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So you want a Golden Retriever Puppy?  Outstanding!  Golden Retrievers are the best breed on the planet (no bias here; they really are).  🙂  That said, there is MUCH for you to do if you want them to STAY the best; it’s not magic and does not happen on it’s own.  A Golden Retriever’s natural temperament makes them easy to train but also makes them a handful so go into this with proper expectations.  The following article is a fairly long read and the sections are in no particular order but I suggest working your way through it so that you can be prepared to be the best Golden Retriever puppy parent you can be.  It may sound difficult to do things the right way but it’s not.  It does however require knowledge, thought and attention so read on!  Note that this article is intended to deliver some useful tips but there are certainly more to be had..  Vaccinations, good food, Vet checkups, flea treatments, etc.  I’ve written other articles on some of these things (more on the way) and are on this web site but do your research and be prepared!

Make Sure You are Ready for the Long Haul

OK so first a word of caution.  Puppies are a LOT of work if you want to have a well adjusted adult.  If you are not prepared to do what it takes as a puppy to make them good pets as an adult then just change your mind now and don’t buy one.  You will own, live with and love this puppy for potentially 12 years or more so make the commitment or not but decide NOW.  There is nothing worse than someone who buys a puppy and abandons it a few months later because they were not prepared to be proper owners.  If you make the decision to more forward and work at it you will almost certainly never chose another breed and will be glad you did but it does take commitment.

Set Proper Expectations for the First Few Months

A puppy is a baby.  We put diapers on human babies and put up with a year of changing those diapers, watching over them every minute of every day, hugging/holding them, cooing at them and tolerating spit ups and all manner of bodily fluids.  When they are old enough, you have to TRAIN them to potty in the right place.  The only difference with a puppy is it does not take all that long since they mature MUCH faster than human babies, they can start potty training VERY early on and…   well…  diapers just don’t work.

Puppies will be cuddly and beautiful but will also be amazingly curious and rambunctious.  They will either be sleeping (a lot) or going 100%;  there is little in between.  They will have accidents in the home, will chew things and might make more noise than you like.  Deal with it and start training them VERY early on, you will be happy you did.

Crate Training

Most people and experienced trainers swear by crate training.  It provides a “safe place” for the puppy to retreat and is handy to keep them contained when you are not watching them.  Despite how it appears, crate training, when done properly, is not evil or cruel at all.  Dogs are naturally den animals and the crate can provide a sense of security for them.  We at Texas TLC Goldens do not use crates a lot but that is a personal preference; we still recognize that it’s an incredibly useful tool for many and a very popular and safe thing to do if done properly.  I’ll not go into specifics on how to perform crate training as it’s not my strong point and frankly there are TONS of sites on the web that can advise you.  My only real advice is to research several methods and make absolutely sure that you never use the crate as punishment.  Your Golden Retriever should LIKE going into the crate and feel comfortable there.  Also don’t make a puppy go all night without a potty break.  Puppies can generally hold it for an hour per month old; don’t force them to pee or poo inside their crate!

Potty Training

Note:  This section is an excerpt from my more detailed post:  How to Potty Train Your Puppy

This subject is all over the web so I’ll not go over all the different methods of doing it; the key thing is to start early and be consistent.  Puppies from Texas TLC Goldens will have a head start as we plan to use artificial turf just outside their whelping box as well as on the back porch to give them safe places that simulate grass.  Dogs don’t like eliminating near their food or where they sleep so once they are big enough to climb out of the box (around 4 weeks or so) they will start moving to the turf area to do their business.  They will not be completely trained but they should have a head start when they go to their forever homes.

Notes before we start:

• Your Golden Retriever puppy WILL have one or more accidents inside the house, guaranteed.  It serves no useful purpose to scold them for this  and frankly, is probably your fault (read on below).   When this happens, clean it up quickly and thoroughly, especially if it happens on carpet.  The smell will draw them back to that spot if you do not get it completely gone immediately.
• No matter which method you choose to potty train, there is always one key component;  you must pay attention 100% of the time.  You must know what your Golden Retriever puppy is doing at all times until they are thoroughly potty trained.  Keep them in the same room you are in, pay attention and respond properly; you must be observant and respond properly in a very consistent fashion.
• The methods I supply below are not nearly the only ways to potty train your Golden Retriever; they are just the ways that we have used with good success.  Do your own research, make a plan and act on your plan with consistency.

We’ve used two different methods for potty training that have been very successful.  You can even combine both methods.

Puppy Pads

I don’t particularly LIKE this method since it typically takes longer than the manual method (below) and because I don’t particularly like cleaning up their messes on the pads constantly but it did work for us for three of our dogs years ago.  It is also a good method to use if you cannot be right there with the puppy 100% of the time.

• Keep your puppy in a restricted area on hard floors with puppy pads placed away from their food and sleeping area.  Place the puppy on the pad every time you think they might want to potty; praise them whenever they go on the pad;  change the pads often.  Never scold them for missing the pad but ALWAYS praise them when they succeed.
• Once the puppy is addicted to going on the pad, start moving the pad closer to the back door then eventually out onto the porch then into the grass and continue to praise theme very time they are successful.   Make sure the puppy continues to follow the pad wherever it goes.
• This process can take weeks to a month or two but it does work.  Once they get onto the grass, keep pads there for a week or two and encourage the puppy to go on the grass as much as possible including effusive praise every time they go on the grass.  You can stop using the pads as soon as they get used to the grass.
• Important note:  once you move the pads outside it’s incredibly important that you watch the puppy closely.  They will not know how to ask you to open the door and this is a critical transition time.  If you see them standing at the door, they want to go outside.  If you see them wanting to go potty in the house, immediately pick them up (they typically won’t have an accident while you carry them), take them outside and praise them when they eliminate in the proper place.  If you miss them and they go in the house, just clean it up quickly and move on; it serves absolutely no purpose to scold them.

Potty Training by Hand

This has become our preferred method since I work from home and Terri is currently a full time student from home.  We’ve found it to be quicker, less messy and much more effective than the puppy pad method but it requires a lot more work, close attention and consistency on your part.  We used this method on our two current Golden Retrievers Harley and River and we have had two..  count them..  TWO accidents in the house since we first got them at 8 weeks old and they are over 2 years old now.

2018/10/24 Update:  We received our beautiful Emma almost two weeks ago at 4 months of age.  Apparently she was unintentionally TRAINED to do her business on concrete or other hard surfaces before she arrived in Texas.  We can only assume that she was housed in a kennel with a concrete floor and learned (essentially was trained) that going on hard surfaces was the thing to do.  When we first got her she had over 8 “accidents” in the house every single day including overnight.  It was frustrating and required a LOT of careful attention but we caught her doing it maybe half the time and immediately scooped her up, carried her outside directly to the grass and followed the method below.  After around 10 days now she makes it though the night without an accident and has maybe one event in the house during the day every two days.  We hope to have her reliably house trained in a few weeks.  Yes it was hard but it WORKS.  It also speaks to finding a breeder that does not house their puppies in fixed kennels with floors that resemble your house floors.  We at Texas TLC Goldens plan to provide turf areas where the new puppies can start to go on (usually starting at about 3 weeks old).  While this will not completely train the pup, it should make your lives MUCH easier.

Now..  on with the tips….

• It is absolutely key with this method that you watch your Golden Retriever puppy all the time; no exceptions.  Keep them in the same room you are in and if needed leash them to keep them close.  Observation and consistency wins the day here.
• Know when your puppy will likely want to potty
  • Immediately after waking up from their MANY naps
  • Within 30 minutes of eating or drinking
  • Puppies have tiny bladders and bowels.  As a very general rule puppies can hold it 1 hour per month old until around 6 months old.  Take them outside at least this often even through the night until they consistently tell you they need to go out for a week or more.  Yes this is difficult and is hard on your sleep but you’d have to be up this much for a human baby as well – deal with it.  It is very important that they do their business outside every time you can possibly arrange it
• Take them outside proactively and watch them.  Do this EVERY time you think they MIGHT want to potty.  You will spend a lot of time going outside but this bit in itself is good training for them.  If they potty, praise them AFTER they are finished (doing it during may distract and confuse them)
  • Always use the same words to praise them and be effusive.  We use: “Yes!” (this is a key word for success we use for everything) followed by “Harley pottied outside!  Good Girl!  Harley pottied outside!”.  Pick something that works for you but be consistent.  You will find that they will know what it means in short order and you will get success faster.  We also always use the Golden Retriever’s name in the praise.  They need to know who your are talking to and if you have more than one Golden Retriever as we do, this can become very important later.
• As with the puppy pad method, pay close attention to your Golden Retriever standing at the door.  If you see them there, take them outside and praise them if they potty!  Yes you will find yourself going outside, a LOT,  just so they can play and will feel like it’s a revolving door but you cannot take the chance when they are young so just do it!
  • Note:  we used a bell for this and trained them to use it.  There are many bells available on Amazon for this purpose but be advised that the bell can become a nightmare for you as they get older and they start wanting to go in and out and in and out and in and out for other reasons if you don’t have a dog door.  You may want to wean them from the bell when they get a little older.

Get Plenty of Chew Toys!

Puppies chew; it’s what they do.  Yes golden Retrievers tend to have a “soft mouth” but that does not mean they don’t like to chew.  In fact, golden Retrievers are very mouthy dogs and love having things in their mouths.  If you don’t train them to stop they will chew EVERYTHING including furniture, carpet, shoes, underwear, rocks, sticks and basically anything else they can put in their mouth.  This for us was much harder to train them on than potty training so be prepared.  Get plenty of chew toys that are soft and/or rubbery.  Try to avoid really hard chews for the first few months and I suggest looking for toys that don’t hurt too much when stepped on with bare feet. 🙂  Also look for chews that will not fragment off into smaller pieces and become a choking hazard.

Until between 6 months and a year old, puppies will have “puppy teeth”.  these are VERY sharp teeth that will fall out over time.  You will likely never see them fall as they tend to swallow them.  Swallowing puppy teeth is normal and safe so don’t worry about it.  Be advised though that these teeth will HURT if they chew on your hand as they are like thick needles.  it’s not their fault, just be aware and deal with it.

You will need to train your Golden Retriever puppy what is a “good chew” and what “bad chew” means.  Pick your own words of course but those are what we use.  Watch your Golden Retriever puppy constantly and any time they are chewing on a bad thing, tell the “bad chew!” a couple times, then gently take away the offending thing, give them a proper thing to chew on and reward them with praise “Good chew!  Good chew!” and love on them a little.  This activity will never go completely away but our adult dogs never chew furniture or carpets any more and know what “bad chew” means and have a good idea what a “good chew” is.

Once the Golden Retriever pups have a head full of adult teeth you can get them some harder chews.  Be careful to avoid chews that can splinter (almost any cooked bone) and most rawhide bones (unless you know for certain they were USA made and have good ingredients).

Yes They WILL Shed

Golden Retrievers have long lustrous coats with two layers.  They WILL shed and will typically have two “blowouts”, one in spring, the other in fall but they will shed year around so be prepared.  Brushing your Golden Retriever outside daily (or at least once per week) will help quite a lot but you should accept right now that there will be hair in your home, on your furniture and on your clothes.  Almost all dogs shed but Golden Retrievers have longer hair than many so it’s more visible.  You can also get one of the many vacuum robots on the market now.  They do help but they don’t remove the need to dust mop and vacuum yourself.  Get lint rollers for your clothes and move on; it’s part of the price of admission to this awesome club.

Socialize Your Puppy!

This is incredibly important.  So important in fact that I wrote a completely separate article on socializing Golden Retriever puppies (well…  any puppy but I’m biased).  Read it!  Do it!!

Train Your Puppy

Training can not start too soon if you want a well behaved Golden Retriever.  If you are not an experience trainer, get help!  There are many training facilities and groups that offer obedience training and don’t think private training is necessarily better than group.  In a group you have the added benefit of exposure to other and varied dogs.  This can be an important socialization technique and I know a few people that attend training over and over just for this purpose.  Understand as well that these training sessions are basically teaching YOU how to train your dog.  You will need to continue working with your golden Retriever at home on a very regular basis if you want true success.

I recommend finding a training group that also shows dogs if you can.  They are often more effective and less commercialized than the lessons offered at pet stores.  We have done both and really prefer to training offered by professional dog handlers and truthfully, it is not more expensive in our experience.

At very least you should train your Golden Retriever to:

• Sit
• Stay
• “Leave it” (move away from something you don’t want them messing with)
• Not crowd the door
• Behave and walk nicely on a leash
• Avoid separation anxiety.
  • Separation anxiety is a destructive behavior and typically a learned behavior that you probably taught them without knowing.  Work with a trainer to understand what you did to cause it and/or what you can do to prevent it.  It is MUCH harder to correct than prevent.

A Tired golden Retriever is a Good Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers are intelligent, energetic and in need of a lot of exercise and mental challenges daily.  If you do not do this, you puppy is smart enough and energetic enough to get into creative mischief.  Learn to enjoy spending time with your Golden Retriever.  Throw a ball, take walks, play tug-o-war, do anything that keeps them active and paying attention to you.  It’s really not that hard but it should not be consistently forgotten.

Pro tip:  Before you do training sessions with your Golden Retriever, run them a little, throw a ball, get some of that excess energy out so that they can more easily pay attention to you.

Special note for Golden Retriever puppy exercise:  Golden Retrievers, like any other large breed are prone to hip and elbow problems late in life.  One key thing you can do to help prevent this to some extent is to be careful how you exercise the puppy when very young and their joints are still growing.  Up until 18 months to 2 years old you should avoid excessive running with quick stops and turns or jumping on hard surfaces (concrete, etc).  Quick stops or turns at full speed should be avoided when possible on any surface.  Yes when you throw a ball your Golden Retriever will chase it with every muscle in their body but try to throw it so that they don’t need to jump too much or make really hard stops/turns.  Don’t worry if they do this a little but try to keep it in mind when at play.  Some experts also frown on teaching a young puppy to stand on it’s back legs (upright like a human) as well.

Summary

Taking on a Golden Retriever puppy is a commitment that will typically last over a decade, make sure you are ready to commit before even trying.  Golden Retrievers are the best breed of family, sport and show dog on the planet in our not-so-humble opinion but they don’t get that way all by themselves.  You should be ready to continually train them all of their lives but especially in the first year and a potty training plan should begin on day one and carried though with consistency until they are fully trained.  Consider a crate for your Golden Retriever if you will be away from the home for a few hours at a time and to keep them contained at night but properly train them that it’s a safe and good place for them.  It is critical that Golden Retriever puppies be socialized as thoroughly as possible when young.  Golden Retrievers are a very intelligent and energetic breed so mental challenges and physical exercise is a must.  Remember:  A tired golden is a good Golden.

If you liked this article or found it useful, please feel free to share it on social media!!

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.

 

By now you have likely been looking at all kinds of Golden Retrievers and seen dramatic variation in coat color (from very pale to dark golden).  You have likely also seen the really light ones referred to as “English Creme”, or “European Creme” and some even call them rare.  This last bit is entirely untrue.  Light colored “Creme” Golden Retrievers from Europe are very plentiful in both the US and Europe.  So you ask yourself:  “Are they they different?”.  The short answer is No…. and yes…  sorta.

Are They Different Breeds?

First let’s first set the official record straight.  “English Creme” Golden Retrievers and American Golden Retrievers are in fact the SAME breed.  Both lines directly descended from Lord Tweedmouth’s original Golden Retrievers in Scotland back in the 1800’s.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) , United Kennel Club (UKC) and every European kennel club we researched recognizes them both as Golden Retriever only.  The US based Kennel Clubs breed standard is biased against creme color but does not exclude it.  In fact: “English Creme” is a made up nickname.  Some say the nickname helps distinguish where they came from and possible health benefits (more on the later) and some say it’s just marketing propaganda.

DNA tests evaluated by the highly respected embarkvet.com have verified that all of the European descent “English Creme” Golden Retrievers at Texas TLC Goldens are in fact, Golden Retrievers.  This is true with every breeder we know, or have ever heard about; no matter the DNA testing firm.

“English” Golden Retrievers can come from anywhere in Europe and are essentially the same but most Americans identify with “English” since the breed originated in Scotland (which is part of the United Kingdom) and it just feels more impressive to say your dog came from the source.  For the purposes of this blog, I’ll try to use “English” or “English Creme” to keep things standard and reduce typing but understand they may have come from Romania, or Norway, Ukraine, UK or anywhere else in Europe.

Also note that while the English “Creme” is the preferred color in Europe, there are in fact English Golden Retrievers that are not creme colored.  Because the show standards in Europe prefer lighter Golden Retrievers they breed toward light colors but the coats for English Golden Retrievers can vary from medium to creme.

Side note:  Golden Retrievers may be “Creme” colored but not “white”.  Virtually every Golden Retriever will have some amount of golden hair; even those that are very light colored; thus the “cream”designation.  In some few cases you may have to be close to see it, but it’s there.

But…. Are There Differences?

Well, yes..  but they are small differences for the most part.  Overall the breed standard is the same but the English Golden Retrievers and the American Golden Retrievers have been breeding on separate sides of the Atlantic Ocean for ~200 years.

As always happens, when that many generations are produced with little or no intermixing, some physical divergence is almost certain.  The table below outlines the subtle differences but the biggest one that is bragged about is the perception of lower cancer rates on average for Europeans Golden Retrievers (more on this later)

OMG – Cancer?

It is well documented that cancer of several varieties is unusually common in Golden Retrievers.  This does not mean they live short lives, it just means that when they do pass, there is a good chance it will be from cancer.  It can also mean that when the Golden Retriever dies of other natural causes, there may also be cancer present. Interestingly this is where the divergence from across the pond becomes a little more interesting.

*  In well executed scientific study on American Goldens it has been found that American Golden Retrievers may average a ~60% rate of cancer and a 10-11 year average lifespan.  The peer reviewed scientific study on American Golden Retrievers was based on 655 necropsies performed by the prestigious UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine spanning multiple years.  It’s interesting to note that the percentage of cancer found does not mean all those dogs died from cancer.  It simply means they had verifiable cancer of some form or degree in them WHEN they died.  It’s also interesting to note that the lifespan figures include dogs that died of unnatural causes (injuries, etc) so the average lifespan is skewed shorter than it probably should be.

**  There is an often quoted SURVEY conducted by the UK Kennel Club and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific committee  on European Golden Retrievers that arrived at a ~39% cancer rate and a 12 year average lifespan.  While these numbers may be exciting it’s also interesting to note that while they sent out 3282 survey questionnaires, only 538 were returned and all responses were voluntary.  This means that they got responses from only those people that felt like responding so I consider the numbers suspect at best.  No form of necropsy was required either so we really don’t know for sure what happened to each of these dogs.  Surveys are useful just like political polls are useful but they are not scientific and only suggest conclusions that cannot be taken as scientifically accurate.

Interestingly the cancer rates on American Golden Retrievers was not always this high.  The rate seems to have dramatically increased in the 1990’s and as of this writing there is no definitive proof as to why.  The good news is the Morris Animal Foundation has launched a massive Golden Retriever lifetime study following the lifetimes of 3000 Golden Retrievers.  The hope is they will be able to find causes and understand cancer for all mammals better.  The study will take years to complete but it’s well funded, has quite a lot of owner participation and is making progress.

Interesting Side Note:

A 10 or 11 year old Golden Retriever is roughly the same age as a 70 year old human.  The following is an interesting quote from Dr. Becker at healthypets.mercola.com about human cancer deaths and dogs (all breeds).  While the death totals in humans is a little lower; we as humans are willing to spend MUCH more money, research and effort on prolonging life for our own species.  In the end, Golden Retrievers are really no more broken than we are.

About half of humans over the age of 70 and dogs over age 10 are diagnosed with cancer. In terms of mortality, cancer accounts for about 23 percent of human deaths, and from 10 to 60 percent of dog deaths, depending on breed.

Do English Golden Retrievers Shed Less?

So an English Golden Retriever’s feathers and outer coat (especially on the neck/chest) tend to be a little bit shorter than American Golden Retrievers.  That said, the shedding of the outer coat may generate a little less in the way of hair piles from the Europeans.  On the other hand, spring shedding is almost all from the undercoat and all Golden Retrievers, not matter which side of the pond they are from, shed hair at the exact same rate of speed; they are all the same breed after all.  In the end it is doubtful that you will actually see the difference.

OK I’ll Run Out and Buy an English Creme!

WHAT?  wait… No.. 

Maybe but not necessarily.  The differences between these two variations of the breed really are minor and temperamentally they are identical.  American Golden Retrievers are typically more…..  golden.  They  generally have slightly longer beautiful hair are slimmer/sleeker and in my opinion, are absolutely gorgeous.  This does not mean English Golden Retrievers are not beautiful dogs as well but it becomes a matter of preference really as the differences are not dramatic and frankly, while compelling, the cancer rates and life spans for English Golden Retrievers are not completely proven yet (see ** above).  The average lifespan estimates in the UC Davis study are somewhat flawed themselves (the study admits this) as the lifespan ranges ranged from less than a year old to over 16 years old (remember, not all deaths were caused by cancer).

Half of our dogs at Texas TLC Goldens are American Golden Retrievers and we are thrilled with the decision.  They are absolutely wonderful dogs.

We now have an English Golden Retriever in our lineup (Emma – Direct from Europe) and

Ryder (both parents direct from Europe) to get the slightly different body style and color  but they are certainly not our only line and we firmly believe ALL Golden Retriever types are excellent choices.

American Golden Retrievers are generally less expensive to buy and easier to find as well.   Because it’s expensive to import a true English Golden Retriever they tend to cost more money to buy.  The light colored coat means they get dingy with dirt faster and seem to need more baths.

Of bigger concern is actually knowing you are getting a English golden.  BUYER BEWARE:  There are many breeders out there that either don’t know what an English Golden Retriever is or just lie to you to get a higher price.  This is not meant to cast aspersions on breeders in general as there are certainly many good breeders out there (shameless plug for a good one:  texastlcgoldens.com) but there are certainly a large number of unscrupulous breeders as well.  You cannot trust a breeder at their word.  The fact that the parents are very light colored (some incorrectly say white) means absolutely nothing and the breeder themselves may not even realize they have a mix.   I admit it sounds funny to say that since it’s not technically a mix – it’s still a golden Retriever but if a true English Golden Retriever is your desire, the distinction is important.

The ONLY way you can be sure you are actually receiving a English Golden Retriever is to check it’s pedigree.  No matter what type Golden Retriever you wish to buy, if the breeder will not show you the pedigree up front, run away.  While the AKC pedigrees lack much of the detail of European pedigrees since it makes no distinction between the different sides of the pond for this breed, it does in fact list the place of birth when it is outside of the United States.  If every member of the tree on BOTH sides is from Europe, The Golden Retriever is considered “English”.  If the entire pedigree of BOTH parents is not all European, you MAY be buying an English Golden Retriever but you may not (and in some cases; probably not).  You may in fact just be buying an American/European mix that is very very light in color.  It is entirely possible it IS all European but you cannot be sure.  Honestly the BEST way to be absolutely sure is to ask for the parent’s European pedigree if in fact the parents themselves were imported.

This is not to say that mixing American and English Golden Retriever lines will not have some form of beneficial effect on cancer if that is your main concern and if you believe the European SURVEY; it might but I have no empirical evidence to prove that.

Summary

While English Golden Retrievers are slightly different in some ways from Americans, they are still the same exact breed.  It is believed by many based on some disconnected studies that the English Golden Retrievers have a lower incidence of cancer on average and live slightly longer on average but there are just not enough verifiable scientific studies on both sides of the pond using the same methods to be certain.  In the end we at Texas TLC Goldens recommend that you find the Golden Retriever that you like best and move on.  If you really prefer the very light color and slightly different body shape of the English Golden Retriever then you should certainly look that direction and feel good that the studies and surveys seem to mean good things (maybe) but be very careful that the dog you are buying actually IS an English Golden Retriever if that is what you truly want by carefully studying the entire pedigree of BOTH parents..

Sources

Peer reviewed study of American Golden Retriever mortality

UK based survey that popular cancer estimates for English Golden Retrievers is based on

Morris Animal Foundation

Amearican Kennel Club – Golden Retrievers

healthypets.mercola.com

Pethelpful.com

officialgoldenretriever.com

Wikipedia

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.

 

 

The question of the day:  should you consider two Golden Retrievers or just get one?  I’ve seen posts from people absolutely hating the idea making all sorts of claims based (I can only assume) on lack of experience.  For over 12 years we had three large dogs (two Australian Shepherds and an Aussie mix) and it went great!

When Terri and I decided to get Golden Retrievers we picked out Harley and River at the same time (they are litter mates) and we are still absolutely thrilled with the decision after two years.  In fact (as if this writing) we we just added Emma to the pack and plan to expand to 4 breeding females over the next several years.  There are however pros and cons so let me list a few.

Pro’s

• They entertain each other when we are busy (this is huge)
  • Less likely to get into mischief as well
• They get more exercise since they constantly play with each other
• Built in socialization – they learn to deal well with a small pack and other dogs.
• They become almost inseparable – it’s adorable

• 

  They experience almost zero separation anxiety since they have company!

• We simply love having two – twice the love!
  • There are two of us after all.  We want 4 since we have two hands each
• It’s fun seeing the differences in the two of them.  Every Golden Retriever is different in small ways.  For example:  Harley likes to hug and River likes to snuggle (there is a difference)

• 

  They travel REALLY well together.  Since they are in the back seat together they have a much reduced need for attention so that I can concentrate on safely driving.

• Twice the “oooh” and “ahh”‘s when we take them to Tractor Supply, Home Depot or Academy Sports and Outdoors (or pretty much anywhere else)

Cons

• More expense
  • Twice the vet bills
  • Twice the food bills
  • Twice the purchase price
  • Twice the cost for boarding – sometimes
    • Most boarding kennels will give a special price for two, especially of they can stay in the same kennel
• I tiny bit harder to train.
  • This is not a big deal really but at times you will need to take one off by himself or herself so they don’t get distracted while training.  Be sure to use their names with the commands.  Eventually they will get to the point (as ours have) where they recognize names with commands and follow them individually much of the time.  It’s not a perfect science but dog training never is.
• More poop
• Twice the hair
  • Think BRUSH – you have to do this with one anyway and it only takes a couple extra minutes to do the second one
  • Vacuuming up hair from two dogs takes the same amount of time as one but you may need to do it more often.
• If they are the same or similar age, you will have two dogs to care for at once in their geriatric years.

Summary

In the end it’s a personal choice.  Everyone’s situation is different but if you can afford two (or more), truly love the breed and can commit to caring for them for their entire lives and have weighed the pros and cons then ignore the nay-sayers and go for it!  We did before.  We did it again and we are very happy we did.

Additional Reading

Five reasons why two dogs are better than one

Adding a Second Dog to the Family

Problems Associated With Adopting Two Puppies at the Same time    (I’m not sure I agree with all of their concerns.  Maybe they are referring to some other breed; dunno.  I added the link to give opposing views)

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.

So you want to take your Golden Retriever to the dog park?  In many cases this is a GREAT idea and we’ve done it many times but there are quite a few misunderstandings about what a dog park is, how it should be used and how to behave.  Well….  It’s more about how YOU should behave; not your puppy since you are the leader but I digress…  Here are some of my thoughts and advice on Dog Parks:

Dog Park Pro’s

• Great exercise
• Great socialization opportunities
• A chance to let your pup off leash.
• If there is a clean swimming area it’s a great playground for water dogs.
• Most dogs LOVE it!

Dog Park Con’s

• You have zero control over the health and vaccinations of the other dogs
• Parasites are more likely to be there
• Possible dog fights
• Irresponsible owners (more on this later)
• Poorly or unmaintained ponds can be dangerous for your fur-baby’s health

Things for Bring

• Water and bowl
  • Even parks with water are sometimes not functioning or don’t have a good way for the dog to get the water into their mouths from the faucet.
• Spray bottle of water to get their attention if needed
• Toys (maybe)
  • Be careful here.  A thrown ball may incite a riot if you are careless.  A stuffed toy may bet ripped to pieces between all the dogs or could start a fight.  Also just accept right now that you may not come home with that toy.  Dogs have no concept of ownership.  To them, anything you bring is for them to play with.
• A good and happy attitude
• poop bags.  The park may have some but it’s good practice to have some of your own just in case or if the bag station is too far away when the event happens.  In any case, CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG!!.  Not doing so is not only nasty and rude, it is a health hazard for the other dogs.

Things to leave at home

• Books.  You are there to supervise and have fun with your dog, not let them run wild.
• Puppies and any other dog that is not yet fully vaccinated.  Again, dog parks are filled with dogs that you know nothing about.  It is absolutely critical that your dog be healthy and fully vaccinated and treated for fleas and heart worms before going to the park.  Think of it like the subway in New York city; how many people have been in that seat and touched those surfaces?  Do you know them and do you if they were clean and safe?  Dog parks, like subways have their uses and should be taken advantage of but sensible prep is wise.
• Any of your unaltered female dogs that are in heat.  If she just finished her heat in the past few weeks, bathe her thoroughly first.  The boys cannot help their reaction if she smells too good….

Dog Park Do’s

• Observe the activity in the park and the park itself before you enter.  If you see way too many dogs or if you see dogs fighting or if the park just looks unclean, now might be a good time to go get your fur-baby a Puppy-Whip (yes, that’s a thing) at Starbucks instead.
• As you enter, try to wait for any crowd of dogs at the gate to disperse.  Dogs that know the park may try to get out and it’s best to ease your puppy into the park without a huge crowd around them.
• If your dog is not fully socialized, start off by keeping them on leash and introduce them to some other dogs with plenty of praise and encouragement.  Once you are comfortable that they will get along fine, then turn them loose and let them play!
• Do watch your dog.  This is not doggy daycare; YOU are responsible for your dog.
  • If he or she poos, for goodness sake PICK IT UP!  This is not only the right thing to do but any good park REQUIRES it.
  • Watch for potential dog fights.  Dog fights are not really common and Golden Retrievers are especially friendly but they can happen.  Even if your Golden is the nicest dog in the world (we are pretty sure ours are the nicest), there is no way to tell if other’s dogs are that nice and socialized.

    

    It is normal for dogs to play rough, growl and bark, even Golden Retrievers.  It is not normal to wrinkle up their nose and bare their teeth in anger.  Know your dog and the behavior of other dogs.  Playful dogs should have tail up and wagging.  Ears should be loose and there should be lots of “play bowing” (hips up, front down).  Remember that a dog’s mouth is like our hands and will be used when playing so light biting is normal.
    If you see a dog with ears pinned back or tense and forward and snarling, be on the ready.  If they do in fact get in a fight, give it a second; most fights end in bout that long.  Try calling your pooch back to you.  If the fight goes longer that a second or 2, the be ready with some water to throw or squirt on them.  If the fight goes on longer than a few seconds, you AND the other owner should coordinate your moves and move in behind your perspective dogs.  Carefully grab them by the upper part of the back legs and pull them apart.  Do NOT grab them by the midsection or shoulders or collar, this will almost certainly mean you get bit; maybe by your own dog.  I speak from experience here folks, your own dog will not know it’s you at that point and almost certainly will bite you in the heat of the moment if you let them.  Once you have them separated, keep them separated, calm them and now might be a good time to exit the park and attend to your pooch.

• Play with your golden and encourage them to meet other dogs.  This is a prime place for socialization.
• Do be nice to and if you like, have nice conversation with other humans but be sure to maintain supervision of your dog.
• Make sure your Golden Retriever has a collar, dog tag with your info and a properly registered microchip.  While it is very unlikely your dog will get loose from the park, it is more likely than in your home.  Remember that at the dog park, everyone has access to the gate.
• Accept that there WILL be dog owners that have not read this article.  There will be times when dogs are unsupervised and ill behaved repeatedly.  In my experience this is a direct reflection on their owners and to the extent possible you should just pity them and try to enjoy your day.
• If your Golden is male and still intact, watch him closely.  If someone brings a female in heat or freshly off her heat he may react badly.  It’s not his fault; it’s a natural imperative but he still needs to be controlled to prevent hard feeling with the other owner or even dog fights.  Unless she is in estrus, she will not be interested and may fight him to get left alone.

Dog Park Do Nots

• Don’t criticize other owners if it can be avoided.  You don’t know them and there is little gained by telling them their dog is ill behaved or that they missed picking up their dog’s poo.  If they become a consistent problem, you may want to ask them politely to control their dog but the best bet may be to report them to the park owners and move on.  You and your fur-baby are there to enjoy the park and enjoy life, not be tense and unhappy.  Happiness if often infectious; feel free to spread it around!
• Do NOT leave your golden’s poo on the ground.  We’ve talked about this but I can’t say this enough.  PICK IT UP!
• Don’t spend all your time looking at your phone.  Again, you are there to be with, play with and enjoy your dog; your phone can wait.
• Don’t try to pet other dogs unless the owners are around and give you permission.  Some owners are very particular about this and you have no idea how that dog will react to your hands.
• If you bring another human then both of you should enjoy your dog.  Don’t spend your time tied up in intense conversation and ignore your pooch.

Not All Dog Parks are Equal

Offering up a few acres with some kind of fence around it is not a true dog park that that’s exactly what some few do.  Check out the park and/or it’s reviews online before going.  There is nothing worse than heading to a park that is covered in poo landmines, all dirt with no shade has a swimming pond with zero circulation and somewhat green or no easy access to good clean water for drinking.  Thankfully the horrible parks are few in number but we’ve stumbled across a few.  Here are some things to watch for:

• Is there at least some grass
  • Small gravel can be OK for cooler climates but we are in central Texas; it gets HOT here.  Hot rocks can be painful and injure doggie feet.
• Is there sufficient shade?  The dogs will almost certainly play hard and if it’s a warm day they will need a place to cool off.
• Is it maintained on a regular basis?
• Is the fence high enough and in good enough shape to keep all the dogs in?
• Are dogs segregated by size?
  • This is not a requirement but we’ve found this to be nice and in some cases safer for both sizes of dogs.
• Does the entry/exit have double gates (helpful to keep the escape artists inside).
• Is there ample parking close by?
• Is there clean water that humans can drink?
• Is there multiple clean dog watering stations?
• Do they provide poop bags and trash cans (that are not full)?
• Are dog park rules clearly posted?

Summary

Dog parks can be tons of fun and can be really good for your fur-baby but some common sense should be brought along and not all parks are created equal.  Make sure the park is a safe place for your Golden Retriever just like you would if you took your small child to a city park.  Make sure your dogs are healthy, fully vaccinated and protected from fleas.  Pay attention to and have fun with your dog and be mindful that the other humans and dogs are there to have fun as well.  It bears one more reminder since this drives me nutz:  for goodness sake clean up after them.

Links

5 Steps to Prep Your Dog for the Dog Park

Dog parks: good or Bad for Dogs and Their Owners? | petMD

Dog Park Etiquette in 10 Easy Steps

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.

Golden Retrievers often sleep on their backs with their feet splayed out on all directions; often up in the air.  It may seem uncomfortable to us humans but it’s not.  All domesticated dogs can display this behavior but Goldens tend to do it more than many.  Dogs usually have reasons for the way they sleep so I’ll discuss a few of those here.

Wild Canines

Wild dogs (Ferrel Dogs, Wolves, foxes, Coyotes, etc) do not display this behavior in their natural habitat.  It is also uncommon for domestic dogs to do this when outside.  Sleeping on the back takes the longest to get back on their feet and leaves the belly exposed.  If in direct sunlight the dog may also get sunburned if sleeping belly up since the protective coat is typically thinnest on the underside.  It is suspected that the further from their wild ancestors the domesticated dog is, the more likely it is that you can spot them sleeping on their backs.

Wild canines tend to sleep curled up in a ball.  This is the most defensible position and allows really good reaction time getting on their feet.  In cold weather it is also the warmest position.  It is thought that this is also the least comfortable way to sleep but it’s utility overrides that shortcoming and allows more alert reactions to danger.

Domesticated Dogs

I was unable to find detailed studies with objective statistics on this but Vetstreet.com says this on the subject:

There are no solid stats to reflect the incidence of dogs willing to sleep belly up, but an informal survey of the dog owners you know will probably reveal something like this: 5 to 10 percent of pet dogs sleep with their bellies bared on a fairly regular basis.

In my experience, Golden Retrievers do it much more often than that.  One of the primary reasons that most sources mention for canine back sleeping is feeling safe.  The dog is willing to expose it’s soft underbelly and feels completely safe in doing so.

Golden Retrievers are a very trusting breed and love/trust their human parents completely so this is a natural behavior for them when they are treated well and loved.  Remember too that if you have multiple dogs, their trust of the other dogs plays into this behavior.

Golden Retrievers tend to get along famously with other dogs and as a result, typically have a very trusting relationship with them (unless of course the other dogs are some other breed that has been raised poorly or has other issues).  When a dog sleeps on their back, they trust the environment, people and other animals around them.

Vetstreet.com seems to agree:

It seems that more relaxed, easy-going dogs are over-represented among those who regularly assume a belly-up position –– the dogs most temperamentally distanced from their wild cousins.Of course, there’s a lot to be said for the role of socialization as well. Dogs who engage in this behavior tend to be secure, well-socialized individuals who enjoy safe, stable, comfortable surroundings.

It has also been suggested that back sleeping allows a hot dog to stay cool more efficiently because their coats are thinner on the underbelly and dogs only sweat through their mouths, noses and pads of their feet.  The thought is that leaving the underbelly and feet exposed to cooler air when not in direct sunlight will keep them cooler.  I guess there is some logic to this but I’m not convinced that it is a primary reason to do it; more likely it’s a side benefit.

Sleep Positions

So I’ve discussed sleeping on their backs, but why choose other positions?  Petbarn.com.au has this to say on the subject:

Superman: If your dog sleeps stretched out on their stomach, it means that they’re relaxed, but still alert. They will likely jump to attention as soon as they hear you move.

Curled up in a ball: Many puppies and outdoor dogs sleep with their paws tucked into their body and tail wrapped around them. This position conserves heat and protects dogs’ bodies from any unforeseen predators in the wild. While this is the least vulnerable position for a dog, it’s also the least restful.

Side sleeper: Similar to when your dog is sleeping on its back, when they’re sleeping on their side they’re in a relatively deep sleep and are quite comfortable in their environment.

dogtime.com also mentions one more common sleep position:

You may catch your dog sleeping back-to-back with your other pets or snuggling up to you, and it means the same thing. Your dog is bonding and showing that he wants to get close to you. A dog sleeping this way feels very loving and affectionate, and he’s completely comfortable with whoever he’s napping with. Try showing your love, too, by taking a snooze with your pup.

Rolling Over is Not The Same as Back Sleeping

Another situation where a dog may be seen in it’s back has nothing to do with sleeping.  Exposing the underbelly to another dog is considered a sign of submission and can end a threatening situation between dogs.  This is normal behavior at times and should typically be allowed to happen as long as there is no real threat to safety.  Dogs naturally know how to get along in a pack and there can often be a pecking order that they group establishes.  Allowing this to be established will often prevent problems down the road and keep peace in the home.

Although rare it is also possible that some dogs (typically not Goldens) are just afraid and/or easily startled and developed some form of phobia.  Something may surprise them and they immediately flip over on their back in panic.  A really good article on cuteness.com has this to say on the subject:

Dogs who lie on their backs around others are good communicators, able to use their body language to tell others that everything’s all right whenever potentially troublesome situations arise. But consistent and repeated rolling over on the back could be a sign of a phobia, especially if it always accompanies one thing, such as the appearance of the vacuum cleaner. Consider consulting a trainer or behavior specialist if your dog always responds to a certain stimulus by rolling over.

Don’t Touch

References

vetstreet.com

petbarn.com.au

dogtime.com

cuteness.com

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.