Creating A Living Space For Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Deciding
Where Your Puppy Will Sleep
Deciding whether to use a crate or entire room
as your golden retriever puppy’s personal space is a good place to start. There
are advantages and disadvantages to either choice; a combination method might
be the best choice for you. Factors to consider: other pets, how much time the
puppy will be alone, how often you plan on taking it out, where you purchased
the puppy, and how much space is available.
Crating
Crating can
be a good choice if your golden retriever puppy will only be alone for short periods
of the day and if your puppy came from a breeder that kept them in a large open
area. The reason for this is that puppies who are kept in small areas like a veterinarians
office were forced to 'eliminate' in, or close, to the place where they slept
and this means that your puppy will not have a problem doing it in their crate
either. A puppy which has had a yard, however, will benefit greatly from a crate
during house training, as it will not want to soil the area in which it sleeps.
Dedicating
A Room
If your golden retriever puppy was purchased from a kennel, rescue
shelter, pet shop or the like; a crate, while familiar to your puppy, will not
help to train it. Dedicating an entire room is tricky and has a few requirements:
a crate or pet bed for sleeping, an area with a nonporous floor, a baby gate or
glass door, which it can see out into the rest of the house through, and a lot
of patience on your part.
Dogs being descendants of cave dwelling wolves
often find comfort in dark secluded areas like a dog crate, having one of these
in its room with the door removed may be comforting to your golden retriever puppy.
If you choose to purchase a pet bed, be aware that puppies like to soil such items
as apposed to the hard floor, so unless it is paper trained, or accustomed to
a basket type bed, this may be a problem. If your puppy doesn't like the crate,
and you don’t want to risk an entire bed at first, an easily washed towel or blanket
could be a reasonable compromise.
The nonporous floor is mainly for practical
reasons; it is faster and easier to clean and shouldn’t hold smells too easily.
Sectioning off an area where they are allowed to relieve themselves is a good
idea, but you must try to follow your golden retriever puppy's lead. Paper the
entire room at first, then gradually reduce the paper to the spot your puppy soils
the most; this must be done slowly and is very labor intensive, but taking a few
months to do this right will certainly be a benefit to you later down the road.
Your
puppy will feel less alone if they can see the activities of the rest of the house;
they are also less likely to get bored and destructive. It is important to remember
to set your puppy up for success and not leave it alone too often or for very
long; your golden retriever puppy is very friendly and wants to be your companion;
leaving it alone too much will cause it to have a poor personality and bad manners.
Patience and understanding is the key to successful training.
Working Within
Your Puppy’s Temperament
When dealing with a golden retriever puppy, it
is important to create its space within and outside of your home with it's temperament
in mind; they love to carry things in their mouth, they love to run, play, jump,
and they love to be with you. Your puppy’s space should reflect this with lots
of toys to chew and carry, lots of room to run around, and lots of your time and
attention. Having the right golden
retriever puppy supplies, attitude, and resources will make living with you
golden retriever puppy much more rewarding for both of you.
Attention: To discover how
YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved Golden Retriever,
get a copy of this Golden Retriever Guide
NOW!
