Adopting An Older Golden Retriever

There are a lot of people who want to keep a Golden Retriever as a pet but are not happy with the thought of going through the puppy stage, especially older couples who are looking for a watchdog of sorts but cannot bring up a pup. Golden Retrievers are generally good tempered unless they have been ill treated by their owners. The older lot is of course more mature and their training is complete. They work well where they would be alone for long periods of time since Goldens are a breed that can adjust quite well. Age is not all that important as they fast settle down into their new homes.

Breeders sell older dogs for a variety of reasons. There are dogs that have lost their potential for a particular job or there may be female Goldens that have been used for breeding and are now retired, besides a number of other reasons. There may be special conditions where the dog has to be re-settled or the breeder may be helping someone out by giving their dog a new home. So the reasons are many and more often than not, they are pretty valid.

The advantage of taking on an older dog is that they are already housebroken. They are familiar with various behavior patterns and are able to adapt to a new family. The initial settling may be a bit difficult but shower your dog with a lot of love and affection and you will find that it settles in quite nicely, given time. They are like new family members, they need constant reassurance that they are welcome in the family and have nothing to fear about.

There are some things you should keep in mind when adopting an older Golden Retriever. Get all the information possible about the dog, its likes and dislikes, its eating habits, daily routine habits etc. Everyone in your family should meet it so the dog knows the family and is not in for any surprises. Get the dog’s medical and birth history if possible, so that you are aware of what may in store for you regarding illnesses. Your family should be acceptable to the idea of adopting the dog in question. Once all these things are taken care of, adopting an older Golden Retriever becomes easy.

Now that the dog in your home, give it time to get used to the surroundings, the rooms and the smells in the house. Settle it down in a place with familiar bedding so that the newness does not upset the dog. Show him where to sleep, the bathroom, his food plate etc and let him get used to the routine of the house.

Give the dog about a month to settle down before you start with obedience training, as you want the dog to be trained. Enroll him in a new class so that he can brush up on training and if you are working with him as the owner, then he will learn to respond to you. Now with all lines of communication established between dog and master, living will be a lot easier. Enjoy your Golden Retriever for you will not find a dog more loving. Golden retrievers are made for families and thrive on love and family.