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Print Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a high-energy ball of fire, one that is difficult to train or even handle in daily life. And sometimes there will be signs of aggressive behavior that are concerning. However, there is a fine line between puppy play behavior and hyper and aggressive behavior. Some owners are reluctant to stop such behavior thinking that it is just puppy behavior and therefore the dog will outgrow it. If you have a retriever puppy that is hyper or aggressive you might wonder what can be done and why they are acting that way. Here is some guidance on this topic. What are normal puppy behaviors? It is normal for very young puppies to nip at your hands and your feet. It is also normal for them to chew on things, jump on you and walk all over you. An 8-week-old puppy nipping at your hand might at first seem cute and sweet. But one bite from those exceedingly sharp puppy teeth and you might decide its not so cute. Those teeth can puncture your skin in a second and draw blood just as quickly. So, while it may be normal for a puppy to nip at your hand or foot, it is not a behavior that you want to ignore. Puppy play is naturally aggressive When puppies playing with their litter mates, the play can be very aggressive. This is natural, as dogs, they are always figuring out their pack and where they fit into the pack. Recognizing puppy play You can recognize when a retriever puppy is playing by the stance they take. They also may run around in circles, growling, or barking in high pitched barks, but when they do this their ears will be up, their tail wagging and they do not look threatening. It is uncommon for puppies under 12 weeks of age to exhibit true aggression. True aggression involves a dog exhibiting prolonged growling with a stiff posture and baring of teeth. Their hackles the hair on their back will be raised and they will be poised in a threatening position with ears back. If you were to approach a dog in this position which I do not recommend they will often move toward you and try to bite or snap at you. This type of aggression is something to be fearful about and is not healthy. Isolate the dog as much as possible and consult a veterinary or other professional for help or advice. What are signs of aggression in puppies All puppies can act aggressively, but if you take steps to address the aggressive behaviors while your dog is a young puppy, you can make a huge difference on how or whether that aggression progresses. These are all forms of aggression and none of them should be tolerated, not as a puppy and certainly not as a dog. There are also dominance behaviors that puppies exhibit that are often mistaken as aggression. They include things like jumping on people, stepping on people, pushing you around, forcing you to pet them and others. While these behaviors can be done aggressively, and should still be corrected immediately, they are not the same as aggression. Definition of puppy Because we often get clients that bring out their dogs that are close to a year old and refer to them as puppies, I want to define what I consider a puppy. A puppy is a dog under six months of age. Most retrievers are a good size by around six months. They will often continue to grow up until about a year and a half, but they have the bulk of their size by the time they are six months. And by six months, you need to have a handle on any aggressive behaviors, or you are going to struggle with eliminating them. Is it normal for a puppy to be very aggressive? It is normal for a puppy to test you with aggressive behaviors. And to be clear, that place should be at the bottom of the pack, under all your family members. I understand that your dog is a part of your family but allowing your dog to be in a position above any or all your family members is just asking for trouble. Treating your dog as a human and attributing your dog with human thoughts and reasoning is not fair to your dog or to your family. Love your dog, but make sure your dog is the lowest member of your pack and you will have a much easier time with obedience and basic good behavior. How to stop puppy growling Growling is often the first step for dog aggression. Or, if you try and take a toy away from your dog. No matter how or when you see the aggression start, it is important to nip it in the bud right away. A sharp NO command sometimes is all that is needed, especially if it is well-timed with the first sign of the growl or nip. Other times you may need to grab your dogs muzzle and squeeze. If these corrections do not seem to be helping, I would immediately crate my dog if it growled at me. Be sure you do not let your dog out of the crate while he is exhibiting a growling behavior. Only let him out if he is behaving appropriately. How to stop puppy nipping or biting A dog that nips or bites you often started as a very young puppy. We teach our puppies at 8-weeks-old that biting and nipping people is not allowed. And at this very young age, they learn it very quickly. Your pup may cry out or squirm, but that is fine. In fact, you need to be quite stern to make an impression. If it continues, you are not being firm or consistent enough. How to stop puppy growling while tugging During play, it is not uncommon for retriever puppies to growl and tug at toys, blankets, even your pant leg. This behavior is usually just playful and natural. However, I would still try to end this behavior as soon as possible. While almost harmless at first, this behavior can escalate quickly as your dog grows bigger and stronger. You can end this behavior first by not participating in it. If you start tugging with a toy with your puppy, you are going to encourage the behavior. The second step is to discourage the behavior with a sharp NO command. It can help if you say GIVE when you take the item. This will start to teach him the GIVE command that will be helpful later if you are a hunter. How to stop puppy baring his teeth A puppy or dog that bares his teeth to you is threatening to bite you. Even if the puppy goes no further than to bare the teeth and growl, you need to end this behavior. This behavior is far more dangerous than the puppy that nips at your hand. The nips may be done in play, since that is how puppies play with one another, but baring of teeth and growling is different. And you must handle it differently. I am not talking about lifting your dog off the floor with the shake, but if your puppy is very young, that may indeed be a great correction. Have you ever witnessed a mama dog correct her puppies? This is not a violent thing, just a natural correction for a puppy. The puppies rarely cry out or whimper when given this correction, they just walk away and understand that the behavior they were exhibiting is not acceptable. If your dog continues to bare his teeth even after this correction, you may have a bigger problem on your hands, and I would proceed carefully. True dog aggression is no joking matter. Dogs with aggression problems can snap at any time and go from baring their teeth to full out attacks. Hyper behavior is different from aggression. A hyper dog has a lot of energy and may not know how to control or channel that energy. Often hyper behavior is a genetic trait. In this sense, it is not something that you can eliminate. But you can take steps to make it more manageable. Exercise more Dogs that are hyper need more exercise than dogs that are more docile in nature. If your dog is hyper and is not getting enough exercise, the hype behavior is going to drive the dog to other behaviors that you may not enjoy such as chewing up your dining room table leg or your favorite pair of shoes. For instance, if your dog is hyper and is jumping up and down all the time, and you not only allow the jumping but pet him or her and give praise while your dog is jumping, then you are unknowingly rewarding the jumping behavior. Give your puppy time to mature Retrievers are often full of energy while they are young, well some a bit longer, but tend to slow down as they mature. But as they mature they do usually slow down and become a bit less energetic. Training Highly energetic dogs can benefit greatly from structured training programs. Programs such as the ones we offer here at Otter Tail Kennels, can teach an energetic dog control and channel their energy into hunting or retrieving which can make home life more manageable. There are even some things you can do at home to get more control of your energetic dog. Practice sitting I know this sounds boring, and for you it is. But for an energetic dog that does not like sitting at all, having them sit for 30 seconds, or a minute or two can be very challenging. They will need many reminders at first, but over time they will learn to settle and sit calmly. You can slowly increase the amount of time. This simple obedience drill will help your dog learn control. Teach your dog the kennel command so that when you say Kennel, they run into their crate and stay there until you release them. This basically sends your dog on a time out and forces them to practice control and settle. Final thoughts on why my puppy is so hyper and aggressive For dogs under 6 months of age, much hyper and aggressive behavior is simply puppy play. You must teach your puppy boundaries and the earlier you teach them the better. Be consistent in your corrections and persistent, and over time you will reap the benefits. You can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time happy retrieving. You are bound to want to know when your biting puppy will grow out of this phase and how you can speed that process up. Biting, as you will have discovered is usually accompanied by lots of noise! Why do puppies bite? So why do puppies bite? My puppy is biting hard Puppies do bite hard and it does hurt. But I want to reassure you that even at 8 weeks old, your puppy has learned to moderate his bite in play. Puppies have powerful jaws designed to tear through flesh and crush bones. Those of you who feed your puppy a raw diet will know that even an 8 week old puppy from a medium sized breed can crush bones the size of your little finger. He is deliberately attempting to be gentle. Puppy Biting — Bite inhibition This ability, that your puppy has, to moderate the power of his jaws in play, is called bite inhibition. It is something that his mother started to teach him when he was just a few weeks old. And now it is your turn to take over and complete the training process. Growling and Puppy biting One thing that often worries people who have a new puppy in the family, is the growling that accompanies puppy biting. It sounds horrific. Great snarls and snaps accompany the biting and the puppy can appear quite demonic as he grabs onto your skin, or clothes. Tugging away with all the strength he can muster. Ninety nine times out of a hundred this is completely normal play biting. Is my puppy biting aggressive? You cannot determine whether or not a puppy is biting aggressively by how hard he bites or by the volume of the noise he makes. Play biting puppies bite hard and growl fiercely. Some puppies do occasionally draw blood. But these are not normally savage or crushing bites and the puppy is clearly enjoying himself. Fierce but fun! The play biting puppy will launch himself at the target of his bite. Whether it is your slippers or your fingers, with equal tail-wagging enthusiasm, hanging on grimly and grabbing repeatedly when the item is removed from him. All this, shocking though it may seem, is normal, and is not a sign that your puppy is going to be an aggressive dog! In fact some of the gentlest and most amiable breeds the labrador for example are the worst and fiercest play biters. The puppy that is a cause for concern is the puppy that is frightened. Because although puppies rarely bite through aggression, the nervous puppy may become aggressive as he matures Is my puppy afraid? A scared puppy may bite and scared puppies can grow into scared adult dogs so this is something you need to address quickly. You will know that your puppy is scared because he will try to avoid whatever it is he is scared of. A really frightened puppy will sometimes give off a distinctive musky smell. This hiding, and retreating, and the scared smell are warning signs that you have scared your puppy badly, or purchased a poorly socialised puppy. In this situation you need to get specialist help right away. Your vet should be able to advise you. For the vast majority of puppy owners then, biting is normal puppy behavior. Will my puppy biting stop naturally? To some extent biting is a phase caused by natural puppy playfulness and teething. Some puppies do stop biting with very little input from their family. Which is great. You may feel he should have grown out of it by now. We can physically prevent puppies from biting and we can train puppies not to bite. Both of these are good strategies. Or when children are getting upset, or visitors are winding your puppy up. Prevention usually involves interrupting the biting behavior, then redirecting the puppy into an alternative and more acceptable behavior, such as chewing on a toy. Or, it may involve temporarily separating him from his playmates. Interrupting the puppy biting In mild cases you may simply be able to put a toy in your biting puppy's mouth and get him tugging on that instead of on your fingers. If you are on the floor with the puppy stand up. And if you are standing up, turn and walk away from the puppy. This is where dog gates come in very handy with small puppies. A standard baby gate works fine for most breeds of dog. Managing the puppy You may have to pick up your biting puppy to remove him from the scene if he is biting your children for example, rather than you If he bites your hands and clothes as you try to restrain him, put him on the other side of a barrier or in his crate or puppy playpen for a short while. Although the puppy does learn from them, these are useful management techniques to enable you to control the situation. They help you to keep your puppy calm, and prevent the biting escalating through over excitement. Over-excited puppies Puppy play biting is directly linked to excitement. The more excited your puppy gets, the more and the harder he will bite. And the harder it will be to interrupt and distract him. Rough play excites puppies and noisy play does too. Children tend to squeal when they play and get very physical with puppies. One of the first rules they need to learn when playing with dogs, especially big dogs, is to stand up and stand still when the game gets too much. Limit such play and call a halt to it if your puppy is biting. With medium to large breed dogs, physical rough and tumble play is not a great idea. It can lead to dogs bowling people over or humping them, neither of which is very pleasant. Stopping play when it gets rough is a good management strategy and it is a form of training too. Over time, your puppy learns that biting and rough play loses him his playmates and that people simply leave if he is being mean. When do puppies stop biting? Many puppies have stopped biting completely by six months of age and biting is usually subsiding by the time that the puppy is heading towards five months old. This is if the puppy has been managed appropriately If people have been exciting him, or rewarding him for attention seeking behavior then biting can persist And it can be much more of a problem in bigger stronger puppies than in little ones. Training Puppies Not To Bite The idea of this exercise is to teach a puppy to accept being stroked and handled in any way, without touching us with his teeth. The event marker is a distinctive sound. Even around his mouth, without him making any attempt to bite you. You can also make it easier for him by starting this training when he is calm and not distracted. But for now, keep things simple. It can be a good way of getting the training started so that you have chance to say YES and give the puppy the opportunity to learn what you want him to do. Over the next few sessions, you can work on getting your hand closer and closer to the puppy. Until you are brushing the sides of his face without him making any attempt to mouth or bite at you Progress to touching and holding his collar, stroking his ears, grooming him, examining his paws and so on, all the time rewarding him for the correct behavior. Anytime the mouthing returns, back up to a point where he can succeed and move forward more slowly again Bite Inhibition Training Some experts feel that puppies should be allowed to mouth and even bite gently for a week or two before being prevented from biting altogether. Simply follow the instructions for managing your puppy above when he bites hard. But allow him to mouth you when he bites gently without much pressure. This is a great way to teach a dog excellent control over his mouth. After a couple of weeks of this, you can progress to the training exercise I outlined in the previous section. Older puppies that bite in play have often learned that this gets them a lot of attention. They have discovered that people squeal and shout and get quite cross. Sometimes these people push and shove the dog around which young dogs quite enjoy when they are playing. For these dogs it is important that you stop all physical play, with all family members If a puppy is biting hard at your hands when you try to interrupt his game. Or an older puppy is getting out of hand biting at clothing, you need to put your puppy on a harness and house-line a short trailing leash. This will enable you to control your puppy, and take him to a calming place, without handling him. You can just pick up the end of the line and lead him away. Older biting puppies are often bright and bored. And the best approach to avoiding future episodes of bad behavior is a structured programme of training and interesting activities. A professional dog trainer using modern positive training methods will be able to help you with these. Summary So now you know some tips on how to stop your puppy from biting. The first few weeks can be tough with a determined biter in the house, but you will get through this and come out the other side. A few months from now, this difficult period will be a distant memory In the meantime, focus on keeping your biting puppy calm, avoiding too much rough play, and redirecting his biting onto appropriate toys and activities. Spend some time on the training exercise set out above. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? The Honest Truth Posted on April 5, by Galen Kauffman Share: Golden Retriever owners will most times be highly indignant if you dare to suggest that their Goldens have even an iota of aggression in them. They will be quick to tell you that dog experts will even use this big golden, friendly dog as an example breed when looking to confirm what a calm, amicable dog is. And the puppies? Are golden Retrievers aggressive as puppies? Not at all. Alright, so as a puppy it is only natural that he will nip and bite your hand as he is teething. He has the cutest little growl too. However, not training your puppy and not taking him along to socialization classes can allow this puppy habit to develop into something serious. Is Aggression Common in Golden Retrievers? Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? Only very seldom. Calm and laid back as your Golden Retriever is, there are going to be times when your golden doggo may be aggressive. They are loving, playful, calm, friendly, smiling, amiable dogs. Are male Golden Retrievers aggressive more often than females? Not really. As mentioned, these dogs are rarely aggressive, but it is more likely that the male Golden Retriever will be more aggressive than the female. Aggression in Golden Retrievers nearly always comes from poor breeding, bad dog owners, inadequate training, and lack of socialization. You can also add in abuse, neglect, and cruelty. Golden Retrievers are known as control groups for aggression A control group is a standard to which comparisons are made in a dog aggression experiment. There is a control group and an experimental group. The inclusion of a control group helps the researcher to make conclusions from the study. It is only with a control group that a researcher can determine whether a treatment can have an effect on an experimental group. In the study, golden retrievers were tested and used as a control group. Seventy Golden Retrievers were tested in the temperament test. Levels of escalation in aggressive behavior were scored. A total of .Goldens are not typically aggressive Most Golden Retriever owners are familiar with the good-natured temperaments of their Goldens, and they would consider an aggressive Golden Retriever to be an unheard-of thing. Dogs are like kids and the Golden is just a big loving child wanting to please you. And rightly so. Nobody in their right mind would want an aggressive Golden Retriever around their small children. Nonetheless, even though the chances are almost nil that your Golden has any aggression in him, there are one or two factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers, and with good reason, and we look at some of them below. Fear Fear causes any dog faced with a threat to defend itself by biting. Veterinary behavior specialists tell us that fear-related aggression is just that — it is used as self-defense. It may well be out of sheer desperation that a cornered dog bites when it anticipates a threat. A Golden Retriever that has been regularly smacked learns to generalize — believing that every human hand wants to strike him. He goes into self-protection mode by biting the hand that reaches out to him. Fear is also instilled in a dog such as the Golden Retriever when an owner uses harsh, cruel punishment-based training methods. Harsh behavior increases aggression but also anxiety. Danger Dogs act in unusual ways when they sense danger. Can Golden Retrievers be aggressive in the face of danger? This abuse can take different forms. Goldens who have suffered from emotional and physical abuse can respond to anyone with aggression. He will in all likelihood be scared, agitated, and aggressive. Socializing your Golden Retriever will prepare him for a broad range of situations so that he is able to interact with various animals, people, and situations. It teaches him to react to the world out there in a calm way without fear and aggression. Illness Aggression in a Golden Retriever can have a medical cause. Just like the human child gets whiney, cranky, and aggressive when ill and with a bad headache, our canine friends do as well. Medically-induced aggression in a Golden Retriever can result in warning signs of growling, baring teeth, and general aggression. Brain inflammation occurs in conditions such as rabies and encephalitis. The aggression in this instance is most times a neurological reaction to the effect of the inflammation on the brain. Low thyroid levels affect mood and thyroid therapy can relieve aggression in dogs with hypothyroidism. Dogs are like humans in some ways and if they have woken up feeling under the weather, they may respond by showing signs of aggression. Injury There are many causes of aggression in dogs and injury is a common cause of canine aggression. Your Golden Retriever is nearly always a well-behaved dog, so if he suddenly shows signs of aggression, you just know there is something unusual up with him. If you find him acting out of character and wanting to nip you, get him to the vet as soon as possible for a thorough examination. He could have chewed on something that has caused injury to the teeth or even lodged somewhere, causing injury and pain inside the mouth. Irresponsible Breeding Canine aggression always poses concerns. Aggression in dogs is researched by people wanting to understand breed differences. Research always reveals that the Golden Retriever is a calm, good-natured golden beauty with hardly an aggressive bone inside him. But what about irresponsible breeding? A dog can suffer from all kinds of complications in pregnancy and when ignored because of the costs it can be tragic and heartbreaking. A responsible Golden Retriever breeder is one who knows the breed well and who has health clearances to show that both parents are free of genetic disorders. They follow the AKC breed guidelines for health testing. The test includes hips, elbows, thyroid tests, hearing tests, DNA testing, and heart tests. Also before breeding, dog parents need additional tests for Brucellosis testing and both dogs need to be up to date with all their vaccinations. Their characteristics, their bad attitude, their lack of affection, their lack of concern, and their troublesome lifestyle all cause aggression in Golden Retrievers. Signs of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Golden Retrievers are sometimes like other dogs in showing their aggression and they will growl and bark while simultaneously becoming hyperactive. Their floppy ears are raised, the feathered tail is raised and stiff and their hackles are raised. If your Golden has turned into a bit of a biter, snapper, and growler, there has to be a good reason. So how does one stop aggression in Golden Retrievers? Socializing Ensure that your Golden Retriever puppy stays with his mother until he is 8 weeks of age. Just like young kids have to be disciplined in order for them to display appropriate behavior, your puppy Golden will need to be trained and socialized. Check out with your local vet where the best puppy socialization classes are. Choosing a Good Breeder By the time your Golden Retriever puppy is 8 weeks old, he is ready to go to his new home. The way he has developed so far will be dependent on how the breeder has raised him and his siblings. Puppies kept in an unloving, cold, hostile environment will have aggressive tendencies later on and not be able to function properly in your household. Choose a good breeder very carefully. Are you wanting to buy the cutest, most beautiful, friendliest, balanced, loving, non-aggressive Golden Retriever puppy? My Golden Retriever Puppies has just what you want, after all, they are the trusted source for responsibly-raised Golden Retriever Puppies in Ohio. Know your breeder and find yourself a healthy, lively, happy, amicable Golden who has been raised with love and care and dying to shower you with Golden Retriever kisses. Training Although it is difficult to find one iota of aggression in a Golden Retriever, any kind of aggressive behavior can be avoided with proper training. Apart from early socialization, you can train your dog firmly, fairly, and consistently. You could also allow a reputable professional dog behaviorist or trainer to train your Golden to mix with other people and dogs without showing aggressive tendencies. Positive reinforcement training is great when a tasty treat is given as a reward for the desired behavior. Never confuse your dog, and make sure that everyone in the family uses the same signs and commands that he is familiar with. Exercise If you want to avoid aggression in your Golden Retriever, exercise him. Dog aggression is a concern for any dog owner and even your mild, calm Golden can begin to feel the stirrings of aggression when he is never exercised. The Golden Retriever is a large dog and he is also a sporting breed. Your Golden will need a consistent workout every day for at least 20 minutes at a time. Hitting a ball for him with a tennis racquet can be an excellent running exercise for him. You have to be patient with him and show him kindness, gentleness, and fairness when training him. Conclusion Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? They can be, but only under certain circumstances. It is things such as improper breeding, abuse, and fear from humans that put aggression into any dog. Know your Golden and get him to the vet if you suspect uncharacteristic aggression which could be brought on by pain or illness. You can easily find one by checking out our puppies here! All our puppies are raised by our own group of small, independent breeders who lovingly care for and socialize with each of them daily so they grow up happy. We even take all the extra steps to provide the best healthcare for them. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. While most people do not think that agressive golden retriever is a problem, it can be depending how the dog was raised. If a dog or puppy is abused from early on and then you adopt this dog, it can have some aggressive dog behavior that needs to be corrected as soon as possible. The kind, friendly, and confident manner of Golden Retrievers have made them so popular that many unscrupulous breeders were attracted towards them. As a result, careless breeding of Golden Retrievers have developed several health and temperament problems. Unprovoked Golden Retriever aggression is one such problem that has developed due to irresponsible breeding. Though aggression is an instinctive nature of Golden Retrievers, they were never unwanted. Golden Retrievers had shown aggression to hunt, to defend themselves from other creatures, to defend resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Golden Retriever aggression has been classified in several ways — dog aggression, food aggression, aggression towards strangers, and aggression towards family members are some of the common types. Aggressive Golden Retriever Dog : rare but it can happen. It is rare for a Golden Retriever dog to turn out to be aggressive, but it can happen. There are many causes for this type of behavioral issues. In some cases, poor propagation can result in an aggressive Golden Retriever. Dominance issues are one of the most common reasons for aggression. Most often times, Golden Retriever dog aggression issues will simply be acting out of fear. This is acknowledged as defensive aggression. For instance, if your golden was hurt by a big dog or young child when she was youthful, she may react aggressively when uncovered to these triggers later on in life. Dealing with defensive aggression can be scary and irritating at the same time. While you do not want to scare your dog or cause more emotional trauma, you naturally want to decrease the incidences of aggressive behavior. One of the most important things you can do when dealing with defensive aggression is to not disregard the problem. It is important to deal with the issues as soon as possible mainly because aggression can increase over time if not properly addressed. Aggressive behavior can begin with some Golden retriever dogs when they are as youthful as five or six weeks old! This is why it is very important to invest in your golden retriever from a reputable breeder. One good way to stop aggressive behavior is to make sure that your dog or puppy is properly socialized. A critical period for socialization is from the time a dog is 6 weeks old until he or she is 14 weeks old. Following your puppy is weaned and has received her first sequence of shots, you can take her out in public. Some people choose to socialize their dog in public before she has acquired shots. You can minimize the risk of your dog contracting a virus by holding her while out in public. Aggressive behavior in any dog is easy to spot, ears will be laid back, teeth showing and body more in a downward slant as if to attack its prey. In addition, you should be able to recognize the signs of dog aggression to learn how to deal with an aggressive golden retriever dog. This signs can include: Dominate aggression is typically the bully type of aggression, which can lead to food dominance or having problems with dogs or people. Fear aggression typically happens when the dog is so afraid that they go into a fight or flight mode. Typically their tail may be between their legs even when they are showing signs of aggression. Territorial aggression happens when there is typically more than one dog in the home and one is territorial over food or toys. Some dogs become very aggressive when they are possessive of their owners. This means that they may bite or growl if others approach their owner. Many dogs become aggressive with punishment which is the direct cause of humans. This means harsh punishment which is abuse can lead to the dog becoming aggressive to protect itself. Some dogs display aggression when they are in pain, especially a senior dog, therefore it is important not to lift a dog that is in pain. Maternal aggression, if your golden retriever dog just had a liter of puppies, you might not want to begin playing with the puppies straight away because this can cause the motherly instinct to kick in and make her aggressive toward you. It is important to recognize the type of golden retriever aggression that your dog is displaying because sometimes it is just situational, such as pain aggression. Dogs are like people and they deal with pain differently, which means that some dogs want you to comfort them when they are in pain and others want you to leave them alone. It is vital you know the cues your dog is giving you so that you understand if it is situational or if your dog needs obedience training. While golden retrievers are not know for their aggressiveness, any dog in certain situations can become aggressive. Half of all the dogs out there bite someone or another dog at least once in their life. Dog biting is not desired behavior, no matter whether it is aimed at humans or dogs you need to put a stop to it as early as possibly can. By stopping this behavior as early as you can you will be able to prevent the chance of your dog developing anti-social habits. If you can stop your dog from biting as early as you can then you will be able to have a nice friendly dog which will not be a risk to other dogs or other people. When stopping dog biting too many people don't stop to think about the actual reasons for it happening, actually Golden Retriever aggression and biting are two very natural things when they are in danger or feel threatened. Your dog might bite because he is scared or for a variety of other reasons. If your dog is stressed for example then he might bite, just think about what you do when you're in a foul mood. Some people may become aggressive when they are in a bad mood, and dogs are exactly the same. There are different ways that humans can relieve this pressure, however dogs don't have as many options. In order to stamp out Golden Retriever aggression and biting you need to show your dog that any such behavior is completely unacceptable to you. There are a number of different things that can cause dog biting and aggression, including fear, when they are with young, or when they feel threatened. If you are aware what causes dog aggression and biting then you may be able to avoid all of these things. The next important step that you want to look at is training your dog, you will be able to train your dog so that he doesn't show any aggression. It's possible to do this training yourself or with the help of a professional. If you train your dog properly then he will be able to know that it is wrong to bite. There are also a number of other options that you have when you want to find ways to stop your dog biting. If you notice that your dog is biting from a young age then you stand a better chance of getting the problem sorted out easily. You need to socialize your puppy with other people and dogs to make him feel comfortable around strangers. Try to get your dog used to other people touching and petting him, you can do this by allowing your dog to sniff each new person before they are allowed to pet him. Your dog will enjoy this as it is like a handshake! Make sure that you do not tease your Golden Retriever dog, teasing your dog might get some good reactions but it's not good for your puppy. Teasing games will only aggravate the puppy and make him annoyed. So if you have a puppy that is biting then now is the right time to start training him not to bite. A puppy's bites may not hurt at this stage, however they will do very soon! Make sure that you socialize your dog and get him completely used to strangers before he reaches adulthood. If you do all of these things then you should be able to stop your dog being one of the ones that bites other people! Nobody wants a Agressive Golden Retriever that bites, fortunately you don't have to put up with it any longer! You will learn how to deal with it. This means that you should never discipline your young puppy harshly, especially if she is between 8 to 10 weeks old. When you discipline your dog, do not hit her with your hand or another object, yell at her, or use other harsh discipline methods. This can actually backfire and cause more aggression, especially if your dog is defensive aggressive. In Golden Retrievers, the majority of the cases of dog aggression and food aggression have genetic components. According to one such study, breeding for calmness in Golden Retrievers have messed the fundamental brain chemistry of the dog resulting in unwanted aggression. Selective breeding against the nature of the dog has fastened the process. However, if a Golden Retriever has developed a dog aggression or food aggression we can at least control it through proper socialization and obedience training. Living conditions, excessive punishment, being attacked or frightened by an aggressive dog also influence aggression in Golden Retrievers. While genetics may play a role in raising aggressive behavior, environment can play a huge role. If your dog is abused or neglected, she will have a very good chance of starting to be aggressive. A dog that has poor living conditions, very harsh masters and no social expertise is very most likely to develop behavior issues. If your dog shows aggressive behavior immediately after one year of age, you will need to address the problem quickly. You may need to enlist the help of a trained professional to do this. Recall that it is important to not reward your dog for aggressive behavior. If you deal with your dog or pet your dog immediately immediately after aggressive behavior, you are in essence rewarding that behavior. If your dog becomes aggressive since it is fearful, you will need to take some time to work on social competencies and socialization. You should also seek the advice of a trained professional who has practical experience dealing with defensive aggressive behaviors. Aggression can be controlled. Nonetheless, it is very important to take the steps necessary to solve the problem as an alternative of ignoring behaviors and hoping that they will go away on their own. Here are some tips for Controling Agressive Golden Retrievers Aggressive Behavior : Firstly you need to work out why your dog is biting. Once you know the reasons then you will be able to isolate these and work on correcting them. We're going to take a look at a few tips which might be enough to make your life slightly easier. Social Life While your Golden Retriever puppy is young you should make sure that he socializes with as many other dogs as possible. This will help him to understand that the other dogs and people are not a threat, and in actual fact they can all get on like a house on fire! When your Golden Retriever puppy is young it might look cute when your puppy bites, however it's certainly not cute when your puppy gets older! Consistent In order for your Golden Retriever dog to learn anything you need to be consistent. Whenever your dog bites anybody, anything or any other dog then you need to show him that it's just not acceptable. Once he starts to learn that biting is not acceptable then he will slowly learn not to do it. Don't get too annoyed Dogs thrive on contact with other people and so you cannot just ignore him when he does something wrong. If your dog is agressive then tell him off, then for a few minutes do nothing, however after that stroke him and pet him. You need to show your Golden Retriever dog that you still love him, otherwise he will only get annoyed, just make sure you keep your hands a long way away from his mouth! Don't hit your dog When you are telling your dog off some people may tell you to strike your dog. However this is never a good idea. It isn't sensible to strike your dog because he is being disobedient, or aggressive. Just give him a warning. Physical punishment is a surefire way to lose your puppies trust forever. Trust is vital for any future relationship you have with your dog to be a success. Don't play too roughly If your Golden Retriever is aggressive then you shouldn't play roughly as this might encourage him to bite you. By playing roughing you are actually showing him that this behavior is ok. You need to show that it is not acceptable for your dog to do anything you don't like. By playing rough he will think that it's ok to play rough with you too. Some dogs are harder to stop biting or being agressive than others which may cause you a lot of frustration. However there are plenty of other methods to help you find ways how to get dog to stop biting. Water spray You could get one of those spray water bottles used to mist plants and put some water in it. Whenever your dog does anything you don't like then you can say no, and spray him with water. This should startle your dog, and as he doesn't like it he should associate it with being bad. Praise Another option is to reinforce everything good that he does. Whenever he does anything right then give him lots of praise. Positive reinforcement is thought to be much more effective than negative punishment. All dogs love treats and praise, so if you only give it to them when they deserve it then they will soon get the idea. Though Golden Retrievers are equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them, they sometime show aggression towards both of them. The reasons may vary for a Golden Retriever aggression towards strangers and towards family members. One reason why a Golden Retriever shows aggression towards strangers is that they might never have the chance to get used to them. Again proper socialization and lot of outings can solve the problem. Socializing Golden Retriever means that you start exposing them to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals from a young age. Aggression towards family members can be commonly because of two reasons— either your Golden Retriever is trying to defend himself from a perceived threat, which he sees in any of the family member or he is not comfortable with the treatment he is getting from you or other members of the family. Golden Retrievers have an overly-possessive behavior and when you try to take away his belongings or you approach it when it is eating, they develop aggression against you. This resource guarding nature of Golden Retrievers which gives rise to aggression actually boils down to the issue of dominance. Your Golden Retriever has a tendency to rank each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well. And a higher-ranked Golden Retriever acts aggressively in defense of resources. The best way to treat Golden Retriever aggression is consistent and frequent obedience work with lot of socialization. In fact, the earlier you start the socialization process the lesser are the chances of aggression. Golden Retrievers also show aggression if they are not handled and groomed properly. Picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper and taking them into the bath definitely helps in reducing the chances of aggression. Conclusion about how to deal with an agressive golden retriever dog Agressive Golden Retriever can quickly become a serious problem which is often blamed entirely on the dog. However your dog doesn't know any better, and so it is actually your responsibility as the owner to get the problem sorted. It can be very frustrating when dogs bite, however it is possible to stop your dog biting and being agressive today. So, Keep in mind that golden retriever dogs are smart, therefore, if you recently adopted a full grown dog and it is showing signs of aggression, you should immediately get your golden retriever dog in an obedience training course. Read the full disclosure here. Tasty finger! Your golden retriever puppy is as friendly as can be — great with kids, respectful of other dogs, and not overly attentive to your cat. Yes, golden retrievers are known for their good-natured demeanor, but they are still dogs — not so very far removed from their wild cousins, and they can be unpredictable when faced with stressful, disturbing, or frightening situations. One of our jobs as responsible dog owners, of course, is to keep our dogs safe, but we may not always be able to protect them, and we may not always be able to prevent them from biting through fear or when in pain. What is Bite Inhibition? Puppies begin learning this from their mother and siblings as soon as they start to tumble around with each other in play. If they bite too hard, they are scolded by their mother or alerted with a yelp from their siblings. Eventually, they learn how hard is too hard, and they use their teeth more gently in play. Human Sensitive or Advanced Bite Inhibition By the time your puppy moves into your home, they will have been using their bite inhibition skills for weeks. Your puppy needs to learn that human beings are fragile and should be treated with care. There are many professional trainers who recommend that you simply train your puppy not to bite. This seems like a practical course of action, and it does work — in the short term. Teaching a puppy not to bite will give you quick results, but it may mean they never learn how much force is safe to use on people when they are forced to bite in an emergency. So if they do eventually bite, they will know to hold back the pressure safely and will not cause anywhere near as much pain or damage as they otherwise might. Why is Bite Inhibition Important? Believe it or not, even the most gentle dog that has been trained from a young age never to bite, can react to certain triggers. Those triggers are fear and pain. Consider these situations: Your dog has been suffering from chronic ear infections and hates to have his ears handled. The neighbor stops by with her toddler, who immediately runs to your dog and fondles his sensitive ears roughly. What will he do? You and your dog are walking down the road like you do every morning when out of nowhere comes a huge dog who attacks your dog without thinking twice. You manage to pull your dog away, but in the process, your frightened dog bites your arm. Your sweet golden retriever has gotten themself tangled in some barbed wire while hiking. As you loosen the wire from her skin and fur, she snaps at you, biting your hand. You may never experience any of these situations. By teaching bite inhibition while your puppy is young, you will be far safer and ready for any of these situations should they occur. Teaching Advanced Bite Inhibition Following is a general guide to the bite inhibition skills your puppy learns and when, as well as where you should aim for their skills to be at certain ages. She will start the puppies off by teaching them how rough is too rough during nursing and play. These lessons begin when the puppies start nursing day 1 and continue until the day you pick your puppy up from the breeder. This works for some puppies, but for others, it just seems to arouse the pup and make matters worse. You will have to experiment to find out what works for you and your pup. You should withdraw all of your attention from your puppy for very hard bites. Do not over-correct your puppy so they become afraid of biting. After your puppy has calmed down, use a chew toy as a reward and let them chew it in your lap or lying by your side. This teaches you puppy that there are other ways to keep their mouths and teeth busy. By four or five months, all force behind play bites should be eliminated. Kids tend to play rough with puppies, and puppies will get rough right back. Your puppy needs to know that every human being is sensitive to their bites, not just you. It is a process that sometimes lasts months, depending on your puppy. Be prepared for this, and remember that long-term results in your adult dog are more important than curtailing puppy bites as painful as they may be. Supervise your puppy around children — If you have young children at home, you will have to think carefully about how you will protect them and your puppy. Little puppy teeth can cause a lot of pain, especially when your pup is still learning to control those urges. Young children can also cause a lot of pain to small puppies. Always supervise very carefully when your pup and children are together. A tired puppy is a happy puppy — It will be much easier to teach bite inhibition if your puppy is not bouncing off the walls. Make sure they get enough exercise every day. Not only will this help with training, but it will also help prevent all kinds of other destructive behavior. Conclusion Teaching bite inhibition to your golden retriever puppy is a gift you give to your pup that will last forever. In reality, more than 4. Although only a tiny percentage have to seek medical attention, the experience can be unnerving for the person being bit and the dog owner. But to help your pup, you should understand why puppies and older dogs bite and what type of training will inhibit their inclination to bite. So, why do Golden puppies bite so much? Like human babies, puppies also teethe. Teething starts around three weeks when their first milk teeth come in. Once this process begins, your puppy will want to bite and chew on almost everything, including you! Biting helps relieve the pain in their gums and soothes some of the irritation as new teeth come in. Retrievers were originally bred to pick up and retrieve prey, which means using their mouths as a tool is part of their genetics. In the 19th century , hunters would use this breed to help them hunt waterfowl and other game. Once they shot down a bird, the dog would find it, pick it up in its mouth, and bring it back. Another factor is those foundational canine instincts. Guarding people, digging holes, turning around before lying down, and biting — these behaviors are part of the canine DNA. These early versions of domesticated dogs developed strong social instincts, which is why dogs today can become nervous when separated from their packs. When they feel alone and anxious, they might bark, howl, or start chewing or biting on anything they can find until you come home. Goldens, in particular, seek the approval of their owners. Training your puppy not to bite unwanted things and be gentle when using their mouth is known as bite inhibition. Most Golden Retriever puppies outgrow their biting habits. Usually, when teething is over and all their adult teeth have come in — at around six and seven months old — you can expect the puppy-biting phase to end. However, not every pup will stop on its own. Some will need training to break the habit. Of bites reported from to , Golden Retriever bites account for one bite every two years. If your Golden Retriever is biting, it might have underlying issues that require addressing. But seeing your older Golden bite can be alarming. Even the calmest dogs might bite if provoked. The better you understand where your dog is coming from, the easier it is to implement a solution. For instance, say an intruder breaks into your home. As a reaction, your dog might bark or growl. And, if they feel threatened enough, they might try to bite the intruder. This is an example of territorial aggression. Fear: if a dog feels cornered or trapped or is startled, their first instinct might be to bite. Maternal or protective: when your pet feels that someone in their pack is at risk, they might act aggressively to the perceived threat. Predatory: this is when a dog reacts to fast-moving things and starts aggressively chasing. Playful Playful biting is a lot like Golden Retriever puppy biting. This type of biting occurs when the dog never outgrows the puppy-play biting stage. If playfulness is behind the problem, teaching bite inhibition now by reinforcing positive behavior can go a long way in helping your dog drop their bad habits. For example, if a rambunctious puppy continually nips at an adult Golden Retriever, the older dog might snap at the younger puppy. This can happen when a dog is in pain because of a health issue. Golden Retrievers are genetically predisposed to several conditions that can cause pain and discomfort, including the following: Hip and elbow dysplasia Cancer Eye conditions, such as entropion Getting your Golden Retriever puppy from a reputable breeder can help to reduce the chances that your dog will develop these and other health conditions. The Golden Retriever breed has one of the highest cancer rates. And older dogs, in general, are more susceptible to disease. If you notice your dog starting to bite and growl for no apparent reason, it also might be worth talking to your vet to rule out health problems. But as every dog has a unique personality, you might need to work through different methods before successfully teaching bite inhibition. Here are three methods you can use to teach your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite. Method 1: Socialization Puppies who are properly socialized learn bite inhibition while nursing and playing. Both of these social feedback mechanisms help to teach a puppy to bite softly or not at all. Bringing your puppy to meet other playful pups or taking them to the dog park when they are ready can help them learn not to bite. A reputable breeder will also spend time socializing your Golden Retriever puppy with both other dogs and people. These interactions can help your puppy learn how to be gentle before you even bring them home. The key to this training technique is redirecting their focus before your dog can react. Method 3: Deterrence The name of the game here is to deter your puppy from having a satisfying experience when they start biting. There are a couple of ways deterrence training can work when teaching your Golden Retriever to stop biting. Golden Retriever puppies want to please their owners. Another option is to use a safe deterrence spray for puppies. For example, if your puppy has a habit of biting your furniture, you can apply an anti-chew spray like a bitter apple or bitter cherry. Eventually, your dog will start associating that fun thing to chew on with an awful taste and lose interest. Know that positive reinforcement is your best friend, no matter what training you use to teach your Golden Retriever to give up on biting. Successfully training your Golden Retriever comes down to understanding why the biting occurs. You can contact expert dog trainers who have experience with biting. Some trainers specialize in addressing underlying issues, such as aggression. Otherwise, your dog might never grow out of their habits. Instead, use socialization and puppy training tools to help your little Golden Retriever learn how to respond to different environments, triggers, and people. With social and lifestyle training, puppies are exposed to various situations, so they learn how to behave around other people, at the park, vet, and home. Ultimately, education during puppyhood is the foundation of a happy and healthy adulthood. At Snowy Pines, we teach our White Lab and English Cream Golden Retriever puppies the skills they need to be happy, tail-wagging dogs, including bite inhibition. Check out our Wagology curriculum and lifestyle modules today! Share on.

Get Proof of Testing You can check over the phone that these have been carried out. But you must also ask to see certificates when you visit. If possible try and get copies of the health tests sent to you by email before you arrive. This avoids an awkward situation if they are not forthcoming at your visit. For more information about health testing check out our page on inherited diseases in Labradors. Hallmarks of good Labrador Retriever breeders — smart breeding choices Besides choosing healthy Labradors, good breeders will also take account of other factors which make a mating wise, or unwise. For example, good breeders will make sure their sire and dam are as unrelated as possible. This maintains genetic variation, which keeps dogs healthy. They will also take care not to breed from nervous or anxious females who are likely to finding mating, pregnancy and whelping stressful. Choosing a Lab breeder: Does pedigree equal quality? Decide which type of Labrador you want before you start searching for breeders near you. We have a detailed comparison here to help you make that decision. After care and information Good Labrador Retriever breeders offer a lifetime of support to their puppy buyers. They will answer your questions confidently and provide you with written information sheets on caring for your puppy. Good breeders will make sure you have a convenient way to keep in touch with them. Most reputable breeders will also take a puppy back at any time in the future if you find yourself unable to care for it. Many actually require this in their puppy contracts. And best of all, lots of great Lab breeders offer holiday boarding! So how can I buy a Labrador puppy from one of these good breeders? There are a number of ways to find a good Labrador breeder. These include puppy advertisements and breeder advertisements in newspapers and online. Labrador breed clubs will be able to put you in touch with local Labrador breeders and this is a good way to start your search. The Labrador Retriever Club keeps a directory of local and regional clubs , and a directory of breeders. Most of these clubs now have websites of their own, as do many breeders. Find the Breeder First It is better to find a breeder in advance than search for a pup and check out the breeder at the same time. Many good Labrador Retriever breeders have all their puppies spoken for before they are born. So you will need to get your booking in early. Most people have to wait for the right puppy, and good breeders will want to see that you are prioritising getting the right dog over the timing. What about buying a puppy from an advertisement? This will certainly deliver a lot of puppy ads. Some people regard puppy advertisements with great suspicion, but even reputable breeders occasionally need to advertise puppies. Especially if a litter is very large, or if one of their purchasers has to pull out at the last minute. However, you should treat any advertisement with some suspicion until you have satisfied yourself as to the breeders credentials. Some breeders have their own website. This says more about their ability to set up a website than it does about their breeding practices, but it may give you an idea of what kind of a breeder they are. Choosing your puppy Once you have found a good Labrador breeder you may be able to choose a puppy. It is very hard to tell how pups are going to turn out at eight weeks old, and the fact that all the other pups are spoken for is a good indicator that your chosen breeder is in demand. The breeder may also feel that they know their own puppies best, and may want to match them to the right homes themselves. The interest "Labrador Retriever" has 17,, audiences in Facebook. 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National Boxer Day is held every year on January .The pet holiday was launched in by TheWoofBook, a Facebook group for dog lovers. There are two schools of thought. In two brave Boxers named Punch and Judy received one of the most prestigious honors to be awarded to an animal— the Dickin Medal. Over the years the Boxer has worn many hats, with work ranging from that of an aide to hunters and butchers, to taking on the role of police dog, guard dog, military messenger and service dog. Boxer coats come in two AKC-recognized colors: brindle and fawn. Sadly, boxer puppies born white were once euthanized by breeders so this trait, which was looked upon as flawed, would not perpetuate. Boxers are born with floppy ears and a long tail, which in some countries are often docked so the dog will appear to possess a more formidable physique. In a Boxer named Brandy became a Guinness World record holder for the longest tongue ever for a canine. Measuring 17 inches 43 cm , the record still stands today. The Boxer bounded in popularity in the United States after World War II, when many members of the breed were brought to their new home by returning soldiers. Success struck again in , when Mazelaine Zazarac Brandy took home the title, and in , when Bang Away of Sirrah Crest earned top dog status. Famous Pet Parents of Boxer Dogs Following are just a few of the many famous faces who have been lucky enough to have had Boxer fur babies: Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart— Bogey and Bacall began their life together as husband and wife alongside their first Boxer, Harvey, who had been presented to the couple as a wedding gift. The Gone with The Wind star even shared a cover of a issue of Movie Mirror with his canine companion. Pablo Picasso— Known as the father of cubist art, Picasso was also a father to several four-legged family members, including a goat named Esmerelda, Afghans called Kabul, Kasbek and Sauterelle, a Dachshund dubbed Lump, and a Boxer named Jan. Kate Upton— The Sports Illustrated supermodel who is a role model as an animal advocate, having hosted several pet adoption events , was a proud pet parent to a Boxer named Harley, who crossed Rainbow Bridge in .Adopting A Boxer If you would like to welcome a Boxer into your heart and home, you can check online at Across America Boxer Rescue , a foster-based non-profit which finds forever homes for members of the breed who wind up in shelters or who have been abandoned. You can also search for adoptable Boxers online at:. Could you be the next forever home for one of our boxers? Rescuing is both rewarding and admirable. Most of our boxers have had a tough time through no fault of their own, and are looking for a fresh start with a loving family. At TBRI, we do our best to make sure that our boxers never again find themselves in need of a home and we take great pride in our adoption process from start to finish. Three easy steps…. If you do not hear from someone, you are welcome to email us at info theboxerrescue. During your phone interview, our volunteer will discuss more about why you want to adopt a boxer, and answer any questions you might have about our rescue. Your references will also be contacted, including your vet reference. This is an important step and we require that ALL family members fur and human be present. If there are no boxers that are a match for your family, we ask that you be patient. We are always rescuing boxers, so one is bound to come along that is a perfect fit. You are welcome to maintain communication with us during this waiting period. Be sure the application is filled out in its entirety. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Where do your boxers come from? Many of our boxers are owner surrenders. Perhaps the owner purchased the dog on impulse, not understanding the needs of a boxer. Sometimes, financial situations change, and families are not able to care for the dog anymore. We also take dogs that have been brought to shelters around New England. If a shelter reaches out for help, we do our best to find placement for the boxer in need. All of our boxers are temperament tested and evaluated before coming into rescue. It should be noted that ALL dogs require a decompression period when going to a new home. Can I adopt a female dog if I already have a female dog? The short answer is no. Our experience in placing dogs, has shown us that placing two females together is oftentimes not the best long term situation. We receive many calls from owners needing to surrender their female boxers because there is fighting with another female dog in the house. Either way, the fighting is often brutal and bloody. We have adopted a policy to never place two female dogs in the same house. Are your boxers healthy? They are brought up to date on vaccines, tested for heartworm, and spayed or neutered unless too young or not medically able to be. Their vet records are provided upon adoption. Do I need to have a fenced in yard to adopt a boxer? We do not require a fenced in yard for all of our boxers. We look at each dog, individually, and based on the needs of that dog, we may require fencing. Please note that we do not consider an electric fence to be a proper method of containment and are not able place a dog in a home that uses electric fencing. Do you have a shelter where I can come meet the boxers? We are not a shelter and do not have a physical location where you can meet our adoptees. Most boxers will stay with their owners or shelter until we can secure a foster or adoptive home for them. What Are Your Adoption Fees? In some cases, surrendered dogs require surgery which we, as a rescue, pay for. Sometimes, we get emergency pleas from owners or shelters about a dog in urgent need of medical treatment. The money we receive from adoption donations barely covers the cost associated with rescuing dogs. Often times we rescue a dog that costs us far more than the adoption fee covers. We do offer our puppy parents the option of having their pups spayed or neutered at one of our vets for a lower cost. Spaying and neutering is mandatory and we require proof. We look forward to speaking with you! Get Involved. They are a distinctive wrinkly dog breed. Originally bred to be a companion dog for Chinese royalty, the Pug spent much of its early years living in luxury. They were imported to Europe in the s, where they continued to prove popular in royal circles. Pugs were recognized by the American Kennel Club in .They are typically very sociable dogs and make great family pets. Unfortunately, Pugs are prone to several health problems because of their unusual structure, compact breathing passageways, and shorter snouts. It can also be difficult for Pugs to keep themselves cool in hot conditions. The breed also requires frequent exercise and a healthy diet to stave off obesity. Their coats have an array of different colors — black, cream, brown, orange, red, or any mixture of these colors. The modern-day Pom is heavily influenced by the British Royal Family. During the lifetime of Queen Victoria , she worked to reduce the breed in size from the typical pound range to accommodate her preference for a smaller dog. By importing Poms from across the world, not only did she achieve her goal of making the breed smaller, but it also resulted in a diverse range of colorings which we see in Pomeranians today. The modern Pomeranian is commonly used as a household pet. They are affectionate towards their owners, and thrive on attention. In their quest to be alongside their family at every turn, Pomeranians can occasionally suffer from separation anxiety. The breed remains extremely popular in Latin America. The Chihuahua can either be short-haired or long-haired. It is believed that the dog was descended from the larger Techichi breed , which was favored by the Toltec civilization in Mexico. When the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs in the twelfth century, they refined the Techichi into the smaller, more compact Chihuahua we are familiar with today. As with other smaller breeds, Chihuahuas can require lots of veterinary help in the early months of their life. They can be born with moleras a soft spot on the skull , but these fill in as they get older. Their small size makes them vulnerable to attacks from larger dogs or other animals. Typically, a Chihuahua makes a good companion dog and will be better suited to apartment living. In registration lists in both the United States and the United Kingdom, the Frenchie was in second place. The breed has its origins in the United Kingdom. They were often used in blood sports, until these were outlawed in .When lace workers in Nottingham, England were displaced by the Industrial Revolution, they moved to France — bringing their bulldogs with them. As the nineteenth century progressed, the French gained an affinity for these dogs. This coincided with English breeders sending Bulldogs to France which they deemed to be too small. The dogs became popular with the creative class in Paris , garnering favor with artists and fashion designers. Today, French Bulldogs are kept as companion dogs in many countries. They do require socialization and close contact with humans to reduce the chance of separation anxiety. Overall, they are considered intelligent, affectionate and occasionally stubborn dogs. Poodles come in three different sizes from largest to smallest — the Standard Poodle, the Miniature Poodle and the Toy Poodle. Whilst poodle mixes have gained popularity in recent years, it should be noted that they are not purebred dogs. There is some contention over the origins of the Poodle. On one hand, some believe that the breed has its roots in Germany. An alternative theory is that the Poodle comes from France. The breed is named Caniche in French meaning duck dog , and some claim that the Poodle is a descendant of the extinct Barbel. Some even suggest that the breed may have its origins in eastern Europe or Africa. The modern Poodle has several uses, but it is perhaps most commonly associated with performing service dog tasks. Poodles can be trained as autism service dogs, guide dogs, and offer assistance to other individuals with disabilities. Although they are trainable, the Poodle is intelligent and requires patience from owners and dog trainers alike. The Siberian Husky has one of the thickest double coats of all breeds, which helps them to withstand even the harshest, coldest weather conditions. The breed did originate in Siberia, where it was bred by the Chukchi people in the eastern part of the region. Initially, they were simply used to transport goods and people across vast distances of the treacherous landscape. As the people became more familiar with the dogs and their behavior, the Huskies were eventually invited to live amongst them. The Siberian Husky made its way to Alaska in , where it served a similar purpose. They were also used for sled dog racing — which is still the case today, with several huskies taking part in the annual Iditarod contest which races over a thousand miles of Alaska. The Siberian Husky is very independent and can be difficult to train. In particular, males may be inclined to challenge authority during training sessions. Training them from a young age is essential — by doing so, owners will be rewarded with a friendly, social and amiable family pet. From their working roots in Scotland in the nineteenth century, all the way to their modern utilization as a family pet or reliable service dog, the Golden Retriever is one of the most adored dog breeds around the world. The breed originated in the Scottish Highlands in the s. He maintained a comprehensive stud book which detailed the origins of the Golden Retriever. Until the publication of the stud book in the s, some had even speculated that the Golden started off as a Russian circus dog. The first breed club was set up in , and the Golden Retriever was recognized by the Kennel Club in .Its popularity extended across the world in the s and s, with the AKC recognizing the breed in .Golden Retrievers are usually affectionate, intelligent and easy to train. These traits make the Golden Retriever an ideal candidate for a family pet, particularly if the household has young children. They are occasionally still used as hunting companions. In , the Labrador retains the bronze medal position in our analysis of popular dogs around the world. The breed dates back to the s, where it was developed in Newfoundland, Canada. Small water dogs were bred with the larger Newfoundland breed to create a new breed called the St. The St. By the s, the breed was popular across England. The breed was originally predominantly found with a black coat, but at the turn of the nineteenth century, the Yellow and Liver now Chocolate Labs also appeared. Labs are known to be even-tempered and a relatively healthy breed. They make great family pets, but have also been used for a number of functions. They are incredible swimmers, which means they can use their nose to locate injured or dead waterfowl. They can also be used as police or military K9s , or to perform service dog tasks. The versatility of the Labrador highlights why they are so popular around the world. They are the third-most registered breed in the United States, and feature in second place in this analysis — just as they did last time. A medium-to-large sized dog with distinctive pointed ears, the German Shepherd was developed to help with herding sheep and protecting flocks in Germany. These efforts took place in the second half of the nineteenth century. It was decided that the breed needed to be strong, smart, fast and agile to fulfill its role, and whilst early efforts to standardize the breed failed, a gentleman named Max von Stephanitz was instrumental in its eventual success. He had a clear idea of what a working dog should be, and was so taken with a dog he saw in a dog show in that he decided to purchase it on the spot. Von Stephanitz then formed the Society for German Shepherd Dogs, and within a matter of decades, the breed became one of the most popular — not just in Germany, but in other countries around the world. Today, the German Shepherd has multiple uses. Its trainability, temperament, drive and build make it well-suited for K9 work in police and military teams. Their strong sense of smell also enables them to succeed in detection disciplines and search and rescue. This muscular, medium-sized dog has retained the crown it earned in our previous analysis. The origins of the Bulldog are not pretty. Bred in England as a cross between the Pug and the Mastiff, its original use was for bull-baiting and blood sports. When bull-baiting was banned in the s, the breed almost became extinct. Throughout the rest of the s, breed enthusiasts worked to refine the characteristics of the breed, toning down its fierce aggression and turning it into something more akin to a companion dog. Today, the Bulldog is used primarily as a family pet, although they can be trained as a protection dog. Whilst they can be difficult to train, they form strong bonds with their owners and are fiercely loyal to their family. Related posts 11 Fascinating Japanese Dog Breeds August 10, Rich in culture and history, Japan also introduced a variety of dog breeds to the world. Learn more about these Japanese breeds in this article.

We are a northern California breeder near Sacramento that prides itself on choosing our breeding dogs for top health, temperament, and beauty that conforms to the breed standard. Our dogs are selected from champion lines with health clearances. We will only breed dogs that pass all of these tests, so we can continue reaching to improve the breed through imposing high standards for our dogs. We breed dogs from these lines to continue a heritage of excellence in the breed. This standard is different from the AKC standard for golden retrievers, but both are accepted and licensed. The English type should have a blockier and fuller head, shorter muzzle, lower ear set, rounder eyes, stouter body structure, as well as a lighter color than the American type see comparison figure below. As an adult, it has been a pleasure to now show and selectively breed these beautiful English Golden Retrievers. Raising our English Golden Retrievers is a family endeavor that includes everyone from the youngest to the oldest. It is wonderful to make family memories with our dogs and children together. Our English Goldens are first and foremost pets who live and play among our family. Our children are involved from showing our dogs to whelping the puppies. Our puppies go home to their new families very loved and well socialized. In Northern California, we are located in Newcastle which is at the base of the Sierra Mountain foothills; close to Sacramento, and about miles from San Francisco or about miles from San Jose other cities near us are Roseville, Loomis, Folsom, Orangevale, Auburn, Lake Tahoe about an hour , and Reno about 2 hours. We can deliver our puppies to you if you are out of state, and personally travel with the puppy to bring your puppy to you. We cordially invite you to visit us and meet our beloved puppies and amazing dogs. We're located in the California Gold County just 25 miles east of Sacramento. Surrounded by golden foothills, we offer the perfect place to meet and enjoy the dogs. Expect to be greeted with wagging tails and wet noses during your visit, as our dogs are always excited to meet new people. Please let us know when you would like to visit by booking an appointment. The care and love you, Heather, and all at Classic Heritage devote to these pups is remarkable. The efforts taken to ensure pups are matched with their new happy forever home are excellent. Everyone I met was equally professional, educated, loving, kind, and a lot of fun. All of the dogs are beautiful and happy.We have had the best experience and have the most loving pup so anything we can do to help Classic Heritage we would. We have recommended you to everyone who has asked. Life Span Did You Know? The English Cream Golden Retriever is not a separate dog breed from the Golden Retriever ; it is simply a rarer coat color variation. These Golden Retrievers tend to have light white or cream-colored coats instead of honey, golden-brown, or reddish coats. As they are still standard Golden Retrievers, they are recognized by the AKC and other canine organizations and can be registered. An English Cream Golden Retriever has all the same traits as any other Golden Retriever; they are one of the most popular dog breeds and tend to be open, friendly, and make great family pets. One of the facts about Golden Retrievers is that they are considered one of the friendliest dog breeds. As long as they are socialized and trained, Goldens tend to get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets. They are even known for being open and friendly with strangers. As one of the kid-friendly dog breeds , Golden Retrievers love attention. These dogs tend to be energetic, full of personality, and are devoted to their families. They also tend to be excitable, which means they can be prone to barking. Training your dog to stop barking early on can help curb this habit and help prevent it from becoming a nuisance. Due to their friendly, gentle nature and intelligence, Goldens can often be found working as service, therapy, or search and rescue dogs. English Cream Golden Retrievers are highly adaptable dogs. Their high energy and exuberance make them better suited for homes with yards where they can run. They can adapt to apartment living, but you will need to dedicate a lot of time every day to ensure they get enough attention, mental stimulation, and exercise. Goldens fare well in most climates. As with any dog breed, they are sensitive to heat and extreme cold. Because they bond so closely with their families and are one of the most affectionate dog breeds , they do not like to spend long periods of time alone. Some potential health concerns to be aware of in an English Cream Golden Retriever can include canine cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia. Good breeding practices reduce the risk of these health issues and make a big difference in the health of puppies. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. The national breed club recommends hip and elbow evaluations, an NCL DNA test, an ophthalmologist evaluation, and a cardiac exam at a minimum. English Cream Golden Retrievers are intelligent and eager to please. This makes them highly trainable dogs that are a good fit for owners of all experience levels. Not only are they one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners , but they also tend to excel at obedience competitions and other dog sports. As one of the smartest dog breeds , Golden Retrievers can get bored easily. Because they pick up things quickly, they can get bored with too much repetition in training. If your dog has mastered basic commands , move on to other activities or more advanced commands. Anything you learn will help and will only strengthen the bond you are building with your puppy. Plus, there are several other benefits of puppy training classes including socialization. English Cream Goldens may have a lighter-colored coat, but they still have the classic longer Golden Retriever coat that will shed a big year-round and heavier as the seasons change. You will want to bathe them as needed and get your Golden professionally groomed a few times a year, especially as the seasons change. Trimming nails once or twice a month keeps them from growing too long. Weekly ear checks, along with careful cleanings as needed, can help prevent ear infections. Daily tooth brushing is ideal to keep tartar buildup at bay. This, plus cleanings at the vet when needed, is good dental care for dogs and can help prevent painful dental diseases later in life. Golden Retrievers are known for being high-energy dogs. Like Labrador Retrievers , they also tend to have an extended puppyhood. They do tend to calm down a little as they grow into adulthood, but will still have a lot of energy. Daily walks plus some playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough to keep this dog happy and healthy. Goldens tend to be athletic and versatile dogs. So, once they are done growing and the vet has cleared them for higher-impact activities, you can take them running with you, play frisbee, go hiking, train for dog sports, and more. As one of the most active dog breeds , you will likely run out of energy before they do and they will likely be up for even more activity if you are. An English Cream Golden Retriever generally lives for years on average. Golden Retrievers are one of the dog breeds of famous dogs. Why Wisteria Goldens? Here is what one family had to say about why they chose us. We look forward to getting our puppy and we are now trying to figure out what his name will be. It is a huge responsibility to ensure their physical needs, but their developmental ones, too, which requires creating a foundational program that focuses on health and includes socialization and introduction to training. Our goal is to raise and have confident secure puppies that can adjust quickly to new environments, things, people, places, etc. We use a process developed by Puppy Culture — a socialization and training program from whelping to going to their new homes, and also include our own experience for what works best for our breed and puppies. Our routine is instrumental in giving each of our English Cream Golden puppies a great foundational start to becoming the best possible member of your family. Click here to learn more about our Foundational Start Program. They are friendly, affectionate, intelligent, and have lovely, calm, mellow personalities. Our English Cream puppies come in various sizes, build, and color — something for everyone. We believe in finding that perfect puppy for you! If you have additional questions, check out our Frequently Asked Question page. Wisteria Goldens : English Cream Golden Retrievers Our puppies are raised as part of our family, until they become part of yours!

Final Thoughts Congratulations on adding a Golden Retriever to your family. These friendly pups make fantastic pets. Just be sure they receive adequate exercise and stimulation to help positively release their energy. A trained Golden Retriever can do amazing things, like serve as a companion dog. Enjoy your new pet, and good luck finding a name! More Dog Name Ideas Another great place for dog names is our online generator. It lets you pick your favorite name styles or themes and then generates a list of ideas tailored to you and your dog. Style options include cute, funny, tough, elegant, and more. The themes span everything from movies, TVs, books and comics, to history, food, music, and so on. Is the name easy to say? Sure, some names look good on paper, but in real life they could be quite tough to say. Before you lock in on a name, say it a few times to ensure it rolls off the tongue. Is it right for your dog? Say it out loud a few times. Was it easy to say out loud? Can you imagine loudly calling for your furry friend with this name? Trust your gut! Share this post:. Unique Tips For Choosing The Best Name For Your Golden Retriever You are probably wondering what are some good names for a golden retriever and is there any way of narrowing the list of several names to a manageable few. Here are some quick tips on how to choose the best name for your golden retriever: Use Personal Names: Naming your dog is important since this is the name you will have to live with for a long time. Hence, it is a good idea to consider names you have heard and already like. Instead, take some time to research different names and meanings; you will know when you find the right one. Ask For Advice: Talk with your family and friends and see what name they would give to your dog. You may get inspired or end up liking the names they have suggested. So, spend more time with your new puppy and get to know them better. Listen To Yourself: The right name will feel the best right from the start. Most golden retriever names are short and sweet, mainly because shorter names are easier to pronounce and for a dog to learn and remember. While not impossible, it can be a bit tricky for dogs to learn long names with a lot of syllables. A good name for a male golden retriever is short and easy to pronounce so your dog can learn quickly. Nevertheless, it is up to you to pick and decide which name is best suited for your dog based on your preferences. There are many cool dog names you can give to your golden retriever, just make sure that both you and your pooch are fans of a particular name. If you have a hard time picking just one of several names, say them one at a time to your pup and see which one gets their attention. There is no shortage of cute golden retriever names that can be a perfect moniker for your adorable pooch. Whichever name you decide to choose, make sure you can pronounce it easily and that you can call it out quickly. There is a wide selection of male and female golden retriever names to choose from, so I broke them up for you into: The top names for this year Brave and loyal golden retriever names Hunting and tracking inspired names Cute names for golden retrievers Take your time to read through all the names; you will know when you find the best one for your golden retriever. You May Also Like.

Breeds The link has been copied! Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world and for a good reason. They make wonderful family pets due to their friendly personalities, endless loyalty, and high intelligence. However, before bringing one into your home, it is essential to consider the costs associated with owning a Golden Retriever. In this article, we'll explore the question, "How much does a Golden Retriever cost? The overall price of a Golden Retriever can vary widely depending on a number of factors, such as the dog's age, lineage, and location. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that buying a puppy is just the beginning of the expenses associated with owning a Golden Retriever. In addition to the initial price, routine vet visits and vaccinations are necessary to keep your Golden Retriever healthy and prevent illnesses. These costs can add up quickly, especially in the first year of your dog's life when they require more frequent check-ups and vaccines. Your dog will typically require annual check-ups and routine vaccinations throughout their life. You can also choose to microchip your pet for additional security measures. Another ongoing expense associated with owning a Golden Retriever is grooming. While Golden Retrievers are relatively low-maintenance when it comes to grooming compared to some other breeds, they do require regular brushing and occasional baths. So, you will need to set aside adequate funds for this care. A Golden Retriever puppy cost can vary. The overall price will depend on whether you choose to purchase from a breeder or adopt from a rescue organization. However, it is essential to note that some breeders will charge more for puppies that have exceptional bloodlines or rare coat colors. If you choose to adopt a Golden Retriever puppy from a rescue organization, the adoption fee is usually much lower than the purchase price from a breeder. It is important to note that adoption fees will usually cover the cost of veterinary care, food, and shelter for the puppy while in the rescue organization's care. Often if you choose to adopt from a rescue or dog shelter, the pet will come into your family already spayed or neutered and up to date on all vaccinations. Color One of the most significant factors is the color of the puppy. Golden Retrievers typically come in shades of gold, but some may have a slightly darker or lighter coat, which can create variations in their price. For instance, puppies with lighter-colored coats may be more expensive than those with darker coats. Bloodline Puppies with a pedigree from a well-known champion bloodline are often more expensive than those without a proven lineage. This cost difference is because they are likely to have a superior appearance, temperament, and overall health characteristics. Often dogs from such lineage come with documentation and official paperwork to verify their background. A quality breeder who has invested time and resources in breeding and raising quality Golden Retrievers may charge a higher price for their puppies. This reason is that they are more likely to provide you with a healthy and well-socialized puppy. Estimated Size Finally, the estimated size of the puppy can impact the cost. Typically, male Golden Retrievers are larger than females, and puppies from larger litters may be smaller than those from smaller litters. Owing to that, puppies from a smaller litter may be more expensive as they tend to be in higher demand. Overall, it is essential to consider all of these factors when looking to purchase a Golden Retriever to ensure that you get the best value for your money. As we've discussed, the cost of purchasing and maintaining a Golden Retriever can quickly add up. However, investing in a GPS-tracking dog collar is one way to protect your investment in your furry friend. A GPS-tracking dog collar can help make sure that your Golden Retriever doesn't wander too far from home or get lost. This feature is especially important if you live in an area with a lot of traffic or wildlife, where your dog could be at risk of injury or getting into dangerous situations. A GPS tracking dog collar can help you quickly locate your dog if they do manage to escape, allowing you to bring them home safely and quickly. No doubt a GPS-tracking dog collar is an additional expense, but it can provide peace of mind and protection for your furry friend, making it a worthwhile investment for any Golden Retriever owner. It can give you the confidence to let your dog explore and play freely while still being able to keep an eye on their location and well-being. Incorporating the Fi GPS Tracking Dog Collar into your Golden Retriever's routine can help ensure their safety and security while enjoying all the joys of owning this beloved breed. The collar has a long battery life and is water-resistant, making it durable enough to withstand daily wear and tear. The collar also offers activity tracking, which can help you monitor your dog's exercise habits and ensure they are getting enough physical activity to stay healthy. Golden Retriever Breed Guide The Golden Retriever is a popular breed known for being friendly and having an affectionate personality. They are intelligent, eager to please, and have a gentle nature, making them excellent family pets. They are typically very patient with children and get along well with other animals, making them an ideal companion for families with kids or other pets. Golden Retrievers are considered to be a medium to large breed in terms of size and weight. Males typically weigh between 65 and 75 pounds and stand in inches between 23 to .Alternatively, females weigh between 55 pounds to 65 pounds and stand in inches between .Golden Retrievers have an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years, but with proper care, they can live up to 14 years. Golden Retrievers are an active breed. They frequently require multiple sessions of daily exercise to stay in peak shape. They enjoy many types of outdoor activities, including swimming, fetch, and hiking. These dogs make great companions for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. However, they can also adopt a more laid-back lifestyle if they don't receive regular exercise. The lifetime care costs of a Golden Retriever will often depend on factors such as their health, age, and lifestyle. Budgeting for these costs and planning accordingly to ensure that your furry friend receives the care they need throughout their lifetime is essential. There are several ways to reduce the cost of owning a Golden Retriever. One option is to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter or rescue organization. Adopting a dog can be significantly less expensive than buying a puppy from a breeder, and it also helps to reduce the number of dogs in shelters. Another way to save money is to consider adopting an older dog instead of a puppy. Older dogs may have already gone through the training process, which can save on the cost of obedience classes and training supplies. They may also be less demanding in terms of exercise and may already be house-trained, which can save on cleaning and flooring expenses. When buying a Golden Retriever puppy, it's crucial to find a breeder who will always prioritize the health and life quality of their dogs. A breeder should be able to provide you with health guarantees, documentation of the puppy's lineage, and proof of vaccinations and other necessary medical treatments. Moreover, it's also a good idea to visit the breeder's facility and meet the puppy's parents, if possible, to get a sense of the breeding environment and the temperament of the puppies. While it may be tempting to choose the cheapest option when buying a Golden Retriever, doing so can lead to additional expenses down the line if the puppy develops health problems that require expensive medical treatment. A reputable breeder may have higher upfront costs but is more likely to produce healthy puppies with fewer genetic health issues. This initial extra cost can ultimately save you money and heartache in the long run. By taking the time to research breeders and consider all options carefully, you can save on the initial cost of owning a Golden Retriever while still providing a loving home for a furry companion. Conclusion: The Cost of Owning a Golden Retriever In conclusion, owning a Golden Retriever can be a fulfilling experience, but it is crucial to consider the upfront and ongoing costs that are commonly associated with owning one. By understanding the factors that impact the price tag of a Golden Retriever and exploring ways to reduce those costs, you can ensure that you are providing the best care for your furry friend without breaking the bank. Lastly, you will want to consider how to protect your newest family member and the investment that comes with them. The Fi GPS Tracking Dog Collar is a cutting-edge style of technology that offers dog owners an extra layer of protection for their furry friends. The collar uses GPS technology to track your dog's location in real time and sends alerts to your phone if your dog leaves a designated safe zone. This feature can be beneficial in the event that your Golden Retriever ever goes missing or wanders off, giving you the ability to quickly and easily locate them. For more helpful articles about pet-parenting tips, check out the Off Leash blog at TryFi. Want to know more about TryFi. This is the fastest way to find your dog after an escape. Try the Fi Dog Collar today! The link has been copied! You might also like. Coat Trim Cost of Veterinary Expenses You can expect to pay for the vet each year so that your dog can remain up to date with their shots. An annual visit can also make sure your dog is healthy, but you may want to take your dog in more often if they get sick or have other problems. You can get pet insurance to help cover the cost of these vet expenses. A good breeder will provide you with not only a healthy, well-socialized puppy but also support and guidance as you navigate life with your new furry friend. But with so many breeders out there, how do you know who to choose? Look for a breeder who is registered with the American Kennel Club AKC or other reputable organizations and who has experience breeding golden retrievers. A reputable breeder will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the breed and will provide you with references from past clients. A good breeder will provide support and guidance as you adjust to life with your new pet. They should be available to answer questions, offer training advice, and help you navigate any challenges that arise. Look for a Breeder with Experience Experience matters when it comes to breeding golden retrievers. A breeder with years of experience will have a wealth of knowledge about the breed and will be able to provide you with valuable insights and advice. They will know how to breed for good temperament, health, and other important traits that make golden retrievers such beloved family pets. This includes information about any genetic diseases or health issues that may be present in the bloodline. By choosing a breeder who prioritizes health and genetics, you can help ensure that your new puppy is healthy and happy. Some breeders may insist that you participate in these events if you want to purchase a puppy from them, but this is not a requirement. Choose a breeder who respects your lifestyle and preferences and who is primarily concerned with finding a good home for their puppies. The right Golden Retriever breeder depends on you as a person, but any good breeder should be able to answer any questions. You may come across the perfect puppy online, but do not commit to any dog until you can visit in person. The dog may be totally different than in their photo. In some cases, you may find that the dog does not exist. Some scammers can take photos of other dogs and collect payment for the dog. But the scammer will disappear before the buyer realizes the dog is not theirs. To avoid these puppy sales scams, always visit the dog in person before you sign a contract or make a payment. Make sure the dog looks like the pictures and that they have the temperament that you want. If you are working with a breeder, be sure to check their credentials and ask for references. You can speak to other dog owners who have gone through the breeder. Finally, do not rush into getting a dog. Conclusion While Golden Retrievers can be moderately expensive to keep over the ten to twelve years that they generally live, there are many ways that people can reduce the cost of keeping them. One of the best ways to save money while raising a Golden Retriever is to get quality pet insurance. As long as their owners are prepared to offer them financial security in the form of good food, a few well-loved toys, and some regular veterinary care, Goldens repay the devotion a hundredfold in terms of loyalty and affection for their families. Check out our list of Golden Retriever Rescue Organizations , they are listed by state. She is board certified a specialist in canine reproduction. In her day job, she is a leader in a small biotech where she and a team of veterinarians and scientists work to develop new medications for pets. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of this wonderful breed of dogs. She and her husband have 2 children, 3 dogs and one cat. They love camping and hiking and she can often be found with her head in a good book. Recent Posts. One or both of this puppy's parents have undergone genetic testing. One or both of this puppy's parents are hip certified. One or both of this puppy's parents is OFA Heart certified. This puppy has had early neurological stimulation exercises. It is also important to understand there are different types of golden retrievers which may affect pricing. For example, if you decide to choose the lowest golden retriever cost option, those puppies almost never have the necessary 3rd-party assurances or veterinarian procedures like dewormings, vaccinations, health-tested parents, or a thorough health checkup. These missing costs and services will be your responsibility, making the total cost ultimately the same. Not to mention the added stress on you these extra expenses and issues create! Adopting vs. Please note that depending on the shelter, you may have to pay additional costs for your Golden certain shots and procedures. Depending on if the golden retriever is a boy or a girl may affect the price as well. Some male vs female golden retriever differences may make you prefer one over the other. This will ultimately save you time and money on your golden retriever price because breeders often pay lower veterinary rates than individuals do. Distemper, for example, is a highly contagious disease that attacks the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and nervous systems of dogs. Unfortunately, there is no cure — just a lot of expenses and stress which really adds to the overall cost of your Golden Retriever puppy. It is wise to ask your vet for guidance on this decision. Talk with your vet about the procedure, when you should get it done, and how much it might cost. Dental Care for Your Golden Retriever Golden Retrievers, like many dogs, can be prone to dental issues such as plaque buildup, gum disease, and tooth decay. These cleanings typically involve scaling, polishing, and potentially extractions if necessary. Some insurance providers offer optional dental coverage as an add-on or as part of more comprehensive plans. If dental coverage is included in the policy, it typically covers a portion of the costs associated with dental cleanings, extractions, and other necessary dental treatments. This typically includes services such as bathing, brushing, trimming, nail clipping, ear cleaning, and sometimes additional services like de-shedding or dematting. Some groomers may offer package deals or discounts for regular appointments or bundled services. This monthly expense may seem like an additional cost, but it can be a worthwhile investment when considering the potential savings on veterinary bills for treatments, surgeries, and medications. By having pet insurance in place, you can ensure that your Golden Retriever receives the necessary care without straining your finances in the event of unexpected health issues. Puppy Training and Socialization Classes Attending puppy training and socialization classes is highly recommended for the comprehensive development of your Golden puppy. These classes provide structured learning environments, social interaction, and essential obedience training. By enrolling your Golden Retriever puppy in these classes, you ensure they receive the necessary foundation for good behavior, social skills, and overall well-being. The cost for food will depend on the size, age, and activity level of your companion. Fortunately, the cheaper brands of dog food can be just as good as the more premium brands as long as they meet the standards of AAFCO and are made with minimal processing. When making your decision, make sure to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives where you can, since they could cause health problems for your dog.

This thoughtfully crafted dog food is formulated to meet the unique nutritional requirements of Labrador Retriever puppies up to 15 months old. It contains premium proteins and prebiotics for optimal digestion and energy. With vitamin E and minerals, it supports the immune system and overall health. The kibble size and texture promote dental health. This puppy food provides a tasty and balanced diet to support healthy growth and development, making it an excellent choice for Labrador Retriever puppy owners. This nutritious dog food is made with real chicken and eggs and provides essential vitamins and minerals for healthy digestion, immune function, and overall well-being. It also supports strong bones and healthy skin and coat. Its balanced nutrition and delicious taste make it a satisfying choice for adult Labrador dogs. This high-quality dog food offers a complete nutritional profile at a reasonable price, making it an excellent value-for-money option for pet parents seeking to provide their dogs with a nutritious diet. How to find the best Labrador dog food? Selecting the optimal dog food for your Labrador necessitates the meticulous evaluation of various factors. Look for high-quality ingredients: Choose dog foods that contain high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and are free from artificial preservatives and fillers. Choose a formula for Labrador Retrievers: Some dog food brands offer recipes designed explicitly for Labrador Retrievers, considering their unique nutritional needs. Suitability with age: Age factors matter a lot when choosing Labrador dog food. Puppies, adult dogs, and seniors have different dietary requirements, so select a formula appropriate for your dog's age. Read the online reviews to get an idea of how other dog owners feel about a particular dog food brand. You may be interested in Product. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links. Once they reach eight weeks, changing to dry kibble food is best. We recommend feeding a Labrador puppy dry kibble for the first months before changing to an adult food type. But to remain healthy, owners should know what to feed them. Dog owners should feed a Labrador puppy dry food kibble , wet food, or fresh human food, depending on their budget and lifestyle. There are many options for food for dogs, and it can become challenging to determine which one is the best option for the dog. We have found the best options and listed them below. They help us with our daily tasks, are always there when we need them, and bring great joy to our lives. But, it is essential to ensure that our dog gets the best nutrition possible. They have a lot of energy and need to be fed accordingly. This includes the number of calories, food type, and the number of meals per day. We will explain all of these factors to help understand what to feed these precious animals. A Labrador puppy needs high-quality protein in their diet, so they should not be fed just any type of food. This is why we recommend three food options: dry food or kibble, fresh food or human food, or wet food. We prefer using dry food or kibble in most cases, but it is beneficial to start with wet food for young puppies and transition to dry food after a few weeks. Feeding a puppy human food is possible, but it can be more expensive and requires extra work to stick to a cleaner diet at this age. We have found it to be a healthier and more convenient option for our pets. It is also a good alternative to wet food which can be difficult to store and prepare. The benefits of dry dog food are that it offers the pup a balanced diet that doesn't need refrigeration. It also offers convenience because we can buy it in bulk and store it in the pantry or freezer until needed. Dry dog food is also less expensive than wet food, which is another benefit for pet owners. Fresh Food Human Food Feeding a Labrador puppy a diet of fresh, real human food is one of the best things to do for their health and well-being. It will not only make them happy and content, but it will also keep them healthy. This eliminates the guessing game; they are only fed real, natural foods with no unknown ingredients. However, it will become expensive and require regular cooking and preparation. Wet Food Wet food is recommended for Labrador puppies when they are first born and for the first weeks while they grow. It can be either raw or cooked. Wet food is a good source of water and minerals, which are important in the early days of their life to help them grow strong bones and teeth. It should be given to a puppy as soon as it comes out of its mother's womb, but it must not be given before it starts eating solid foods because it will cause diarrhea. Once they get more mature, moving to kibbles is best. It is known for its low level of grain and carbohydrate content and high protein content. Once they reach the week mark, there are better options to help the puppy continue to develop and grow. This food also helps with digestion and weight management. It also promotes proper bone growth with antioxidants and necessary nutrients like vitamin E. The kibble is also shaped strategically to help puppies who chew fast while helping with jaw growth. Overall, this is the best food option for a Labrador puppy. It is designed for all life stages, from puppies to seniors, and we love the benefits it provides to younger labs. The product features a blend of highly digestible proteins, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, taurine, and glucosamine. This ensures the dog gets the nutrition they need while also reducing the risk of digestive tract problems such as bloat or pancreatitis. It also has a low glycemic index and no corn, wheat, or soy in the recipe. Dog owners can also expect an excellent protein ratio when using this food. Both veterinarians and nutritionists have recognized it for its high-quality ingredients for young puppies. The Acana High Protein formula is made with a blend of chicken, turkey, and fish meals, whole eggs, and natural beef or lamb meal. The product has a limited ingredient list with no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives. It also has no added sugar and a low glycemic index. This food also contains probiotics and prebiotics to help the pet maintain a healthy immune system. This is the perfect dry dog food for puppies after eight weeks old. This brand is also very affordable for those who want to feed their dog a healthy diet without breaking the bank. It features a patented recipe that helps to promote healthy digestion, strong teeth and gums, healthy skin and shiny coat, a strong immune system, healthy joints and muscles, and a healthy heart. This is a high-protein food option for Labradors too. It promotes lean muscle growth and improved body health with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics 5. It is made with high-quality ingredients and has a great taste and texture for labs to enjoy. This food is to help with puppy development and is suitable for all Labradors under one-year-old. This wet food provides the perfect balance of healthy proteins to support a dog's growth while providing the energy they need to maintain its fitness levels. This can be fed as a meal or as an occasional snack between meals. It has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. It also contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are important for healthy skin and the dog's coat. They are large, strong, intelligent dogs that need a lot of attention, exercise, and food. These dogs can be picky eaters and usually need a lot of calories because of their size. This is especially true for puppies so they can grow properly and remain healthy due to their increased risk of health issues. Food Type Labrador puppies' most popular dog foods are kibbles and canned wet food. Kibbles are the best option for a puppy because they are easy to chew and digest. Canned food is a good option for pups who have difficulty chewing or digesting dry food and would benefit from a little moisture in their diet. The food type also depends on the owner. Dry food or kibbles are faster to prepare, while serving human food to a lab puppy requires extensive prep time. Nutritional Value When it comes to nutritional value, we want dog food that has high-quality protein and carbohydrates. This will help the puppy grow strong and healthy. This is why we need to take into account the nutritional value, quality of ingredients, and taste. It should be made with all-natural ingredients that are sourced from human-grade materials such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A brand should have all the essential nutrients for a pup but still, be low in toxic elements and preservatives too. Dietary Restrictions Lastly, consider the dietary restrictions of the Labrador puppy before choosing a dog food option. This includes any allergies or health concerns for the dog and shopping for something that suits them best. For example, lab puppies must reach a certain carbohydrate and protein number daily. Labradors are also known to have allergies, especially young ones, so planning around this is crucial. A puppy should be fed at least three times a day, with a meal size that is appropriate for its body weight. They should also be given small daily snacks to keep them satisfied and happy, including treats to help with training. We feed our puppies the best that we can. We want to give them all the nutrients and vitamins they need. We also want to make sure that they are getting a balanced diet. The most important thing when feeding a Labrador puppy is that they get enough calories from their food every day. In the first weeks, the puppy should eat four smaller daily meals. Once the lab reaches three months, this can be changed to three meals per day. And after months, we recommend two meals per day. The key is not to change the calories much when the meals change but to simply modify the size of each meal to fit the total daily food amount. Feeding a Labrador puppy is not rocket science, but there are some things everybody should know about what to feed them and when to feed them. We have covered this basis, but changes need to be made as they age. This leads to a common question about changing food to fit the needs of a grown adult Labrador. The dog's age will determine how quickly they grow and how much energy they need. Lab puppies can stick with kibbles for up to 12 months. Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review An additional reason for there being specific food for puppies is the pieces are smaller which not only prevents them from choking, it also makes the food easier to digest. The pieces are richer, denser and the ideal size for smaller mouths. These ingredients are where your pup gets the nutrients they need to grow and live, nutrients that are sadly lacking in the cheaper dog foods. With foods that are a bit more expensive, your pooch can eat a more well-balanced meal and enjoy it. They eat more, they poop more, and this means house training becomes much harder for you. What you feed your puppy is a major factor in the success of your house training process. Firstly, dry food tends to be more complete and balanced with the correct amount of vital nutrients in it. The ingredients tend to be of better quality as long as you pick the right brand. Plus, dry food helps to keep teeth strong due to being a solid food, and the slightly abrasive nature of the solid food has a natural teeth cleaning effect. It also lasts far longer than cans as you need to feed less of it. Recommended Best Puppy Food For Labs And Large Breeds In this next section we give you 4 of the best foods on the market made from high quality ingredients but still available at a reasonable price. These foods will provide your puppy with all the nutrients they need in just the right mix and quantities, not just so they survive, but so they can truly thrive. Deboned chicken is high quality chicken protein, whereas the chicken and turkey meal is a concentrate. It is nutrient rich with vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin A as well as containing minerals like zinc, iron and calcium. It even has some fruit content like apples and blueberries. The Lactobacillus acidophilus, green tea extract and rosemary extract are all known to help prevent infections. This is a very high-quality food your puppy will truly thrive on and is our top recommendation as the best puppy food for labs. However, if price is no object, K9 is certainly one of the best foods available! K9 Natural Grain-Free Puppy Freeze-Dried Dog Food gives your puppy all the benefits of raw food, aiming for optimum levels of growth and development — not too fast nor stunted — and for lean muscle mass and peak conditioning. Its main ingredient is grass-fed New Zealand beef. And this is rounded out by whole food ingredients like flaxseed, kelp, New Zealand mussel, fruits and veggies, and hoki oil which provides DHA for EPA for healthy brain and eye development. It gets a big thumbs up from us. The first ingredient is bison and is a high quality meat product. The next ingredient is lamb meal, which has a large amount of protein in it being a meat concentrate, percent more than fresh lamb meat. The third highest ingredient is sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of complex carbs. They contain fiber and beta carotene. In fact, this food consists of approx. This provides your puppy with a source of energy ideal for his busy puppy lifestyle. Overall, this food is highly recommended and your puppy should thrive on it. They also allow regular independent inspections of their manufacturing process and source ingredients the US, EU and NZ. So quality control is well taken care of. The large breed puppy formula contains a scientifically formulated balance of proteins, fats, phosphorous and calcium in just the right amounts and proportions to promote a healthy rate of bone and muscle development, highly important for large breed puppies where excessive nutrients can be just as harmful as malnutrition. The food also contains glucosamine and chondroitin for the health of connective soft tissues which is reassuring for large breeds, and especially Labradors, who can suffer from many joint problems in life. It also contains omega oils for healthy brain development, as well as other fatty acids known to promote healthy skin and coat. So Eukanuba large breed puppy food comes recommended. The fiber in it will help with digestion while it has antioxidants that are known to help keep your dog healthy for many years to come. Royal Canin Breed Specific Labrador Puppy Royal Canin is a very well-known brand with lots of positive reviews from past and present dog owners on Amazon. It has an above average protein content than the minimum recommended for your dog, coming in at 31 percent protein at dry weight. The protein it has comes mostly from chicken by-product meal which is considered somewhat low quality and consists of whatever is left after chickens are slaughtered. However, it does NOT — as you might read elsewhere — consist of anything from feet to beaks. According to dogfoodadvisor. After chicken by-product meal, the second ingredient in this food is brewers rice. The fourth ingredient is corn gluten meal which is a residue left over once most of the useful, starchy carbohydrates have been washed out of it. With such popularity, high ratings and reviews with so many people saying their dogs thrive on this, there must be some truth to it. The third to 5th ingredients are wholesome whole grains that provide high energy from complex carbohydrates that are easy to digest. These are far better than corn and most other sources of carbs found in cheaper foods that are hard for a puppy to get any nutrition from. Out of everything in this product, 40 percent of it is protein, which is higher than average. About 14 percent of it is fat, and of the remainder, 38 percent is carbs. And the omega oils may help reduce risk of developing arthritis. Not only this, but Labradors are a large breed and are more sensitive to nutritional imbalances than smaller breeds. You really do need to get their diet right to do the best for them. Luckily, many brands of food specifically aimed at large breeds and Labradors have been created that provide everything they need in just the right amounts, that are easy for an owner to feed by simply following instructions on the packet. I know there is a lot of conflicting advice out there when it comes to dog food and it can be a nightmare to wade through if trying to find the best puppy food for Labs. So hopefully this article has been of some use to you. A very good resource that does good work for dog food quality awareness. Check them out! Please be aware this page contains affiliate links and Labrador Training HQ receives a small commission if you make a purchase through any such links. This has no effect on the eventual price you pay and we are very grateful for your support. Disclaimer All content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be nor can it be considered actionable professional advice. It must not be used as an alternative for seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. Please consult a professional before taking any course of action with any medical, health or behavioral related issue. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. Increase portions as your puppy grows. Be sure to follow the rule of dog treats. This is about changes over time. Nutritional deficiency or excess can lead to disease and ultimately death. You may have noticed that your dog has dandruff after changing food, but the food is really good — try adding levels of zinc and vitamin A. Your main task as a pet owner is to monitor the health of a small family member and be responsible for this life. Image credit: canva. The first one is a protein that can be found in meat, poultry, fish, yogurt, and cooked eggs. Protein is responsible for the structure of muscles and tissues, as well as the formation and growth of new cells. In the diet for a Labrador puppy, it is imperative to include carbohydrates that are found in brown rice, potatoes, and wheat. Carbohydrates supply the body with glucose, which is responsible for the functioning of the brain and nervous system. An obligatory component of dog food is fats. It is a source of energy, development, and functioning of the cells and muscles of the body. Fats are included in oil and even fish oil. Puppy food for Labs or any other dog includes a certain amount of minerals such as calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and others. Minerals in dog food form bones and cartilage and balance the nerves. It promotes the production of hormones in the Lab puppies, regulates the balance of fluids in the body, and transports oxygen into the blood. Like people, dog and puppy foods should include plenty of water. Water is life! Once in the body, they strengthen bones, and teeth and fill the Labrador puppy with energy. Cost point Every time you buy pet food, you think about the issue of price. Of course, cost is important when making a purchasing decision. You should be aware that higher-quality puppy food can cost more than the average price. Your dog is an irreplaceable member of your family, which must be protected and loved with all your heart. Risks and diseases Lab owners should know well about all risks and diseases that their dogs may face. Numerous studies confirm that the Labrador Retriever breed is prone to digestive sensitivities and skin allergies due to irritating foods. This leads to pruritic diseases. Skin allergies and problems with the gastrointestinal tract are severe. Labs are prone to obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight and body is considered an important point of caring for a dog. In general, Labrador Retrievers should have a taut, hourglass-shaped figure. Obesity puts additional stress on bones and joints and makes it difficult to stay healthy. To combat weight gain, you need to exercise your dog with certain physical exercises, follow a proper diet, control portion sizes, and receive treats. Another disease caused by malnutrition is Gastric dilatation-volvulus. In short, this is boating. Indigestion is a severe problem that should not be ignored. The worst risk is death from the musculoskeletal disorder of muscles, nerves, joints, arthritis, and spinal discs. Also, you should be aware that feed processing of dog foods affects the occurrence and development of cancer. Dry food is cooked at a very high temperature, which leads to the formation of harmful chemical elements in the body of the dog. Such food also contains carbohydrates, which break down into cancer-causing glucose. You can combine dog food with homemade recipe food for your pet yourself. Moreover, it is a good way of feeding your dog if the dog food at home is over or there is very little left, but you need to extend the time until the next purchase. Dogs fed solely on home-cooked or combined diets lived for about 13 years, while those fed only processed food lived for about 10 years. Like human food, it can be chewed easily. Food is broken down in the body so that key nutrients are absorbed more quickly. Such food facilitates digestion and relaxes the stomach. Reducing stress on the digestive system reduces the likelihood of bloating. If you still decide to cook homemade food, follow the rules. Study each ingredient. Cook all animal products for the exact finish to kill harmful bacteria. Risks of homemade dog food Most of the problems are caused by a misunderstanding of the nutritional needs of the Labrador. If you do not understand the effect of food on the body of your pet, which reaction is correct and which can lead to negative consequences and different stages of life, contact a professional veterinarian who can tell you in detail about the effect of food on the body of a dog and how to properly form a pet diet. What food is best for a Labrador puppy? We made for you the list of the best puppy food for Labrador puppies. We can highlight the most noteworthy products from this list. Should I feed my Lab puppy dry or wet food? Mix dry and wet food. What is better to choose — opinions are different. But if you are in doubt about which puppy food to choose, consult your veterinarian. What is the recommended amount of water for a puppy? Older pups that have been nursed require one-half ounce to one ounce of water per pound of body weight. What do you feed an 8-week-old Lab puppy? An 8-week-old puppy should be fed several small meals a day. After 14 weeks, the Lab puppy can switch to two meals a day. Food for a Labrador puppy should be full of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals for healthy development. Giving treats is fine, but remember that Labradors are prone to overeating and gaining weight quickly. Also, try to give treats for obedience. You can choose canned food and dry food for your dog as you wish but you should always think about the effect of this dog food on your dog. Hope this article was helpful for you and that your pet will grow healthy and strong. How often and what time to feed I will show you the best puppy foods, whether dry, wet, or raw, and look at food safety, together with schedules, quantities and even a handy puppy diet chart. Best Puppy Food for Labs The best Labrador puppy food provides a diet that is nutritious, healthy, and tasty. So, what is the best puppy food for your Lab? Puppy kibble or dried food is the most popular option. Kibble is complete and can give a perfectly balanced diet. Puppy kibble and tinned dog meat combined is another common choice among puppy parents. Feeding your Labrador puppy on home cooked food or on a totally raw diet is also possible. Raw puppy food is growing in popularity, and there are pros and cons to raw feeding your puppy. People often feel very strongly that one way of feeding is better than another, and you can always find evidence to support your view. Dog breeders, veterinarians and even nutritionists have their own strong views. The dire consequences they list for not listening to them can have puppy owners very worried. The truth is that there is no good quality evidence showing that kibble is better for the long term health of your dog, or that raw feeding is better. There are risks and benefits to both, and the main thing is to ensure that your dog has good quality food to eat. Puppy kibble suits some better, and raw puppy food is better for others. Puppy Kibble for your Labrador Puppy food made into pellets is called kibble. An airtight plastic container or tin will do the job, although you should make sure it is food grade quality. Puppy kibble is the best way of feeding your Labrador according to most breeders and your veterinarian is most likely to support this method of feeding. Good puppy kibble will contain every nutrient your Labrador puppy needs in order to grow and remain healthy. The kibble pieces will be tasty, good for keeping teeth healthy, and free from additives that can provoke allergies or stomach problems. Labrador puppy kibble only needs to be fed next to water. Puppy kibble from a reputable manufacturer is intended to be a complete and balanced food. But some owners like to mix in canned dog food or even scraps of raw food with kibble. Your puppy is likely to get an upset stomach or to not have the right balance of nutrition when fed this way. Whether you decide to feed only with kibble or you want to mix it up, pick a good dried food manufacturer and stick with them. Feeding your Labrador puppy raw food has its benefits and drawbacks. One of the downsides is that there is a lot to learn. Here is a link to the articles you need to help you decide whether or not raw feeding is for you: Although I like the raw diet for my dogs, most puppies fed kibble go on to have long and healthy lives. Whatever puppy food you choose, the most important thing is portion control. How Much to Feed your Labrador Puppy? People often tell me how much their puppy weighs, and ask how much puppy food they should give him. Your Labrador is particularly at risk if they grow too quickly. The following diet chart is for kibble fed puppies and does not apply to raw fed pups. It gives you an idea of how much to feed your Labrador puppy Lab Puppy Feeding Chart The Lab puppy feeding chart below is only a very rough guide. The quantity of food you need for your puppy will vary depending on your puppy and on the brand of food you are feeding him. Labrador puppy food must be aimed at medium to large breed dogs. Check the pack carefully and look at the dietary charts. Ideally, you want the optimal protein content and the lowest amount of additives. Part of this always comes down to the cost. The healthiest puppy food is usually the most expensive and may not be affordable for some families. The Cost Of Puppy Food Some puppy food brands are more concentrated than and contain a higher proportion of proteins, essential oils, and other nutrients. The absence of these fillers means that you can often feed lower quantities of more costly food, making them less expensive than they first seem. You might also find that cheaper brands make your puppy poop more due to those extra fillers going straight through him. While some brands are beyond the budget of many families, it is usually good to buy a premium brand. High Quality Brands of Puppy Food Some brands of puppy food have developed a reputation for producing a high quality product and have many devoted supporters, including breeders that have fed them to generations of puppies. Your Lab puppy is going to require a different balance of nutrients than an adult Lab. Different dog breeds are susceptible to different genetic health conditions. Larger breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. Nutrition plays a vital role in preventing certain health issues. In recent years concern has been raised about a possible link between grain-free and non-grain-free diets that list legumes high on their ingredient list causing heart disease. This may be of consequence to Labradors as the breed is more prone to heart conditions than others. This does not just include Labs, but owners of any large or giant dog breed should be aware of this important information so they can make the most well-informed decision. Image Credit: Didkovska Ilona, Shutterstock Choosing the Best Food While having a list of the best puppy foods is a great start, you still must narrow it down to one. So, how does one choose from a list of great choices? Below we will cover some of the most important things to consider before making your final choice. What Does Your Veterinarian Recommend? Chances are that your veterinarian has dealt with purebred Labrador Retrievers many times before. Dog Food Brand You want to ensure you are choosing a dog food brand that is reputable. Finding a brand that is made with veterinary nutritionists and is backed by scientific research is ideal. If a brand advertises that they participate in AAFCO feeding trials, this means they have invested in research to ensure there are no nutritional deficiencies in the food. The ingredients in any pet food will help you determine the quality of the food. Look for foods that contain real meat as the number one ingredient. Below is a list of ingredients that are best avoided: Ingredients to Avoid.

You know your German Shepherd is one of the smartest breeds. You know they can listen to you when they want, but… Sometimes they become distracted or just downright ignore you. But, there are many reasons why. The first thing you need to remember is you need to be able to communicate effectively with your dog. This is the number one way to practice proper listening skills and obedience. Your dog will often learn to simply tune you out if you persist in poor communication skills. Maybe you call their name over and over… And you keep calling their name and expect them to come. Instead, call their name and try luring them with a tasty treat, toy, or even by slapping your leg. Or, go to them and get their attention with the toy or treat. German Shepherds are adept at reading body language and are more prone to listen when you have a reward at hand. This is where using positive reinforcement comes in! Using Positive Reinforcement Play, praise, and food treats are all positive rewards. Positive reinforcement teaches your dog that good behavior, such as listening to you and paying attention, get them good things. Like a squeaky toy you play with them or even a tasty bit of chicken. These types of punishment cause your dog stress and will prevent you from training them effectively. If your training becomes so stressful you want to hurt your dog, step away from your training and call a dog trainer in to help you. Teaching your GSD to listen to you can begin at any age — from a rambunctious puppy to an aging senior. German shepherds are intelligent dogs and are willing to work with the right motivation and rewards. Learn What Motivates Your German Shepherd to Pay Attention In order to have the most effective communication with your dog, begin by finding out what motivates your dog. But it can also be another thing they find rewarding, like a favorite toy such as a ball or tug rope. Most importantly, make sure these rewards are high in value to them. This means your dog would practically sell his soul to get them! Only use them for training your dog to listen. The same goes for the treats. Make these treats so special that your dog knows you mean business when you get them out for your training. What are good rewards for a German Shepherd? Always keep a stash of motivational rewards on hand for your training to motivate your dog to listen to you and pay attention. Your dog is sure to love one of these healthy, highly scented training treats for German Shepherds. Or even praise through your words and pets. And always be sure to account for the extra calories your dog eats during training so you can reduce their regular meals a bit. Capture Their Attention Another dog training technique to get their attention is using the capture method to train your German Shepherd to listen. Use these techniques to get a German Shepherd to pay attention to you. STEP 1 Keep your special reward treat in your pocket or a treat pouch so they are quick to offer. Now, watch what your dog is doing around the house on its normal day. STEP 2 This method is all about catching your dog at the exact moment when their focus is on you. STEP 3 When they turn to look at you, use a verbal command when you see the behavior to mark it. .STEP 4 Reward right away after the verbal command when they are looking at you. This teaches them to look back to you whenever the cue word is used. STEP 5 Catching when your dog looks at you requires ninja-like reflexes, as they look quickly and you must time your cue word to their looking at you. Quickly mark the behavior with your verbal command and immediately reward them. Over time, your dog should respond to the cue word to look at you and listen. Train Them to Focus on You Training your German Shepherd to focus on you takes a bit of patience, but pays off in the end. Follow these steps to train them to focus on you. STEP 1 Pick a special, high-value treat and start in a quiet area of your home. STEP 2 Hold the treat where your German shepherd can see it in your hand, but out of reach of your dog. They will probably only look at your eyes for a split second at first, so be prepared to say your command cue exactly as they look at your eyes. STEP 5 Reward your dog with the treat as soon as they look at you. STEP 6 Repeat this scenario a few times a day, always with their super special treat in hand. Work up to your German Shepherd looking into your eyes in increasing times, such as 2-seconds, then 3-seconds, and so on in order for them to earn their reward. This approach is from a renowned animal behaviorist, Kathy Sdao , explained in her book Plenty in Life is Free. STEP 1 Gather 50 very small pieces of training treat at the beginning of each morning. Make sure they are healthy and broken into very tiny pieces since you have so many and keep them in your pocket or a treat bag. STEP 2 Watch for times during the day when your dog is behaving appropriately. This is the core of the program. STEP 5 Continue to look for good behaviors you want your dog to repeat throughout the day. Work through the 50 tiny treats. And, even if they do you might prefer to use a toy instead of a food motivator occasionally to keep training interesting and fun for both you and your dog. STEP 1 Pick a toy that is only used for this special training game so they focus on your cues more easily. Some toys that your dog may love are toys that squeak, crinkle, make noises of other kinds, or smells interesting. STEP 2 Now, act energetically by jumping up and down, making unique noises, or slapping your hand against your leg. STEP 3 As your dog looks to you, begin to run away. German Shepherds have a high prey drive and love to chase. So, running in the opposite direction convinces your GSD to chase after you, especially if you have their favorite toy in your hand. STEP 4 Now, reward your dog with their special toy when they catch up to you. Toss their toy for them and enjoy a bit of playtime with them. Keep the energy upbeat and positive. The playtime with the toy is the reward instead of a food treat and encourages your dog to stay near you. STEP 5 Continue to play the catch-reward-play game throughout the day. Your German Shepherd will begin to form the habit of paying attention to you when you are consistent in your training and in your rewards. Use these techniques to get your German Shepherd to listen to you in different situations and places. STEP 1 When working on new commands begin indoors in a quiet, distraction-free area — like a bedroom. Try a kitchen or living area when the TV is on. STEP 3 Now add in more distractions. Have your family or friends around while you ask your dog to perform the command. For example, move back to the quiet bedroom if the TV on in the living room distracts them. STEP 5 Once your German Shepherd has mastered listening to you indoors, begin training in your backyard or front yard Make sure your dog is on a long line for safety and easy recall. Whether you have a puppy or an adult, you can train your German Shepherd to listen to you with the right steps. With highly intelligent dogs like the German Sheperd, remember they can sometimes become bored or turn their attention to something else entirely as they lose interest in you. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. It can also help keep you sane by helping you manage problem behaviors. Here are a few problems you may be encountering. So remember to practice first exercise, then discipline, and then affection. Sit down as a family and discuss the rules, boundaries, and limitations you want to set for your dog. It can be helpful to write them down and display them somewhere prominent. Master Your Energy Dogs listen to their pack leaders, and you can only be that leader if you are displaying calm-assertive energy. Have a friend observe your behavior and give you feedback — or even film it so you can see for yourself. Go Back to Basics Does your dog truly know the command? It can take hundreds or even thousands of repetitions for some dogs to learn a new skill. Practice makes perfect. You may need to focus on training again to ensure your dog really has it down. If your dog is listening to you, consider what may have changed about your physical presence. Are you holding a baby? Are you sitting down? Are you looking away? Small changes like these may be impacting your ability to fully communicate your message like you normally would. You have to deal with the underlying issue before you can get your dog to really listen to you. If you continue to have problems, consider hiring a professional to help. Communication between you and your dog is important for both of you and worth the investment of your time and energy. Only by learning how dogs communicate you will be able to fulfill your role as Pack Leader. Order yours now. Does your dog ever not pay attention to you, or do you have a method of getting his attention that always works? Tell us about it in the comments! Use Positive Reinforcement Techniques Positive reinforcement, also known as rewards-based training, implies giving a reward to increase the frequency of the response. Rewards can be: Treats. Choose healthy treats, pieces of kibble, or tiny pieces of meat. Physical attention. You can pet behind the ears or give a hug. Verbal praise. Give your GSD his favorite toy that you save for rewards. Rewarding your German Shepherd for good behavior is an underrated tool in your dog-training arsenal. It is simple yet incredibly powerful. Unfortunately, it is also often ignored. If you scold him, he might feel content for having received your attention. This speaks to the importance of patience; the more patient you are, the more your German Shepherd values positive attention. When you bestow it upon him during his calmer episodes, he starts recreating the setting. You will notice him sitting in the same place where you patted him or held a similar position. It might be tempting to pet him then, but you have to be patient, or you will confuse the dog. Wait until he mimics the actual calmness you want to reward, then use reinforcement by giving him attention, affection, and treats. Increase Socialization If you have previously delayed socializing your German Shepherd, the chances are that the lack of socialization is a key contributor to his disobedience. You should socialize a German Shepherd at 8 weeks old, which is usually when you bring your puppy home. Your breeder would have already begun early socialization from 3 weeks, so you should now continue the process of exposing your pup to a range of sights, smells, sounds, and interactions with people and other dogs. No matter whether your doggo is a pup or an adult, increasing socialization will set your German Shepherd on the right path to becoming a confident, friendly and obedient dog. I have a great article on how to socialize a German Shepherd from pup to adult. This details easy ways to go about this and includes how to socialize an older dog or even an aggressive German Shepherd. When your German Shepherd has pent-up energy, he might not be in the state to receive commands. By sufficiently draining this excess energy safely and productively, you can make your German Shepherd more receptive and less stubborn. In this state, you can reinforce restraint-centric anchors. That said, you must not wait until the dog is in his most agitated state before you take him out, as that would associate acting up with freedom, and he will almost always act out to be taken for walks or playtimes. Instead, prevent it in the first place. If you have a young pup and need some ideas, you can check out this article, 7 Fun Ways to Exercise a German Shepherd Puppy. German Shepherds are high-energy dogs, and adults need at least hours of daily exercise. In addition to essential exercise for your German Shepherds to stay obedient, he also needs to be mentally stimulated, which brings me to the next solution. Provide Varied Mentally Stimulating and Fun Games We have to remember the original purpose of the German Shepherd, which was to herd and protect livestock. Although rarely used in this capacity nowadays, the genetic working trait remains with the breed. They need a job to do and thrive off pleasing their owner, which is why they are used in law enforcement, search and rescue, and as service dogs today. Every evening around 8 pm, my German Shepherd will sit in front of me and give me the stare! I love this toy, and dogs enjoy finding the treats in the puzzle toy, which keeps them busy for ages. This best-seller gets a crazy amount of good reviews and is widely recommended by almost 60, dog lovers, so it must have something about it. Increase Training Sessions Similar to socialization, if you have previously delayed training your German Shepherd or if training is incomplete, the chances are that the lack of training is a pivotal contributor to his disobedience. Not only does your German Shepherd need to learn that he should listen to you, but he must also find out what listening to you entails. While the best time to start training your GSD is at 8 weeks old , the next best time is now. This will keep your dog continually focused and interested. Your German Shepherd must also learn his position. This entails going back to training in a distraction-free setting. He might not intend to ignore you deliberately, so this is where you need to get him to focus his attention on you. Manage the environment when progressing outside. Start off with not too many distractions. Use high level treats when outside. Check out this excellent video on how to train a German Shepherd with distractions. This gorgeous pup is only 5 months old and is learning to focus on the trainer in a controlled outside environment. Chewing has several functions, including providing pain relief for teething pups, keeping teeth clean and jaws strong in older dogs, and relieving boredom. Dogs just enjoy chewing. But what if the chewing becomes destructive? Providing your dog with a chewing outlet, such as various interesting chew toys, will stop many German Shepherd behavior problems. The happier your doggo is, the less stubborn he will be when it comes to obeying you. Choose something like the KONG variety of chew toys. Follow a Training and Feeding Schedule Having a schedule provides structure and discipline and teaches your pup that you are the leader. Your German Shepherd will soon pick things up and catch up. You should also stick to a feeding schedule. Dogs are creatures of habit, and providing meals at expected times means listening and obeying you when you call them to eat. German Shepherds are prone to sensitive stomachs, and many are not food motivated, unlike the Labrador. Having a feeding schedule also prevents your German Shepherd from becoming a fussy eater. It might be that he wants that extra treat or wants to climb on the couch. So now the tide is turned. Instead of your dog ignoring you, you now ignore your dog. Never bow down pardon the pun to any form of demanding behavior, especially demand barking. This will only teach your best friend that he gets what he wants when he barks for something. Instead, ignore the demand barking, and at the precise moment he becomes quiet, quickly reward him with a treat. That way, he will soon learn that when he stops barking at you, nice things will happen. The trick here is in the timing. Use Brief and Effective Time-Outs When training a stubborn German Shepherd, one of the most crucial steps is teaching your dog to accept time-outs. Rewarding your doggo with treats is easy; it is in discipline or punishment where most people mess up. You need to teach your German Shepherd to follow your commands — or ground himself. So, what do I mean by a time-out? A time-out is a type of negative punishment in which we deprive the dog of what they enjoy, in this case, social engagement. Use an area of the house, a room with a dog gate, or an exercise pen for young pups. Time-outs should be around 60 seconds for young puppies to minutes for older dogs. Use the time-out at the moment of the stubborn behavior, not after. But not only does regular brushing help to control and reduce shedding , but it also helps to increase bonding between you and your pet. Most dogs enjoy being the center of attention. Brushing is relaxing and beneficial to the skin and hair. Your German Shepherd will also learn that it is acceptable to handle his body and feet, and you will develop trust with your canine buddy as a result. This has the everlasting effect of reducing his stubbornness when you need to clip his nails or he needs to be handled by the vet. Go here to find out the best grooming tools for German Shepherds and the ones I use. This will give you peace of mind that he will respond to you positively and help curb any bad habits. Often, inexperienced owners just need to be taught what to do. Attending obedience classes solves this knowledge gap and creates an opportunity to increase socialization, so you kill two birds with one stone. You can also enlist the help of a professional trainer as they will be experienced in training stubborn dogs and improving obedience. Key Takeaways German Shepherds are socially intelligent dogs. However, with delayed or insufficient training and a lack of guidance, they can become asocial and disobedient. Fortunately, with enough patience, firmness, and positive reinforcement training alongside increased exercise time and stimulation, any German Shepherd can be brought back into the socially acceptable circle of obedient dogs. Related Posts You May Like:. Related post: How to tell if your German Shepherd loves you How to get your German Shepherd to listen to you There are a number of things that you can do to get your German Shepherd to start paying attention to you that I will mention below. Exercise The first thing that you can do is to give it lots of exercise and attention. An easy way to give your German Shepherd lots of exercise is to teach it to play fetch. By doing so you will be able to get your German Shepherd to do a lot of running over a short time frame. Training If you want your German Shepherd to listen to you then it will be necessary for you to give it lots of training. One training exercise that you will need to do is to teach it to stay while being distracted. To do this you will first need to teach it to sit. Repeat that process each time increasing the duration that you require it to keep its focus on you. Start by just showing it the toy and then gradually make it harder for it to lose focus by rolling and waving the toy around. By exercising it you will be able to make it less hyperactive and more responsive to you. Related questions Why does my German Shepherd not listen to me outside? To deal with this you should train it in a variety of situations. Watch the above video to see how. Why does my German Shepherd not listen to me on walks? If you want a happy and obedient German Shepherd, this is one of the best online dog training programs available right now. You can get the first month free using This link.

How long should puppies stay with their mother? The ideal window is between 8 and weeks-old. They are healthy and adorable, and you want to bring them home as soon as you possibly can. However, the time your puppy spends with their mother and siblings is critical for development, and so it's important to make sure they spend this growth period with their litter. The first month For the first four weeks or so, puppies depend on their mothers for everything. This milk provides all the nutrition the puppies need for the first few weeks after birth. Weaning to solid foods Puppies start to experiment with solid food as early as 3-weeks-old. They still nurse, and mothers continue to produce milk for up to 10 weeks. Some nursing is for nutrition, but it is also a comforting, bonding activity for the puppies. Most puppies are fully weaned to solid food between 7 and 10 weeks of age, although the transition can occur earlier. Learning to speak dog Just as important for puppy development is learning proper canine etiquette and communication as part of a litter. For example, as early as 3 weeks of age, puppies start learning from their mother and siblings to eliminate away from where they sleep, which helps with housebreaking later. The pups are practicing hunting and communication behaviors that they need to perfect. One of the most important skills that puppies learn through play is bite inhibition and not chomping down too hard. If a puppy bites too hard, the other will cry out, signaling that the bite was too rough. Moms will do the same thing or may gently correct the puppies for getting too rough. This is a critical lesson to learn before heading out into the world, as other dogs will be far less tolerant of inappropriate puppy play than Mom! Biting is also a common problem behavior that can land a dog in a shelter or worse later in life. Puppies will also practice a variety of vocalizations and body language, learning to communicate with their siblings and mother. Socialization Puppies have an early critical socialization period from approximately 5 to 14 weeks of age. During this time, puppies are open to learning and experiencing new things, and the things they learn will affect how they go through the rest of their lives. Breeders and other caretakers should be exposing the puppies to novel sights and sounds on a regular basis. Puppies destined to be working or sporting dogs should be exposed to things they will encounter in their future roles, such as sheep wool for herding dogs, a variety of materials and obstacles to climb over for agility dogs, and training scents for future drug and bomb detection dogs. These safe exposures should continue after you bring your puppy home, but early socialization with litter-mates and the mother are also important for building confidence. The puppies will observe how their mother responds to new people and things and then mimic her behavior. If Mom is relaxed and friendly around new people, the puppies will likely be comfortable with strangers. Research has found that puppies who are separated from the litter too early are more likely to show fear, aggression, anxiety, resource guarding, reactivity and inappropriate play biting than puppies who stay with the litter for at least eight weeks. The ideal time The exact time that is best for a puppy to go to its new home can vary by situation, but most breeders and veterinarians agree that 8 weeks of age is a good minimum. Some states have laws in place preventing puppies from being sold any earlier. Eight weeks after birth, the puppy is eating solid food on their own, they have benefited from socializing with litter-mates and observing mom, and they are well within the ideal timeframe to bond with new owners. Breeders may also opt to keep the puppies until 10 or 12 weeks of age. Toy breeds in particular are often kept with the litter until they are 12 weeks old because they are so small and fragile. This gives the pups extra time with the litter, and still has them going to their forever homes in plenty of time to form a strong bond with their new people. And anyone who has welcomed an adult dog into their home knows that dogs of any age will still bond with their new owners as long as they have had socialization with people! Keeping the puppies longer does mean more work for the breeder, since they are responsible for all the puppies during those extra weeks. But if the breeder is putting in that time and effort to give the puppies a great foundation, then the extra time with their litter can be very beneficial to both you and your new puppy. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase the item. This comes at no extra cost to you. Is there anything cuter than a two-month-old Golden Retriever puppy? At eight weeks old, they are absolutely, impossibly, unbearably adorable! At two months old, a Golden Retriever is ready to leave their mother and littermates to join their new family. Some breeders will keep a puppy for a couple more weeks before sending them home, but eight weeks is very typical. Puppies at this age are usually playful and curious, with brains like little sponges. This usually only lasts a day or two, and then their true personality will shine through! They are in the prime socialization window here, which is the time between three and sixteen weeks when puppies are most open to learning about the world. Proper socialization can help you buffer against potential behavior issues as your pup matures, and teaches them how to feel and act in different situations and environments. It helps them feel confident and self-assured. A two-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is constantly learning! Make sure your puppy is learning that they are safe and that they can trust you both at home and out in the world. A fear period is a temporary span of time where a puppy may be more sensitive to things like strange people, strange dogs, inanimate objects, sounds, etc. It usually lasts about a week and you may notice your puppy showing signs of fear such as cowering, running away, growling, or barking. It can be a little scary as the owner of a puppy to see them acting this way. The good thing is that a fear period is short-lived and will pass. If they are concerned about something or someone, help them get more distance so they can observe the thing while feeling safe. They have a lot of needs and are totally dependent on you to meet those needs. Be patient as you help them learn how to live in our human world, and you can develop a strong, positive bond with your new companion. Getting a golden retriever puppy? Check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook! This is heavily influenced by genetics, but is not always the best indicator of their adult weight. Some lines of Goldens are bigger or smaller than average, so puppy size will reflect that. Your vet can help you make sure that your puppy is at an appropriate weight if you have any concerns. Eight-week-old Golden Retrievers need around 18 hours of sleep each day. Oftentimes, a puppy that is wild and bitey is in fact overly tired and in need of a nap. It may seem like they need more exercise to drain that crazy energy, but they actually need sleep. Using crates and pens can help ensure that your puppy is getting enough sleep at night and throughout the day. Many two-month-old Goldens are not good at putting themselves down for a nap, even when they really need it. So, you may need to step in and help your puppy settle in for some sleep. Make sure that their crate or pen is nice and comfy before you put them in for a nap, so they are more able to relax and fall asleep. Every puppy is different, so yours may prefer a nice cushy bed , or they may actually like laying on the bare floor. You can take note of what kinds of surfaces your puppy lays on around the house and then recreate that in the crate or pen. Covering the crate or pen with a blanket can also help make sleep easier for a two-month-old puppy, as it cuts down on the visual stimulation. Products like Adaptil spray or diffuser , and the Snuggle Puppy toy can also help a puppy settle in for sleep. Chewing and licking are naturally calming behaviors for puppies, so it can also help if you offer something like a stuffed kong , which can assist in transitioning the puppy from awake to asleep. Playing Classical music can also help a puppy feel more calm and able to sleep. At this age, most two-month-old puppies are ready for sleep after about an hour of awake time, so by following these tips, you can help make sure your puppy is getting enough quality rest. Instead, you can give them a break and see if they choose to get up, or simply scoop them up and walk home. Sometimes people get a Golden Retriever to be a running or biking companion, which can be a great thing when the pup is a fully grown adult, but is too much exercise for a young puppy. Playing with toys in the house or in the yard can be a great way for young pups to burn some of that puppy energy. If you have a yard, letting your pup safely explore and run around outside can also be a nice way to get in some exercise. You may also find that your puppy needs more sleep on some days, and on other days, they need more playtime and exercise. Golden Retrievers as a breed can also vary a lot in terms of exercise needs. Some are pretty laid back and chill and others are up for anything and want to go hard. These differences can be reflected in how much energy your puppy has, as well as in what kind and how much exercise your puppy needs. Training is an excellent way to build a positive bond with your puppy and create a way to communicate with each other. Group puppy classes can be a good option for getting started with training, as the trainer will help you learn how to train your pup. You can also hire a certified, professional trainer to come to your home and provide personalized training guidance for you and your puppy. Before you sign up with any trainer, be sure to ask them what kind of training methods and tools they use, to avoid causing any physical or mental distress for your puppy. Potty training is definitely a top priority for two-month-old puppies. They have small bladders and bowels and will need frequent trips outside to help them learn appropriate potty behavior. Crate training can also be started at this age, as learning how to be okay with confinement is an important life skill. Eight-week-old Golden Retriever puppies eat about a half cup of food three times per day. There is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to feeding your two-month-old Golden. Puppies at this age need more frequent meals than adult Goldens, so three meals a day is recommended. Because two-month-old Goldens are undergoing so much growth at this stage, feed them high-quality food that can support them as they mature. Most Goldens have big appetites and will happily gobble down their meals when you serve them. Using slow feeder bowls like this bowl on Amazon , or other food dispensing toys, such as the Planet Dog Snoop , can help slow down their eating and provide them some mental stimulation while they eat. Puppies like to put things in their mouth as a way to learn and play. Unfortunately, it can be pretty painful for humans, as those puppy teeth are needle-sharp! There are, however, some things you can do to minimize and deal with the biting. First, ensure that your two-month-old Golden is getting enough sleep. Overly tired puppies tend to get super bitey and frenzied, so naps are key to preventing your puppy from turning into a piranha. Your floor might look a little cluttered, but it helps to keep toys within reach for a quick redirection. Third, you can simply give the puppy a break if they are on a biting spree. You could step on the other side of a baby gate or put them in their pen to calm down a bit, and then resume the play. This communicates to the puppy that when they bite, they lose access to you and the fun stops. A common piece of advice when dealing with puppy biting is to yelp in response to their nip, as if you were another dog. This is actually not a good way to handle puppy biting and can actually make it worse. Other puppies will be further excited by the yelp sound and come at you with even more intensity, resulting in harder bites. Good Beginnings Bringing a two-month-old Golden Retriever home is a very exciting thing. It can also feel pretty overwhelming as you figure out how to care for and train them. You might be sleep-deprived and have a couple scratches on your hand from those sharp puppy teeth, but try to keep in mind that this is the beginning of a special relationship with an incredible animal. Focus on bonding with your puppy, teaching them about the world, and creating good habits from the start. Have any questions about raising eight-week-old golden retrievers? Let me know down in the comments! Read the rest of our Golden Retriever puppy series here:. Translation missing: en. June 8, Liz Palika Dog breeders and behavioral specialists feel that the week range is the adequate age for most dogs to leave their mother for their new homes. Unfortunately, in talking with other dog trainers, behavioral consultants and behaviorists, we all agree we're seeing a trend of puppies leaving mom and littermates far too young. A puppy who leaves his mother and littermates at five to six weeks of age, or worse yet, even younger, is going to suffer for that throughout his life. Adopting Eight Week Old Dogs Is Typical The traditional age for puppies to leave their mom and littermates and go to their new home has been eight weeks of age. At eight weeks of age most puppies are able to eat well, no longer need to nurse or eat supplemental formula, are mobile, and are aware of their world. They are well socialized to the people in their household and hopefully have also met other animals in the home. They have been exposed to a variety of sights, sounds, and smells and while they pay attention to these things, they are not afraid. At eight weeks of age these puppies are ready to leave their mother and siblings and go to their new home. Nine to Ten Week Old Pups are Typically The Best Age Since some puppies tend to go through a fear period at eight weeks of age an awareness of the world around them that can cause anxiety , many breeders and new owners would prefer to wait one or two more weeks. I brought home Hero, and before him Bones, at nine and a half weeks of age, because I felt that the puppies at that age were a bit more mature and ready for their new lives. One to two weeks can make a big difference. Other dog trainers and behaviorists agree: nine to 10 weeks of age is absolutely fine. In fact at this age, the puppy is past the eight week fear period, if he had one, and he's a bit more confident now. Developmentally, he's ready to learn, explore and figure out what his new life is going to be. Those who breed toy breeds especially, including Chihuahuas, Papillons, and other tiny dogs, will keep the puppies until they are 11 to 12 weeks of age. These tiny puppies can be quite fragile physically and may be slower to mature mentally and emotionally as babies. A few more weeks with their mother and littermates, as well as the people they know in their family, is often best for them. Larger puppies, however, shouldn't wait this long to go to their new homes. Nine to ten weeks of age is fine but any older could be problematic. Not only do large breed puppies grow rapidly, they are also stronger and rowdy, potentially making it more difficult for new owners to bond with this excited, big puppy who is jumping, pawing and otherwise making life difficult. Also, a week-old large-breed puppy is still a dependent baby; by 12 weeks he's changing. It's much easier for new owners to bond with an eight—to week-old puppy. The mother dog has so much to teach the new puppy ; lessons that will affect him all his life, and his littermates teach important lessons as well. If the mother dog has passed away, the littermates need to remain together. To Learn Key Social and Behavioral Traits Puppies who leave their canine family too early will show immediate behavior problems. They will be fearful of many things and show a lack of confidence. They can also be slow to bond to people or will go the other direction, attaching so strongly to their new owners that they will panic when left alone. The ability to soothe himself, to relax when left alone, is missing with most of these puppies. Biting is common. The mother dog teaches the puppy to control his biting as do the puppy's littermates. When puppies go to their new home, some biting is to be expected, as all puppies experiment. But when deprived of these early lessons, the puppy will bite more and harder, and teaching him that biting is not allowed is more difficult. This important transition time ensures that puppies receive all the appropriate nutrition from their mother. This will support the long term health of the puppy. Additionally, interrupting the weaning process too early has behavioral side effects for young dogs. Suckling, even past the need for milk can be a source of comfort while a puppy grows accustomed to eating only solid foods. Taking Puppies Too Young is Illegal In Some States In 26 states , the age at which puppies may be separated from the mother dog or sold is defined by law. Of those, 22 say that puppies must be eight weeks old before they can be sold. Three states—Wisconsin, Virginia, and Maine—require that puppies must be seven weeks old. Some states focus on the age that a puppy can be separated from his mother. Illinois, for example, requires that a puppy be at least eight weeks old before he can be taken from his mother. The laws vary as to who these laws apply to, with some focusing on dog breeders, kennels, and other commercial facilities. Other laws apply to anyone selling puppies, including those on Craigslist. Before buying any puppy, the more you know the better. If an unscrupulous person produces puppies and knows that he can sell them early at six to seven weeks or earlier and avoid paying for food, veterinary care, or other costs, then that cycle will continue. But if more people say no, then perhaps that cycle of human behavior can be changed. I am planning on buying a baby golden retriever, and I was just wondering what age I should buy it at. I've heard from 6 weeks to 10 weeks. I'm not sure. I want it to be healthy so please give me an accurate age. Also, I was wondering about the price range, so if you could add that in your answer it would be greatly appreciated. Answer by millypeed The minimum age to buy a Golden Retriever puppy is 8 weeks, but it's better to wait until 10 to 12 weeks, pups need to stay with mum and siblings until then, even though they have been weaned and are eating solid food they will learn vital socialization skills in these last few weeks. Answer by TJ First, let's break this down just a bit. Separating a LITTER from their mother is part of the weaning process, and is a completely different thing to when the litter is split up and the pups sent to new homes. With my breed, we separate the litter as a litter from their mother at 5 weeks, obviously way too young to send to new homes. I will not split up a litter before 8 weeks but will split them up before 10 weeks. The reason for 8 weeks is because we have their eyes CERF examined at 8 weeks. The reason for 10 weeks is because fear memory is said to develop during the 11th week. Price ranges from A to Z. I just know that there are only two places that I would get a Golden from. June Atkinson Holway Goldens Answer by Melissa S 8 weeks to ten weeks, any younger is too young, the longer it stays with the mother the better because in those first 8 to 10 weeks the mother gives them the milk, weens them onto food, and also passes down good behavior, she keeps them in their place, and usually, the pups are healthier at this age, and bigger to cope with the separation anxiety. Answer by T weeks. The price I have no idea with this breed. However, I'm sure other people will answer that for you. Do you have your heart set on buying from a privet party? Answer by Amanda H No sooner than 8 weeks, but 10 weeks is better. Some states have laws against selling puppies under 8 weeks. I would say expect to spend at least 1, Know better? Give your own answer to this question! See other posts in dog price , golden retriever , puppy Reader Interactions. Reasons for rehoming early At 5 weeks old your puppy still far too immature, physically and psychologically, to leave their mother. Your six week old puppy is weaned, but they still have many doggy lessons to learn from both their mother and their littermates. Like so many aspects of puppy health and welfare, much hinges on whether or not you have found a good, responsible breeder. But those additional two weeks allow the breeder to complete the weaning process and make sure that the puppy is properly settled on solid food. From 6 — 8 weeks pups also still need to learn some important life lessons from their moms and littermates. There are legal requirements governing the sale of puppies in some 25 states in the USA. Most of these laws stipulate that puppies should be over 8 weeks old when they go to their permanent homes. In the UK, law related to puppy breeding, and the age at which they may be sold, was passed in .So what is the purpose of this legislation and why is 8 weeks so important? Why do kennel clubs recommend puppies are not re-homed before 8 weeks? Puppies just start finding their feet and moving around at around four weeks. The mother starts spending less time with them to help them become more independent. Their digestive systems are still immature and they need time to adjust to the solid food. And be protected from stress. With younger puppies, three or four weeks old, the situation is even more serious — and your puppy may die. We get many sad letters here from people that have bought puppies this young and whose puppies are very sick. This is where the lessons not to bite hard start. There are two issues here that need separating. Six weeks is a popular age for many people to want to bring home their Lab puppy. And breeders who sell very young puppies will often explain, quite truthfully, that their six week old puppy is already weaned. But in much of Europe, Australia and North America, most pedigree puppies are not sold until they are around 8 or even 9 weeks old. A few breeders may want puppies to be even older than this. Physically puppies can and do leave their mothers this young, and even younger, though not all such very young puppies will survive. Are they even weaned yet? If your breeder tells you your puppy is already weaned at six weeks old, they are almost certainly telling the truth. The six week old pup still has a very immature digestion and is vulnerable to stomach upsets. More reasons not to rehome pups at 6 weeks But there are other, very important, reasons to leave puppies with their mother for a couple more weeks. And with their brothers and sisters. Most of these have to do with their social and psychological development. This is when the mother teaches her pups most of their doggy manners. From 6 — 8 weeks puppies also really start playing with their littermates — and boisterously. They nip, bump and even roll each other over while they play. All puppies bite. This is a normal part of puppy play. But puppies have to learn how hard they can bite in fun, without actually harming anyone. And one of the most important ways that puppies learn not to bite is from their littermates. This is when puppy play gets rougher and tougher and the puppies teach one another not to bite too hard. During this time puppies also develop a sense of themselves and their bodies as separate from others. Furthermore, much like year old human toddlers, pups from weeks start testing the limits of their own independence. Behavior problems in puppies separated from their mothers too early A study published in compared reported behavioral problems in dogs rehomed at weeks, with those who went to their new homes at 8 weeks. The dogs who were separated from their litters early showed far more of the following behavior problems destructiveness. Read the full disclosure here. So what is correct? What is the best age to bring a Golden Retriever puppy home? I think the most important things to consider are any long-lasting negative effects on the puppy by taking it away too early. Lessons that are vital to the early development of a normal puppy. There are many things a puppy learns from its mother and litter-mates that are vitally important to their early development and could take you an extreme amount of time and effort to make up for if they miss out: Bite Inhibition When a puppy bites and hurts their mother or litter-mates they get growled and snapped at. Combined with being the victim of biting from their litter-mates in return, this gives continuous feedback and an education in how painful biting can sometimes be. And so they very quickly learn to inhibit their bite, to not go full force and to hold back when play biting. If a puppy is taken from the nest too soon they miss out on this learning process and the responsibility passes to their new owners who will at first have a puppy who bites hard. And sometimes extremely hard. Acceptance Of Discipline When a puppy does wrong in the nest, their mother regularly disciplines them to keep them in line. And a puppy will often throw a little hissy fit but the mother will be unmoving. They learn that bad behavior gets you disciplined and they have to accept it. They learn their actions have consequences and they cannot have things their own way. The puppy then becomes a dog that is so much harder to train and is less controllable for their owners. In the nest, a puppy will be constantly pawed, clawed, rubbed against and climbed all over, all day every day by their litter-mates. This results in your puppy getting used to being touched and becoming highly tolerant of it. They learn about appropriate play and how to interact with others of their species safely, considerately and happily. This can mean less time…or no time…interacting with his own species, having to be on the leash in dog parks and woods when other dogs are around and ultimately living a less fulfilling life than they could otherwise have had. And this is the important thing when it comes to leaving a puppy in the nest for too long. A puppy must be introduced to as many sights, sounds, environments, people and other dogs and animals as possible before they reach 14 weeks of age. This 14 week window of opportunity is a time where a puppy has little fear and instead has heightened curiosity that compels it to explore and test things out. The first 14 weeks is also the time when a puppy will form its strongest bonds with people and other animals. And so for the best possible relationship and strongest bond between your puppy and you, this is a time when you want your puppy living with you, seeing your entire family and social network so your puppy truly integrates and feels a part of the pack of humans around it. So think to yourself, if you get a puppy at 8 weeks of age, you have 6 weeks to take them to the shopping mall, the park, the pet shop, to meet as many people as possible, get them in the car, on the beach, in a swimming pool etc. I did this for a reason! Yes, 8 weeks old is the recommended perfect time to take a puppy away from its mother and litter-mates and home with you to live. But you would be doing far from the best for your new puppy and could be stunting their development, leading them toward behavioral issues and affecting their entire future lives. On the other end of the spectrum, leaving it later than 8 weeks to take your puppy home they could be missing out on essential socialization opportunities. Conclusion Take your puppy home at 8 weeks of age. A breeder telling you to take them any earlier is trying to avoid investing further time and effort into caring for them and possibly trying to save a little money by moving them on faster. And this early time spent with their mother ensures the best development of a puppy that will result in a dog far better suited to spending an entire life with you. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This was the first time we had a chance to chart puppies from birth until 8 weeks old. We tried to take as many pictures as possible so we could have a journal of our Golden Retriever puppy growth week by week. When raising guide and service dog puppies we usually bring home our puppies at around weeks old. On occasion we are allowed to see puppies before 8 weeks of age, but they need to stay with their mother and siblings during those important early weeks to get milk and antibodies from mama and learn how to interact properly with siblings, learning important behaviors like bite inhibition. During our days as a foster we raised two litters of puppies , but both were already weeks old by the time we got them home. We actually own the Puppy Culture DVD and Workbook which includes charts, lists, worksheets and other great information for raising your litter. Keep your eyes and ears open and absorb it all like a sponge! Birth To 1 Week Old Guess what? This was the first litter we ever whelped!? We got a lot of advise, but we were largely on our own. Large Puppy Dish — great for feeding the puppies when they moved to solid food. Whelping Mats — we ordered 2 of these mats and washed them several times a day. Whelping Box — We have a homemade whelping box built by my father-in-law, but if we continue raising litters I plan on purchasing an EZWhelp Whelping Box. Our homemade box lasted three litters. We ended up purchasing the Magnabox which was hellu expensive but if you plan on raising multiple litters we highly recommend it. We recently put together a whelping checklist with all the supplies we gathered together to help out with our second litter of Golden Retriever puppies. Check out our whelping supplies checklist here. However, none were overly huge and none were extra small. No runts and no beasts. It was my understanding that when the cord was chewed down to the base of the belly it was sometimes difficult to get it to stop bleeding. I took the hemostat and pinched the umbilical cord about 2 inches from the base of the pups belly then cut the cord rather than let Raven chew it off. I kept the hemostat on the cord for about 2 minutes to let it clout. The umbilical cord dries up quickly and then within a day or 2 it falls off. Raven was a good mama and took care of her poops. Puppy eyes and ears are closed at this stage and puppies army crawl around the whelping box looking for a teat to suckle. We did everything we could to make sure our pups stayed warm by adding a watt heat lamp to the whelping box and portable heating unit in the puppy room. As I mentioned Raven stayed in the whelping box most of week 1 and of course… the puppy piles! One thing I learned is if I had a puppy on my lap then do not let Raven lick those areas or be prepared for a little accident on your lap. While caring for Raven and her litter Raven was really blowing out her coat that first week, but as time went on it slowed down. I heard from other friends this is common and that Raven blew out her coat much less than other mama dogs. We got Probiotics for Raven before her first litter, but forgot to order them for her second litter. After an upset stomach for the first week or so we realized our mistake, got Probiotics, and no more upset tummy. Week 2 — Pups eyes are opening starting to waddle. Week 3 — First bark! Week 7 — The great puppy escape artists! Week 8 — Our golden puppies head to their new homes. Have you ever had a litter of Golden Retriever puppies? Tell us about your experiences with puppies in the comment section below. Are you about to raise a litter of puppies? Not raising a litter, but getting ready to bring home your first Golden Retriever puppy? Puppies for Dummies will give you the basics on how to raise and train your new puppy. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining. The Breed Best Time For Puppies To Change Homes The best possible time for puppies to change homes and leave the breeder is between 10 and 12 weeks of age if a breeder has the time and the talent to start them in training and to give each and every puppy ample individual attention. If a breeder does not have time to train their puppies, puppies should be placed with new families between 7 weeks 2 days and 8 weeks. Puppies do best if they change homes either before or after the week fear period. No puppy should ever leave his litter prior to 7 weeks of age for any reason. First we will discuss why later than 10 weeks is best. Is it time for me to go to my new home yet? Additional Time With Litter Mates One very important reason for keeping our puppies until they are 10 to 12 weeks of age is to give puppies additional time with litter-mates. This extra time with litter-mates gives puppies a better foundation for relating to other dogs. And more importantly litter-mates teach each other bite-inhibition. Bite inhibition is the ability of a dog to regulate how strong his bite is. Having good bite inhibition creates a gentler mouth and more importantly, it teaches a puppy to control the intensity of his bite in case he should have a knee jerk reaction and bite someone. If he has not practiced good bit inhibition as a puppy, his bite could do major harm. However, if he has good bite inhibition, his bite will instinctively be softer. In addition, our 10 to 12 week old English Golden Retriever puppies are less mouthy than puppies leaving litter-mates sooner. Later First Vaccine Another advantage for later pick up is that it gives us an opportunity to give a first vaccine at the optimum vaccine time. Puppies vaccinated at older ages have fewer vaccine side effects. They also have a greater chance of having an immune response to the vaccine than puppies vaccinated sooner. We feel that 9 weeks is the optimum time for a puppy to have his first vaccine. In fact, waiting for later vaccines is so important that before we started training all our puppies, we sent our puppies home without any vaccine at all. Early vaccines can set a puppy up for a wide variety of health problems. By 10 weeks, most puppies are completely out of it. By 11 weeks, virtually all of them are out of it. Many 8-week old puppies experience digestive upsets when changing homes. Training an 8-week old puppy is time consuming, sleep depriving, and sometimes exhausting. Very few 8-week old puppies are able to sleep all night in a crate without needing to go outside. More than half of our week old puppies are able to hold it for 6 hours. Our 11 week old puppies are not fully house-trained by any means. However, by weeks of age, our puppies are accustomed to peeing and pooping almost exclusively outside. Their bladders are a little more mature than at 8 weeks enabling them to hold it longer. If you will take our 11 to 12 week old puppies out often enough, the number of accidents will be minimal. As we already discussed, there are many reasons to leave a puppy until he is 12] weeks of age. There are also several good reasons to not wait too long. We think that all puppies unless there are extenuating circumstances need to be in permanent homes by three months of age. Here is why. The Benefit of Staying With Littermates Ends First of all, puppies no longer benefit from staying with littermates at older ages. The benefits of leaving puppies with littermates grows tremendously until puppies are 10 weeks of age. The reason for this is bite inhibition development and learning good dog-to-dog behavior. However, after 10 weeks, these benefits level off. Then after 3 months of age, puppies need to learn to live independently from the litter. If they will be living in a city, you should acclimate them to heavy traffic, loud noises, and big crowds early. Puppies that will be living on a farm need to be getting used to the sights, sounds, and smells of farm animals. A Short Window of Opportunity There is a window of opportunity for heavy socialization that ends when puppies are about 4 months of age. The period of time between a puppy turning three and four months needs to be packed full of as many different experiences in the type environment a puppy will be spending his life in as possible. Breeders Are Limited Breeders are not in a position to take puppies to many places. Public places and stores where other dogs frequent risk disease. Breeders need to be especially careful because certain diseases like Parvo and Distemper can kill an entire litter of young puppies. However, the risk of serious disease in a puppy who has had a 9-week vaccine is minimal. In fact, the risk of disease pales in comparison to the risks of not properly socializing a week old puppy. In addition, we take our older puppies to other potentially scary locations where puppies can experience such things as fast moving and loud traffic and possibly construction equipment. We know how to properly introduce puppies to something that is scary. Socialization is not simply a matter of throwing a puppy in every possible environment. You must do it with care. If you introduce a puppy too quickly to a new and scary environment, a socialization experience done wrong can do more harm than good. Us starting the socialization process for families gives puppies the self-confidence needed to face more and more new situations. The more situations you can properly introduce your puppy to, the easier it will become for the puppy to acclimate to even more situations that could possibly be scary. We start the process with what we have available on our property and what is accessible by mule thereby making it easier for families to pick up the socialization where we leave off. See our page on Puppy Socialization for more information on how to socialize a puppy. Travel Issues With Older Puppies Three month old Golden Retrievers are pushing the limit on being able to travel in the cabin of an airplane. Because we keep our puppies growing slowly, our puppies can still fly at 12 weeks with most airlines. If you were getting a puppy from most breeders, your 12 week old Golden would already be too large to fly in the cabin. Even our puppies are too large once they get over 3 months. We keep our puppies growing slowly because there are tremendous health benefits that carry into later life. Studies have shown that it is important to keep puppies growing slowly until they are over 4 months of age. Slow growing puppies have lower chances of hip dysplasia and even lower cancer rates. Unlike people, puppies that are overfed will grow too fast before they become fat. An added bonus is that they can fly in the cabin of an airplane for longer! In addition to the size issues, there can also be vaccine issues when traveling with puppies over 3 months of age. Most airlines require a rabies vaccine for puppies over 3 months. We feel strongly that 3 months is far too young to give a rabies vaccine. This page will give you more information on what we do with our puppies before they leave us. Primary Sidebar Breeders and Trainers of English Golden Retrievers We focus on breeding and training beautiful English Golden Retriever puppies with health tested champion parents, great pedigrees, and fantastic temperaments.