A Golden Retriever puppy can bring a lot of joy to your home. These pups are intelligent, playful, and eager to please. But getting a new dog into your household requires careful planning.
Puppy-proofing your home should include keeping all cleaning supplies out of reach, tucking away electrical cords, and protecting plants. It’s also important to start potty training and crate training early.
Know What You Want
Golden Retrievers make incredible family pets. They are highly trainable and can easily adjust to different lifestyles. They love to spend time with their humans and are always eager to please. They also tend to do best in homes with large yards where they can play and run.
When finding the perfect Golden Retriever puppies for sale, research is essential. Purchasing from a pet store is never a good idea because these facilities are often puppy mills and have a different level of oversight than reputable breeders have. Pet stores cannot provide information about the puppy’s parents or pedigree, and they will likely not offer any health guarantee.
Reputable breeders can provide a full pedigree of the litter and its parents and clearances for eye issues, hips, and elbows. They can also answer any questions about the puppy or their history. They will also be a dog club member and participate in breed preservation efforts to help keep the Golden Retriever healthy.
Do Your Research
A reputable breeder can tell you about the puppies’ health, personality, size, and temperament, allowing you to see the litter in person. They can explain why their puppies cost as much as they do. It may be because they come from champion bloodlines, but more likely, it’s because the breeder cares about the welfare of their dogs. They take the time to feed them the best food, socialize and stimulate them, and take them for regular vet checks.
A good breeder will also ask you many questions. They want to ensure their puppy is well-cared for and fits into your family. It can include asking how many people will handle the puppy, whether you have children, and what other pets you own. Golden Retrievers are pack animals and must be part of a human family.
If you’re looking for a less expensive option, consider adopting an animal shelter or rescue organization dedicated to rescuing golden retrievers. However, be aware that this can come with some challenges, too.
Ask Questions
Retrievers are people-oriented dogs that love spending time with their owners. They can be a good fit for families with children, other dogs or pets, and even senior citizens. However, they can also become overly dependent on their humans and develop separation anxiety if they are left alone for long periods.
Responsible breeders will ask about your family and lifestyle to ensure that a puppy is a suitable match for you. They’ll want to know if you plan on having the dog live inside or outside, how many people will be caring for the puppy (e.g., will they crate the pup for eight hours a day, or will they be dropped off at doggy daycare?) and how other family members (including pets) will interact with the Golden.
Retriever puppies and adult dogs need regular exercise as a sporting breed, especially when young. They may channel their energy into destructive behaviors if they don’t get enough physical activity. That’s why it’s important to pet-proof your home and remove anything tempting for your puppy to chew.
Be Patient
Golden Retrievers are an intelligent breed but can be quickly bored. A little variety in your training will keep them focused. It can mean incorporating tricks or going on fun field trips like the park or beach.
You can also try working on recall with them – this is handy when you go on walks with friends and their dogs. Getting your puppy used to other dogs from the start can be helpful to avoid resource guarding later on, which is when they feel the need to snatch things from other dogs and people in their mouths.
Puppies need lots of exercise and attention, so plan to work with them in short sessions – at most 10-15 minutes. It is the perfect way to get the most out of your puppy’s attention span and ensure they focus on what you want them to focus on.
Don’t Be Pressured
Retrievers are highly trainable dogs that pick up commands quickly. However, they do need to learn self-control. It is essential for those with small children or older adults whom a jumping dog can easily knock over. Jumping is also a sign of aggression, so teaching your puppy to be calm and quiet on walks is essential.
Affection is something your puppy needs to earn by showing them attention in positive ways such as playing, training, walking, and spending quality time with them. They also need to feel safe and secure, so it’s best not to punish them with loud yelling or physical discipline.
They are social creatures that thrive in an indoor environment. They can become anxious and bored if they cannot interact positively with humans. It can lead to destructive behavior and severe health issues. That is why finding a reputable breeder who follows responsible breeding practices is crucial to avoid passing preventable diseases onto their puppies.
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