LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Dogs

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Hi Becca,

I wouldn't worry just yet. A lot of factors can put a female a bit off her regular cycle. Stress, nutrition, changes around the house. Most likely your dog will come in within the next month or so. If she hasn't come in again within six months, it might be a good idea to discuss the situation with your vet then.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I hope things work out on their own. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My female Golden has gone into heat every year for the past 3 years at the end of April, beginning of May for about 2 weeks. This year, nothing - should I be worried? She's not acting any different than usual and she's only 4 years old.

-- Contributed by: Becca

Hi Kim,

I think you'll find our article on Potty Training Your Dog very helpful. Keep in mind that young puppies have smaller bladders and need to go outside more often than more mature dogs. I usually suggest taking a new puppy outside once every hour whenever possible. This continually reinforces where your pup ought to relieve herself as well as gives her every opportunity for success. Be as consistant as you can, and when your dog is having success on a regular basis, you can gradually extend the time between trips outside.

Thanks for your question, and I hope the training goes smoothly.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I just recently purchased my golden ginger. she is 14 weeks old. I am just a bit confused on how often to take her out. She drinks water alot it seems. I feel like i am always seeing if she needs to go out. What would be the proper way to deal with this training. can you help thanks

-- Contributed by: kim

My family and I were thinking about adopting a Golden Retriever, we just need some advice. We live in town, we have a medium sized yard and a big house. Our youngest child is 9 yrs old but we have toddlers and guests visit alot. We would like a gentle, playful dog for we like to toss a ball around and play but sometimes we just like to lay around. We would like the dog to protect the house if need be. Is a Golden Retriever right for us.

Hi Melissa,

Goldens do make good family companions, but they are a bit more active than the Great Danes you're also considering. Goldens also shed quite a bit, so it's one more thing to consider as you search for a family companion.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Melissa

Hi, I have a male golden retreiver 6 years old, overweight that I want to mate with a golden female for the first time . They are both at my house right now and I do not know for how long should they stay together. She started her period last week and now the male does not want the female to be close to him. Is that normal?. Can you give me some tips and advise?

Hi Claudia,

In the second week of her heat cycle, the bitch should be reaching her fertile time, which should entice your male, not repel him. At six, if he hasn't been used at stud before, he may not have the instincts anymore. Most breeders feel a dog should be used at stud by the time he's two or he may never breed at all. The fact that he's overweight probably also plays into the situation. My feeling is that this pairing probably isn't going to work out. I would try to locate another stud.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Claudia Martinez

Hi Kelly,

Just want to ask why my 2 months golden retriever (Lex) seems always nipping and bitting my hand whenever I play along with him? And how to stop such a habit like that?

Lex's always trying bitting/nipping my arm when I touch him. Everytime I bring him out of the kennel he is jumping around my legs, bitting my legs, he is looks like want to play with me. What should I do?

And the other thing, how to stop a digging habit? And why he is digging anyway? Is that because of smells something or what?

Thank you very much Kelly, I hope I can learn how to control my Lex, so we can both happy.

Best Regards, Budy

Hi Budy,

Lex is treating you like one of his littermates. Puppies use their mouths like we use our hands. The best way to begin addressing this is to calmly but firmly remove his mouth from your person and tell him "No". Do this every time without exception, and he should come to understand that mouthing and nipping are not acceptible. You'll also have to make sure you use one of his toys to play with him, and not inadvertently use your hands.

Now, let's address removing Lex from his kennel. When you walk up, don't make a big fuss and don't look your puppy in the eye. Open the door in a calm and silent manner, and remain very nonchalent in your actions. Lex will pick up his cues from you. If you are excited, he will be ecstatic, so you need to keep things as low key as you can.

As for the digging, you'll have to actively train your dog to stop it. Take him out and allow him to take the opportunity to start digging. Don't encourage him, just watch for the natural opportunity to make the correction with a firm "No", and then walk him away from the area. You'll need to repeat this exercise until your puppy understands what you're asking.

At two months old, your puppy will take longer to learn these lessons than an older dog would, but if you are patient and consistent, I'm sure you'll have success.

Best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Budy

Hi Kelly!

Just want to ask the ideal height and weight for 3 month old golden retriever and if ever the pup is underweight, what are the diets and vitamins should be given.

Hi Abet,

Rather than look to measure your dog's progress in arbitrary numbers, you need to look at his development in terms of proportion. Does your pup look thin for his current frame, or does he look too heavy? If he seems heavy, cut back just slightly on the amount you feed. Your puppy will likely grow into the weight, but if he's too heavy it can do damage to his tender bones and joints.

If your puppy is too thin, adding some extra protein to his diet is a good way to increase his weight to a healthier proportion. Try mixing canned food or ground beef in with his regular kibble.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Abet

Hello again,

Just want to inform that my ... just had a healthy female pup. Is it normal for my ... to have just only one litter? What are possible reasons why my Golden Retriever produced only one litter?

Is it still possible for her to have more pups the next time she gets pregnant again?

Please advice me on what to do on her next heat, and lastly is there a method or procedure on how to produce more litters.

Thanks and more power!

Expert Reply

Hi Abet, good to hear from you again. Congratualtions on the new puppy.

There are a number of things that determine how many puppies are produced within a given litter.

Heredity has a lot to do with it. Do you know how many pups were in the litter your own bitch came from? This will give you a clue about what you can expect in the future.
Next, we have to consider fertility issues. To a certain extent, the female determines the number of pups in a litter by how many eggs she produces during the fertile portion of her heat cycle. If the sperm and the eggs meet up, then they should become fertilized.
The stud dog's fertility also comes into play. If his sperm have less than 100% motility, not all of them will be able to fertilize an egg. In such a case, your bitch could produce ten viable eggs, yet the damaged portion of the sperm wouldn't be able to fertilize all of them.
Finally, the timing of the breeding is critical. If your bitch was bred late in her cycle, some of the eggs may have already been expelled before the sperm had a chance to fertilize them. For this reason, it's far more effective to conduct a breeding near the actual beginning of the fertile phase, approximately around days 10-12 of the heat cycle. The sperm can survive for several days once delivered and can continue to fertilize subsequent eggs that are released. However, keep in mind that healthy sperm motility is crucial for this to take place.

My advice? Have a sperm count done on the stud to assess his motility. If it is low, then you can probably attribute the single puppy litter this. You'll also know to choose a different stud for her next litter. If the stud's sperm count comes back good, pay close attention to when her next heat cycle begins and try to breed her as soon as she shows signs of being receptive to the male. If you get another small litter, then you bitch probably doesn't produce many eggs.

Thanks for your question, and I hope this information helps.

-- Contributed by: Abet

Hi Andrew,

I'm so sorry to hear of your dog's passing. There's just no way of knowing what happened to your dog unless you had your vet perform a necropsy on the body.

You have my best wishes during this difficult time.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I got my Goden Retreiver,Copper, in 1994. He died Sunday, and i don't know why. I think it was heart disease, but I'm not sure I just want to know what happened. The last week he had, he would'nt stand up properly. Also, he wouldn't eat his dog food, only low fat turkey slices that i had to give him. He drank very little water. What happened?!?

-- Contributed by: Andrew.

Hi Abet,

Yes, it is alright to bathe your bitch while she's pregnant, as long as she's not standing in water up to her vulva.

As for feeding, offer her a little extra kibble if she's willing to eat it, and you can add a couple spoonfuls of cottage cheese or plain yogurt to her meals to boost her calcium intake.

Exercise during pregnancy should be moderate. It's a good idea to limit excessive jumping, but jumping alone shouldn't cause a miscarriage in a healthy bitch.

Best wishes for a healthy litter!

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My golden retriever bitch is 1 year and seven months, I just got her mated last Sept. 11. Is it o.k. to bathe her when she's pregnant? And how should I feed her during the 1st 3weeks of her pregnancy? Does jumping or wiggling her body often can lead to lost of puppies? Need your help! Thanks!

-- Contributed by: Abet

Hi Charlotte,

It's very possible that Charlotte is feeling out of sorts due to Ozzie's absence. Just like people, dogs miss their closest companions when they are away. Hopefully Ozzie is scheduled to return home soon, and Charlotte becomes her old self again.

It's also possible that's she's getting ready to come into season, but I wouldn't count on it as a sure thing. You'll probably notice her vulva begin to swell near the beginning of her heat cycle.

As long as she's still eating and drinking normally there's probably nothing to worry about. However, if you notice other signs that she might be feeling under the weather then you'll want to schedule a check up with your vet. You can try cheering her up by taking her for walks and spending a little extra quality time with her.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

i got a golden retriever bitch this year and she is now 9 months and should be coming into season soon. her name is lilly and i also have another dog called ozzie. he has been away for 4 days and today lilly has been moody and different, is this because she will be in season soon or because ozzie isn't here? please help!

-- Contributed by: charlotte
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