FAQs

 Frequently Asked Questions


What is that black thing on your head?

That is my very unique Harry Potter birth mark. It is right above my left eye and it is often mistook as dirt or oil stain.

I need help with potty training my puppy. Any tips?

A crate is useful for potty training. Make puppy's crate nice and cozy with a quilt blanket, toys and pillow. It is in their instinct that dogs will not dirty the place that they sleep on. Keep puppy in the cage when you are not having your walks or playtime with him/her. This will reduce chances of having accidents in the house.

Let it out every 3 hours and bring it to the place that you want it to pee or poo. Puppies cannot control their bowels like adults because their bladders are not so strong yet. Decide on the command for pee and poo and stick with it. Use its name and then the command so that it can make a connection. When puppy pee or poo, praise him/her, but not in overly excited manner because it will want to finish quickly to get your affection. Use the same praising words for all commands so that it knows that it is being praised for doing the right thing. If it does not pee or poo in 5 mins, bring it back to the crate and repeat after 15 mins.

 If puppy is out of the crate and starts sniffing and going around in circles, it is about to do its "business". Make a loud clap or a loud noise to distract it. It will look up and you should quickly scoop puppy up and bring it to the potty area. Then give command with its name for eg. "Dino, pee". Again, praise puppy if it does it right. You should also bring it to its potty area 30 mins after each meal.

It is good to keep your puppy away from other dogs until all the vaccinations are done. If you have a fenced yard or garden, you can bring puppy there for its potty breaks, if not; you can lay some newspapers in the toilet and use it as a temporary potty area. Once, puppy is vaccinated and its immunity is stronger, you can bring it out for potty breaks. Most dogs prefer to do it outside anyway. If puppy has accidents at home, do not punish it. Just clean up and that's it. You just have to be more vigilant the next time.

Is a male or female golden retriever better for me?

In my opinion, male or female is a personal choice. The main difference is the size, males are bigger and stronger. Weight for males: 65-75 pounds and female: 55-65 pounds.

Do golden retriever shed?

That is a definitely Yes! We shed tons! Golden Retrievers shed all year round, 365 days a year and more so during the change of season especially in spring when we lose our winter coat. Daily brushing does help to minimize the shedding, but the fact is, shedding is just a way of life for us.

Why were you shaved? You had such a beautiful coat.

I was shaved bald in 2007 because I had a bad case of hot spots after boarding at a kennel. It is all healed now and my fur has filled in nicely. Click here for blog post about my nasty hot spots.

No comments: