Golden Retriever Tips » 2005 » December

This is Part I of II for Golden Retriever Clothes.

Some people love to make their dogs as cute as can be. For these folks there are dog clothes. Cute sweaters, doggie tee shirts, dog booties, stylish bandanas, and precocious little hats are among the items people will purchase to adorn their dogs with style. Dressing a Golden Retriever is more about the owner than the animal, but as long as the clothing isn’t restrictive or overly cumbersome, most dogs don’t mind getting dressed up now and then for a night (or day) on the town and some breeds, especially those that crave attention, quite enjoy it.

The advent of the internet has taken the concept of dressing our dogs to new levels as websites offering all manner of “designer” dog clothing have popped up everywhere. With names like Glamour Dog, Designer Dog Wear, and Paw Printz Boutique (dot com, of course), these sites offer the tops in canine fashion for proud owners to place on their pups.

Years ago it was not uncommon to see a dog in a knit sweater or some other cute clothing article, but today there are nearly as many clothing choices for dogs as there are for people. There are dresses and slacks, raincoats, eyewear, headwear, footwear, and every imaginable item. There is doggie casual wear, for hanging around on the beach, doggie formal wear for those special black tie occasions and even doggie wedding gowns and tuxedos for the wedding of a doggie’s dreams!

Part II will be posted shortly.

This is Part II of II for Golden Retriever Accessories.

If you live in a big city like New York (Manhattan), Chicago, or other urban areas, you’ll need to purchase that miracle of modern doggie convenience the “pooper scooper.” Most cities have laws against owners simply allowing their dogs to “foul the footpath” or leave little Poodle Bombs all over the city park. In some cities there is a hefty fine for such crappy behavior.

Optional Accessories

There are literally thousands of optional items available for people to purchase for use with their dogs. Some of these items, like the gravity refillable water dishes and food bowls, serve a very useful purpose, others – the dog bandana comes to mind – serve no real purpose and are merely decorative or just plain silly.

One item that some owners do find very useful, especially those that live in a hot climate, are “dog booties.” While they may seem like a simply precocious and relatively useless item, they do a good job of protecting the sensitive pads of a dog’s feet from rough terrain, rocky areas, and hot pavement. Those in cooler climates may not understand, but in some places, particularly the desert environments of cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque, the summer pavement can literally become hot enough to fry an egg. You wouldn’t walk barefoot on such a surface and neither should your Golden Retriever.

This is Part I of II for Golden Retriever Accessories.

Dog ownership carries with it the burden of a number of other purchases. In order to properly care for a dog and to comply with certain local laws, the owner must have a number of dog accessories in his or her arsenal. Some of these items are necessary, others are merely conveniences. It is important to know exactly what you’ll need to properly care for your dog.

The Essentials

Most of the truly necessary items for Golden Retriever care are fairly obvious. If you’ve got a dog you’ll need bowls for the dog’s food and water. Mid size to large dogs have a habit of moving their food bowls around the room as they eat. This can make a lot of noise and have the frustrating result of requiring the owner to hunt around for the bowl at feeding time. The problem can be solved by using a heavy ceramic bowl that is difficult for the dog to move around. A sturdy plastic bowl with a rubber lining on the bottom can be useful as well. The rubber on the bottom prevents the bowl from sliding around as Rover enjoys his meal.

For taking the dog on walks you’ll need a leash and a collar. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like, but of course you’ll want to take the size and strength of your dog into account when selecting them. The collar can (and should) be adorned with a license tag or at least an ID tag that provides your name and contact information in case your dog is lost.

Part II will be posted in a day or so.

This is Part II of II for Dental Care For Your Golden Retriever.

Dental Chew

Some people don’t have the time or patience to brush their dogs’ teeth on a regular basis. If you’re one of these, you’ll want to care for Chopper’s choppers in another way. A dog’s natural tendency to chew is a built-in dental care mechanism. Dog biscuits break into small chunks when chewed and rub against the teeth, providing a cleaning service. There’s no substitute for brushing your dog’s teeth, but if you can’t do that, make sure he gets some sort of crunchy dog biscuit on a regular basis.

Mouth Diseases in Dogs

Dogs that do not receive proper dental care and do not have access to crunchy teeth cleaning foods run the risk of several types of mouth disease. These can be as mild as gingivitis (a gum disease that results in swollen, inflamed gums) and as serious as a bacterial infection that can spread through the dog’s bloodstream causing damage to vital organs. You owe it to yourself and your Golden Retriever to take care of their teeth.

Doggie Dentistry

Dental services are available for dogs, just like they are for people. A dog’s teeth can be filled, capped, and extracted if necessary, just like a human’s. The best course of action, however, is to avoid the need for such services by properly caring for your dog’s teeth. If you can avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort for your furry friend, you should do so. Preventative doggie dental care can save you money as well. Doggie dental procedures can be quite costly.

This is Part I of II for Dental Care For Your Golden Retriever.

Some people don’t realize that dental hygiene is as important for dogs as it is for human beings. Just like in people, dogs’ teeth can gather plaque after eating. When plaque builds up and hardens it becomes a coarse brown substance called tartar. As tartar accumulates it can work its way under the gums and cause painful infections and gum disease. This goes on in the mouths of dogs just like it does in people. You brush your teeth every day, probably three times. What does your dog do?

Teeth Brushing for Doggies

Veterinarians recommend that dog owners brush their dog’s teeth at least twice a week to keep the buildup of tartar at a minimum. Most pet supply stores carry specially designed toothbrushes and toothpaste just for dogs. Remember that a Golden Retriever’s sense of taste and smell is far more acute than that of a human and the zesty, tingly, mint taste of toothpastes for people will be extremely awful to a dog. Try brushing Rover’s teeth with Crest just once and it will likely be the last time he lets you anywhere near him with a toothbrush. Use the specially designed doggie toothpaste.

Part II will be posted in a little while.