TRAINING 

The Golden Retriever has a balanced temperament and great potential to be an excellent family dog. But for all this potential to be used in positive habits, it is necessary to teach your Golden from a very early age what is right and what is wrong to do. 

Dogs see the family they live with as their own pack. Every pack has a very well defined hierarchy and your dog knows this from the first days of life. Therefore, soon he will look for his place in this hierarchy. He will know from the signals we send out on a daily basis if he should respect you, taking a place below you in the hierarchy, or if he is the leader. If your dog senses that you are not the leader, he will feel an obligation to take that position. When the dog becomes the leader, he stops respecting you, disobeying your orders, disrespecting the house rules and can even become aggressive. 

As we know that the one who should be in charge of your pack is not your dog but you, the human, a well-done training, with healthy stimuli and positive reinforcement will help you establish leadership in front of your puppy. 

We suggest that you hire an experienced and trusted professional trainer. Some professionals promote classes with groups of puppies and teach basic commands such as "sit", "down", "stay". Others attend individually at home. Whatever type of class you choose, it is important that you follow the classes, do the exercises together with your puppy and correctly follow the instructions given by the trainer. This will make the training more efficient and ensure that the dog respects you as much as he respects the trainer. 

If you prefer and have the time, you can train the puppy yourself, using the help of books and videos on dog training – today there is a lot of material available for beginners. Correctly follow the instructions of the selected material, have a lot of patience, and have fun! 

HYGIENE AND GENERAL CARE 

coat 

The Golden is a long-haired breed. Therefore, it requires a good weekly brushing to keep it free of dust, without knots and with a well laid and beautiful coat. Periodic brushing also strengthens the owner-dog bond, allowing him to get used to being touched and examined and for you to inspect for wounds or changes in the body. If you are uncomfortable with hair around the house, brush it more regularly. These dead hairs will come out on your brush and won't fall out as much around the house. A good brush, with pins and polka dots at the ends of the pins is a good option for Goldens, as well as the rasqueadeira (square brush with metallic bristles facing backwards). 

baths 

Baths can be given whenever the dog is dirty or has a bad odor, as long as there is a minimum interval of one week between baths (except, of course, in emergencies). The ideal minimum interval between baths is 15 days. That's because during baths the skin loses fats that protect it. If you choose to bathe at home, use good brand shampoos, suitable for dogs. 

Don't forget to protect your Golden's ears with cotton balls, so that water doesn't get in. Just be careful not to push the pellets too far into the ear canal – or you could lose them. After washing and rinsing thoroughly, dry your entire body thoroughly using a large dry towel, then a good blow dryer or blower. Keep your dog very dry; the moisture in the skin favors the appearance of mycoses. 

Medicines 

If you suspect any changes in your dog, or if he is showing any symptoms, such as coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, pain, take your dog to the veterinarian for an appointment. Do not try to medicate him yourself. There are many 

medicines for human use that are toxic to dogs and cats, and can even lead to death. 

If you have an affinity for alternative therapies, try to give Veterinary Homeopathy a chance. It is an official modality of medicine that seeks to rebalance the body as a whole, treating the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of animals. Dogs and cats usually respond well and homeopathic treatments have no side effects, do not damage the kidneys and liver and are usually more affordable than conventional treatments. Here's the suggestion! 

Teeth 

Currently, one of the most frequent diseases in dogs is periodontal disease (of teeth and gums). Due to lack of cleaning, the teeth accumulate food remains, which ferment, providing a good environment for bacteria colonies. This infection inflames the gums and further favors the deposition of minerals in the dog's teeth. This is how dental calculus ("tartar") is formed. Periodontal disease leaves the dog's mouth with a very bad odor and can predispose him to heart and kidney disease, as bacteria from the teeth fall into the circulation and can settle in other organs. 

Prevent this from happening by brushing your Golden's teeth at least every 2 days with a brush and paste suitable for dogs. Do not use toothpaste made for humans – it contains fluoride, which is toxic if ingested. Get your puppy used from an early age to receive the brush in his mouth and accept brushing and paste. The vet can show you how to brush. If your dog already has a large accumulation of tartar, surgery may be necessary to remove it. Consult your veterinarian for more information. 

The occasional supply of large, porous bones with good meat coverage also helps to remove excess tartar from the teeth. Good choices include: beef knuckle, pork knuckle, pork feet and (large) beef vertebra bones, always raw (cooked bones can form hard splinters when ingested). Avoid long bones (legs) as they are too hard and can fracture your teeth. And don't allow Golden Bones to roa unattended or for longer than 40 minutes – it can injure itself. 

ears 

Goldens have pendulous ears. Dogs with ears like this are a little more likely to have otitis, since the ear canal is hot, humid and stuffy, which provides a good environment for fungi, bacteria and mites. Inspect the ears at least weekly and note the presence of secretions such as dark wax, bad odors, wounds, etc. 

Also keep an eye on your dog's behavior. Shaking your head constantly, tapping your ears, scratching your ears with your paws and rubbing your head against objects are indicative of some change in the ears. If you suspect anything, take him in for an appointment with the vet. 

Nails 

If your Golden spends a large part of the day on rough floors, such as concrete or miracema stone, his nails will wear out naturally, and you will hardly need to worry about them. However, if kept only on grass or indoors, he will have long nails, which get in the way of correct movement and posture. Long nails also break easily, causing heavy bleeding and pain. If your dog has long nails, trim the ends regularly. If you don't feel safe in doing so, ask your veterinarian for help. 

Also trim the hair that grows between the toes and pads (pillows) of the dogs, as these hairs hinder the adherence of the paws to the floor.