Alice White
Is it possible to keep a Golden Retriever in an apartment and train it properly? How to comb and how to feed to keep the dog healthy and looking beautiful? Let’s figure it out.
Golden Retriever Care
Goldens cannot be called unpretentious dogs, which do not care what to eat, where to sleep and whether their fur is combed. Starting from the first day of finding a new pet in the apartment, the owner must provide him with full-fledged care, consisting of:
Feeding. The number of meals and the menu depends on the age and health characteristics of the dog. For tall and oversized goldens, it is preferable to cook hearty and high-calorie meals or buy special food.
Hygiene. The golden coat is the hallmark of the Golden Retriever. However, it cannot become smooth and beautifully iridescent in the sun without proper care, the basis of which is daily combing, washing, and cutting. You need to bathe Goldens at least 1-2 times a month.
Examination of the skin. After each walk, especially in the warm season, the pet’s skin should be checked for ticks and other parasites. The ears, groin area, and neck are the favorite places for blood-sucking insects and arachnids.
“Manicure”. Dogs that do not have the ability to grind their claws on the asphalt or ground need to regularly trim the growths with a special guillotine.
Medical examination. A visit to the veterinarian should not be limited to emergency situations. Even if the dog is outwardly healthy, it should be shown to the doctor at least once a year.
Education. Training is important for every dog that lives with a person under the same roof. Even primitive commands like “sit” or “lie down” will help make the animal more disciplined and obedient.
This list is not exhaustive. It can vary depending on the characteristics and individual needs of each dog.
Important! In addition to hygienic procedures and feeding, Golden needs constant physical exertion. Retrievers are quite mobile and active, you need to walk with them at least 2-3 hours a day. If this is not done, they can find another outlet for energy, which is unlikely to please the owner.
Let’s consider a few points in more detail:
Feeding
The number of feedings should be gradually reduced as the puppy grows. If babies need 3-5 meals a day, then two meals a day are enough for an adult.
Important! The dog should have breakfast and supper after the walk.
Puppies are recommended to be fed soft, easily digestible food. Bread, minced meat, vegetables are added to the porridge. After the dog is 8-9 months old, it is transferred to two meals a day. Bones are gradually introduced into the diet, meat broths are added to cereals.
Important! You cannot feed a dog only meat. Also, do not abuse milk and protein foods. The daily diet of young animals should contain no more than 20-30% protein.
Hair Care
To make Golden’s fur coat beautiful and clean, you must adhere to the following rules:
For a retriever, you need to buy a brush and comb with bristles and teeth, designed for thick, medium-length coats.
During the molting period, one should not forget about the slicker. If the hair falls out too much, you can use a furminator.
The puppy should be taught to brush, trim and bathe as early as possible.
You cannot cut a retriever to zero.
So that the dog does not get nervous during a haircut, you can distract him with a toy.
After walking through puddles and mud, the dog’s paws should be washed well with warm water, soap, and an antiseptic.
What not to do:
abuse means for baiting fleas and other parasites;
forget about cutting claws and do it inaccurately;
bathing your dog too often.
Important! Washing for no particular reason can trigger the development of allergies, dermatitis, and other skin diseases.
Training
Retrievers are very intelligent and quick-witted dogs. If you regularly work with them, then you can achieve success in record time. For training, it is best to use an open area (fields, sports grounds, forest glades, or park alleys).
Important! It is impossible to be distracted during the training of the dog by extraneous things – the pet will immediately feel everything and stop trying.
It is best to conduct lessons in the form of games. Already at 2 months, the puppy, with whom they are trained in a playful way, is able to perform the commands “voice”, “sit”, and “lie down”.
Experienced breeders recommend teaching your puppy to stay as early as possible. To do this, he is taught to stop while running, playing, or performing certain actions. If the pet does not respond well to training, or one of the commands does not lend itself to mastering in any way, it is better to turn to professionals for help.
