Friday, April 17, 2009

Adopting a Senior Golden Retriever

By John Charles

Those of you who want a Golden Retriever but aren't ready to go through the trials and tribulations of a puppy, should look into adopting an older Golden. Older Golden Retrievers are mature, and prove to be great in homes where they need to spend a quality amount of time by themselves. They are a very adjustable breed, being good tempered. No matter how old the Golden may be, he will quickly become a valued member of your family in little to no time at all.

Many times, breeders will have older dogs for sale. There are several reasons for this, which include show dogs that have lost their potential, studs that have been used for breeding, female Golden's that have been bred a few times then retired, or other types of special conditions where a breeder is helping a friend get rid of his Golden Retriever. There are other reasons as well, although whatever they may be - the adult Golden Retriever will be available for anyone who wants him.

When your mature Goldie comes to you they will already have been house trained, and so adjusting to your particular family lifestyle will be a lot easier. It won't be easy, just easier, and you must expect a period of re-adjustment during which you will need to shower him or her with plenty of tender love and affection, something which, believe you me, it will not be hard to do.

When you meet your Golden for the first time you may well be so taken with them that you are tempted to 'wrap them up and take them home' straightaway. But, avoid this temptation. Take a bit of time to get to know them, and to know all about them, just to make sure that they are right for your lifestyle. Also, do involve the other members of your family in all of these initial decisions, as it is important that everybody feels happy about welcoming a new member into the family.

You will find life much easier in the early days if you spend a bit of time helping your new family member adjust to your home and its environs. You will find things easier if you do, and your new family member will certainly appreciate you taking the time to help them settle in.

You should always give your new Golden Retriever at least a month or so to get used to his new environment, before you start his new obedience training. Even though your new dog may have some prior obedience training, you should still enroll him in a new class. This way, he can brush up on training and you can work with him to help him understand. Once you have finished training, he'll understand your commands better and you and him will get along just fine.

All Golden Retrievers, regardless of their age, love attention. Older Golden's on the other hand, may have medical problems that you aren't aware of. You shouldn't let this stop you from getting one though, simply because the rewards that you'll find are far greater than any cons that may come to mind. Although many people don't give a lot of thought to getting an older Golden Retriever - they are perfect for families who don't want to put up the time and troubles of raising a puppy.

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