Allie

Golden Retrievers like hot weather as long as it isn’t too hot and precautions are taken. Your Golden Retriever can live in hot climates too but they’ll need your help to make sure that they don’t overheat. 

Temperatures over 30 degrees Celcius (86 Fahrenheit) will risk the floor being too hot for them to walk on and will increase the chances of heat stroke and dehydration.

But there are plenty of things you can do to help keep your Golden Retriever cool on hotter days. Like avoiding physical activities (e.g. walks) in the mid-day sun, creating shade, and using ice cubes to cool down their water.

Read on to find out how to avoid heat-related issues, more ways to keep your Golden Retriever cool in the sun, and more.

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Stairs aren’t necessarily bad for young, healthy Golden Retrievers, but they can be a problem for little pups or elderly Golden Retrievers. It’ll also depend on the stairs – one step to get through the back door is different from taking a steep flight of outdoor stairs after it’s rained.

A Golden Retriever with health issues like arthritis or hip or joint problems could end up aggravating their condition by taking the stairs. If they have mobility issues, it’s also possible that they could hurt themselves when trying to go up or down. 

Read on for a further look into whether stairs are bad for Golden Retrievers, to find out some safety tips to help keep your Golden Retriever safe when they’re using stairs, and more.

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Yes, Golden Retrievers are usually good with chickens – but only if they’ve been trained. Only once they’re been properly trained and socialised can they co-exist peacefully with any other animal, including chickens. 

However, despite having a low prey drive and not being an aggressive breed, they’ll instinctively want to chase the birds, so you’ll need to supervise them at all times

Read on to find out how to train your Golden Retriever to get along with chickens, why Golden Retrievers do get along so well with chickens, and more.

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Your Golden Retriever’s face will naturally turn white (or grey) as they get older. This is completely normal, and will usually start once they reach five years. By the time they’re seven, their muzzles will usually be entirely white.

Though age is the main reason for their face turning white, there can be other factors that influence it. Their genetics, stress, and certain skin conditions can also affect how quickly their face turns white.

Read on for everything you need to know about a Golden Retriever’s face turning white.

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Golden Retrievers are quite possibly one of the sweetest dog breeds you will ever meet so it can be quite alarming if you notice your Golden Retriever snarling. This can be because they’re playing, acting defensively out of fear, or it could be a different expression that looks similar to snarling.

If your Golden Retriever is baring their teeth at you, it’s important to assess the environment around them to try and figure out why they’re snarling.

To find out the most common reasons your Golden Retriever is snarling, how to prevent it, and more, keep reading!

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Some Golden Retrievers are good with rabbits – but that’s not to say that you should just throw the two animals together. It depends on the personality of your Golden Retriever, if they’ve been trained and socialised, and the prey drive of the dog.

On the opposite hand, you need to consider if the rabbits are comfortable being around a dog – which is also dependent on their personality and upbringing. They both need to have compatible personalities for it to work.

Keep reading to find out tips for introducing your Golden Retriever to rabbits, signs to look out for that it isn’t going well, and more.

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Golden Retriever puppies will start walking around the three weeks mark. They’ll learn to stand and take their first, wobbly steps from as early as two weeks old. Between weeks three and four, the Golden Retriever puppies will be officially walking. 

They quickly graduate from crawling along on their bellies to an unsteady waddle, before perfecting how to properly walk. Don’t worry if your Goldie isn’t exactly on this time frame, some take a little longer than others to pick up the new skill.

However, if your Golden Retriever isn’t passing milestones as they should be, it might be worth making an appointment at the vet to make sure that everything is alright.

Keep reading to find out how long a Golden Retriever puppy should be walked as they get older, puppy milestones to look out for, and more!

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Yes, Golden Retrievers can be vegetarians, but they won’t thrive on a vegetarian diet. As omnivores, dogs can eat both meat and plants, so after researching, buying ingredients, and some time prepping, a Golden Retriever could follow a meatless diet. However, it’s been thought that not eating meat long-term can cause health issues in dogs.

It’s entirely your choice what your Golden Retriever eats, but there are a few negatives associated with a vegetarian diet that you should be aware of before you decide on their diet.

If you do want to switch your dog to a vegetarian diet, make sure that you do it gradually and monitor for any reactions or side effects to new food.

You’ll also need to watch out for any signs of malnourishment or vitamin deficiencies in case your Golden Retriever isn’t getting all the nutrients that their body needs. As active, energetic breeds, they need at least 1-2 hours of exercise per day so they also need enough food and drink to provide that energy.

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One of the biggest reasons why your Golden Retriever is sitting on you is because they want attention. It could also be them trying to claim you, or just because they love you! It’s an example of your Golden Retriever using body language to communicate with you – though it can be a lot to have a fully grown 25-34kg dog on your lap.

Check out the rest of the article to find out all the reasons why Golden Retrievers want to sit on you, how to encourage (or discourage) this behaviour, and more.

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A bump on the back of a Golden Retriever’s head is normal – it’s called an occiput and it’s a protuberance that’s purpose is to protect their skull from predators. Every dog has an occiput, but it’s far more noticeable (and larger) on bigger breeds of dogs. That’s why they’re so easily spotted on Golden Retrievers as they’re quite large dogs.

Read on to find out why Golden Retrievers need occiputs, all about other types of lumps that a Golden Retriever can get, and more!

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