Adopting a golden retriever comes with some serious commitments as far as time, care and health is concerned.
If you have never had a pet before it is a good idea to talk to some dog owners and find out what time and money commitment is needed to be a top knotch golden retriever parent.
When deciding to be a golden retriever puppy parent it is a good idea to get a leading golden retriever training manual to give you the information on training, diet, health, care and exercise for looking after your new arrival.
Dogs can become the most loyal of companions when they are treated right and many owners say they are more loyal than even human beings and I would have to say from experience that I have found this to be the case.
If your pet dog is treated in the right manner it will become your protector, your constant companion and comforter.
Have you ever experienced the absolute loyalty from a dog when you have been ill? My husband had a hip replacement and during the 6 weeks recovery after the operation our dog, Trixie, hardly left his side.
When my husband was in pain the dog would sit with his head on his knee and he (the dog!) would have the most sad-looking eyes.
I could even tell when my husband was in pain just by looking at Trixie.
Total care of your dog.
Caring properly for a dog requires more than just feed and water.
"Just feed and water" means you put some food down and have a bowl of water somewhere around that the dog can drink, but truly caring for a dog goes so much further than that.
The feed needs to be quality food that is going to give the dog all the nutrients that it needs for good strong bones and healthy muscles and the water needs to be clean and fresh each day.
Bowls need to be cleaned each day to rid them of bacteria that can cause infection.
Busy owners sometimes feel that it is a burden to clean the dog's bowls but it is inhumane not to clean them and more expensive too, if the dog becomes ill.
Rearing of a puppy needs to have even more care taken with its diet and general upbringing.
The first few years of a puppy's life sees it growing rapidly, developing bones and growing muscles.
A puppy needs to receive the right vitamins for muscle growth and so that it its bones grow nice and strong.
All this information can be obtained from leading golden retriever training manuals as they are specifically written for this breed of dog.
Golden retrievers need to have time given to their grooming as well because they have a long coat that needs to be brushed at least once a week and more often during the shedding season.
As well as that they need the usual grooming of feet, nails, ears, eyes and other areas that may be of concern.
Exercise is also an important part of looking after a golden retriever puppy or a full grown dog.
They need exercise so that their muscles remain strong and exercise is also required for them to remain in a healthy state of mind.
Golden retrievers especially need exercise because they have been bred to be a hunting dog and they need to have a good long run on a regular basis.
They are very intelligent dogs and if they are not exercised and given games to play they will soon suffer emotionally and physically.
A leading golden retriever training manual will cover the puppy stages right through to adulthood and really any dedicated owner will want to do the best by their dog and learn as much as they can about the breed and how to care for their chosen puppy.