We all want our Golden Retriever to not only survive, but to thrive and be healthy. After all, we appreciate your loyal and loving company. The health of a great Golden Retriever requires our active commitment since we are ultimately responsible for their well-being and happiness. There are a few activities to focus on to make this happen. One of the most important is to help our dog maintain a proper and healthy weight. This can be accomplished through consistent daily habits, such as finding time for daily exercise, providing meaningful activity, and using proper eating routines.

Daily activities

Pet ownership is about relationships. A positive daily connection with your Golden Retriever requires regular activity that is rewarding for both you and your dog. This requires some time management and commitment. What part of your day would work best to engage in some fun activity?

This may require a bit of planning. Could you carve out some time right after work? Or would it be better to get up early? Take some time to figure this out. Advance planning usually results in those plans being carried out.

significant activity

What do you both like to do? After all, it’s hard to stay interested in something that isn’t fun. How about taking a walk around the neighborhood, jogging through your favorite part of the park, or going for a ball or Frisbee? These types of activities provide exercise for your dog, increase his metabolism, and help him maintain a healthy weight. These opportunities could even help you control your own weight. Talk about a win-win situation!

In some cases, organizing this type of activity is not complicated. Decide what you both like to do, find some free time, and do it. Other times it can be more difficult. Maybe write a thing or two on an outline as they come to mind. Keep adding and subtracting activities from the outline until you come up with some awesome ideas. The happiest owners are the ones who realize that they are doing everything possible for their dog.

Just remember, dogs typically won’t get any more exercise than we do without some form of direction. If we organize a workout at the gym, we are more likely to exercise than if we plan to do it alone at home. Dogs are similar. They can run around a bit without being coaxed, but tend to spend most of their time sitting or lying down. So it’s up to you to keep your dog active.

How much, and when, to feed your Golden Retriever

Your dog’s weight is closely related to one important habit: how often and how much you feed your dog. Obesity in dogs is all too common, and the health repercussions are probably just as harrowing as in humans. Overweight dogs put more stress on their joints, hearts, and are prone to diabetes. They are also more susceptible to injury, which of course limits their ability to exercise regularly.

One of the main causes of obesity in dogs is simply overeating. Dogs enjoy eating and many loving owners enjoy seeing their dogs happy. I enjoy watching my Golden Retriever enthusiastically devour a plate of food. He seems so happy. However, in the long run, overeating causes various problems, including obesity and other related physical problems.

Consider the consequences before allowing your dog unrestricted access to his food. Many people incorrectly assume that their dogs have self-control when it comes to eating. Consequently, they leave food out throughout the day, allowing easy access to it. Doing this leaves little uncertainty that your dog could add a few extra pounds! Dogs will eat for a number of reasons, including boredom. Boredom plus unregulated access to food often has undesirable consequences.

Allowing your golden day access to food also makes it harder for you to supervise bathroom breaks. A mealtime with no apparent rhyme or reason can lead to a random and unpredictable potty schedule. Scheduled and regular meals, on the other hand, favor habitual elimination. This is especially important if you are out and about during the day and keep your dog indoors. Of course, you don’t want your dog to need to relieve himself when you’re gone.

But wait! That’s not the only reason unrestricted access to food isn’t a great idea. Consider the times you go on vacation. Suppose you take your Golden with you. You may not be able to eat when you want as you are used to. This can create some anxiety issues.

scheduled feeding

One popular method of feeding is simply following a schedule. Programmed feeding basically consists of offering a predetermined amount of food at a set time. This gives you a lot of control over your dog’s food intake and, by extension, his weight. Follow the suggested serving directions on the food bag or perhaps ask your vet what he or she would suggest for the daily amount of food.

How often you feed your Golden depends on several factors, including age and activity level. Note that there are really no wrong answers to the question. The proper response is to find a time that works best for you and your friend. You might consider asking your vet for advice.

An important facet of the concept of scheduled feeding is keeping meal times consistent. Feeding times should be kept daily and not changed much. Mealtime is an important part of your dog’s day, so regularity is a necessary component in his overall sense of well-being.

Controlled and scheduled feeding also helps in the general obedience of the dog. It’s true. Like many Golden owners, you probably use a dog treat as a reward during a training procedure. Treats aren’t that impressive when you have constant access to your food. “Haw,” you might think, “I can get food anytime. Don’t you have something better for me?”

Still convinced?

Having a dog is a matter of relationships. One of the most essential elements of this partnership is making sure that your Golden Retriever’s health is protected. This requires some planning and active dedication. The rewards are a happy, healthy and vital Golden Retriever for many years.