We hope you share our joy of raising these wonderful dogs! To get you started on the right paw, please read the following Do’s and Don’ts for a happy and healthy puppy:

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• DO: Schedule an appointment with your local veterinarian within 1 week of receiving your puppy. It’s important to follow your local vet’s vaccination schedule and have him/her check your puppy too.

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• DO: Mix the puppy’s current food with the food you plan to give him in the future. If you switch the puppy to new food all at once, you will risk giving him uncomfortable diarrhea (plus a lot more mess for you to clean up!). Slowly wean the puppy off his previous food.

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• DO: Spend lots of time playing with your puppy. Golden retrievers thrive on human interaction. Their main goal in life is to please you!

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• DO: Work on housebreaking, leash training, and crate training right away. These can usually be worked on simultaneously.

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• DO: Consider spaying or neutering your puppy. Only high-quality dogs should be bred, and many families are surprised when their female retriever unexpectedly has a litter of pups. Do your part with a male dog, too, by having him neutered. We take care that all dogs we breed have good health and positive temperaments.

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• DON’T: Leave your puppy alone for hours during the work day. Their bladders can’t hold pee for such a long time. Puppies’ bladders are not fully developed until about 5 months, so expect occasional accidents even after they are housebroken.

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• DON’T: Forget to vaccinate your puppy. Vaccines are very important to the long-term health and well-being of your new family member. Check with your local veterinarian to see their recommendations.

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• DON’T: Get discouraged by the amount of work it is to train a puppy. It is worth it! Keep persevering and you will be rewarded in the future by a well-trained dog.