Tips and Training
We’ve raised Golden Retrievers for years, and along the way we’ve figured out what actually works, and what’s a waste of time. This page is where we share the resources that have helped us and the families who take our puppies home. Whether you’re bringing home your first Golden or you’ve had them your whole life, there’s something here for you.
Articles
Before Bringing your puppy home
- New Puppy Checklist for Golden Retrievers – A breeder’s timeline of exactly what to buy and when, before they come home, week one, month one, and beyond. No fluff, just what actually works.
- How to Pick a Vet for Your Golden Retriever –Not all vets are created equal. This article breaks down selecting a vet, how they can become a great partner for you and your dog, and how to avoid being the next revenue source.
- Pet Insurance for Golden Retrievers – An honest guide to the real numbers behind golden retriever health costs, when insurance makes sense, and when it might be smarter to self-insure.
All About Food
- What to Actually Feed Your Golden Retriever – The question we get asked more than anything. This article does a great job of walking you through what we feed and why along with some really valuable information on our thought process.
- How to Store Dry Dog Food the Right Way – The way you store dry dog food after opening the bag has a direct impact on its freshness, nutritional value, and safety. Done wrong, the fat in the kibble oxidizes and goes rancid, and your dog eats it anyway, because Golden Retrievers are not known for their food quality discernment. Done right, the dry dog food stays fresh, retains its nutrition, and lasts the full shelf life on the bag.
- Raw vs. Fresh vs. Kibble: What Golden Retriever Owners Actually Need to Know
There’s a lot of noise around raw and fresh diets right now. This breaks down the real differences, what the research says, and what we’ve seen work over the years.
Training
- How to Train a Golden Retriever – Crate training, leash manners, separation anxiety, bite inhibition, and the teenager phase – a complete guide from week one through adulthood.
- The Complete Guide to Golden Retriever Leashes
Slip leads, long lines, retractables, biothane, every type of leash, when to use it, and which ones we actually trust with a strong retriever on the other end. - Harnesses for Golden Retrievers: When You Need One (and When You Don’t)
Harnesses aren’t always the answer, especially with a puppy. This covers when a harness actually helps, what style to use, and why we hold off until 8 to 10 months.
Grooming
- How to Groom a Golden Retriever at Home
Baths, drying, nail trims, ear cleaning, the full routine laid out step by step so you can handle it at home between groomer visits. - Golden Retriever Shedding Season – What blowout season actually looks like, when it happens, how long it lasts, and the one thing you should never do during shedding season.
- The Best Brushes for Golden Retrievers– Goldens have a double coat that needs real tools, not guesswork. The brushes we actually use and some great long term information to help you for years to come.
Videos
- What to do in the 1st 24 hours after getting your GR – Will Atherton on, well, the 1st 24 hours. This is a great step by step instruction manual on what to do right after you pick up your puppy.
- Crate training – Will Atherton with great step by step directions on crate training and why it matters.
- How to Stop your dog from pulling by using a slip lead – Will Atherton with a very simple explanation on using a slip lead that really works and puts you in control of your dog both as a puppy and as an adult.