Cattle

Archive for December 27th, 2010

Golden Retrievers are obedient, beautiful, make fantastic family pets as well as hunting dogs. This breed is also the most preferred guide dog for the blind and for important things like narcotic detection dogs and tracking dogs (used to find missing people) among others.

Among the many other breeds available as good pet options, the Golden Retriever remains one of the most versatile and most surprising breeds.

But before you take the plunge and finalize on buying a Golden Retriever puppy, you need to learn more about this breed. Try and attend dog shows where you can meet owners who have Golden Retrievers as pets as they can give you a lot of important information about this breed – information that a breeder may not give you since he is interested in making a sale. Check you local kennel club again for information.

People who own Golden Retrievers are quite proud of them and are always willing to talk about their pet especially if they find you interested in the same breed.

When you buy a Golden Retriever puppy, your best bet is to look for one at a backyard breeder or the local puppy mill. Backyard breeders care a lot about their puppies so they will have a lot of information about the dogs and they also would like to get the best possible homes for their litter.

Visit the local branches of the Golden Retriever club of America and get a list of the breeders in your area. It is important that you get your Golden from a reliable source. All puppies come with some built in friskiness and other attitudes. You need one that is best suited to your family. The breeder knows his pups very well and he will be a good judge of which pup will suit you based on some questions he may ask.

Do not rush the buying, take you time and look at all the options available. Get all the pertinent information about your puppy regarding its medication, its injections, and its food and training requirements etc.

Once you have all this, then try and get a questionnaire or list of points to consider while buying a golden Retriever pup from some Golden owners and the local vet. Take it to your breeder and ensure that the pet you get matches at least 95% of the points you have.

Remember you are buying a friend for life so you want a pup that has a good temperament and is warm, open and responsive. A pup from a breeder, who is only in it for the money, will invariably end up being of poor quality along with a nasty disposition.

A little patience and research will get you the best there is in Golden Retriever pups.

When feeding your dog, think about the following:

– The size of your dog
– The daily activity level of your dog
– The life stage of your dog
– Any health conditions that your dog may have.

If you don’t take into account all of the above, you can be setting your dog up for a major crash that you could surely avoid by being smart and attentive to your dogs needs.

Too many dog owners care little about the foods they supply. They buy the cheaper brands, which have little nutrition. They feed their dog table scraps, which are poisonous to their dogs and they just don’t seem to care, either.

When your dog is fed all of these substandard foods, they are set up for all kinds of sickness. Your dog can become lethargic and lack energy. They can be listless and stop being frisky. You might think your dog is tired, so resting more when in fact your dog could be sick. It is so important that you feed your dog right if you want your dog to be healthy.

The size of your dog will determine greatly the amount of food that you should feed him. For proper feeding regulations the bag will list approximate amounts, however if you are an experienced dog owner you will find that these recommended portions are not always appropriate for your specific dog. The label on the bag is just a guide, a little more, or a little less will not hurt based on your opinion. Trust your judgment when reading the label and do what you decide is best.

Your dog will have individual needs. No two dogs are exactly the same.

Certain breeds of dog have specific nutritional requirements that must be met in their diet for them to live an optimum lifestyle. Knowing this, dog food manufacturers have started to produce breed specific dog foods. Royal Canin is the leader in this regard and have a great line of breed specific dog and cat food products on the market.

A high energy dog will need a high energy diet. Calorie rich food will benefit a dog that is highly active, for example a working dog, needs a high calorie diet, due to their active days assisting their masters to perform important daily tasks.

Choosing a dog food according to your dog’s stage of life is very important to your dog’s health. Your dog’s nutritional needs will very depending on his stage of life and depending on your dog’s size. Puppies need a high protein, high calorie diet. Adults need a balanced blend of all of the necessary elements, and senior dogs have specific food products with extra additives to take care of their special needs some of which being but not limited to joint maintenance, immune boosters, and ostio strengthening.

Regardless of what your dog’s special needs are there is a dog food that fits. Your job is to find the food that is the best for your dog.