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.

Bedding For Your Golden Retriever

October 3, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Your Golden Retriever And Their Bed

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.

When bringing your Golden puppy home, he may be a little upset having to leave his mom and the others of his litter.  The scents and memories that he come to know and love are now being replaced with totally new ones.  If you provide a towel for your Golden to sleep with, it may help to ease him a bit.  Towels are a great way to remind Golden puppies of their mom and their litter, which will help them to sleep and relax.

If you are planning to have your Golden Retriever sleep with you, you should be ready to get up in the middle of the night and take him outside to use the bathroom.  You should keep his food and water near his bedding at all times, so if he gets hungry or thirsty he can get what he needs.  Then, you should planning on taking him out around an hour or so after he has eaten.

If you plan to leave your Golden Retriever outdoors, you’ll obviously need to use a different style of bedding.  Doghouses are essential for Golden’s who stay outdoors, as it helps to keep them warm and free of weather.  Inside of the doghouse on the other hand, most people tend to use straw so the Golden can make a bed out of it.  You can also use a blanket or quilt as well, so that your Golden can wrap himself up in it should he get cold.

You can also use wooden shavings as well, as most Golden’s tend to like them.  Newspapers work good as well, as they give your Golden something to lay on besides a wooden floor.  Although doghouses work great for outdoor dogs, you should take your dog for walks on a daily basis and let him join you in activities that he finds enjoyable.  This way, you can build a unique and lasting friendship with your pet.

Golden Retrievers can quickly become the best friend you have ever had – as long as you take care of them.

Making sure that you have the proper bedding for your Golden Retriever is a great place to start.
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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 Retriever’s-
Hands Off Dog Training

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Bedding, Companion, Different Style, Doghouse, Doghouses, Golden Puppies, Golden Puppy, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Memories, Mom, Natural Fiber, Newspapers, Scents, Shavings, Sleep, Thrift Stores, Towels, Waste Of Money, Weather

Adopting An Older Golden Retriever

October 1, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

The Older Golden Retriever

Those of you who want a Golden Retriever but aren’t ready to go through the trials and tribulations of a puppy, should look into adopting an older Golden.  Older Golden Retrievers are mature, and prove to be great in homes where they need to spend a quality amount of time by themselves.  They are a very adjustable breed, being good tempered.  No matter how old the Golden may be, he will quickly become a valued member of your family in little to no time at all.

Many times, breeders will have older dogs for sale.  There are several reasons for this, which include show dogs that have lost their potential, studs that have been used for breeding, female Golden’s that have been bred a few times then retired, or other types of special conditions where a breeder is helping a friend get rid of his Golden Retriever.  There are other reasons as well, although whatever they may be – the adult Golden Retriever will be available for anyone who wants him.

Most older Golden Retrievers are already housebroken, and known a lot of behavior patterns and how to adapt to a new and loving family.  Although it will be a little hard on your new dog at first, if you give him plenty of love, attention, and patience, he’ll be just fine.  You need to keep reassuring your new Golden on a regular basis, and let him know that you are his new owner and that you love you and you are glad he’s a member of your family.

If you have been thinking of adopting an older Golden Retriever, you should make sure that you learn everything you can about him.  You should also determine his temperament, and whether or not it’s compatible with your family.  You should also learn important things as well, such as his diet, likes, dislikes, daily routine, and his habits.  Before you decide to take him, you should always make sure that the members of your family meet him as well, so you can talk it over and decide whether or not everyone wants the dog to be a member of your family.

With an older dog, you need to take care of him for the first days, and let him know where everything in your home is.  You’ll need to show him where he sleeps, where he should use the bathroom, and where his food is.  Take your time and be patient with him, as will normally take him a few days to learn how things in your home work.

You should always give your new Golden Retriever at least a month or so to get used to his new environment, before you start his new obedience training.  Even though your new dog may have some prior obedience training, you should still enroll him in a new class.  This way, he can brush up on training and you can work with him to help him understand.  Once you have finished training, he’ll understand your commands better and you and him will get along just fine.

All Golden Retrievers, regardless of their age, love attention.  Older Golden’s on the other hand, may have medical problems that you aren’t aware of.  You shouldn’t let this stop you from getting one though, simply because the rewards that you’ll find are far greater than any cons that may come to mind.  Although many people don’t give a lot of thought to getting an older Golden Retriever – they are perfect for families who don’t want to put up the time and troubles of raising a puppy.

————————————————————–

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 Retriever’s-
Hands Off Dog Training

————————————————————–

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Adult, Amount Of Time, Behavior Patterns, Diet, Dogs For Sale, Dogs Sale, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Important Things, Love, Loving Family, Older Mature, Patience, Puppy, Show Dogs, Studs, Temperament, Trials And Tribulations

Making Your Home Friendly For Dogs

September 29, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Dogs have sharp claws, sharp teeth, and unlimited amount of energy and curiosity.  The combination can be very dangerous, especially when they are left unsupervised.  The following are recommendations that you can take to prevent accidents from happening and to keep your dogs safe around the house.

1.  Keep all garbage cans closed.  If possible, make sure that they are tightly closed and out of reach.  This includes garbage cans inside and outside of your house.  To dogs, the contents of your garbage cans are like a gourmet meal, the smellier it is, the more he will go after it. 

2.  Keep all household products and chemicals out of sight, especially antifreeze and pesticides which are very toxic to pets.  Clean up spills immediately before your dogs get a chance to clean it up himself.

3.  Dogs, especially puppies, will chew and bite into almost anything, including electrical cords.  It is very important to unplug appliances when you are not using them.  You should also cover exposed cords using a strip wide electrical tape which makes them harder to chew.

4.  Keep all medicines and medicine cabinets closed.  Remember that just because they are child-proof does not mean they are pet-proof.

5.  Keep your dogs away from water unless he is supervised.  Although he is capable of swimming, dogs have difficulty climbing back out if they fall.

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Accidents, Antifreeze, Appliances, Chemicals, Child Proof, Curiosity, Dogs, Dogs Dogs, Dogs Puppies, Electrical Cords, Electrical Tape, Garbage Cans, Gourmet Meal, House Dogs, Household Products, Medicine Cabinets, Medicines, Out Of Sight, Pesticides, Pet Proof, Pet Safe, Puppies, Sharp Teeth

Why Most Behavioral Problems Come From “Leader-Type” Dogs

September 5, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Most problem dogs are leader types, they are trying to control the activities of the family or certain individuals in the group.

In some cases the dogs are in conflict with their physical environment or external social elements, such as fences, tethers, neighborhood children, cats, other dogs, mailmen or visitors.

A dog that wants to control these elements or to lead the activities of its human family pack, is doomed to a life of frustration.

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Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

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Leader-type dogs exhibit any or all of the following behavior, both on and off their home territory:

– Precedes owner through doors or when walking in almost any direction.
– Does not obey the owner’s commands.
– Displays anxiety about new people or situations.
– Interferes with the owner’s interactions with other people.
– Nudges the owner persistently for physical petting.

When a dog assumes a leadership role in its owner relationships, it usually exhibits behavior that provides clues, even off the home property. Some easily detected signs are:

– Protectiveness of the owner.
– Nervousness (anxiety about the new area, scouting the area).
– Lack of response to the owner’s direction.
– Rushes in or out of doors ahead of the owner.
– Interferes with the owner’s interactions with other people in the new situation.

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Cats Dogs, Conflict, Dogs Types, Doors, Fences, Free Dog Training, Frustration, Home Territory, Interactions With Other People, Leader Type, Leadership Role, Mailmen, Neighborhood Children, Nervousness Anxiety, New Situation, Physical Environment, Problem Dogs, Social Elements, Tethers, Training Dogs

Dog Behavior – You Can’t Resist A Lovable Dog Who Asks For A Belly Rub

June 19, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

If there’s such a thing as a universal pleasure center regarding dog behavior among dogs, it’s the belly.

The skin on their bellies is thinner than skin elsewhere, and there’s not a lot of fur.

As a result, the belly is exquisitely sensitive to touch. Dogs enjoy physical affection just like we do.

A dog who’s getting his belly rubbed enjoys the attention.

He likes the nice sensations. And he likes knowing he can attract people like a magnet just by rolling over and putting his feet in the air.

It’s A Trust Factor

Dogs use body language to convey very specific messages. As a dog behavior, rolling on their backs and exposing their bellies is a sure sign of submission.

It’s a way of telling other dogs, “I’m at your mercy; do what you will.” A dog who’s being threatened and wants to avoid a fight will expose his belly to signal his noncombatant status. Conversely, a dog who’s at peace and relaxed will go belly up just because he feels safe to do so.

That position is the ultimate dog behavior regarding vulnerability.

People only reveal their softer sides to those they love and trust. It’s the same with dogs. It takes a lot of trust for them to expose their bellies in front of people, and that’s one of the reasons that belly rubs are such blissful experiences.

When your dog looks at you, lies down, and flops over for a belly rub, that says something about the relationship you have with him. It tells you that your dog knows that you are in charge, that he loves and trusts you, and that he’s happy with that arrangement.

The unique thing about this behavior is that it presents one of the few opportunities that dogs have to set the agenda.

It’s usually the people who decide when to spend time with their dogs. We choose when we’ll go for a walk, when we’ll take a ride in the car, when we’ll sit on the deck and throw tennis balls.

But here’s an opportunity for dogs to say, “I’d like to spend some time with you now.” They know that their people will be more than happy to comply.

Selective Love

Some dogs are promiscuous with their affection. They’ll roll over for anyone at just about any time. This is especially true of Labrador retrievers, who are known for their people-pleasing personalities.

It’s not uncommon, in fact, for Labradors to walk around a room, pause in front of each person they come to, and flop onto their backs.

Other dogs are much more cautious about revealing themselves. It’s not a matter of love or affection, just one of temperament. There are dogs who love you but who just don’t want to be that vulnerable.

Akitas, for example, are known for being independent and somewhat reserved. They’re less likely than most dogs to ask for or even tolerate a belly rub.

This dog behavior is true of huskies, Alaskan malamutes, and other breeds with strong, assertive personalities.

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Bellies, Belly Rub, Belly Rubs, Body Language, Dogs, Experiences, Fur, Magnet, Opportunity, Peace, People, Physical Affection, Pleasure Center, Relationship, Ride In The Car, Sensations, Submission, Tennis Balls, Universal, Vulnerability

The Risks Of Using An Electric Fence In Your Yard

May 31, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

For stopping your dog from fence-jumping, sometimes it is effective to erect an inner fence to interfere with the animal’s approach to the barrier. In some cases, an inner fence of only 30 inches has proved to be effective. If the dog climbs the main barrier, an inward-slanting overhang can be installed along the top of the wall. You can save the expense of raising the wall by digging sunken gardens around the inside perimeter. The dry moats will interrupt the dog’s approach and raised the effective height of the wall.

Corrective measures should never include shock collars, hobbles, physical punishment, electrified fences and toxic chemicals applied to the wall. Though they work in some instances, the risk of injury and adverse behavioral side effects is greater than the benefit. Complications from use of such measures to the dog have included viciousness, displaced aggression toward family, death from hanging by a collar, and self-mutilation from hobbles.

With “invisible” electronic shock fencing, an electric shock is emitted from a collar to the dog’s throat if the dog crosses a wire around the perimeter of the yard. To delineate for the dog the area beyond which the dog should not pass, the perimeter is initially marked with obvious cues. The procedure requires a great deal of time and effort, and the devices are expensive, considering the electronics involved is slightly more sophisticated than a remote control garage door opener.

While manufacturers and adherents of the “invisible” fencing devices claim many successes to using this method, the system cause very serious drawbacks relative to safety of the dog and possible trespassers. These dangers warrant careful consideration, since there may be heavy legal consequences should serious injury to passersby occur. There is also the danger that a frustrated, electronically confined aggressive dog may redirect or displace his anger and frustration and turn on his family.

Aggressive stray dogs or malicious people are free to attack or harass the electrically confined dog. The conditioned pain and frustration associated with the perimeter may also be associated with passersby, including children. If the “fenced” dog feels aggressive toward outsiders and they cross the property line, the result could be unfortunate for all parties concerned. Electric shock has also been shown to induce acute stress in dogs. And stress has many undesirable side-effects, both psychological and physical, especially on their immune system.

Filed Under: Dog Information Tagged With: Adherents, Careful Consideration, Corrective Measures, Cues, Dog Fence, Electric Fence, Electric Fences, Electric Shock, Electronic Shock, Family Death, Garage Door Opener, Invisible Fencing, Legal Consequences, Moats, Overhang, Perimeter, Physical Punishment, risks of using an electric fence, Self Mutilation, Shock Collars, Stray Dogs, Sunken Gardens, Toxic Chemicals

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