Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Hip Dysplasia And Golden Retrievers

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The Golden Retrievers Major Health Issue

Hip dysplasia is a poor formation of the hip joints, which is a common growing disease with younger dogs of virtually every breed including Golden Retrievers .  With larger breeds, unsteady hip joints are common, although hip dysplasia can be a serious problem that will limit the physical activity of your Golden.  Although many Golden Retriever owners don’t realize it, hip dysplasia is something that dogs inherit from their parents, and gets worse with age.

The signs and symptoms of hip dysplasia is nearly impossible to detect with Golden puppies, although it will start to show once the pup has reached the age of nine months.  Even though you may take your Golden to the vet to have him looked at, your vet will tell you that you need to wait to see if the symptoms are there, once the Golden Retriever has reached a certain age.

The symptoms and signs of hip dysplasia vary, although the most common include crippling or the inability to walk properly.  This disease can get better once the dog gets older though, due to the joints stabilizing, the inflammation going down, and the muscles in the hips getting stronger and more mature.  Keep in mind however, that Golden’s who have hip dysplasia when they are younger will more than likely develop arthritis when they get older.

Golden Retrievers that suffer from hip dysplasia aren’t fit for breeding, although they can still live a long and healthy life.  There are certain drugs that your vet can prescribe to your dog, which will help him control his weight and help control the disease.  These drugs can also cut down on the pain as well, helping your Golden enjoy himself as much as possible.

Some Golden Retrievers that have hip dysplasia won’t begin to show any signs at all until they get a few years old, once the muscles start to wear down and the damage to the hip muscles start to become more noticeable.  Although your dog may be active and healthy for most of his puppy years, dysplasia can slow everything down and make your dog look as if he is old and is suffering from the physical attributes of arthritis.

To eliminate the pain of hip dysplasia, there are surgery options available.  Golden Retrievers have a high threshold for pain, and won’t normally show any signs of being in pain, even though you know they are.  X-rays won’t show any signs of pain, although the limping or slow walking will tell you that your dog is hurting.  Golden Retriever’s who have this disease won’t know it – which is why you should help as much as possible.

If you do your part and help your dog seek relief – he will feel better than ever before – although like all Golden Retrievers, he won’t let you know he hurt any at all.

Feeding Your Golden Retriever

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All Golden Retriever puppies will nurture from their mother until they reach the age of seven weeks.  Once they reach the age of three weeks, they should be fed with puppy food, which you should soak and mix into a warm grubby compound.  This way, it resembles the food they get from their mother, and they will learn quickly how their food tastes and how they should eat it.

Once you bring your puppy home, you should always make sure that you use the same food that he has become accustomed to.  The breeder will start training the puppy with food, and it’s up to you to ensure that he gets the food he has come to know.  Golden Retriever puppies have very delicate stomachs, and they can be very receptive to any changes in their food.

When you first bring your new Golden Retriever puppy home, he or she may not be too interested in eating for the first few days.  Being in a new home can be stressful for the puppy, which is why you shouldn’t force him to eat.  The puppy will also realize that he doesn’t have competition at the food bowl, because he is away from his litter.  You shouldn’t worry if he doesn’t immediately eat, as it will take him some time.

Once your puppy has slept through the night, you should take him outside and let him relieve himself, then bring him in and give him some food.  You should also plan feedings throughout the day, such as the morning, middle of the day, then at night.  Once you have planned feedings, you should make sure that you stick to this plan so that your puppy will get used to it.

Keep in mind that the last feeding of the day doesn’t necessarily need to be set in stone.  You should always aim to feed your puppy at least a half an hour before you head to bed, so that you can take him outside after eating.  If you time it just right every night, you can feed your Golden, take him out to use the bathroom, and still have plenty of time to get ready for bed.  At night, when you sleep, you should have puppy pads or newspapers in an area that your Golden Retriever is familiar with so he can use the bathroom if he can’t get you to take him out.

First the first few weeks, your Golden Retriever will eat a little bit of the food.  Once he has reached 8 weeks of age, he should be on dry food with a little bit of warm water added to it.  The best way to feed is to keep adding a little bit of warm water to the food, and let the pup eat until he is finished.  If you continue to do this throughout feedings, your Golden will begin to eat all of his portion.

Keep in mind that you should never rush him, or change anything about the way he feeds.  Golden Retrievers will eat their share, although it will take them a bit of time to develop the proper eating habits.  As the puppy gets older, his stomach will grow and he will begin to eat more.

During this time, you won’t need to add any water to his food.  A Golden Retriever is a truly unique breed, a breed that loves to be fed – and craves attention.  If you stick to your plan when your Golden Retriever puppy is little – he will be a healthy eater as he gets older.

Eye And Heart Disease In Golden Retrievers

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Golden Retrievers Health Issues

Eye disease is very common with Golden Retrievers.  Most Golden’s will generally have hereditary cataracts, which is a common eye problem.  At an early age, with affected Golden’s, one type of hereditary cataract will appear.  Even though it may not cause interference with the vision of the Golden Retriever, some dogs will progress into total and quite possibly severe loss of vision.

Sometimes, Golden Retrievers can get affected by non hereditary cataracts, although an examination by a board certified veterinarian can determine just how bad the cataracts really are.  If cataracts are indeed suspected with a Golden Retriever, then breeding won’t be recommended.  Breeding Golden Retrievers who have this condition can lead to serious problems, such as passing it on to the pups.

Several families of the Golden Retriever breed have been known to carry genes for CPRA (Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy), which affects the retina, and can result in permanent blindness for Golden’s at a young age.  There are other types of eye defects as well, such as retinal dysplasia, which prevents Golden Retrievers from breeding.

Trouble with both the eyelid and eyelashes are also a possibility with Golden Retrievers, with some being the result of hereditary factors.  The eyelids rotating in or out, or the eyelashes rubbing on or in the eye are both common problems with the breed.  Even though surgery can help to fix these types of problems, dogs that are experiencing this type of problem shouldn’t be allowed to breed nor compete in shows under any type of AKC rules.

You should always have your Golden Retriever checked annually for eye disease, as it can develop during any age.  When you take your Golden to have him examined for eye disease, you should have a veterinary ophthalmologist do the exam.  He has all of the necessary equipment, and the proper training needed to make sure that your dog gets the best examination possible.

Heart disease
SAS (Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis) is the most common and widespread form of heart disease within the entire Golden Retriever species.  Before you breed your Golden Retriever, you should always have him examined for heart disease by a certified veterinary cardiologist.  If the cardiologist detects a heart murmur, he will recommend additional tests for your dog.

In the event that the results prove negative, it doesn’t necessarily rule heart disease out, as some milder forms may still be present, although undetectable.  If a Golden Retriever is diagnosed to have any type of heart disease, he should not breed.  Breeding Golden Retrievers who have heart disease can lead to serious and sometimes fatal results.  To be on the safe side, you should always have your Golden tested for his disease before you plan on breeding.
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The Best Basic Training
For Your Golden Retriever

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on
your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train Golden puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when
you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any Golden Retriever to stop barking at
strangers or from begging you to let him back inside – Plus a TON more
step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are
already using.

Check out Chet Womach & Bauer the Golden Retrievers-
Hands Off Dog Training

Common Golden Retriever Health Problems

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Golden Retriever Health

There are many common health problems that your Golden Retriever will experience from time to time.  Most of these ailments are nothing serious, providing you know how they should be treated and prevented.  Below, we will take a look at the most common ailments, and tell you how to prevent your Golden from getting them.

Distemper virus
The distemper virus is an airborne disease that poses a high risk.  This virus can be prevented by getting your Golden 3 different vaccinations when he is between 6 and 16 weeks of age, along with his regular annual booster shot.  The symptoms from this virus include fever, cough, diarrhea, and vomiting.  If your Golden Retriever has these symptoms, you should immediately take him to see the vet.

Heartworms
Heartworms are among the most common ailment with all dog breeds.  They can reach lengths of up to 12 inches in the heart and the lung arteries, leading to heart failure, a decrease in blood circulation, and even death in some cases.  The symptoms with heartworms may not appear until it is too late, so you are better off preventing them with the correct heartworm medicines.

Heatstroke
During the summer months or hot days, your Golden Retriever can get a heatstroke.  You can prevent this from happening by giving your dog plenty of water, and never leaving him in direct sunlight.  If you are playing together on a hot day, you should give him plenty of time to rest so he doesn’t overdo it.  The symptoms indicating a heatstroke include a lot of panting or drooling, dark gums, a glazed expression, rapid pulse, and even vomiting.  If your dog starts to show any of these symptoms, you should immediately take him to the vet.

Rabies
Rabies is one of the more serious ailments that your Golden Retriever can get, as it has an adverse affect on your dog’s nervous system.  Normally, dogs get rabies through a bite of another animal that is infected with the disease.  There are rabies shots that helps to prevent the disease, and your dog should get them at least once a year.  The symptoms of rabies include seizures, aggression, and foaming at the mouth.  If you suspect your Golden has rabies, you should call the vet immediately.

Tapeworms
Tapeworms are normally caused by fleas, and affect your dog’s stomach.  The symptoms for tapeworms include a loss in weight, diarrhea, and even biting of the rectal area.  You can easily prevent your Golden from tapeworms by using a rigid flea control.  If your Golden Retriever exhibits symptoms for tapeworms, you should take him to the vet immediately.  If the vet catches them in time, he may be able to kill the tapeworms with an oral medicine.

Hookworms
Hookworms result from your Golden coming in contact with feces, his mother, or the worm simply burrowing under exposed skin.  You can prevent your dog from getting hookworms by cleaning his living area and keeping his skin clean.  The symptoms that accompany hookworms include a dry coat, weight loss, weakness, and blood in the stool.  As with all other ailments, you should immediately contact your vet if your Golden Retriever starts to show any of these symptoms.

Although these are just some of the most common ailments for Golden Retrievers, there are other ailments and health problems that your dog can get.  If your Golden starts to show any signs of ailment, disease, or health problem, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact your vet and set up an appointment.  Some of these diseases and ailments can be pretty serious – although they can be treated if you catch them in time.

Breeding Golden Retrievers

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Golden Retrievers:  Easy To Breed?

For beginners, breeding Golden Retrievers is nearly impossible.  Breeding can be very complicated, although it can be easy as well.  You should never attempt to breed unless you know a lot about requirements for hobby breeders, as it is simply unfair to the breed if you have a litter of puppies that simply aren’t what they should be.  People who look to buy Golden Retrievers only want top quality, which is why you shouldn’t attempt to breed just have a puppies or make a few bucks.

Breeding Golden Retrievers is a very serious hobby, one that should be left to those who know how to make the right choices.  There is a certain amount of cost and care involved with breeding, especially if breeders of Golden Retrievers are going for a certain quality.  There is also a lot of responsibility involved as well, which can take quite a bit of time to say the least.

Motivation for breeding Golden Retrievers

Breeding can help to fulfill the need of a Golden, although the dog still has no knowledge of it missing, no regrets, or no guilt towards living a life without having been breed.  A pregnant Golden Retriever female doesn’t gain anything in regards to health, as it instead causes problems.  Female Golden Retrievers that have been spayed on the other hand, cannot be bred.  If you have chosen to have your Golden spayed, always remember that she will be unable to breed.

When looking to breed, quality breeders will have a lot of choices in front of them.  They will need to determine the pair, such as the mother and the father.  To get the highest quality possible from the litter, the breeder will need to determine the traits of both dogs, temperaments, and how well they seem to react to one another.  The breeder will also need to determine in either of the dogs have any type of health problems, to prevent any diseases or ailments from being passed on to the litter.

Sometimes, when breeding Golden Retrievers, the mother of the litter will prove to be unfit, which requires more work for the breeder.  If the mother isn’t doing her job of nurturing her young, the breeder will need to do it for her.  This can be the most time consuming aspect of breeding, as the breeder will have to feed the young and make sure that they turn out as healthy as possible.

Aside from that, breeders also face quite a bit of costs as well.  The prices for daily care, food, and vet bills can be very steep to say the least.  When you crunch the numbers, you’ll quickly realize that breeders don’t make much money at all when they sale.  Most breeders do it for a hobby, not looking to make money.  Quality breeders of Golden Retrievers on the other hand aren’t concerned with money at all, as they are more concerned about the quality of their litters.  Quality is better than quantity, as even the best breeders out there have problems selling puppies from time to time.

Although breeding is fun for hobby breeders, it is something you really shouldn’t be doing if you don’t have the experience.  Although your Golden may get knocked up by a dog of a different breed without you knowing it, you should do your best to avoid it at all costs if you can.  A pure bred Golden Retriever should be bred only with dogs of her breed, to help preserve the breed and keep their bloodline going.

If you have thought about breeding in the past – you should really study long and hard before you actually make a reality of it.
————————————————————–

The Best Basic Training
For Your Golden Retriever

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on
your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train Golden puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when
you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any Golden Retriever to stop barking at
strangers or from begging you to let him back inside – Plus a TON more
step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are
already using.

Check out Chet Womach & Bauer the Golden Retrievers-
Hands Off Dog Training

How To Evaluate Dog Food

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Evaluating Todays Dog Food

Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog. 

Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.

When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:

1) A dog food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.

2) A dog food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.

3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.

4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.
Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog. Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.

When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:

1) A food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.

2) A food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.

3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.

4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.
Evaluating a dog food is a simple and straight-forward procedure of comparing certain characteristics of one food with those of other types of foods that are available to feed your dog. Regardless of whatever procedure you learn and use in order to effectively evaluate your dog’s needs should have enough built-in flexibility that innovative dog feeders can adapt it to best fit your own situation and further reduce their margin of error.

When making an evaluation, the four characteristics of a satisfactory dog food, discussed below, should be used as the minimum standards that any food must meet. These four basic standards are:

1) A food should contain sufficient energy for daily activity.

2) A food should contain adequate nutrients, in proper relationship to each other.

3) A food should contain ingredients that are usable by a dog.

4) A food should be acceptable in a sufficient quantity to fully supply items 1 and items 2 above.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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