GOLDEN-JOY - Life with Golden Retriever Puppies and Dogs

dog pictures 2

2013-09-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Dog pictures

2013-09-13T16:31:00.001-07:00

Grooming A Golden Retiever : Tools and Video

2013-08-20T17:49:00.001-07:00

We have two Golden Retrievers and while we love them tons the hair (fur) can be overwhelming. With family members visiting that are allergic to dogs - it becomes a battle. Shedding season makes it unbearable. We have to vacuum daily and cover the furniture with fresh cleaned (and fur-less sheets). We also keep the dogs in one large room / with bathroom, to keep hair confined. We often are in the same room on the computer or relaxing. (scroll down to read more and see video of ear trim)

Bizrate

Family members are restricted from the room - unless they have taken an allergy tab! AT which point the Golden Clan can visit with allergic visitors.
. Brushing Daily is a must with a Golden (to keep fur loss controlled). Fish Oils and a Shampoo designed to reduce shedding help. Watch the video below to see how to properly Clip a Golden - we give a very short buzz cut - but that is personal choice. Check out some of these products and learn the benefits of good tools and great products to keep your Golden Retriever and you HAPPY.

Bizrate

10 Tips to Beat the Heat: Dogs Cool Tools to Fight Arizona's Blazing Heat

2013-04-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Dog by lisa runnels

Dogs like human need some relief from the heat during hot weather. This is reprint of article I wrote in 2008. The sun is still hotter than hot in Arizona, and already we have above normal temperatures. Moving to the desert with no nearby malls to keep us cool and no Lowes for walking our dog. Now more than ever, we realize the need for cool tools for a carefree summer. In Arizona summer temps average between 111-116 and can hit 118 or 120 degrees.

First the basics in tips 1 & 2 are general safety. Followed by 3-10 tips for keeping dogs cool:

Dogs do not have the same sweat system we have. They cool off through the pads of their feet and their belly.

1) Always keep a pet first aid kit around and it should include two thermometers (in case one breaks down). Keep one in the car and one in the house. A dogs temperature is taken rectally and at 104 emergency cool down is necessary (think bath of cool water or garden hose). AT 106 you need emergency veterinarian care. For signs of heat stroke check this article. CALL VET IMMEDIATELY. Have a print out of emergency procedures kept in your kits for reference. You can use this one AKC emeg/first aid.

2) Never leave a dog in car.... if you see a dog in a car call the police as time is crucial in hot weather.

3) Build a sun shade/misted area..... This can be as simple as draping a sheet over fencing or having a small kennel with mesh shading added to it. Add misters or sprinklers along the fence line or around the kennel to wet down the sheeting. This should lower temp by several degrees. If you do not have misters try using a hose with nozzle set on mist and jerry-rig it to keep area cool. If mosquitoes are out you will need protection check out the MOSQUITO POWER MISTER (no affiliation). A portable swamp cooler can also be used in an enclosed sun shade area to replace the misters.

4) A swamp cooler (or evaporative cooler) hooked up to constant water source, can aid in keep small area cooler. A large kennel with sheets draped on tops and sun exposed sides will shade inside a kennel. Have a swamp cooler set up and blowing into protected area creates a 15-20 degree cooler area for your pets.When humidity arrives the swamp cooler will not be as effective. And a cooler sheltered area will be needed. If design of swamp cooler allows, you can add ice cubes to melt into the water.

"Photo courtesy photos-public-domain.com"

5) ICE CUBES: Throw Ice Cubes on the porch or the kitchen floor. Use lots of them for playing and cooling off.... works great for those teething puppies too! WE also have frozen blocks of ice in milk jugs or applejuice and soda bottles and wrapped in a pillowcase covered with towel. We wet down the ice blocks and the dogs will actually lay on or near them to keep cool. The larger blocks will stay cool for a couple of hours in the grassy areas. If your air conditioning goes out - be prepared with ice bottle stored in your freezer!

6) Have plenty of fresh water available. Use a large container and add a frozen block of ice that will melt into the dish. You can also use a special dish hooked to water supply - check pet stores or feed stores. Our dogs are brilliant and adjusted to the water nipple (no affiliation) that attaches to a spigot. The dogs never went without adequate water. Check your local stores for this handy cool tool.

7) A kid's swimming pool can be filled with several inches of water for Fido to cool off in. You can even use the bottom half of a plastic dog crate, or cut out rubber-maid container, if you can't locate cheap kiddie pool. Even leaving the hose to drip on the patio provides a cooler area for Fido. Keep water out of the ears to avoid ear infections. If you have a pool, teach your dog to swim.

8) When taking that all important WALK with Fido, use paw protectors if pavement is hot to touch. Some places allow dogs to walk and you can check with the managers of Lowes and Home Depot or Pet Smart to make sure it is okay to bring your well behaved, non-aggressive, and leashed dog. The store floors are going to feel so great to those padded paws! Walking in cooler grass is a better option than hot cement so check out the local parks too.

Dog by Elodie Marnot

9) . Order and use a Cooling VEST *(no affiliation ). You can also wet towels down and keep them in the ice chest to throw on the belly to help cool down. There are other cooling tools like a cooling bed.(no affiliation). Walk during the coolest part of the day, early morning at sunrise. OR, buy a used treadmill and train your dog to walk on it. Other alternatives for exercise are to take your dog swimming, or set up the sprinkler and play Frisbee or fetch in the sprinkler.

pubdomain via wpclipart.com

10) During the hottest parts of summer bring your dog inside (for at least the hottest parts of the day) especially if your dog is miserable. Watch for your dogs comfort level and make sure to NEVER come close to anything like heatstroke. Even if you are cool your dog might be hot. You don't want to over-cool your dog but you do want to avoid heatstroke.

Most of all have a great wonderful summer with your dog, swim lots, and stay safe! These are all tips that we have used successfully. See you soon.

Thunder Dog v1 9781400203048 - YouTube

2011-09-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is a great story of 9-11 and blind guide dog THUNDER who rescued people from the tower. Although he is lab retriever and not golden retriever, he is VERY KEWL. Escaping from the 78th floor of building one this is the story of love and trust between owner and dog.

Thunder Dog v1 9781400203048 - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

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Skippy the dog released to CARE Southcoast in New Bedford - Fall River, MA - The Herald News

2011-03-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

Click on title to read full article...

Skippy the dog released to CARE Southcoast in New Bedford - Fall River, MA - The Herald News: "The 4-year-old golden retriever that the Board of Selectmen voted to euthanize in January was released to the Center for Animal Rescue & Education Southcoast in New Bedford.

In a statement to town authorities, Selectmen Chairman Lawrence Ashley said almost all conditions for Skippy’s release were met. The selectmen set the conditions at a Feb. 25 meeting. He said Ruth Marshman, of CARE Southcoast, provided a $2,500 check to cover a portion of Skippy’s kennel costs at the Lakeville Animal Shelter, legal fees and security costs.

Marshman and supporters of a Free Skippy Facebook page raised money online for those costs, which were set by selectmen. She and other Skippy supporters raised additional funds for Skippy’s care."

RERUN VIDEO: If you ever wondered about goldens

2010-08-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

If you ever wondered about Goldens, then you need to watch this video. This video gives you all the highlights of WHY "THE GOLDEN" is the perfect family pet. This was one of my favorite blogposts... right up there with the human golden video and the posting on how to cope with heat (weather).

http://golden-joy.blogspot.com/2010/04/golden-retriever-video.html

2 dogs found in truck outside Holyoke Mall unresponsive from heat, 40-year-old West Springfield man arrested | masslive.com

2010-08-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

2 dogs found in truck outside Holyoke Mall unresponsive from heat, 40-year-old West Springfield man arrested | masslive.com

According to the report the 5 year old golden/lab mix, Jasper, died the day after being rescued from a truck bed. The dog was in pretty bad shape and the owner was charged with two counts of the felony - cruelty to animals.

This is so sad and unavoidable... If you want to avoid problems with heat exhaustion or simply know tips to how to handle your pet in the heat; read my previous blogpost Coping with Heat.

I always knew our dogs were HUMAN! video

2010-05-23T23:34:00.001-07:00

This video stands on its on with no need of comment from me... LOL LOL LOL

Golden Retriever - Video

2010-04-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Goldens are awesome pets and why do my own video when this one is so GREAT!

A boy and his dog: golden retriever

2010-04-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

I was relaxing with my insomnia, using StumbleUpon and found this nostalgic picture/blog. It moved me. As our dog Cody is now 7, I am concious of how little time is left with him. In this picture I see the years of fun, joy and times of worry that aren't shared. I hope you enjoy this picture from my stumbles. It was found here;

Golden Retriever - Basset Hound video of Basset Hound with energy

2010-03-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

OKAY this might not be golden retriever related but I LOVE it. I wanted a basset hound at least once in my life - but my hubby is not a fan! Maybe this will change his mind - ENJOY SSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH

So don't you think this special puppy needs VIP insurance? I tell you my golden's have eaten gloves and plastic bowls and all kinds of things. Having a the best dog insurance possible can save a lot of money. Goldens often will do things that are funny, but can hurt them. Dog insurance covering Parvo, broken legs and removal of jumping cactus needles can save a ton of money in the long run. Be prepared most pet insurance asks you to pay upfront and then reimburses you Whatever you do when you buy your VIP dog make sure to get the best plan available by talking to your veterinarian.

Cesar Millan and Angel: Puppie Heaven?

2009-10-14T05:03:00.000-07:00

Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan and Angel: How to Raise the Perfect Dog

7 hrs ago - Tucson Celebrity Examiner

I Cesar Millan is a celebrity with his own dog show and tours. He is a hero to many stars with his work in rehabilitation of aggressive dogs. His... Fu

OUr renters left behind 5 cats and 2 kittens

2009-08-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

Our renters left behind 5 cats and 2 kittens in addition to the large amount of backrent owed. Great at least 2 adult feral cats with kittens. The renter's left the back door open and fan for the cats with food and water. 3 of the cats were inside when I came to clean up. The renters didn't tell me they were OFFICIALLY moved, they told me not to bother coming over as they would be coming back to clean that night. Good thing I didn't listen. There was NO answer to their phone.

My daughter discovered a cat in the tree with two baby kittens panting and laying out appearing underfed. The weather is still really warm out. We took them home because my daughter had just learned about feral cats in biology, and knew the importance of taming the kittens, if they were young enough - human contact is important.

The next day we go to the rental house, there is an additional grey cat, the mom cat and the other three adult cats living in the house. jafkdafjdaf;d there are not enough 4 letter words to describe my feelings.

I call the humane society realizing these people had fed the cat one additional time leaving a FULL NEW bag of cat food on the counter. WTH???? (I dont' normally cuss) . They expect me to clean up and dispose of their CRAP along with caring for THEIR cats? For crying out freaking loud. (sorry).

Seeing as how it was 98degrees in the house at 10 PM - we did the only HUMANE thing to do and closed the house up (didnt' want vandals either) and tried to call humane society this AM to have them meet me at house (which is 30 minutes away) . I CAN"T Find a HUMAN at the HUMANE SOCIETY. We couldn't get ahold of any animal rescue groups for the kittens - so daughter is finding new homes on her own.

Doing this re-inspired the love for rescue and animal cops in the kidlet. SO with that in mind I am having this video about Emergency Animal Rescue. Today I will have to trap and load up 5 cats and HOPE that the shelter can take them. amazing!!! fjdkl;fdskajfd IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE>

Cutest shot of the Last 3 available

2009-08-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

They were loving watching the gardening routine this morning... turning heads in perfect unison. We didn't get to capture it all but this shot was as near perfect as we could get.

You wanted more pictures

2009-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

More pictures as requested!

NEW PUPS

2009-05-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

WELL Its been 10 days and the eyes aren't open yet. I must confess we did NOT want puppies this go around. We were so sure we had them separated the whole time. Either they snuck around while we were sleeping or I horribly misjudged and while appearing to be out of heat - she wasn't. Since I did not want more than 3 litters she will be spayed as soon as she can be. She does produce the best tempered, smartest pups though. After experiencing PARVO last year I was never wanting puppies again. The emotional roller coaster of Parvo was a bummer to say the least.

This year we plan to have a vaccine that overides mother's immunities immediately so that we know we are having an effective vaccine.

Here are a few more pics.

Pictures of PUPPIES

2009-03-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

CHEW CHEW CHEW

2008-12-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

You thought when you bought your puppy that all you had to do was provide love and potty train. Leave the rest to good sense and you would have the perfect Lassie!

A few months later you have a DEMON that chews everything up The favorites are your favorite shoes and robbing the dirty clothes basket. Not only is this dangerous but expensive. Always supervise and get insured!

Last week I confined the older Goldens to my bathroom for the day. Thinking I was safly prepared, I left for the day knowing that the 2 year old still chews!

Well let me say, when I got home from work and saw a ski glove chewed to pieces I was beyond frustrated. All my preparation were in vain. Seems the darling Golden Girl figured out how to open closet door. Yes the closet is within the major bathroom area. SIGH! I had removed all shampoos and dangerous chewable items; but she still managed to amuse herself, even with her friend for company!

If your dog is giving you grief in the chewing department you might want to look over what you are doing and how the dog reacts. Goldens are little more prone to please, so don't be too harsh. Just firm and consistent.

Establish rules and boundaries. Check my store and buy and use a crate or play pen for when you can't supervise and provide plenty of excersise and teething toys.

Little darling is losing baby teeth and needs chew toys to relieve pain, the chilly bone at my store is awesome. It around 5 bucks. Just make sure to use supervision always with all toys. Let dog know you are resource for everything!

I also use ice cubes and washclothes dampened and then frozen (super supervision here). If dry food hurts to eat you can add a little water to moisten a little. You should be over this mostly by 6-7 months!

IF you have trouble with your training invest in classes with a good trainer. Going to class and the social time with other dogs and owners alone is worth it. Otherwise you can watch dog training videos and shows and read up. You accomplish two things at once: training and socialization.

Remember Goldens are sensitive and harsh methods may shut them down. Be gentle, yet firm and consistent. Be a leader. With Goldens rewarding with attention is often as effective as rewarding with a bit of bacon or nuked hot dog. Ignoring them like turning your back when they jump on you really grabs their attention. Petting only after sitting reinforces the no jump rule. s

Teach your dog to Look at you, (focus).
Words to teach your dog:
Focus - Sit- Stay-Leave It- Mine -Gentle -Okay

You need to make your puppy sit and wait for his food until you give the OKAY command .

A great book is MY SMART PUPPY - by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson I am so excited that they have this available to offer in my store!!!! and cheaper than when I bought it. Has a dvd with it or you can buy the one without dvd. If I had ONLY one book to recommend MY SMART PUPPY would be the one.

In free time give him some fun games to play. For instance during TV commericals, you can play Hide N Go seek, and then brush him out during the show. Give him a Chew toy after playing Fetch or Frisbee. Play Follow the Leader and reward with couple of frozen treats.

AS your dog gets nearer to six month start being a little random with rewards on commands he knows. ALSO don't teach him to count... Expect him to do it the first time not after you ask him 2-3x.

Hopefully next week I will have a blog on how to calm your dog instead of riling him up. See ya soon!

Meanwhile if you want more tips check out The Daily Puppy featuring Samson

Jesse Girl by erica.shubin

2008-11-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

Jesse Girl by erica.shubin

Team Jesse

2008-11-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

Team Jesse

Inspring

2008-11-10T17:49:00.001-08:00

Jesse

2008-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Go Team Jesse: "http://jessecatron.com

Feeding a Newborn Puppy can be Scary

2008-10-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tube Feeding a Newborn Puppy
If you have no vet or mentor to instruct you should really consider using a glove's finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding. Check the resource box below for video link.

Things You’ll Need:
• Tubes (ask vet for correct sizing)
• Food - milk replacer.
• patience
• instruction preferred
If you have no vet or mentor to instruct you should really consider using a glove's finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding. Check the resource box below for video link.
When feeding either by bottle or by using a latex glove finger, weigh the puppy before and after. Make sure not to overfill. Get help so that you can feed every hour or two. Syringes are available at most feed stores and pet stores. An eyedropper if you are desperate would also work.

Our veterinarian recommended that we tube fee our failing puppy. It was very scary and our puppy never did thrive. A puppy whose mom is refusing to nurse or that is a failure to thrive puppy should always be seen by vet. Our vet not only instructed us but allowed us to practice and provided the tubes at no extra charge.

Esbilac is the most popular milk replacement formula. You can buy it at Wal-Mart and pet stores. If you are unable to locate it there are recipes on the internet for emergency milk replacement.

To Tube feed make sure you have instruction from vet or mentor and watch the video linked here. Print out these instructions and keep them handy.

1) Lay puppy flat out on towel. Having two people is easier. Take the tube and measure it: using rounded tip place it behind the last rib of the puppy then stretch along chest and nose to just in front of puppy's muzzle. Mark it with pen for measuring.

I say do it 2x to be sure as too long and you can puncture something and too short the puppy will choke and suffocate on fluids. THIS IS IMPORTANT as tummies are very small and cannot be overfilled. Mark the tube at the spot where it hits the rib. Make sure milk formula is barely warm about 100 degrees.

2) Attach the syringe to the catheter (tube). Put the catheter into the formula and withdraw the syringe from the plunger. Fill the syringe just a trifle above the amount recommended by vet.

3) Keep the catheter tip pointed down as you do not want air to come in. Get a feel for how fast or slow the drip is by slightly pressing on plunger. It may be easier to now do this with the puppy lying on a towel on your lap. The pups head is elevated slightly. Using one hand you can stroke the edges of the mouth (with thumbs and fingers) and hopefully the pups mouth will open.

5) Gently insert tube in mouth down the throat DO NOT ANGLE. You will stop for a split second as you pass the back part of the palate. If there is resistance - stop - Never force it. Force makes it go down windpipe instead of stomach. Try again if you have to and gently apply just a bit of pressure to the tube and the pup will swallow it pretty much and allow you to slide the tube down to tummy. Now SLOWLY depress plunger and feed pup slowly. You don't want pups belly to swell nor to remain flat.

Feed 1/2 formula then withdraws tube and burp. Watch puppy carefully to make sure all is going well. Use a cloth to wipe him and stimulate his reflexes.
Resources
• Milk replacement from Dr. Foster
• how to tube feed video
Photo/Video Credit
megrocksphotography

FALSE Pregnancies in Dogs

2008-09-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

Having our Golden Retriever, Zowie, walk around with stuffed cheetah in her mouth and acting a lot more affectionate than usual, and being her smiling self -- we are confused. WE are fairly certain that we were successful in keeping our male dog and her separated. However, having heard and read a little on false pregnancy - well I decided to read up more and share the information with other Golden Retriever owners.

If you are in similar situation or perhaps you aren't sure if she was in heat to begin with; then this information might help you also. Be aware a bitch does not have to have been bred to have a false pregnancy.

A vet check is necessary to determine if your bitch is pregant. A vet can rule out: Pseudocyesis, Pseudopregnancy, or the more common term False Pregnancy or Phantom Pregnancy.

Symptoms of the above conditions include: possible increased appetite, weight gain, morning sickness,nipples expressing milk, and even nesting and creation of den.
There have been times that a bitch will mimic labor and go through the whole whelping process. That is fairly uncommon but has happened. In that case afterwords - the mom might try to nurture toys!

These moms might be excellent surrogates for pups without moms. Hey, maybe she could volunteer at shelter or rescue (give a call)

During this time if your bitch has a "depressed" appetite: meaning she seems ravenous but doesn't eat much for over 24 hours you need to SEEK VET ADVICE as it could be something more serious than her state of pregnancy (true or false) .

Vet check for pregnancy should be done by other methods than just symptom list. If you are near an animal hospital you might want to consider having a blood test between day 22-36 after tying. It is isn't 100% accurate. Ultrasound is good but should be done 30 days after tie by very skilled person. There are blood tests and that is what I would ask for.

Causes & Concerns
Bitches that have false pregnancies should be spayed if they have continued false pregnancies & should be checked for underlying health problems: ovarian cysts being the most common cause. If even the first false pregnancy was intense it might be best to spay her afterward to prevent a recurrence. If she is to be used in breeding be aware of the risk of pyometra (and if you click on that link be careful its gross) .

Hormonal Imbalances

Brucellosis: prevents pregnancy and can cause both male and female to become sterile.

Working females that have hard physical labor can prevent the zygotes from becoming attached in the uterus.

Or the eggs have died just before or after becoming attached in the uterus. Emotional stress, lack of adequate diet. Some feel that flea collars cause false pregnancies. On that you will have to refer to your vet and research it out as there are many KINDS of chemicals used in flea collars.

If milk production is high, she could develop mastitis and you will need to express some milk, use warm compresses and vet check if infection develops and antibiotics or hormone injections are needed.

TREATMENTS:

If your bitch is having a false pregnancy, time will usually take care of it. If she is one of the 10% however, that SUFFER psychologically, then she may need medical treatment.

Besides spaying afterward your vet might recommend conventional treatments or refer to a holistic vet who can prescribe an approach to treating your bitch. One holistic approach would be to prescribe sepia at the proper time to correct hormone imbalance if dog is older. Raspberry Leaf for prevention. Pulsatilla for symptom relief. This is just an glimmer of what is available for treatment.

If you have experienced any of this and have tips - by all means PLEASE share them here for other readers. And good health to your dog!