Owning Pets

There’s a very popular YouTube video featuring a Golden Retriever that’s made a big hit all over the world. The video was taken during the relatively new sport of canine freestyle dancing. The dog danced John Travolta’s part very convincingly to the song “You’re The One That I Want” with the owner, dressed as Olivia Newton-John. This shows you what a Golden Retriever ? show quality or pet quality ? is capable of.

Although no two dogs are alike, even if they are from the same breed, Golden Retrievers do bear a lot of similarities in their temperaments. Unless they have been abused or have had no effort put into their training, they are very gentle dogs that try their best to get along with everybody, including other animals. They are great with kids and the elderly (provided they have access to fenced yard to run around in.)

There are some negatives to living with Golden Retrievers that you should prepare yourself for. These will be mild for some people and calamities for others. Golden Retrievers need daily grooming, or they get matted. They shed more than other breeds.

It has been said they have more of a doggy odor than other breeds. They also were bred to be Retrievers (hence the name), which means they have a compulsion to pick things up in their mouths and carry them to your home. This can mean they find a big dead rat and carry in into your living room, fully expecting to be showered with praise.

Golden Retrievers also like to dig, play in water and bring interesting objects they find into the house. That is because they were bred to bring game to their masters. Try to take the decomposing dead mouse as a compliment.

You can also help sweeten a Golden Retriever’s naturally sweet disposition by getting your dog spayed or neutered. This helps reduce your dog’s chances of getting in fights, wandering off to find a mate or getting cancers of the reproductive organs. Golden Retrievers also become more interested in paying attention to you instead of their hormones. Still, even a mature Golden Retriever usually does not make a good guard dog, as they want to make friends with everyone.

You also cannot skimp on regular veterinary care. Golden Retrievers are prone to eye diseases, although they can adjust well to being blind. They are also prone to hip dysplasia, but that can be partially prevented and often successfully treated.

Since they are large dogs, if you are not sure of how to train them, please get a professional trainer to help you. Read dog training books and learn as much Golden Retriever information as you can.