Saturday, September 26, 2009
Gold Paw Print
Did you know that its possible to use the remains of your pet to create a diamond? A round brilliant as beautiful as the love you feel can be yours for $30,000USD (for an average size Golden Retriever).
For the rest of us, is the below option. Custom made from their unique paw print. Quite Special.
http://www.european-jeweler.com/gallery_pawprint_all.html
For the rest of us, is the below option. Custom made from their unique paw print. Quite Special.
http://www.european-jeweler.com/gallery_pawprint_all.html
Shades of Gold
The Golden Retriever's coat is normally a shade of gold or cream. The coat is normally flat or wavy, dense with a waterproof undercoat. The variation of colour of this this breed adds to its allure. From the darker golden, almost copper-like, referred to as American Golden Retrievers to the white British Golden Retriever. The Canadian Golden Retriever is in the middle of the spectrum. These terms are often disputed, but it is a matter of breed standards and has been generally accepted among the public. The British Golden Retriever has a wider, shorter muzzle, a block head and is stocky with light colouring. The American Golden Retriever is lankier and less stocky in darker shades of gold. Note that most puppies are lighter and darken as they mature. The colour of the ears will indicate the eventual coat colour.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Golden Retriever Grooming
The Golden Retriever requires weekly care and grooming. Grooming consists of not only brushing out the coat and bathing but also giving attention to the eyes, teeth, ears, feet and nails. A regular routine also ensures that any potential health problems are identified as quickly as possible, especially important in puppies and older Golden Retriever dogs.
The Golden Mane
Their needs differ depending on the the age. Puppies do not need heavy brushing, but getting them use to the brush is very important at this stage. Puppies will lose their puppy fur (light, fluffier version of an undercoat). Adult Goldens do lose their winter fur(a thick undercoat) in the summer, so you may notice extra fur bunnies around and will needs to upgrade your brushing frequency and house cleaning (Yay). Once they have grown their adult coat, you need to get a brush specifically for the undercoat. Once a week, brush head to tail going with the hair growth. The back end, hips and chest tend to take more work. Going in the opposite direction of the hair growth proves ultra successful and cuts the brushing time in half. Doing this, you may be able to get 2 weeks out of a brushing session. If I am going to bathe my dog, I brush them before hand, which makes the drying process easier. This brush looks mean, but its not. It is quite effective.
Bathing
With regular brushing, your dogs skin is stimulated and produces a healthy amount of oils to keep their hair and skin clean. Some people are against bathing their dogs (depending on the breed) because they say it causes skin problems, by drying it out. This is true. They suggest bathing once a year (full out suds and bubbles bathing). But inevitably, there is dander, which is an allergen and really is a disgrace to that beautiful golden coat. So what to do? Well, its obvious that once a year is not going to work for those of us who love our dogs and like to get close. I dont believe that it is healthy to bath once a month, though in puppyhood, i inevitably did so for the first 4 months (out necessity or just plain fun!). Twice a year (winter and summer to freshen up) and the occasional emergency bath ( due to mud puddle mania or skunk surprise) seems to work without any problems. Generally, for a muddy dog, a rinse should suffice. The beauty of the Golden Retrievers coat is that when they dry, the sand will fall off, and they look beautiful and smell like they should. No need to mess with the PH balance due to our obsession with clean. They are dogs after all. What do we expect them to smell like?
Summer Bathing Ritual
I find that i bathed my dogs more in the summer because of the opportunity the heat presented to play with the water. The do love water. As well, there was no hesitation on my part, due to an accelerated drying time. It usually takes 3 days for a Goldens coat to fully dry. Whether it is just for the fun of it, or because they had a swim in the river or lake sometimes a rinse is all it takes. When you do use shampoo(in 1 or your 2 annual tune ups) make sure that it is the canine kind or baby shampoo(a must!especially for the face) and rinse thoroughly.
Towel dry as best you can. I usually use 3 towels, one for the dog,one for the floor and one for me. Focus on the thicker areas and dont forget armpits and other areas that arent fully exposed to the breeze.
Blow drying is a huge advantage to those who have the patience to teach it. Best started in puppyhood, begin by slowly introducing it is 5 to 10 sec sessions, just using my fingers to run through the hair. Never force them or you can kiss this idea goodbye. Always reward them with a treat when they can endure it for a short session or two. Eventually, they will come to enjoy it and you will be forever greatful.
Doggy Dental Hygiene
I will go into this further in another post but at this time I leave you with this great new product. The Chew it yourself toothbrush! Great idea! but i will continue to brush manually and properly inspect for myself. Saves me $$$ too!
Clean Ears Often!
I will address this later as well. It is suggest to do weekly, though depeding on the season and physical activites, it can vary. Typically, I find during summer or when they have been heated up from exercise, the wax mets and builds up faster.
Nail Trimming is important for both you and your dog. To avoid scratches on floors or pulls in clothing, etc, as well as for your dogs balance and alignment. Its best to start early and ensure you understand the proper technique, though even an experienced dog owner can make the mistake and cause bleeding. Taking a look at your dogs nails you will notice within the nail there is a dark area, known as The Kwik. It contains nerves and supplies blood to the area. The kwik can curve with the dogs nails but eventually will shorten with consistent nail care. It is easiest to identify the kwik on clean nails.
It is suggested to cut the nails at a 45 degree angle and each toe may differ. I find the middle two to be similar and grow quickly, while the outer toes have a somewhat different shape. And dont forget the dew claw (located a few inches up the inner ankle). Depending on the type of clippers (scissor type or ejectable blade) you will find the best way for you. I prefer the scissor type, where the pressure is even from both top and bottom. With the ejectable blade type, it is important to clip from the top down. Syptic powder is used to stop bleeding, as cutting into the kwik can be messy. Wet a cotton swap and dip into the powder and hold against the cut.
If all goes well and if you have the time, why not try this?
..we can dream..
The Golden Mane
Their needs differ depending on the the age. Puppies do not need heavy brushing, but getting them use to the brush is very important at this stage. Puppies will lose their puppy fur (light, fluffier version of an undercoat). Adult Goldens do lose their winter fur(a thick undercoat) in the summer, so you may notice extra fur bunnies around and will needs to upgrade your brushing frequency and house cleaning (Yay). Once they have grown their adult coat, you need to get a brush specifically for the undercoat. Once a week, brush head to tail going with the hair growth. The back end, hips and chest tend to take more work. Going in the opposite direction of the hair growth proves ultra successful and cuts the brushing time in half. Doing this, you may be able to get 2 weeks out of a brushing session. If I am going to bathe my dog, I brush them before hand, which makes the drying process easier. This brush looks mean, but its not. It is quite effective.
Bathing
With regular brushing, your dogs skin is stimulated and produces a healthy amount of oils to keep their hair and skin clean. Some people are against bathing their dogs (depending on the breed) because they say it causes skin problems, by drying it out. This is true. They suggest bathing once a year (full out suds and bubbles bathing). But inevitably, there is dander, which is an allergen and really is a disgrace to that beautiful golden coat. So what to do? Well, its obvious that once a year is not going to work for those of us who love our dogs and like to get close. I dont believe that it is healthy to bath once a month, though in puppyhood, i inevitably did so for the first 4 months (out necessity or just plain fun!). Twice a year (winter and summer to freshen up) and the occasional emergency bath ( due to mud puddle mania or skunk surprise) seems to work without any problems. Generally, for a muddy dog, a rinse should suffice. The beauty of the Golden Retrievers coat is that when they dry, the sand will fall off, and they look beautiful and smell like they should. No need to mess with the PH balance due to our obsession with clean. They are dogs after all. What do we expect them to smell like?
Summer Bathing Ritual
I find that i bathed my dogs more in the summer because of the opportunity the heat presented to play with the water. The do love water. As well, there was no hesitation on my part, due to an accelerated drying time. It usually takes 3 days for a Goldens coat to fully dry. Whether it is just for the fun of it, or because they had a swim in the river or lake sometimes a rinse is all it takes. When you do use shampoo(in 1 or your 2 annual tune ups) make sure that it is the canine kind or baby shampoo(a must!especially for the face) and rinse thoroughly.
Towel dry as best you can. I usually use 3 towels, one for the dog,one for the floor and one for me. Focus on the thicker areas and dont forget armpits and other areas that arent fully exposed to the breeze.
Blow drying is a huge advantage to those who have the patience to teach it. Best started in puppyhood, begin by slowly introducing it is 5 to 10 sec sessions, just using my fingers to run through the hair. Never force them or you can kiss this idea goodbye. Always reward them with a treat when they can endure it for a short session or two. Eventually, they will come to enjoy it and you will be forever greatful.
Doggy Dental Hygiene
I will go into this further in another post but at this time I leave you with this great new product. The Chew it yourself toothbrush! Great idea! but i will continue to brush manually and properly inspect for myself. Saves me $$$ too!
Clean Ears Often!
I will address this later as well. It is suggest to do weekly, though depeding on the season and physical activites, it can vary. Typically, I find during summer or when they have been heated up from exercise, the wax mets and builds up faster.
Nail Trimming is important for both you and your dog. To avoid scratches on floors or pulls in clothing, etc, as well as for your dogs balance and alignment. Its best to start early and ensure you understand the proper technique, though even an experienced dog owner can make the mistake and cause bleeding. Taking a look at your dogs nails you will notice within the nail there is a dark area, known as The Kwik. It contains nerves and supplies blood to the area. The kwik can curve with the dogs nails but eventually will shorten with consistent nail care. It is easiest to identify the kwik on clean nails.
It is suggested to cut the nails at a 45 degree angle and each toe may differ. I find the middle two to be similar and grow quickly, while the outer toes have a somewhat different shape. And dont forget the dew claw (located a few inches up the inner ankle). Depending on the type of clippers (scissor type or ejectable blade) you will find the best way for you. I prefer the scissor type, where the pressure is even from both top and bottom. With the ejectable blade type, it is important to clip from the top down. Syptic powder is used to stop bleeding, as cutting into the kwik can be messy. Wet a cotton swap and dip into the powder and hold against the cut.
If all goes well and if you have the time, why not try this?
..we can dream..
Doggle!
For all you dog crazy bobble lovers, check out this Golden Retriever Bobble Head. Available on calendars.com for $14.99US (adhesive sold separate). Display your Doggle proudly! Available in a variety of breeds! For all you animal lovers, a visit to bobbleheadanimals.com might have exactly what you're looking for.
Also, for a unique gift to yourself or someone else, check out AWESOME custom made bobble heads at www.youbobble.com. Send a picture, pick a body and bobble. Im not sure if they create pet bobbles, but judging by the quality of their work, im sure it wouldn't be a problem.
जेनिफर गार्नर एंड दोग मारता स्टेवार्ट
As if we if theres isn't enough to love about Jennifer Garner from her movies "13 going on 30", "Juno" and so on, She is Dog Lover! Here are some great shots of her and gorgeous Labrador, Martha Stewart.
Jennifer is the leader of her pack consisting of Maggie-May, a beagle-boxer rescue, and Charlie-Rose, a maltese, as well. All girl dogs! It takes a strong pack leader to rule over bitches.
Jennifer is the leader of her pack consisting of Maggie-May, a beagle-boxer rescue, and Charlie-Rose, a maltese, as well. All girl dogs! It takes a strong pack leader to rule over bitches.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Great real life dog story
Saturday, September 5, 2009 CBC News
B.C. toddler lost in Yukon gets to keep dog he followed
A two-year-old boy lost in the Yukon bush overnight after wandering away from his family's campsite will get to keep the dog he followed.
The toddler, identified only as Kale, wandered away from a campsite north of Ross River, Yukon, on Thursday.
The boy, from Kamloops, B.C., apparently trailed after a dog, which stayed with him throughout his 25-hour adventure.
Mike Bondarchuk was among many searchers, including Mounties, search-and-rescue experts and volunteers from the nearby community of Ross River.
He said a helicopter pilot, using infrared technology, spotted Kale.
"I guess he had spotted some kind of heat. So he got one of the crews … to go over and check and they did a walk and, sure enough, there was the little boy standing there and the dog was with him."
Bondarchuk said the boy seemed to be doing well.
"He just wanted some juice. He was pretty dehydrated there. I guess this dog took pretty good care of him."
Police say it's likely the boy survived by cuddling up with the dog, Koda, to keep warm through the night.
Koda's owner, Kim Dolan, said it's amazing the two made it out safe and sound.
"From what the parents have said, they're just total outdoors people and he was in his element, the little guy … with a guardian angel of course."
Dolan said she was happy to let the boy keep the dog.
"We gave Koda to them because he, obviously, helped play a big part in making sure the baby survived."
Dolan said her own kids weren't immediately keen on the idea of giving their dog away.
"I have two children, two boys of my own, that were kind of upset about my decision [to give the dog away] until they met the family … and understood the situation a little better," she said.
"I think they feel very happy that the dog will have a lovely home. I'm sure he'll be spoiled completely and live a long, happy life."
The family was believed to be resting in a hotel in Ross River on Saturday.
With files from The Canadian Press
B.C. toddler lost in Yukon gets to keep dog he followed
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