How To Care For a Golden Retriever Puppy (Quick Guide)

Golden retriever puppies also need regular grooming, veterinary care, socialization, and training. These gorgeous dogs aren’t low maintenance – and frankly, neither are other breeds.

Taking care of a puppy shouldn’t cause you anxiety – after all, we’re getting pets to feel happier, not stressed. However, you should do research, get all the necessary items, and take safety measures to ensure your dog’s well-being.

Learning how to take care of a puppy in advance will also help you avoid common mistakes of first-time dog owners that might have life-long implications.

“To Buy” List

Start by creating a puppy “to buy” list to ensure you have everything you need to take care of your new friend. Food and water bowls, bed, toys, food, treats, crate, collar, brush, shampoo, nail clippers, and a leash are essentials on the new puppy checklist.

Try out different toys – chew, interactive, ropes, and plushies. Don’t limit your puppy to one toy because each type serves a purpose, and each puppy’s preferences are unique. Chew toys are crucial during the teething phase.

When choosing a crate, ensure it isn’t too small or too big. Measure your puppy’s height when seated and length and add a few inches to the measurements to determine the perfect crate size.

Crate training is essential for keeping your home safe from damage during potty training. Plus, many dogs get accustomed to their crates, perceiving them as a safe place to rest and relieve anxiety.

There’s no need to get too fancy with a puppy collar – a traditional buckle collar will do the job. When your dog reaches its full size, you can change it for a better one. Most importantly, ensure the collar fits correctly.

Get a classic short leash for training. Once your puppy gets used to walking on a leash without pulling it, you can get a retractable one. Get an ID tag for identification in the event your puppy runs away.

Golden retriever puppy fur isn’t as dense as those of adult dogs, so a slicker brush or regular comb will do. Get also puppy shampoo that’s gentler to the skin than products for adult dogs.

Additionally, you might want to get a no-chew spray, stain and odor remover, rags, towels, and paper towels to handle potty accidents, and a cozy blanket for comfort.

Diet

Whether to feed your golden retriever puppy kibble or a raw diet is up to you. However, kibble is a safer option because it has the correct nutrient ratio, whereas, with a raw diet, you will need to keep track of nutrients.

Veterinarians recommend that protein accounts for at least 30% of a golden retriever puppy’s diet, fat for 10%-15%, and carbohydrates for 40%-50%.

Golden retriever puppies should remain with their mother until eight weeks old. Afterward, you can start feeding the puppy kibble three to four times a day. After six months, the dog will suffice with two feedings a day.

Never free-feed your puppy because it might lead to obesity or eating behavior problems. How much to feed a golden retriever puppy depends on its sex, age, and whether it grows at an appropriate pace.

As a rule of thumb, a two-month-old puppy should eat 1.5 cups of kibble daily, a three-month-old – two cups, and four-month-old 2.5 cups. Add half a cup every month until your puppy is seven months old – then, it should be eating adult servings.

Note that you might need to modify the food amount depending on how fast your puppy grows. If your puppy is smaller than average, feed it more, and if it’s gaining weight too much, reduce the food amount.

Exercise Needs

Golden retriever puppy exercise needs differ from those of an adult dog. To quickly calculate the necessary walk duration, use the five-minute rule. A golden retriever puppy needs about five minutes of exercise per month.

So, a four-month-old puppy should walk 20 minutes, and a six-month-old puppy should walk 30 minutes. You can start walking your puppy outdoors one to two weeks after it has been fully vaccinated, or at about eight weeks old.

Golden retrievers are intelligent dogs, so try to provide mental enrichment to your puppy apart from physical activity. Try out different games and sports, like hiking, swimming, and hunting as your dog grows older and becomes more resilient.

Note that the more energy-consuming an activity, the shorter it should be. For example, thirty minutes of walking equals ten minutes of swimming. It’s best to split the total daily exercise duration into two or three times.

Grooming

Golden retriever puppy grooming is straightforward but should be done regularly. Puppies don’t yet have such a long coat as adult dogs – they only have a fuzzy undercoat but not an overcoat.

Consequently, puppies don’t need feather trimming or frequent bathing, but they need brushing at least once in two days. The best brush for a golden retriever puppy is a slicker brush because it effectively detangles dense fur.

Frequent brushing is necessary to prevent tangling and matting and spot parasites that might be hiding in the coat after walks. De-shedding tools are excessive for young puppies but might be necessary for goldens over six months old.

How often to bathe a golden retriever puppy ultimately depends on its lifestyle. Professionals recommend bathing golden puppies once in three to five weeks.

Additionally, you need to trim your puppy’s claws every three to four weeks, brush its teeth daily, and clean its ears once per month. If your puppy frequently swims, you might need to clean the ears more often.

Because golden retrievers need frequent grooming, it’s best to learn how to do it yourself. However, if you have no experience, consider bringing your puppy to a professional groomer and learning from them.

Note that grooming might cause anxiety to some puppies, so first experiences are important. Reduce stress as much as possible when bathing or brushing your dog for the first time.

Training

Training is typically the most challenging part for inexperienced dog owners. You want to start with the fundamentals and gradually increase the difficulty to keep your puppy motivated.

You can begin the training at eight weeks old or as soon as you bring the puppy home from the breeder. Some breeders start training their puppies even earlier to ensure they are ready for new homes.

You will need plenty of treats and, optionally, a clicker to facilitate easier command memorization. Before you start teaching your puppy complex tricks, teach it basic commands like “sit,” “drop,” and “come.” Your puppy should also learn its name throughout week one of training.

At the same time, begin crate and potty training and get your puppy accustomed to brushing. After a few weeks, you can begin leash training but start by walking at home before you head outdoors.

Stay consistent with your verbal cues and rewards. Always say the command and reward your dog at the same moment. Don’t punish your puppy for misbehaving because it will create new challenges.

Play with your puppy before training because it will be more obedient if you drain its energy. However, your dog shouldn’t be exhausted or sleepy. Don’t feed the puppy right before training – otherwise, it won’t be interested in treats.

Socialization

Socialization is integral to golden retriever puppy training. Your puppy should be accustomed to other dogs, people, and noises and not be afraid of new environments.

Lack of socialization is a serious problem that can lead to aggression or anxiety and often requires the intervention of a behavior specialist, so don’t neglect it.

There are many ways to socialize a puppy. You can invite friends over to interact with the puppy, walk with it on different routes, and let it play with other dogs at a park. However, each new interaction should be stress-free.

If the first encounter with a person or dog causes the puppy distress, it will be hesitant to interact with them again. You want to get your puppy acquainted with the world gradually and carefully.

The earlier you start socializing your puppy, the better. Good breeders invest time in socializing their puppies from only a few weeks old, but it’s never late to start.

Veterinary Care & Safety

Consider showing your puppy to a vet after bringing it home from the breeder, even if they’ve provided you with health test papers. It’s best to check your puppy for any inherited conditions right away.

By the time puppies go home, they should have all the vaccinations completed, but your responsibility is to keep them up to date.

Inspect your puppy’s fur for fleas and ticks after every walk. Research all plants you have at home and in the garden as some might be toxic to dogs. Hide electrical cables because puppies chew everything.

Remove sharp items in your home that your puppy might play with. Fence your swimming pool. Lastly, don’t leave any food or rubbish out because puppies are notorious for eating anything.

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