How To Care For Your Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever Care As They Grow

As your golden retriever grows, its needs for care will remain basically the same as they did when they were puppies. They require good veterinary care, good grooming, high quality food, fresh clean water, plenty of exercise, and plenty of attention. The single most important part of golden retriever care is paying it enough attention.

Good Veterinary Care

Choosing a good veterinarian to provide your golden retriever care is important. The veterinarian should be knowledgeable about golden retrievers and easy to talk to; asking questions and getting straight answers are a good part of the owner-veterinarian relationship. From the veterinarians office, you should be able to purchase all supplies you require like special foods, treats, flea medications, and other strictly dog related items; this is also where your golden retriever will receive its screening and annual exams.

Good Grooming

Golden retriever care is easy where grooming is concerned, as they don’t require much of it; they do not need frequent fur cuts or any sort of shaving. These dogs remain what that grooms call ‘natural’, the only kind of up keep they require is nail trimming, brushing, and, occasionally, bathing.

For your golden retriever’s care, they only need trimming once in a while, to thin out spots around the ears or chest that may be a little thick; the paws tend to grow ‘slippers’, or get over grown with fur, the solution to this is simple, just trim up the paw area whenever you notice it getting long.

High Quality Food And Water

Your golden retriever’s care includes food because this breed tends to gain weight easily, and an obese golden gets ill easily and can be at risk for an array of health issues. Additionally, there has been research but not yet any solid conclusions that link a golden retriever’s diet to its health problems. Fresh water is important for every dog, especially on hot summer days.

Exercise

As part of your golden retriever’s care, exercise is among the most important things you can do for your dog. Lack of exercise can lead to obesity, destruction, and depression. Your dog will require at least an hour a day of ‘non-business’ related exercise, in which you are an active participant; take your dog for a walk, play fetch, go on a hike, whatever your dog enjoys the most.

Common Health Issues

Golden Retrievers are at risk for diseases such as: hip and/or elbow dysplasia, eye disease, von Willebrand’s Disease, Hypothyroidism, epilepsy, hereditary heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and even allergies. Golden retrievers are generally a very healthy breed and these conditions happen seldom, knowing about these risks is will help you with your golden retriever care. It is a good idea to find out all you can about these health concerns facing the golden retriever.