misconceptions about what constitutes “good” dog food, especially in recent years due to the marketing efforts of new dog food manufacturers. What our current domesticated dogs need is likely different from their wild ancestors needed several thousand years ago and we are unlikely to understand what that was back then anyway. Do your own research using scientific studies, not advertisements, fads, forums or Facebook and determine what is best for your beloved pet. Avoid the hype and let science guide you.

You should avoid food labeled “Grain Free” at almost any cost for most dogs but especially Golden Retrievers. Additionally you should avoid peas, legumes and potatoes in the first 5 or 6 ingredients in the list. Also don’t be afraid of “by-products” and “name meat” meal (like “chicken meal”) in the list.

There is no need to “break the bank” when buying dog food. There are quite a few really good quality choices in the mid-price ranges. The really expensive foods are not a cost-effective choice in our opinion unless you just have money to throw away and frankly, many of the most expensive foods are not something we’d be willing to feed our dogs even if we did.

We use the Purina Pro Plan line (non grain free). It is a very good mid-priced food and eaten by champions and thoroughly tested with great detail in the ingredient lists but it is not the only choice. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!

About the Authors

Note to our friends

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Dog Training is a Mindset

I saw a Ted Talk recently given by Ian Dunbar back in 2007. I’ve included that complete talk towards the end of this article if you’d like to view it. It was and still is a wonderful, entertaining and engaging talk that reminded me of something. While it covers much more than this, the point I want to make is training dogs is a mindset that never stops, not a specific one off activity. That talk inspired me to write more on the subject. I hope you read on and find it useful.

Most humans with dogs think of training in terms of training is “sessions”. By this I mean they decided that for the next few minutes they spend some time actively training their dog. When they are done, the dog then goes about his business and so does the human feeling good about what they did and thinking they are done for the day.

In fact, training has not stopped even though neither knows it. Training for your dog NEVER stops. Your dog (just like a human baby) goes about her life doing what interests her based on rewards and punishment. Before you wave arms and gnash teeth: by “punishment”, I mean that they decide some activity is not a good idea because of some form of negative stimulus, usually not painful (and never should be painful from a human) and might be as simple as it’s just not fun or pleasing. By reward, I mean that the activity is pleasing to him or rewards him with some pleasing result. This cycle goes on 24 hours a day, 7 days per week and 365 days per year. It does not stop when your “training session” stops. This is not to say that training sessions are not important; they are but most humans don’t realize that is not all there is to properly training a dog.

It was cute when they were a puppy!

So you have a beautiful new Golden Retriever puppy. She’s 8 weeks old and is trying to fit into your pack. You sit in your easy chair and she comes up to you and tries to jump into your lap but fails. She instead learns that she can just leave her back feet on the floor and put her from paws on your leg and she gets tons of love from you! You say soft loving things, scratch her head and scrunch her ears. Both she and you LOVE it!

When she gets a little older, she figures out how to jump into your lap. This is wonderful! She gets to snuggle with you and get total adoration. You get an intimate and loving embrace from your puppy. All is good with life.

When she’s been away from you, she misses you. When you return, she gets VERY excited. She wiggles, runs between your legs, jumps up on you and gets love in return!

Fast forward a year. Your beautiful Golden Retriever is now 65 pounds and much larger is stature. She now comes up to your easy chair and tries to jump into your lap. It is now VERY uncomfortable for you both (especially you) and may even hurt. You then scold her for it but she does not understand. After all it was what she was taught to do and it’s the right thing to do in her mind and it made you happy! Related image

Every time she sees a new person or when you come home, she jumps up on you and your guest and paws at you. She runs between your legs and sometimes knocks you over. She wiggles so much she knocks over a vase or a trash can. She may even knock over a child or old person. This is after all so much fun and it was always what the human wanted before!

Imagine now that if instead you had consistently rewarded your puppy when they were reasonably calm and sitting or laying down. Image result for golden retriever puppy on furniture You never rewarded them with kind words, head scratches and treats unless they were calm and doing some good thing (sitting, chewing on something approved, laying down calmly, waiting patiently for food, behaving on the leash, etc). Your dog learns that he will be happy and receive rewards for proper behavior early on and once he is over 60 pounds, he does not drive you and your guests nuts and break things without meaning to.

Training Your Dog Never Stops

The above example is a very limited subset of the things that are easy to do throughout the day that can have dramatic impact on your dog for the rest of their lives. It’s not hard, it just requires recognizing what is and is not good behavior (for both you and the dog) and that fun behavior as a puppy may not be so fun when they are large. It is also never too soon nor too late to start this. Yes, formal training sessions are important but it’s critical you realize that the training does not stop there.

Training goes on 24 hours per day whether you want it to or not but it does not have to be hard to do; you just need to think about it and pay a little attention. Related image You see your puppy sitting nicely, reward them and say “sit”; even if you did not ask them to do it. If you want to love on your puppy, do it when they are sitting, laying down or simply calm. If they get excited, stop. If they jump up on you, gently put their paws on the ground and only reward them with praise and loving when calm. As they get older, only reward them when calm and sitting.

If you allow them to be on furniture, only reward them with loving and attention when they are calm and behaving on the furniture. Never reward them when they are a pest on the couch and paw you or climb on you. the key here though is to remember to reward them for good behavior even when it’s not obvious they need it. If they sit quietly beside you, notice it…. reward them.. don’t ignore good behavior any time it happens.

Again, the examples provided above are not nearly everything that this applies to. Take those examples and think about what you’d love your adult dog to do or be like and apply them all day, every day through the dog’s life. It’s really not hard but it IS a mindset and you will need to learn.

Conclusion

Dog training does not need to be hard but ideally it should start as soon as you get the dog and never stop; it really is a mindset. Remember that puppies will not always be puppies and behavior that you like as a puppy may be undesired or even harmful as an adult.

Reward good behaviors with loving, treats, toys and activities consistently, even when they do them on their own. “Punish” bad behaviors by distracting them or not loving on them but never hit nor scream at you dog.

Formal training “sessions” are very important but training continues 24/7/365 for the life of your dog even after the “session” ends. They continually learn what is good or bad to do based on stimulus. It is YOUR job to provide positive stimulus EVERY time they do something good, even if you did not tell them to do it. The continual training does not have to be hard but it is a mindset you will need to take on.

About the Author

Bryan Curry loves all dogs in general, especially Golden Retrievers. He has had dogs for all but 6 months of his long life and all have lived happy and much longer than average lives. Bryan and his wife Terri are co-owners of Texas TLC Goldens; a small responsible breeder producing high quality Golden Retriever puppies.

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k9data.com – like it or spike it?

Review of the k9data.com pedigree database.

k9data.com is an online database that theoretically “documents” a retriever’s pedigree. It is restricted to three breeds of retrievers but includes Golden Retrievers so it’s worthy of review. It is used extensively in European breeders but less so in the United States.

It reminds me of genealogy programs somewhat since you can drill down into the family tree for as far back as they have records. It is easy to explore and drill down into and seems quite legit.

It “can” be informative but everything there should be taken with a healthy grain of salt and researched extensively before you take it as really good information when making a buying decision from a breeder you do not know. You should also beware of breeders that rely exclusively on that site for showing their pedigrees. If they are unwilling to show you their actual certified AKC pedigrees then there is a reason and most of those reasons are not in your best interest.

It’s similar to Wikipedia (sorta)

Like wikipedia, k9data.com relies exclusively on the honesty and accuracy of the people that put data there. Many responsible breeders do put accurate information there but is a VERY easy thing for irresponsible breeders, puppy mills and back yard breeders to put fudged, incorrect or patently false information as well. Yes, the owners if k9data.com will remove and ban folks that do this but their staff is small and ONLY responds to complaints, and then only when they have time; as far as I can tell they do not typically investigate entries on their own. They even have a plainly worded disclaimer to that effect on their main page. This means that you should never completely trust information found there at face value and it’s on you to go to reliable databases like AKC to get verified results if you are really looking for objective data. While not free, you can get an online breeders report from AKC that gives 4 to 5 generation pedigree online for under $25.

The calculations on the “Inbreeding Coefficient” (COI) at k9data.com is interesting as well but be advised that while their calculations make be accurate, they are only based on available data. That means the reported COI may be based on data that is missing or worse, on data from incorrect entries.

Inbreeding of dogs that are at least two generations apart (grandparent/grandchild for example) is quite common in the industry. The risk of genetic abnormalities is very small when doing this and frankly, this is how breeds are created but we at Texas TLC Goldens have taken a different direction on this. We are breeding high quality and beautiful pets with great temperaments, not conformation show dogs (although some of them could win shows). We wanted to eliminate any potential problem to the extent we can, no matter how small, so we research the pedigrees of our breeding partners and plan to never breed relatives closer than 4 generations. This however is a personal choice for us and we are not criticizing those that breed using industry accepted practice.

Conclusion

So to answer the question in the title; we “Like it” when used properly with full understanding of what it is. We enjoy cruising through that database as well. It can be a valuable and fun resource as long as you understand what it is and where the data comes from. Again, think of it as being similar to Wikipedia. Scholarly papers and many universities do not recognize Wikipedia sources because it is not verified nor objective data and is subject to constant change by anyone that wants to change it. We still read and enjoy Wikipedia but if you want objective/verified information, you should go elsewhere.

We at Texas TLC Goldens just added Harley and Emma‘s data to their database by popular demand. We were very careful to keep it all accurate and it really is interesting to see what they find.

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Collar Advice from Texas TLC Goldens – Updated

Note: This article was originally published months ago but we discovered a new harness that in some corner cases, is a life/dog saver. I’ve updated the end of the article with the new information and re-published it.

Collars are a thing for all dogs. Some people use them always, some only when going out. Everyone has a different opinion on which sort of harness or collar to use and most of those opinions are great. What follows is OUR opinion and how WE do it for Golden Retrievers. Unless you are using one of the cruel collars I list below, we totally respect your preferences.

Harnesses

Harness have recently gained a lot of popularity because they essentially can’t slip off and never hurt the dogs throat. That is admirable and a real benefit but there are downsides.

Image result for dog harness images This could be a long a detailed discussion but I’ll boil it down to the basics and that is: We’ve not had good successes with harnesses. Your experience may vary but please read on to hear ours.

A harness essentially does almost nothing to train the Golden Retriever. It does not hurt nor does it force him to change his mind about were he wants to go. A harness is essentially like a yoke harness on a horse or Ox or sled dog. It is designed to allow them to PULL with the least amount of discomfort. This is all well a good as a puppy that you can man handle but Golden Retrievers do not stay small long. Image result for dog harness images If you do not train your Golden Retriever to handle a leash really well by the time they get to 10-12 months old, your walking days are over if you do not have Dwayne Johnson’s size and arms.

Goldens are very strong and very energetic. Once you add adult weight, if they decide to pull you, you WILL be forced to move with them whether you want to or not if you use a harness.

Image result for dog harness images — Chest Ring Harness

We also tried chest ring harnesses that pull the Golden to the side if tugged on. This worked somewhat but the dog learned he could just bow up his back and pull sideways. This behavior was patently bad for his skeletal structure so we abandoned that as well.

I’m not saying harness are evil; they absolutely are not and many have good experiences with them but in our experience, they are difficult at best to train a puppy with and leash training is one of the most important things you can do for your dog (and yourself).

Evil Collars

Image result for training collar image — Absolutely EVIL collar

I’ll step right into my judgemental tone here as I am passionate about this. Never, ever, ever use a collar designed to deliver pain with a Golden Retriever. No choke collars, no spiked collars with the spikes turned in, and no “training” shock collars.

These collars are all unnecessary, completely counter-productive for your Golden Retriever and frankly; cruel.

Disclaimer: yeah I know that thin chain choke collars are often used on conformation shows to really show off the dog and hide the collar but that is ONLY after the dog is really, really leash trained and does not ever pull.

Golden Retrievers are best trained using positive reinforcement. They are sensitive animals that want more than anything in life for you to love them and to please you. It may not seem like it at times but this is absolutely true. The biggest challenge is to keep repeating good behavior with loving and/or rewards and/or praise until they figure out what you want. If you hurt them, they interpret that as not loving them and has undesired effects. We prohibit these sorts of collars for any puppy we sell.

Ok, I’ll turn off the judgemental tone and get back to the fun stuff now…

Good Collars and How We Do It

In general a good collar should be smooth, comfortable and wide enough to not cut into your Golden Retriever’s neck. Depending on how it’s used (as I’ll explain below) it could be waterproof or not and loose or not and used for leashes or not. I’ll explain how we do it but again, you are free to choose what works best for you.

We use two different collars for each Golden Retriever. We have daily wear collars that never come off and leash collars just for walking on a leash.

Daily Wear

Image result for CircuitOffice 1" Universal Reflective — Daily wear collar – many colors available

The daily wear collar is for occasional manual control of your golden Retriever but not for leash walking most of the time. Our daily wear collars are plastic to keep them from stinking when they get wet. This has the side benefit of not keeping a wet collar against their skin which can create unwanted “Hot

Spots”. They are easy to clean, have a reflective strip for better Image result for Leash Boss Slide On Pet ID Tag image night time visibility and we added a durable name tag with their name and our phone number integrated onto the collar itself. Dangly tags always wear out and fall off so we prefer the integrated ID tag. Once your Golden has stopped growing, you may want to consider THIS COLLAR as it is, more attractive and the name tag is fully integrated and sits flatter on the collar.

The fit for the daily wear collar should be adjustable and if it is not a “breakaway” collar then it should be adjusted loose enough that the dog can get out of it if they get hung up on something but not so loose that it just falls off in normal play. If it is a break away collar, adjust it so that you can comfortably get three fingers under it and make sure the break away feature is not so weak that it comes apart with a gentle tug. After all, the collar is supposed to allow you to control an excited dog with your hand and for a few moments, they may disagree.

Leash Collar

The leash collar only goes on when it’s time to go for a walk and is put on on top of the daily wear collar. This is another reason that we don’t use dangly tags on the daily wear collars as the tags could get pinched under the leash collar.

Image result for martingale collar for dogs image — Example Martingale collar – Cloth pull

Our collar of choice is the Martingale style collar, which is a cross between a regular collar and the evil choke collar that is adjustable to take away the evil part. When properly adjusted, the collar will tighten up just enough around the Golden’s neck to get their attention and be nearly impossible to slip out of but stops before it chokes them. Adjusting it is critical as it should be just a little uncomfortable at it’s tightest but not choke them. Care should be taken as the puppy grows to continue to adjust it.

The part of the collar that goes around the front of the neck should be pliable, strong and wide. It is important that it be able to apply even pressure all around the neck and not cut into it if the pup gets feisty. Pliable leather or some form of stitched cloth is fine. This is their “Sunday Best” collar so make it pretty and get a matching leash. It does not need to be waterproof as you will likely never allow them to swim or play in the mud in it on purpose.

Image result for ROGZ Utility Extra Large 1-Inch Reflective Lumberjack — Our collar – many colors available

For Our leash collars, we prefer the Martingale style that uses a chain for the leash attachment and cinch. We feel it is stronger and gives more reliable tightening and loosening without hanging. Look for chain link styles that will slide through rings easily. Models that use a cloth hookup are also acceptable but we prefer chain. 3/4″ collar width is fine for puppies and adolescents but as they get bigger, we suggest moving to a 1″ wide collar.

The Martingale style collar gives you effective control of the Golden’s neck and head without harming them, especially if you can keep it high on the neck. As the collar tightens, it presses on the entire neck, not just the windpipe when they pull. This gives you control of the neck that also gives you control of the head. If you can turn her head, she must turn as well and turning them is the best way to prevent and/or train against pulling. We’ve also found that the tightening action serves as a sign to them that they should pay attention when they casually get to the end of the leash. Harley tends to go to the end of the leash but when it tightens, she pauses and lets it loosen up.

It is exceedingly easy to put on and take off. When not being pulled on it slips easily over the head but when they pull, it tightens in a way that is impossible to escape but does not harm their neck.

We leave ours attached to the leash and just put on or take off the entire rig as a unit. They are not very large and are easy to store on a wall hook with the leash.

Head harness collar for difficult dogs (added 2019/12/24)

So our River (neutered) has a heart condition and as a result, training is difficult. When something scares or startles a dog it is natural for their heart to race somewhat but other than a little racing blood, it does not bother them.. The problem with River is he has a heart defect makes his heart feel uncomfortable when it races and has since he was born so he reacts more often than learns when something bothers him and in the case of leashes, he PULLS. He is also not all that motivated by treats. These things make training him when he’s not perfectly calm very, very difficult. He is also huge (almost 90lbs). Luckily for us, he is incredibly sweet and mild mannered any other time but on a leash, he pulls like an ox.
The Martingale collar was an improvement over a regular collar but he still

Image result for gentle leader image" — Not River

pulled HARD. We also tried chest ring harnesses but that just made him get all twisted up and he still pulled hard and we feared he would hurt himself. Out of desperation, we finally tried a “Gentle Leader” collar and OMG, it worked.

Now when River pulls, it just points his nose down and he stops pulling. It took some time to get it fitted right and for him to get used to it but now he is among the easiest of our dogs to walk when using the Petsafe Gentle Leader head harness.

The gentle leader must be introduced to your dog over time as it is not completely natural for a dog to have a strap over it’s nose but they do get used to it with a little patience. It is also a little confusing to get on the dog’s head and fitted correctly so we don’t recommend it for every dog nor for long term use for most Golden Retrievers.

There are however times where this collar could come in handy

You have a Golden that has a permanent condition like Rivers that makes training a real problem
You didn’t invest the time and effort to train your pup when they were small and now they are too big to control and you need a temporary solution to be able to leash your dog in public until you get them properly trained.
The person waling the dog is too small and/or not strong enough to handle a partially trained adult Golden if they get excited and decide to chase a squirrel.

Conclusion

There are endless types of collars out there and almost as many opinions on what is the right collar or combination of collars to use. We suggest a daily wear collar that is easy to clean, waterproof and has a durable/integrated name tag with ID information. The collar should either be a firm break away style or should be adjust loose enough that the dog can get out of it in an emergency.

The leash collar should be an attractive and properly adjusted Martingale of stitched material or flexible leather. We like the chain pull but cloth works as well. Be sure to adjust the Martingale properly as it is not supposed to choke; just give a firm wrap on the neck to get their attention. Remember that puppies also grow so adjust them often until adult.

If you have a uniquely difficult to leash train fully grown Golden Retriever or are not physically able to handle it when they get dexited on leash, then try the Petsafe Gentle Leader. It does work for difficult fully grown Goldens but we still prefer the Martingale collar whenever possible.

(said in firm voice) Avoid all collars that have inward spikes, choke or shock your dog, always!! Remember that we may void your contract if we catch you these collars this with our puppies – it is that important to us.

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Chagas Disease and Kissing Bugs

Chagas Disease is an ugly heart disease (currently incurable unless treated very early) that can severely affect your Golden Retriever (or any dog or even humans for that matter) and can lead to death in some cases and shortened life in many.. The disease is “endemic” to Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia and all of Latin America but is spreading through all the southern United States as the weather warms and has recently been found as far north ad Delaware.

If there is good news here, the disease originates in one place: The Kissing Bug. Control the bug if you find them and there is a really good chance you are good to go. The other good news is this is not an epidemic. Don’t panic! It is uncommon to catch this disease so the purpose of this article is to educate; not scare you.

Disclaimer: We are Texas TLC Goldens are not expert on this issue and are simply passing on our research and opinions. As always, you should do your own research and consult your veterinarian if you have questions or concerns.

What are the effects of Chagas Disease?

According to PetMD.com, the symptoms are these:

Two forms of Chagas disease are observed in dogs: acute and chronic. Some dogs experience an extended asymptomatic period between the two forms, which can last for months to years.

Acute Symptoms

Fever

Depression

Lethargy

Diarrhea

Loss of appetite

Swollen lymph nodes

Enlarged liver or spleen

Neurologic abnormalities (e.g., seizures)

Sudden death

These symptoms may not be noticed by owners because they often resolve without treatment.

Chronic Symptoms

Weakness

Exercise intolerance

Increased heart rate (tachycardia)

Abnormal heart rhythms

Fluid accumulation throughout the body

Coughing

Death

Chagas infection can be detected by blood tests administered by your veterinarian.

What causes Chagas Disease?

Chagas Disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. There are just a few ways for a pet (or human but that’s more rare) to catch the disease but all are centered around a single bug: the “Kissing Bug”. A recent Texas A&M study estimates that 50% of the Kissing Bugs in Texas are infected.

Infection can come from:

Being bitten on the skin or other soft tissue bu a Kissing Bug that becomes infected by feces from the bug.
Consuming anything that could contain Kissing Bug Feces
- Ground water
- Water from a bowl with a kissing bug in it
- Licking fur with Kissing Bug feces on it
- Eating infected animals (rodents, etc)
- Eating Kissing Bugs

So what’s a “Kissing Bug”?

The “Kissing Bug” is a blood feeding insect that is named as it is because it has historically bitten humans around the mouth area. It is quite uncommon for this to happen but the name stuck. The scientific names vary by species but all start with “Triatoma”. One example is “Triatoma sanguisuga”. They have wings and can fly quite a distance but prefer walking.

The Kissing bug can be light brown to black and have antennae. Some species have red, yellow or tan markings on their backs or abdomen. They have 6 legs and are typically oval and elongated in shape. Adult Kissing Bugs can be .75″ to 1.25″ in length.

Image result for kissing bug images — Variety of Kissing Bugs and their Scientific names

While Kissing bugs may come into your home looking for food, they won’t usually live there. They tend to be found living under porches, in piles of leaves, chicken coops and dog houses and in animal boroughs like the ones created by rodents and opossums.

What can I do about them?

The most important thing to do is know about the issue, and recognize the bugs. If you just see one outside and it’s not floating in your dog’s water, just kill it and be vigilant for more. Since these bugs can fly quite a distance, just seeing one does not necessarily indicate an infestation. If you see one in the house and you did not see it fly or crawl in an open door or window, you may want to seal up cracks and holes around the home and consider professional pest control.

My research indicates that most if not all over the counter pest control chemicals will not effectively control Kissing Bugs. If you want to go the extermination route, you will likely need to hire a professional pest control service.

WebMD has this to say about prevention:

Most people in the U.S. don’t need to worry about kissing bugs. They don’t usually infest houses here, though an occasional bug might get inside.

If you’ve noticed them in your home or live in an area with Chagas disease, you can take steps to keep them away:

Seal cracks and gaps in your home to keep bugs out. Put screens in your windows and patch any holes.

Keep chicken coops and other animal cages away from your home.

Move piles of leaves, firewood, and rocks out of your yard.

Turn off outdoor lights near the house at night so they won’t attract bugs.

Clean your dog or cat indoor beds regularly.

Conclusion

Chagas Disease is an ugly disease cause by blood infections transmitted by the feces of the Kissing Bug and infected animals. It is present in the southern half of the Unites States and all of Latin America but has been observed moving slowly northward. It is not very common to get infected but it can happen. It is important to recognize what a Kissing Bug looks like and take appropriate action if you find them on your property. There is no reason to panic, this is not an epidemic but forewarned is forearmed; know the issue and what to do, be observant and you should be fine.

Useful links

https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_dg_chagas_disease

https://www.healthline.com/health/kissing-bug-bite

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20190426/dangerous-kissing-bug-marches-north-in-us

https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/skin-kissing-bugs#1

https://www.wired.com/2015/12/remain-calm-kissing-bugs-are-not-invading-the-us/

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New Puppy Advice

So you’ve got a beautiful new Golden Retriever Puppy; now what? A Golden Retriever puppy is a commitment for the life of the dog that may last 14 years but you need to start off right. Your new fur-baby has instincts, yes, but all other things must be trained. Your puppy relies on you for everything. Food, Water, vaccinations, love, healthcare and training are all provided by you. It sounds daunting but it’s really not as long as you accept the challenge and enjoy your loving new addition to the family. You should start by reading general information on Golden Retrievers in my “Caring For Golden Retrievers” page.

Vaccinations

Your puppy should come to you with her first round of vaccinations. Typically vaccinations are given at 4 to 8 weeks then again at 12 weeks and finally at 16 weeks. Your vet may have a slightly different schedule so work with them but vaccinate you MUST. Only the rabies vaccine is required by Texas law but all recommended vaccines should be given. They prevent things like rabies, parvo, canine influenza and much more. At Texas TLC Goldens we require all new puppy parents agree in writing to keep vaccines up-to-date for the live of the dog; it’s just that important.

In the southern United States you should pay special attention to parvo. The parvovirus is more common on warmer states but can be found in all 50 states. The disease is very contagious and the effects are debilitating at best and often results in death.

The vaccinations for parvo require a series of three shots in a new puppy and again annually for life to remain protected. That said, your new fur-baby will not be fully vaccinated against parvo until his final round of shots. From a new puppy perspective this means that you must work hard to prevent exposure to this easily transmitted disease until the entire series of vaccinations are complete. Until that happens you should keep your puppy away from anywhere that unknown dogs have been.

Until fully vaccinated, dog parks should be completely avoided and contact with dogs that you are not SURE are vaccinated is unwise. Avoid roadside rest areas, truck stops, airport pet relief areas and any place unknown dogs have likely been. Places that wild dogs may have been are dangerous as wild dogs are the most common carriers. If you take your new puppy to retail establishments (which is really good for their socialization), we suggest putting them in the shopping basket rather than the floor.

Enough about parvo for now. Read about it and know that in domestic dogs it’s not all that common but it absolutely does happen and can be deadly. The challenge is that even though it is relatively rate, it’s so contagious and deadly that you cannot afford to take chances. Breeders are especially cautious since puppies are by definition un-vaccinated and one infection in the litter can wipe out the litter and or be extremely expensive and require extensive disinfecting cleanup to prevent future infections.

Feeding

Puppies need different food than adults. With adults you need high protein but balanced food. For puppies, too much protien can make them grow to quickly and possibly cause skeletal or joint problems. A higher percentage of carbohydrates is desired to provide needed energy and a different mix of other ingredients to balance out what a growing puppy needs is also needed. Also be sure to get “large breed” puppy food as Goldens need different food from smaller dogs. Puppies should continue to have puppy food until at least 12 months old, 18 months may be better.

If you feed on a schedule, you should feed puppies at least 3 times per day. They have small stomachs and cannot eat all that much in a single sitting so more frequent feeding is called for. If you free feed as we’ve historically done, just keep an eye on the volume consumed and watch their weight.

Be sure to select a really good quality food. We recommend kibble, not wet as kibble is MUCH better for their teeth. We also foods from major manufacturers that have scientific labs and publish statistics and testing. After much research, we chose Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Savor for our adults and Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy Focus for our puppies. Purina is the largest pet manufacturer out there and has extensive published testing. (no we were not paid for this plug) There are higher rated foods but they tend to be exponentially more expensive. We found our chosen foods to be of really good quality and a great mix of ingredients and cost effective. Note that even Purina ahs has less desirable foods (Dog Chow and anything “Grain Free” for example) so do your own research and get really good cost/effective food from a reputable manufacturer based on research, not cool commercials. We do not recommend “raw food” diets (a current fad) as they don’t consistently contain the proper mix of nutrients and run a very real risk of poisoning your fur-baby.

Puppies should have access to good clean water at all times when awake. It’s OK to put the water up at bed time but be sure to put it back down for them first thing when you wake up and keep it fresh.

Socialize!!

Properly socializing your Golden Retriever can be the difference in a well adjusted dog and a dog that is afraid of everything. Socialization is exposing your puppy to as many new sounds, textures, smells, people, dogs, cats, horses, cattle, cars, trucks, riding in cars, shopping carts and everything else in our environment as much as possible. As dogs age, new things can make them fearful if they don’t know what they are or have never experienced them. The absolute best time to get most socialization done is well before 6 months old. It can be done at most any age but they are much more impressionable and fearless when young.

For more details, read my article Socializing Your Puppy.

Puppy Training Basics

Training is the most often neglected part of new puppy ownership, the lack of which is one of the highest contributors to dissatisfaction with pets. I recommend attending at least two series’ of obedience classes with your puppy starting at around 4 to 6 months of age but don’t wait for the classes to start on your own. Training does not need to be difficult but it does need to be consistent and it’s pretty much never too early to start. We at Texas TLC Goldens will begin basic potty training starting at 3 or 4 weeks old. At that age it takes more to get solid behavior but we’ll give you a little head start.

Important: NEVER hit your dog and try you best to never yell at them. Golden Retrievers are emotional dogs and are very treat / praise motivated. Using negative techniques are counter productive at best and can make them shut down at worst. Reward them for good behavior and do that consistently to achieve the best results.

You can train basic things with little or no extra work if you are consistent. Just remember to use a key word (like “yes”) or a clicker from the very beginning to signify they did something right and reward them EVERY time they do something good at least with praise and often with healthy treats. Also be aware that puppies under 6 months old have the attention span of a gnat (not really but it will seem like it). Keep your training sessions frequent but short (like maybe 5 minutes each) at first and slowly expand the times as they age and show more maturity.

Potty Training

Potty Training / House Training is probably the single most important thing you can train you dog to do. This is so important I wrote an entire article on it. Essentially ANY dog can be trained to go outside to do their business so don’t let impatience and frustration get the better of you. Read “Potty Training Your Puppy” and get started with consistent training on day one!

Sit

Every time they sit, reward them and use the word sit in the praise.

Every time the sit when you asked them to sit, reward them more. Puppies don’t have the attention span to sit for long but sit they will and just reward them every time.

At first it matters little if they sit on their own, if they do it reward them WHILE sitting. You can add the command as you go. Every time you decide to love on your puppy, make then sit first. Praise and loving should be a reward and not just expected behavior.

Leash Training

You REALLY want to get this down pat and EARLY. As Golden Retrievers grow they become quite strong and will pull you like a mule if you let them. Start when they are young and very treat motivated. Put a lightweight leash on them and make them sit on your left side. Let them have a treat then show them you have another and make them watch the treat saying “Watch me”. Now say a walk command like “walk” or “heal” or some other word of your choosing (but be consistent) then step off with your left foot. They will usually move with you as a puppy but keep them focused on the treat. If they start to pull, show them the treat and encourage them to stay on your left side. If they don’t cooperate, make them sit and start over. When you stop they should sit on your left side and then they can get the treat. do this every day, several times and you should see great results. Once they have it down pat, start weaning them off the treat by letting them smell the treat but not see it (keep it in your enclosed hand). The first few times you do this, give them the treat when they do things correctly. After that start only praising them more and more with no treat. Gradually make it more and more without the treat giving only praise. Eventually they will no longer require the treat.

The suggested training plan above is designed for young puppies as they are not yet big enough nor motivated enough to try and drag you. If your dog is more than a few months old and is already pulling, google leash training and use one of the many methods espoused on the web. They main things I’ll tell you about that situation is that you should NEVER allow your dog to pull you, learn how to deal with it and stop that behavior EVERY time. If you ever allow them to pull you and go where they want, you are TRAINING them to pull and risking damage to their throats. Additionally we are not fans of “training” collars of almost any kind. We use “martindale” collars that contract when pulled but we carefully size them so as not to choke when they pull tight. The nice thing about these collars is they can be loose and comfortable around the neck but when you need to restrain your pup, they contract small enough that they can’t slip it off their head. Remember also that you pup’s neck will grow. Use caution that their own growth does not cause their collar to choke them.

Stay

Stay is a little harder than sit but it’s a key skill. If you do not effectively train this skill your puppy will rush the door and get out and cause all sorts of other headaches in time. This skill is best trained with treats. Start by making them sit the tell them to stay and back up one step. If they stay, treat and praise them. If they break, reset and go again. Young puppies may not stay long but reward them for even a few seconds. As they get the idea, move further and further away from them and slowly expect them to stay longer. Ideally you should be able to make them stay for up to two minutes even if you are walking around them. This may take a while to achieve but it’s a goal you should set.

No Jumping!

Golden Retrievers can get wildly exuberant and will tend to jump up on people when they get excited. This is especially true if they have not seen you in a while and worse, they will try to do it to guests. Know that Golden Retrievers grow to 55-80 pounds and jumping on people can unintentionally hurt the some folks and is often irritating to others. Even if you like it, chances are others will not.

The best way to train this out of them coincides with “sit”. Train them that they NEVER get rewards and loving if they are not calm and sitting. Never indulge over excited behavior by encouraging it and loving on them. If you get excited and let them go crazy while you love on them, you are TRAINING them to act this way.

This training has the side benefit of reducing “Separation Anxiety” to some extent. If your fur-baby expects an exciting return where you are very excited to see them and get them all worked up, they will expect it every time you or anyone else walks in the door and stress if you don’t walk back in right away. If you walk in the door and they get excited, don’t make a big deal of it and calmly walk right past them and ignore them; pushing them down and use a command like “off” if they jump on you. When they calm down and you can make the sit and stay sitting, THEN you can love on them.

Conclusion

It is critical that you properly train your puppy and it’s never too early to start. Golden Retrievers WANT to please you but you need to train them with what makes you happy. It is always best to start when they are very young before they develop bad habits. Only use positive reinforcement for training, never negative. Start on the very fist day and so some amount of it every day afterwards. Be very consistent on the commands used and your treating/reward behavior. Training can often be done throughout the course of the day for many things without organized “training sessions” but when you do train them, keep the sessions short when they are young and expect short attention spans. The pup should EARN loving and/or treats (with something as simple as sitting if nothing else). Never give a treat without a successful action, ever.

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Ichthyosis (ICH or ICT) in Golden Retrievers

We got Emma‘s DNA test results back from Embark and it turns out she is a “carrier” for Ichthyosis-A (commonly referred to as ICH, ICT, ICT-A or ICH-A). That said, some explanation is needed.

Let’s get the important stuff dealt with first. Being a carrier for ICH is relatively common and completely harmless for your pet with absolutely no symptoms whatsoever. It only becomes an issue if you plan to use that dog as a breeder and as I’ll explain below, it is completely harmless as long as your breeder (hopefully you choose us) pays attention to the genetics of the dog’s breeding partner.

I’ll use three different terms repeatedly throughout the article and it’s important you understand their meanings.

Carrier = no presented symptoms due to the mutation – ever
Affected = will experience symptoms
Clear = no mutated ICH gene

What is Ichthiosis (ICH)?

Ichthyosis-A is the genetic variant that affects Golden Retrievers and is an autosomal recessive genetic mutation that affects the skin of Golden Retrievers and a few other dog breeds. The mutation prevents the outer layer of the epidermis (skin) from forming properly, resulting in skin that becomes darkened and thick, with excessive flaking. I considered grabbing some pictures but the internet is filled with worst case scenario pics and the vast majority of cases are not worst case. That said I saw no benefit in presenting a horror show.

Ichthyosis should not be confused with Seborrhea which actually IS dandruff. ICH is a genetic condition and can, in some cases, be much more severe than dandruff and is completely preventable as you will see below.

ICH is very common in Golden Retrievers. The exact percentage of this mutation in Goldens is not known but I’ve seen studies in Europe that showed 45% as carriers and almost 30% as affected in their sample. In the United States I suspect the numbers are lower due to differing opinions on handling the condition on this side of the pond but I have no studies backing that up.

The name Ichthyosis comes from the Greek word for fish because of the resemblance to fish scales resulting from this condition if your dog is “affected” (not “carrier”). A common slang name for the condition is “Fish Scale Disease”. The most common symptom is flaking of the skin similar to dandruff in humans. It is also possible to have hardening and darkening of the skin. Which symptom experienced and it’s individual severity varies and can become worse or better over time based on hormone levels and stress. The visible symptoms in an affected dog can present themselves at any stage of life but most often are seen before the puppy’s first birthday. The ONLY way to confirm ICH is via a simple, inexpensive DNA test. If you Golden gets flaky skin, it is not necessarily ICH.

In general, active ICH is not dangerous to your Golden Retrievers health. It is mostly cosmetic but can be uncomfortable and/or itchy for your pet. The symptoms can be managed to some extent with the proper shampoos and treatments but there is no cure.

Is it wise to breed a Golden Retriever that has ICH?

In general, it is completely safe to breed a Golden Retriever that is an ICH carrier with some simple precautions. In some very narrow cases, some breeders do breed an ICH affected dog but there needs to be a really good reason for the betterment of the breed conformation.

In Europe it is fairly common to breed affected dogs and many breeders just brush it off as “dandruff”. In America, we are typically more careful on this issue but it’s still a thing.

Editorial

Ironically, the American Kennel Club does not even require DNA testing on Golden Retrievers for it’s “AKC Bred with HEART” program. I find that sad since DNA testing is cheap, easy and accurate. I believe in today’s world there is no excuse for providing ICH affected puppies when that puppy will be a sterilized pet and not a conformance championship competitor and even then, it should be avoided if possible. “Carrier” is OK if handled properly when breeding; “Affected”, no so much.

How can breeders manage Ichthyosis?

The trick for preventing affected status is to know the DNA status of both breeding parents and only breed proper combinations. The following set of bullets outline how to determine how the ICH gene can be inherited based on the genes of both parents (source: First Foundation for Ichthyosis and related skin types):

Note: the % chances listed below are per puppy, not per litter.

Parents are Clear + Clear
- All puppies are clear
Parents are Clear + Affected
- All puppies are carriers
Parents are Carrier + Clear
- Puppies have a 50% chance of being a Carrier
- Puppies have a 50% chance of being Clear
Parents are Carrier + Carrier
- Puppies have a 25% chance of being Clear
- Puppies have a 50% chance of being a Carrier
- Puppies have a 25% chance of being Affected
Parents are Carrier + Affected
- Puppies have a 50% chance of being Carrier
- Puppies have a 50% chance of being Affected
Parents are Affected + Affected
- All puppies are affected

Conclusion

ICH-A is a completely manageable genetic mutation that is very common in Golden Retrievers. Since the American Kennel Club and European kennel clubs have not condemned it, Ichthyosis remains a thing. It is completely preventable with responsible breeding practices but unfortunately is still common.

Ichthyosis is not deadly nor typically bad for the dog’s health but it can be uncomfortable and can detract from the good looks of the dog’s coat in some cases. If a Golden Retriever is a “Carrier”, there are absolutely no health risks nor symptoms. If breeding an ICH-A “carrier”, the breeder should simply insist the mate is tested and “Clear” of ICH-A. The puppies produced will have a 50% chance of being a carrier but that matters not at all if the puppies will be sold with limited registration never breed. Even if sold with full registration where breeding is probable, producing a puppy that is a “carrier” is not evil as long and breeders pays careful attention to it.

If you care about ICH (and in my opinion you should), it is important that you only buy puppies from breeders that can show DNA tests from BOTH parents. If both parents are “Clear” then you are set. If one is a “Carrier” and the other “Clear”, you are still set since none of the puppies will be “affected”. If either parent is “affected”, you need to pay much closer attention and I’d recommend requiring a DNA test on the puppy to assure it is not “affected” before you buy it .

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What color will my Golden Retriever puppy grow into?

This is a short article with information that can be important when selecting a Golden Retriever puppy if their final coat color is important to you. Many people select a puppy based on what the puppy’s body coloring looks like at 4 to 6 weeks old and that would be a mistake if the final coat coloring matters.

Spoiler alert: Just check the ears once hair starts really growing on them..

Now that I’ve given the spoiler, I’ll use Harley as an example.

When Harley was a tiny pup, she looked like this:

When she was around 5 or 6 weeks old, she looked like this:

Now look at those ears and realize that Harley looks like this as an adult:

The ear color may not be exactly their adult color but it’s typically close and is the best possible indicator so don’t be distracted by the puppy’s body color…. Concentrate on the ears!

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