Obedience training for your golden retriever should begin the day you bring him home from the breeders. You should decide what your new puppy will and will not be allowed to do and stick with it like glue. This means that the day you get your new puppy, you shouldn’t allow him climb up on your furniture or jump up on people unless you want him to perform the actions in the future when he is heavier as puppy’s have a hard time figuring out why you won’t allow them to do something that they are used to doing.

Golden retrievers absolutely love being praised and will do whatever it takes to get it. You can use this to your advantage and when training your puppy to behave. Even if it’s something small, as long as you want your retriever to keep repeating the action, such as not jumping on the mailman, some praise is in order and maybe a treat as well. Keep in mind that punishment does not work well for a golden retriever. If your puppy does something that you don’t want, such as begging at the table or getting on the furniture, a firm “no” is all you need. It may take a couple of times, but he will soon realize that no means no and he will not be praised or rewarded so he won’t do it.

Golden retriever obedience training does take some time and determination on your part, but with the right tools, you can successfully train your golden retriever at home. It is best to start training when you first get you puppy, however, you can re-train an older retriever yourself but it will take more time and effort for him to learn a new way of doing things. The most important rule is to never give up, keep up your obedience training, and soon you will have a well trained dog that everyone will love.

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Owners know that the existence of bad habits is not unusual among dogs even among Golden Retrievers. Though the breed is described as kind, friendly and confident, they can still develop bad habits along the way especially if no necessary measures were taken to correct them. Chewing, digging, biting or jumping on people can be prevented but if your dog has unfortunately developed any of these habits, believe that your dog will eventually break that habit as long as appropriate golden retriever training is provided.

Chewing.

While chewing can occur to dogs of any age, it is more common to puppies three to four weeks of age because of teething. Puppies chew to ease the discomfort of teething. If not because of teething, some dogs chew because of boredom and some to explore the world they are into. Considering that it is a natural behavior among dogs and cannot be eliminated completely, action must be done to control this destructive behavior. Puppies must be provided with chew toys to divert their attention away from your valuable household items such as shoes, clothes, books and furniture. Old clothes and shoes must not be given for them to chew because they cannot tell the difference between an old stuff and a new one. Plenty of exercise and activities must also be provided to prevent boredom.

Biting.

Just like chewing, biting occurs out of curiosity. Puppies do not have hands to check on things thus they use their mouths to explore the things around them. Prohibiting them from biting is just like prohibiting them from using their hands. However, this behavior must be controlled to prevent both humans and other animals from getting hurt. They must learn the skill of bite inhibition as early as possible. When Goldie bites you hard enough, yelp and act as if you are terribly hurt. The puppy may get surprised to your reaction but if he tries to bite again, repeat the scene you did earlier and this time, ignore him, turn you back on him and leave the room if possible. Eventually, your pup will get to understand that if he continues to bite hard, the fun stops.

If bad habits occur due to various reasons, there are also various ways to eliminate it. These golden retriever training tips may seem to be so simple but if applied properly will definitely help you get through these destructive issues.

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MANY health problems in both humans and our pets are caused by poor nutrition. Please ensure optimum health for yourself and your Goldens by educating yourself about proper nutrition.

One option is feeding your Golden Retriever a raw diet. Sometimes referred to as “BARF”, which stands for Bones and Raw Food, this diet involves feeding your dog primarily raw meaty bones.

BARF

• BARF FAQ – This site has answers to many frequently asked questions about BARF (Bones and Raw Food).
• BARF Pictorial – This site shows one Animal Nutritionalist’s method of preparing meals for their dogs.
• USDA Nutrient Database – Find out the nutrient content and levels of your BARF meal plan.
• Dr. Tom Lonsdale’s website – “Tom Lonsdaleis a spokesman for The Raw Meaty Bones Lobby Group. This group has gradually coalesced from veterinarians working in clinical practice throughout Australia.” … “The concerns that unite the group are the wide range and severity of diseases affecting domestic dogs and cats all of which can be directly attributed to the feeding of artificial foods.”
• Feed your Pet Raw Food And see your Vet bills drop! – This excellent article is written by Shirley Lipschutz-Robinson
• Enzymes: The Difference Between Raw and Cooked Foods – This article explains the importance of eating raw foods.
• The BARF Philosophy – From Dr. Ian Billinghurst.
• BARF FAQ – Information collected by Jane Johnson – this page addresses many of your preliminary questions about feeding a raw diet including links to testimonials.
• Does Your Dog BARF? The Bones and Raw Food Movement – written by Christie Keith, a raw feeder since 1986 – provides a brief introduction to the raw diet.
• Are Raw Meat and Dairy Products Safe? – written by Christie Keith, a raw feeder since 1986 – evaluates the risk of feeding raw meat to your pets

Many health problems in both humans and our pets can be caused by poor nutrition. Please ensure optimum health for your Golden Retrievers by educating yourself about proper nutrition.

If you choose to feed your dog kibble, you are fortunate that there are more and more nutritious options available for your dog than there were just a few years ago.

There are many cheap, unhealthy kibbles available in pet stores near you. Here are some reasons why you should spend time researching your kibble selection so you can feed your dog the best diet possible:

• Dog Food Comparisons The best way to determine the quality of your pet food is to carefully read and understand the label.
• How To Feed a Golden Retriever – This is an excellent essay written by Kathy Partridge. Contains information such as what ingredients to avoid in a commercial dog food, people food to avoid, why many goldens have “allergies”, as well as home-made diets, and BARF.
• Kibble Ingredients – This article is written by Mary Ellen R. Lunde. It shows the ingredients in many commercial dog foods, a description of common ingredients, ingredients and preservatives to avoid, as well as her personal preferences. Excellent source to find out exactly what those ingredients typed on the bag really are.
• What’s Really in Pet Food – An API Report – “This report explores the differences between what consumers think they are buying and what they are actually getting. It focuses in very general terms on the most visible name brands — the pet food labels that are mass-distributed to supermarkets and discount stores — but there are many highly respected brands that may be guilty of the same offenses.”
• Ethoxyquin in Pet Food – written by Lori Mohr-Corrigan – ” Just what is ethoxyquin, and why is it in our pet food? “
• Commercial Pet Foods: Some of the Better Brands – from Wellpet – list of some commercial kibbles and contact information.
• Pet Food Labels: What Reading a Label Will and Won’t Tell You About the Food – by Kathryn Michel
• Lamb and Rice Diets …and the connection between taurine deficiency and heart disease. – by Linda Arndt ~ Canine Nutritional Consultant

Blastomycosis, or “blasto” for short, is a fungal disease found in humans, dogs, and other mammals, occasionally cats. It is commonly misdiagnosed, often as cancer, Valley fever, Lyme disease, and other viral infections. It lives as a mold in warm (room temperature), acid, sandy soils near water. Once in the body, it lives as a yeast. It is contracted most often by inhaling through the nose the spores of the

Blastomycosis in Dogs

Dogs are more susceptible because their noses are closer to the soil. It is believed that blastomycosis is more rampant during the fall season. Sporting and hunting breeds are the most often seen with blasto because of their frequent exposure to soil in wet areas. Young adults are more affected, but possibly just because that is the age group most often seen in hunting or field trials and on training grounds. For an unknown reason, one study has found that male dogs are more likely to contract it. Another study found that, while female dogs may have better survival rates with therapy, they are more likely to suffer relapses than males.

Symptoms include:

• coughing
• skin lesions, or small draining ulcer(s) on the skin, like a small abscess – draining bloody or purulent (pus) material
• sudden blindness
• lameness
• blood in the urine
• poor appetite
• shortness of breath
• fever that doesn’t respond to antibiotics – 103 degrees or higher
• anorexia
• depression
• exercise intolerance
• enlarged lymph nodes
• eye problems: including redness, pain, swelling, excessive tearing, clouding of the corneas, and even blindness
• listlessness
• testicular inflammation

Disease Progression
Dogs often acquire blastomycosis after breathing in the spores from the soil through their nose and into their lungs. The skin lesions occur if the fungus get into the skin through an existing wound or puncture. In the lungs, it causes a pulmonary (lung) infection. It then spreads through the bloodstream or lymphatic system from the lungs to the eyes, brain, bone, lymph nodes, urogenital system, skin, and subcutaneous tissues.

Prevention
There is no vaccine to protect your pet from blastomycosis. Avoidance of high-risk areas is the only thing you can do to lower your risk. Avoid areas of disturbed soil near water in areas where blastomycosis is common. Don’t allow your dog to dig in soil that may contain the fungus. Knowledge of the symptoms and existence of this disease will be your weapon should your dog ever begin to develop the symptoms mentioned above.

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