Stop shedding - Consult your veterinarian

If the degree of shedding your Golden Retriever experiences appears abnormal or if he has signs of serious skin problems, consult your veterinarian since various medical conditions such as thyroid disease or skin allergies can cause excessive shedding.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Stop shedding - Be prepared with dog shedding tools.

To fight the hair problem, buy a high quality vacuum cleaner and be prepared to use it frequently. It will also help to have a lint brush in every room to remove hair from your clothing before you go out. Covering the furniture where your Golden Retriever rests with a quilt will also help to reduce the scope of the shedding problem.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Stop shedding - Feed a high quality diet.

Poor nutritional status affects the quality of your Golden Retriever's coat which can influence the amount of shedding your dog experiences. In addition to feeding your dog a high quality dog food, consider adding supplemental fish oils or omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to keep skin healthy and further control dog shedding.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Stop shedding - Practice regular brushing.

Brushing or combing your Golden several times a week can help to reduce the amount of free floating hair in your home. The thick undercoat should be combed on a weekly basis to remove dead hair. For regular brushing a high quality bristle brush should be effective. For combing the undercoat, an undercoat rake is probably your best choice since it has strong teeth designed to remove tough, heavy hair. Frequent brushing is one of the most effective ways to control dog shedding.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Stop shedding - Practice regular bathing.

Regular baths followed by a thorough brushing can help to reduce the amount of loose hair that ends up on your carpeting. Be sure to use a mild shampoo that won't irritate your Golden Retriever's skin.

Some sources recommend using a shampoo fortified with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids which can help to maintain healthy skin and may reduce the degree of shedding. Be sure not to bathe your Golden Retriever more than once every 3-4 weeks since frequent bathing can dry out their skin.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Consider adopting from a rescue group

Consider adopting from a rescue group. Many of these dogs are already housebroken and finished with the chewing stage. There is usually nothing wrong with the dog; the owners didn't research the breed and later discovered that they and the dog were incompatible.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Don't worry if you have other pets

Don't worry about adopting a Golden retriever if you have other pets. They do equally well with dogs and cats.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Selection guide - Choose a golden retriever if you want an friendly companion

Choose a golden retriever if you want an affectionate, loyal and friendly companion. They are not aggressive and make poor watchdogs because of their friendly dispositions. This, however, makes them good family dogs. They are excellent with children of any age.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Puppy training - The night time will be the hardest

The night time will be the hardest. There are three things you can do. You can wake up at certain intervals and take the dog out, you could put down paper and see if the dog will go on them, or you can keep the dog in a cleanable area and clean up after it. I have always chosen to take the dog out a intervals and if I slept through and the dog had an accident it was my fault, not the dogs.

Golden retriever - Dog Lover

Puppy training - In the beginning it's a good idea to take your dog out every hour to the exact same spot

In the beginning it's a good idea to take your dog out every hour to the exact same spot, say your chosen phrase, and use your reward if you are going to use rewards.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Puppy training - Take your puppy outside after breakfast

Next feed your puppy breakfast. Immediately after your puppy is done eating take her outside to the exact same spot and tell the puppy whatever phrase you want to use for going the bathroom and always use that phrase during house training.

Most typically dogs will feel the need to go to the bathroom after they eat. One of the methods I have used is rewarding the puppy when he has finished going poop. I would always praise her and then give her a small dog treat. I kept doing this every time the dog went poop where it should. I only feed my dog three times a day but obviously the dog will need to be taken out more often.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Puppy training - Start in the morning

Start in the morning and take your puppy outside to place where you want the puppy to go to the bathroom. Stay by the puppy so that you can praise them when they have done what they should. Make sure you give your puppy plenty of time to do what it needs to do and if he doesn't do it just take the puppy inside.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Puppt training - Choose the right way to train your puppy

You see that cute little puppy and it you instantly fall in love and take it home. After about an hour you stumble across the reason why you always said you weren't going to get a dog. It's best to start right away with house training and you will find that you are actually training yourself more than your dog. Keep in mind that there are certain things you shouldn't do: Do not yell at the puppy, do not spank the puppy and do not rub the puppy's nose in it's accident. All this does is teach the dog to be scared of you and to hide what it has done. There are two schools of thought for house training. One is crate training and the other is just training them with the crate. I have always chosen to train without the crate.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Remove potential poisons and toxins from your dog's reach

Dogs have a tendency to be inquisitive. Ensure your dog's safety by removing any cleaning chemicals, medications, or other poisons from the reach of your dog.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Learn how to perform canine CPR

If your Golden Retriever should collapse suddenly, you'll want to be prepared by know how to perform canine CPR. There are a variety of videos and books that can teach you the basic steps for reviving your dog. It pays to be prepared.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Watch for signs of illness and schedule regular veterinarian visits

Check daily for signs of illness in your Golden Retriever. Look for such signs as skin changes, loss of fur, increased panting, excessive thirst and urination, changes in his stool, vomiting, and personality changes. If your dog shows any of these signs, see your veterinarian. You want to diagnose potential medical problems early for the best prognosis. Be sure to have your dog evaluated by his veterinarian on a regular basis.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Exercise Your Golden Retriever Daily

Exercise Your Golden Retriever Daily.

Exercise not only has benefits of its own, it also reduces your dog's risk of obesity. Aim for a thirty minutes walk with your Golden Retriever twice a day. Your dog may also benefit from some organized play time with a ball or Frisbee. Exercise also helps to keep your dog mentally challenged which can reduce his stress level.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Avoid Giving Your Golden Retriever Table Food

Avoid Giving Your Golden Retriever Table Food

Feeding a dog high fat human foods increases his risk for pancreatitis, a potentially life threatening condition. It may be okay to give your dog wholesome fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, but consult with your veterinarian first since certain fruits such as grapes can be toxic to your Golden Retriever.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Feed Your Golden Retriever a High Quality Dog Food

Feed Your Golden Retriever a High Quality Dog Food.

By feeding your Golden Retriever a high quality diet, you'll reduce his risk of becoming overweight which is a risk factor for a variety of diseases in dogs including diabetes. In one study performed on Labrador Retrievers, dogs that were kept lean lived two years longer than the control group. They also were able to avoid developing some of the diseases associated with aging such as arthritis. Many commercial pet foods have additives that may be harmful to your Golden Retriever. If you can't find a good organic dog without dangerous additives, consult with your vet for some guidelines on how to make your own.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover

Live longer tip - Spay or Neuter Your Golden Retriever

Spay or Neuter Your Golden Retriever.
If you don't plan on breeding your dog, have him spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of certain types of reproductive cancers in dogs, including breast cancer in female dogs which is not uncommon.

Golden Retriever - Dog Lover