Golden Retriever dog breed

Golden Retrievers are greedy eaters. They were bred for retrieving gaming birds, so can be scavengers. If allowed, they’ll beg for food, but this can be stopped through training and a regular feeding routine. Feed your dog once or twice a day - they’ll be less likely to beg if they have two meals.

Make sure your dog doesn’t become overweight by measuring their food and not feeding them too many treats. You’ll find measurement guidelines on food packaging, or you can ask your vet for advice.

Your Golden Retriever will need brushing daily to stop their fur from matting If your dog’s hair mats, you’ll need to cut it out using scissors. This breed sheds a lot and brushing regularly will help reduce the amount of dog hair in your home.

Their fur will only grow to a certain length before it falls out. This means that they don’t need to be trimmed unless you want them to have a shorter cut. But they’ll need to be washed at least once a month. Their long coat and love of the outdoors make them prone to that familiar ‘doggy’ smell. You can bath your dog yourself or take them to a professional groomer.

Your Golden Retriever will need an hour or more of exercise a day. You can split this into shorter sessions - say 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. A well-exercised dog is less likely to get up to mischief or be destructive.

Remember, exercise doesn’t just mean walking - playing games counts too. Most retrievers love to play fetch and this is a great way to burn off energy. Let your dog off the lead so that they can run around and burn off extra energy. But make sure they respond to your call before letting them off the lead in an open space.

Golden Retrievers are smart and obedient dogs, making them easy to train. They were originally bred to fetch game birds but are now more commonly trained as service dogs such as guide dogs.

Some puppies will have been toilet trained by the breeder. But if your dog needs house training, you’ll have to be patient with them. Golden Retrievers learn quickly, but all dogs need repetition to learn. Positive, reward-based training is the most effective. They love food and are keen to please. Reward your dog with a treat every time it carries out a command.

Training classes are a great way to socialise your dog and pick up training tips.

This condition affects the stability of the hip joint. The ball-and-socket joint doesn’t fit properly. When moving, it rubs and damages the joint. This causes pain and will eventually lead to arthritis. It’s a hereditary condition, but the severity is affected by diet and exercise. Overweight dogs are more likely to suffer due to the added weight on the joint.

If your dog is showing signs of leg weakness, it may be suffering from hip dysplasia. Take your dog to the vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Weight control and a restricted exercise programme will help, as well as pain relief and anti-inflammatories. Hip replacement surgery may be needed in severe cases.

Poor vision at night and during low lighting are the first signs of the condition. Your dog’s pupils will be larger than normal, and there may be an obvious shine to the eye.

This condition normally affects dogs aged between 3 and 8 years old. It can’t be treated, but blind dogs can still live a long, happy life.

Epilepsy is a series of chronic, recurring fits. The fits are caused by abnormal brain activity. All animals react differently, some can even sense when they’re about to fit. In most cases, a fit occurs when the animal is resting. They will rapidly shake and may lose control of their bladder.

If you think your dog has had a fit, you should visit the vet immediately. Your pet may be given tablets to control and reduce the fits. It is rare for the fits to stop completely, but your dog will still be able to have a good quality of life. With treatment, the lifespan of your dog will not be affected.