Initially bred as a gun dog, Golden Retrievers were bred to have soft mouths so as to bring back their prey undamaged. A love of water, and a gentle nature characterize their personalities.
The Labrador Retriever has short and smooth shedding coat that is water resistant and is relatively easy to care for. This breed needs to be bathed every three or four months. The coat should be brushed regularly to help keep it clean and shiny. The ears should be cleaned weekly and the nails should be checked monthly to see if they need clipping.
The equipment needed for grooming the Labrador Retriever is the shedding blade, stiff bristle brush, steel comb, nail clipper, ear powder, scissors, and Lanolin coat conditioner.
Labrador retriever owners are blessed with a breed that loves to learn. All training must enforce the idea that learning not only is fun but it will bring positive responses from the owner. Learning is not a game, but it need not be unpleasant either.
Training your Labrador retriever to be a mannerly adult is begun at birth, by its mother. Once the puppy arrives at the new owner’s home, it has already been given some basic instructions on behavior - so don’t be fooled into thinking it is too young to behave. A puppy is, of course, too young to teach formal commands, but early lessons in manners and on who is in charge can begin at once.
Bedding For Your Golden Retriever
Bedding for your Golden Retriever is very important, as this is where he will be spending quite a bit of time - especially at night. The ideal bedding for your Golden should be a natural fiber, such as wool, as wool absorbs most moisture and will keep your companion warm. When you get your blanket, you can try thrift stores, as they aren’t very expensive. You don’t want to buy an expensive blanket, for the fact that Golden Retrievers love to chew. They can chew or tear the blanket in no time at all, which would make an expensive blanket a waste of money.
The day before yesterday I was at a birthday party. Me and my aunt were talking dog stuff and she was telling me the story of Demi the happy Labrador Retriever. Demi, now 4 years old, has suffered from multiple dog allergies since 15 months of age. It all started one summer and she was itching and scratching like crazy. Her skin was damaged and she was showing several bald spots. And on top of that… Demi the happy Labrador, was not so happy anymore. Scratching all the time of course requires a lot of energy, but when your skin keeps itching… how can you sleep?
The exact beginnings of the Labrador retriever cannot be pinpointed. Stories of coarse, thickly coated, black water dogs trained to work with fishermen date back to the sixteenth century, cited by sailors from Devon, England, who routinely saw them when trading with the fishermen of Newfoundland (then a British colony). Through the centuries more refined specimens emerged. These water dogs were known as Newfoundlands or Labrador Newfoundlands - titles that applied to several breeds of dogs found there. The dogs ranged from a large, heavy-coated variety known as the Large Newfoundland (progenitor of today’s Newfoundland) to a smaller, rough-coated variety called the Lesser Newfoundland or St. John’s Dogs. It is theorized that the modern-day Labrador retriever descends from the St. John’s Dog, which was medium-sized, docile, easily managed, and possessed a very sensitive nose.
Golden Retrievers are among the more active breeds and require a lot of exercise to stay fit and happy. Originally bred for game fetching, these energetic dogs can run much of the day, even late into life.
Training and exercise should start young, at around 8-10 weeks. At first the level of activity should be no more than what the pup is willing to do spontaneously. They’ll scamper around, explore bushes and wrestle with one another in between naps. But add to that by getting them to follow you in a particular direction, at least briefly. That’s the beginning of focusing on you and doing as you ask.
A lot of people normally have the wrong conception when it comes to crates. This conception leads people to believe that crates are a punishment for dogs, and therefore they won’t use them. Much to the contrary, crates are actually one of the safest places you can put your Golden Retriever, which also gratifies his natural instincts to situate himself within a den.
If you have a crate and leave it open, your Golden will start to go to it when he gets sleepy or when he gets confused. Although Golden’s tend to like crates, you shouldn’t overuse one by allowing him to spend hours at a time inside of one. While you should be training him to get used to the crate, you should never allow him out if he is barking. Once your Golden starts to appreciate the crate, you can leave him in it for a few hours here and there - such as when you are away from home.
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