The golden retriever is a beautiful and energetic dog whose golden coat may be wavy or straight. They have a kind and loving face and are quite big and powerful dogs. They make a great family dog and get along well with kids.
If you are thinking of getting a golden retriever puppy, you should know how to take care of them and their special needs. Feeding is obviously important, but so is grooming, some training, keeping them entertained and protected. Let’s take a look at some of the ways to care for a golden retriever puppy.
1. Feeding
If you’ve just got a puppy, you need to give it a high-quality food. You want to look after them properly, right from day one, so don’t go for those cheaper brands, as this is a very important stage in their life. The food has to be complete and balanced which means it has been tested and is effective in offering your puppy the right nutrition to keep it healthy. You can speak to your veterinarian (if you don’t have one just yet, make sure to find one as soon as possible) for advice, but there are also certain breed-specific foods which is also helpful.
Remember that dogs eat meat, so make sure the first ingredient is meat, otherwise don’t buy it. If the first ingredient is a grain or an animal by-product, skip it. Since it’s a puppy, you need puppy food. If your puppy is less than 3 months, feed it about 4 times a day. If it’s about 6 months, then feed it 3 times a day. You can follow the guidelines on the package.
2. Grooming
Start grooming from an early age. If you can, brush your puppy daily, if not, then as often as you can manage it. This helps to reduce matting and prevent shedding. Brush everywhere and as you are brushing, keep an eye out for ticks and fleas as well.
Grooming is also a good way to see and feel your dog, so if you see any bumps or cysts or cuts, you can keep an eye out and if it does not go away or get better, you can take them to the vet immediately. If you cut the hair, don’t go too short, even if it is hot, so never shave the puppy too short.
3. Oral Care
Looking after a puppy’s teeth is a very important part of taking care of your puppy/dog. Just like humans, they can get diseases if its oral health is not taken care of. These diseases don’t necessarily affect the mouth itself, which is why it’s very important to look after their teeth. Apart from oral diseases, there are other more serious conditions that can affect the dog later. Start by introducing your puppy (as soon as possible) to oral care. Use ONLY a toothpaste meant for puppies/dogs and never human toothpaste. Let him/her lick it off your finger. Then you can gently massage it into the mouth.
Once your puppy is used to the routine, introduce a brush. There are even brushes that you can place on your finger that have bristles. It can be tricky, but you must persevere. Try chicken flavoured toothpaste as they love it!
Take care of these important things and it will help to look after your golden retriever puppy to keep it healthy and strong. The sooner you begin, the better, so be patient and keep trying, particularly with the teeth so that your beautiful puppy grows into a healthy, gorgeous dog.
