Last Updated: March 31, 2023
Golden Retriever puppy is truly one of the most loved pets to have.
If you have finally realized this and want to get yourself a companion for life, then here is all you must know before taking the big step.
This blog will give you a brief about
- Which retriever puppy should be brought home.
- How you can take proper care of your cute golden retriever puppy.
and some other information that will brush up your dog lover instinct.
Let’s get started.
Which Golden Retriever Puppy should I Buy – Male or Female?
We all must have heard about the quirks and perks of a golden retriever breed.
Unlike other breeds, the golden retriever dogs stand out because of their difference in temperament and nature.
Golden retrievers are less hyperactive and more friendly with family and especially, children.
However, male and female golden retrievers are different from one another in their habits, health, and approach.
If you are new in the journey of owning a dog or maybe being owned by a dog (as in many cases for they are too adorable ), you must speculate your options and choose the one you prefer.
The female golden retrievers are calmer and more mature than the male golden retrievers, but this is not always the case and it has not been proven.
Everyone has their own experience with their male and female golden retriever puppies.
Female dogs get mature much before the male golden retrievers and reach their fully grown body by the age of 2.
The female golden yearns for love while the male ones yearn to give you love.
Again, this is not always the case but many golden retriever owners have noticed that the female dogs thrive for attention and love.
Whereas the male golden retriever will shower you with love wherever you go.
The male golden tend to be more aggressive towards strangers than the female retriever puppy.
This statement can vary depending on the nature of the dog individually, irrespective of gender.
But in the majority of cases, male dogs bark and bite more than female goldens.
Taking Care of Your Golden Retriever Puppy (Pet Grooming At Home)
Now that we know the personality traits of male and female golden retriever puppies, let’s have a look at how to take care of your cute golden retriever puppy so that it stays healthy and happy.
Take Care of Golden Retriever Coat
Pet grooming at home is important and for that, you really need to take care of their coat.
A dog’s coat is not just about outer beauty and appearance.
It is a reflection of inner happiness and health.
A happy and healthy dog will have a shiny and thick coat while an unhappy and undernourished dog will have a dull one.
Cuddling with your little golden puppies, playing with them, giving them attention and time will surely keep them happy.
Besides this, there are some steps you should follow to take care of your retriever’s rich coat.
Brushing and Bathing Golden Retriever Puppy
Bathing is important for the dog’s body.
Use the best pet products that are healthy for your dog and make them feel fresh, cool, and removes bad odor from their body.
Brushing plays an important role in maintaining the quality of the dog’s coat.
It helps circulate blood to the hairs. Removing dead skin cells helps in improving the dog’s shedding.
Golden Retriever’s Diet
About three-fourth of the dog’s hairs are made of protein.
So a diet rich in fats and protein will keep the coat healthy and your pet healthier.
As much as your golden retriever baby needs food, it needs love too, so do not forget to treat him/her with some kisses and hugs from time to time.
What to Feed Golden Retriever Puppy?
You might get confused when it comes to feeding retriever puppies.
There are a variety of dog food options available and the prices of the products sometimes might be misleading.
Hence to avoid buying the wrong food keep the following things in mind:
Golden Retrievers love eating.
They can eat as much as you give them.
And you might feel that your puppy needs more food.
But that is not the case.
Retrievers gain weight very fast and that might lead to health issues.
Thus, go through the diet chart and prepare the food accordingly.
Socializing Golden Retriever Puppy
When you bring your puppy home, the puppy just knows your house as its entire world.
It presumes that everything and everyone apart from you is not safe.
Retrievers if not properly socialized will fear everyone, so make sure you spend some time grooming your pet at home.
If you skip this part then it will restrict your puppy from running freely in the park.
He will not be able to open up in front of your friends and relatives.
This will indulge you to think that your puppy is not feeling well.
Thus socializing is as important as feeding your dog good food.
Allow your baby retriever to make some friends, both dogs & other animals, and of course humans.
Let your dog play with other healthy and vaccinated dogs and pets.
Retrievers love babies and small kids.
So take your dog for a walk to a children’s park.
Dogs can feel negative vibes a lot easier so try to keep your dog away from stressful situations and negativity.
Vaccination and Health Care
Vaccination in golden retrievers helps fight diseases like Canine Distemper, Canine Parainfluenza, Canine Parvovirus (CPV), Infectious Canine, Hepatitis, Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis, and Rabies.
The core vaccines that help your dog fight the most deadly diseases must not be skipped and should be completed at an early age.
Visiting the vet as soon as possible and bringing your golden-haired puppy home is advised as this will lower the risk of infections and give the puppy strength in its early days.
The vaccination process starts within 5 – 6 weeks from the day of birth.
The pups should be monitored daily based on activities, energy, and hunger.
If any abnormality is observed in their behavior, visit your nearest vet.
Training Golden Retriever Puppy to Behave
Training your dog is important as it gives the owner and the dog a sense of freedom.
One cannot take an untrained dog to public places, as they might create havoc, though the intentions of the little pup might just be of loving everybody.
Training brings safety along with it.
So make sure you learn some dog training tips and tricks that will be helpful for you as well as your pet.
Proper training makes your dog aware of the surroundings and it learns where to jump, what to take in the mouth, and how to take care of itself.
There are different phases of training the golden retriever puppy, and you should go step by step to make your golden well-behaved.
It’s better to start training your retriever puppy as soon as you bring it home, as at this age their mind works like a computer, scanning, and understanding everything.
Appreciate your pup when it does something good. Retrievers love pleasing.
130 Unique Names For Your Golden Retriever Puppy
After you have a new member at your home, the next step is to name your baby retriever and give him/her an identity.
After searching on the internet for hours and hours we have come up with 130 good names for golden retrievers.
Dive in, and choose the one you like.
| Male Golden Retriever Names | Female Golden Retriever Names |
| Abe | Acacia |
| Arrow | Akita |
| Atlas | Alexa |
| Benji | Alyssa |
| Brown | Ara |
| Bud | Archie |
| Cadence | Ash |
| Calix | Astrid |
| Camy | Blue |
| Candy | Bluebell |
| Caviar | Calla |
| Cedar | Canna |
| Coco | Cassia |
| Comet | Cherry |
| Corey | Chessie |
| Cornius | Chloe |
| Corvus | Clover |
| Cougar | Coral |
| Cove | Crystal |
| Crater | Daisy |
| Diesel | Delphie |
| Duster | Diamond |
| Everest | Diva |
| Fang | Dove |
| Fio | Erica |
| Fluffy | Flur |
| Fog | Garcia |
| Friday | Grace |
| Frost | Granola |
| Fudge | Hazel |
| Galaxy | Heather |
| Garnet | Hope |
| Ghost | Ichika |
| Ginger | Iris |
| Hachi | Kiki |
| Indigo | Lily |
| Itsuki | Lucy |
| Jade | Lyra |
| Jasper | May |
| Juju | Mia |
| Leo | Mira |
| Mallow | Misty |
| Max | Ocean |
| Merlot | Octavia |
| Milo | Peach |
| Moss | Pearl |
| Neptune | Petal |
| Olive | Phoenix |
| Oriel | Rio |
| Oscar | River |
| Oyster | Rose |
| Pavo | Roxy |
| Pixie | Ruby |
| Pluto | Rue |
| Quill | Scarlet |
| Rue | Senna |
| Rusty | Sherry |
| Saffron | Silver |
| Sigal | Sky |
| Sky | Snow |
| Snow | Song |
| Speedy | Summer |
| Spruce | Vela |
| Thistle | Violet |
| Trevor | Winkle |
Frequently Asked Questions On Golden Puppies
When do golden retriever puppies stop biting?
Gentle by nature, the golden retriever puppies are always high on energy that makes them bite every single thing they find intriguing during their puppy stage.
This playful side naturally fades over time and it takes approximately 14 weeks for a golden retriever puppy to stop biting.
If they are raised along with their siblings and mother’s care you will see them leave the biting habit a bit faster.
However, this mild biting can be handled with proper pet grooming at home which needs patience to prevent this behavior from turning into aggression.
Baby golden retrievers are friendly and they need to socialize to behave in the golden way they are meant to be.
When do golden retriever puppies calm down?
Striving hard finding the OFF button to calm down your baby golden retriever?
Always high on energy retriever puppies naturally start calming down when they are around 3 years old.
These exciting years need to be handled with some kind of mental involvement which will help to solve the hyper energy level making your retriever friendly and not jumping and biting on random things and strangers.
Take some time out of your busy schedule for grooming your pet at home.
Involve your golden puppy in some training activities that will gradually help in calming them down.
When do retriever puppies shed?
If you are planning to buy a golden retriever puppy, be ready to tackle their frequent shedding which might irk you till their entire lifespan.
Baby retrievers shed their extra thick coat till the next 6 months after which they will start growing the adult fur.
These double-coated retriever puppies shed their coat twice a year during the spring to grow small hair that keeps them cool the entire summer and during the fall making space for long hair to dare the chill.
But don’t worry you can easily get rid of their fur from your couch, carpets, sofa, car, or bed with a pet vacuum cleaner that removes the fur giving you a clean and allergy-free home.
What should my golden retriever puppy weigh?
Raise your golden pup healthy with proportionate feeding and weight monitoring.
Newborn golden puppies weigh a pound and start gaining more during their growing years.
A healthy female golden retriever will weigh between 55 – 65 pounds while the male may range between 65 – 75 pounds.
Stay cautious not to overfeed your puppy as it can trigger obesity, mental and skeletal disorder reducing their lifespan.
Consult a vet, if you are noticing slow growth and a low energy scale to keep your dog in good shape.
Can golden retriever puppies eat apples, bananas, or other fruits?
The eating pattern of a pet dog somehow depends on the diet of the owner that they receive in form of treats.
Though golden puppies can happily gobble fruits like banana and watermelon, their metabolism works just like other canines which strictly limits the consumption of certain fruits like grapes and lemons which are toxic for your baby retriever.
Slice cut the apples without the seeds as they contain cyanide and feed them to your retriever puppy as it is highly beneficial for their digestive system.
Can I feed milk to my golden retriever puppy?
While buying a golden retriever puppy check from the breeder if the baby retriever has got adequate mother’s milk, which is far by the most crucial factor behind its good health.
In the case of an adopted or an orphaned golden pup you can feed limited amounts of milk, but make sure to dilute it with warm water and a good grade of dog food.
Milk from the dairy and a retriever’s digestive system doesn’t gel well which may lead to bloating stomach, diarrhea, and weight gain issues.
When should I feed my golden retriever puppy?
As mentioned in the above paragraphs, food is never enough for this super energetic breed, but overfeeding is equally harmful to them.
Your golden puppy will start sniffing for solid food around its 5th week and this is the time you should start feeding your golden retriever puppy proportionately for its well-being.
Retriever puppies must be served thrice a day with the best quality healthy dog food depending on their weight and metabolism.
This three-time diet plan is recommended till its 6th month and then can be altered accordingly.
What should golden puppies eat?
Raise it healthy by feeding thrice a day with the best quality pet food products till it is 6 months old.
Vets suggest not to include any other food type in its puppy stage.
The golden puppies are voracious eaters and nothing is enough for them.
Calories play an important part in their growing years that keep them healthy their entire life.
Golden retriever puppies should feed on their mother’s milk during the early weeks.
After that, you can slowly add nutritious dog food mixed with warm water to go smooth on their digestive system. This way you can raise a healthy retriever.
As mentioned earlier in this article, try to avoid food with chemical preservatives, added sugar, or artificial colors, as they affect baby retriever immune systems.
Focus on fats and protein-rich food.
If you are still unsure, it’s best to visit a vet and get a meal plan, to keep your baby retriever healthy and happy.
When to train a retriever puppy?
These irresistibly cute pups are easy to train as they are naturally friendly and are always curious.
Wait till your retriever puppy turns 6 months old and then you can start training and grooming your pet at home with the basic commands like sit and fetch.
These dog training tips and tricks will keep your puppy well-behaved.
As they are a super energetic breed, it is very important to check their impulsive nature to make them obedient and friendlier.
Rewarding them based on their action is a sure shot way to have a loving and caring mate for life.
How to check golden retriever puppy purity?
Only a registered breeder can help you get a pure retriever puppy.
Adopting them from a shelter can lead to several issues regarding their health and you might be unknowingly investing in a mixed breed golden retriever.
It’s hard to differentiate while buying a newborn golden retriever puppy but with some insight, you can escape from getting duped.
These are some tricks to keep a note of in order to check the purity of a golden retriever puppy (if you are buying your first pure golden):
1. A healthy golden pup will have a thick golden coat, not a lighter shade.
2. The tail of a purebred golden retriever will be straight with a thick coat of fur.
Why is golden puppies white in color?
Though the purest one will only have dark golden long coats some are also available in lighter shades which is purely genetic and also depends on the breeding pattern.
A perfect white color golden retriever is not available and is questionable in terms of purity and other characteristics.
The color could be pale than the original golden color or on a creamier side but white color retriever puppies are not accepted by the kennel club in both US and UK.
What is the collar size of a golden retriever puppy?
The collar size of an 8 – 10 week golden retriever puppy is generally 6 to 9 inches.
It’s best to take your pup to the pet store and find an adjustable collar so that you don’t have to change frequently.
As they grow faster you will need a bigger collar within a few days from the first purchase for your golden pup.
Go for the snap-over buckle as the former one will loosen up if your puppy is stuck into something.
Final Thoughts
“People leave, dogs don’t.”
We have all heard about the ever-lasting companionship of a dog and human with its sheer love and loyalty?
It’s aesthetic how a speechless creature can form a closely knitted bond with its owner and walk beside them through the thick and thin in life.
Golden Retrievers are the most intelligent, active, and people-friendly dogs.
So, if you are planning to buy a golden retriever puppy or maybe you already have one, make sure to note down the above points and follow them in order to take a very good care of your puppy.
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