Much of a puppy’s health depends on proper care, especially during the initial growth phase, which lasts until approximately nine to twelve months of age. Even puppies whose parents have excellent genetics can develop health problems, especially if not cared for properly.

 

What are the biggest health concerns for a Golden Retriever?

• Golden Retrievers, along with ALL other large breeds, are subject to developing hip dysplasia, which is a painful and debilitating joint disorder. We insist that the dam & sire of all our puppies have OFA certifications that they are free from hip dysplasia. However, having parents with “good hips” does not guarantee that a puppy will not develop hip dysplasia, but it obviously increases his or her probability of having healthy hips. There are other factors that can also increase or reduce your dog’s risk of developing hip dysplasia, including their growth rate, weight, and exercise. More information is included in the following sections.

• Some Goldens are also prone to various skin sensitivities and allergies. Common culprits are wheat and dairy. If your dog seems to be having skin trouble, talk to your veterinarian about potential solutions, such as a wheat-free and/or dairy-free diet.

• It also seems that Goldens have a higher incidence of cancer than some breeds. Unfortunately, there is not a genetic test that we can do to determine whether a puppy or dog will eventually develop cancer. Just like for humans, keeping your puppy in good health, appropriate nutrition, and avoiding toxins, like second-hand smoke and pesticides, can help reduce a puppy or dog’s risk of developing cancer.

 

Food & Weight

• Your puppy should be fed a high-quality large breed puppy chow to support healthy growth and development. We feed our puppies, and recommend, Life’s Abundance dog food, which is available online at lifesabundance.com. We recommend their Large Breed Puppy chow or All-Life Stages food. Please order it ahead of time to make sure you have it ready when you bring your puppy home. If you choose not to use Life's Abundance, you can find information about selecting a high-quality puppy food on the AKC website, or talk to your veterinarian. Please have the food you plan to feed your puppy ready when you bring your puppy home. We will send some food with you, but you will want to start by mixing them together so your puppy’s system can adjust to the new food. 

• Our vet recommends giving our dogs a daily Omega-3 supplement to promote healthy skin, eyes, and coat. Talk to your vet about when he/she would recommend starting this.

• Talk to your vet about how much you should be feeding your puppy so he/she gains weight at a healthy rate and also when you should switch to adult food. Puppies who are overweight or grow too rapidly are much more likely to develop hip dysplasia as adults! You should be able to feel, but not see your puppy’s ribs. In general, it's safer to be a little too thin than a little overweight.

• Our vet recommends starting the transition to adult large breed dog food around 8 months so that the puppy is eating adult food by 9 months. This can be done by gradually increasing the amount of adult food and decreasing the amount of puppy chow you are feeding your puppy.

• A Golden Retriever usually reaches adult height by 1 year, but will not completely fill out and reach adult weight until 18 – 24 months.

• They also need plenty of fresh water available at all times.

 

Exercise

• Puppies need daily exercise and space to run and play, but exercise should not be excessive, strenuous, or high impact. Avoid activities that involve a lot of jumping or repetitive movements on the joints, as this can increase the risk of developing hip dysplasia. Running long distances, jumping in and out of vehicles, or frequently going up and down stairs can also increase your puppy’s risk.

• Talk to your veterinarian for suggestions on healthy exercise for your puppy.

• Adequate exercise is essential for good puppy behavior also. If a puppy doesn’t have adequate exercise, he or she is more likely to become bored and destructive, i.e. digging holes and chewing on things he shouldn’t. As a dog trainer once told me, “A tired puppy is a good puppy!”

 

Health Hazards

• Puppies, (like children) are curious and like to put things in their mouths! Whether your puppy is in the house with you or having some free time outside, always be alert to what hazards may be present! This is very true with Goldens, as they are a very “oral” breed. They are Retrievers!

• Chemicals such as cleaning products and lawn care products could cause serious health problems for your puppy or dog.  If your lawn has been treated with pesticides or herbicides and the puppy is running through the grass, he/she may have it on his/her feet and could lick it off… not to mention a puppy might just try eating the grass!

• In your puppy folder, you will find a list from the AKC of common foods and other items which can potentially be harmful to your puppy.

• Nuts! Acorns are actually toxic to puppies! Other nuts, like hickory nuts, with a hard shell, can cause intestinal damage if swallowed in large pieces. That doesn’t mean one acorn will be fatal, but be aware of and alert to this potential hazard. Also, a puppy should never be allowed to chew on poultry bones, because they are very brittle and the splinters can cause intestinal damage. Talk to your vet before giving your dog any bones to chew on.  

 

Veterinary Care

• There are numerous vaccines needed to protect your puppy. Our vet recommends getting the first set of vaccines at 7 weeks. Your puppy will have his/her first shots and a vet exam at that time. Our vet recommends follow-up vaccines at 11 & 15 weeks. Please talk to your vet about the schedule he/she recommends for further vaccinations.

• Deworming and heartworm prevention are very important for dogs! Your puppy will have his/her first deworming treatment at 7 weeks.

• Take your puppy for regular veterinary check-ups to make sure he/she is growing at a healthy rate.

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Grooming

• Golden Retrievers have a long, thick, double-layered coat. Their coat will shed profusely in spring and fall!

• Weekly brushing is important to manage shedding and keep your dog’s fur clean and beautiful.

• They will also need regular bathing. You may not even need to use shampoo or soap every time. Make sure your dog gets dried off well, as his/her undercoat can stay wet for a long time and cause skin irritation.

 

Crate Training

• Start your puppy off with a small area, such as a crate, that is “his place.” Your puppy’s crate should be his/her “safe place,” like a den. Avoid using the crate as punishment.

• At first, your puppy should be in his/her crate during unsupervised time. Dogs have a natural instinct to keep their bed area clean. As your puppy learns, you can gradually increase the amount of space they have. Buy a crate that will be big enough for them when they are fully grown. You can block off part of the crate to make it smaller at first. Many crates come with a divider.

• A puppy will need to go out about every 1-2 hours when they are 8 weeks old, and as they grow they will be able to wait longer.

• Take your puppy out to go potty within 10-15 minutes after eating, immediately after waking up, and when you are taking them out of their crate for supervised playtime or exercise. After an hour of playtime, if you notice your puppy suddenly go off by herself, she likely needs to go potty!

• Use the same route to the door each time you take your puppy outside. Say “Let’s go potty!”

• Take them to the same spot each time you take them out. Tell them to “Go potty!” Praise your puppy when he/she goes in the correct place. Say “Good potty!” and give them a treat!

• Potty bells may be helpful so your puppy can let you know when he/she needs to go out.

• If your puppy starts to go potty anywhere other than the designated spot, scoop him/her up and take them to the right place to finish. If you catch him/her having an accident, be careful of your reaction. If you scold your puppy, they may perceive that they shouldn’t go potty in front of you, rather than understanding that they aren’t going in the right place. This could lead to trying to hide when they need to go potty. If you find a mess, don’t scold them, as they won’t understand why they are being scolded. 

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Socialization

• During the first 8 weeks of puppies’ lives, they are learning to play and interact with their siblings. At 8 weeks, the puppies are ready to go home to their new families. The period from 8-12 weeks is an important bonding period for you and your puppy. After your puppy has a few days at home to settle in and bond with you, it is critical to start introducing new experiences, sights, sounds, and people!

• Our vet recommends that a puppy should meet about 30 new people per week! It is EXTREMELY valuable and important for your puppy's socioemotional & intellectual development to be exposed to new people, environments, and experiences at this age!

• Eight weeks old is a good time to start simple obedience training, such as Sit, Watch me, Come, Down, Leave it, Give, etc.

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Puppy Play Lessons

• Golden Retrievers have been bred to be retrievers. They are very oral – biting and chewing are natural to them. It is up to us, their families, to train that instinct correctly. They are very sweet, affectionate puppies, and they mean no harm, but biting and chewing on your hand, clothes, or shoes should be discouraged. Our vet told us to act like it hurts and make noise like a hurt puppy if they do bite or chew on clothes, fingers, or any part of you! This is a continuation of what they learn from their litter mates and teaches them bite inhibition. Even though they mean no harm, they need to be taught not to bite! This is especially true for children. Remember and remind your children not to put their hands by your puppy’s mouth. Instead, pet or rub your puppy behind her ears, or on her chest, back, or belly.

• A retriever should be trained to have a “soft mouth.” When they are trained to retrieve waterfowl, they learn to bring it back to the handler without tearing it. If they find a baby bird in the yard, they should be able to give it to you unharmed!

• Closely related is the need to discourage Tug of War play… While it is fun and cute to see a puppy play tug of war with a toy, it is not cute when it is your favorite sweater, cell phone, or an electrical cord! Do not encourage tug of war!!!!

• We want to train puppies to “Give,” rather than tug and play keep away. Throwing balls or a rope toy and training them to bring it back and give it to you for a treat is much more appropriate training and will pay off in the long run!

• “Leave it!” is also a very helpful skill to teach a puppy!

• We definitely recommend puppy classes for you and your puppy – not only for the training but also the social experience for your puppy and the helpful tips you can learn!

• Don’t feel like you have to constantly buy new toys. Just start with a variety of kinds of toys and rotate which toys they have available to play with to help combat boredom. Be creative too! I used an old sock filled with “crinkly” packing paper and tied it shut to make a fun new “toy!” They do need a lot of mental stimulation and opportunities to explore and learn! A puzzle toy can be helpful, especially on rainy days.

 

Fear

• Once puppies are old enough to hear (about 2-3 weeks), they have a “startle” response. As they experience a new sound or sudden movement, they will startle and then recover. At about 5 and 8 weeks, they have a short spike in their fear response, so those are not the best times to introduce scary new things. This fear response increases again after 12 weeks, so the more they experience before 12 weeks, the less frightened they will be of new things later.

• Use common sense as you introduce new things. For example, don’t start the vacuum cleaner in the same room as the puppy. Start in another room first and work closer. Also, a train whistle, siren, etc. is less frightening at a distance first. For a hunting dog, hearing gunshots from a shooting range a mile away when they are less than 12 weeks old is a good first experience, rather than hearing a gunshot at close range and 9 months old.