FAQS (Frequently
Asked Questions)
Some Questions we receive often, via e-mail or feedback...
- Can you
explain how a dog show works?
- Why
should my dog be in a crate?
- Where are you located?
- How often do
you groom your dogs?
- When do you
expect to have puppies?
-
What is the breed standard
for Goldens?
-
Why must I have my pet
spayed or neutered?
- Do you have a question for us?
(Legend at the Bottom of
this page)
Give us your questions via e-mail to:
GoldK9@aol.com
If we hear the same question several times (or think it's a good one) we'll add
it to this FAQs page.
This is, without a doubt, the most commonly asked question. It
deserves being first on the list (number one)! The American Kennel Club (AKC)
publishes a very good 12-page introduction to dog shows. It is titled, "A
Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows".
This publication is easy to understand and provides a much better answer
to this question than I can.
You may find this guide offered free of charge by the AKC at a show or
link to the AKC web site to get it, now!
Click here for the AKC Publication
"A Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows".
The short answer is "Security" &
"Safety". Some people believe that putting a dog in a
crate is inhumane. To the contrary, if you love your dog, it should be
crate trained. Dogs are "den" animals by nature. They seek the shelter
of a "den" for a secure feeling. They don't want to spend the night in an
open area anymore than you would want to sleep on a park bench.
Where a person may envision the crate as a prison cell, the dog
will accept the crate as a
doghouse or bedroom (if it has been trained). Your dog should be accustomed to a crate just is case
you find it necessary to travel with the dog by air, board your dog or if
your pet had to stay overnight with the Vet.
A crate is a must when traveling by automobile. If you become involved
in an accident and your dog is not in a crate, your pet will be in a life
threatening situation. You and your passengers will be
in greater danger too, if a 70 lb. animal is flying around the inside of your
car upon impact...
A dog in a car without a suitable
restraint, is like transporting a child without a seat belt!
The "fold-down" wire crates are useful when traveling with a
dog. Many hotels and motels will accept dogs as long as they will be
spending the night in a crate. If you visit friends or relatives and stay
over-night, they too will appreciate your dog being properly crate trained.
Crates can be used to segregate dogs to dissipate tension or to calm dogs
that are being to rambunctious when the relatives come to dinner. But,
like anything else, crates can be misused.
Dogs should not be confined in a crate for long periods of time. The
crate must NOT be used for punishment.
Tips on crate training:
- Buy a good quality crate
- get one large enough so the dog to stand, sit, turn around and lie down
- Teach the dog to enjoy the crate
- Place a treat in the crate and let the dog eat it and exit freely
- Later close the door briefly
- Increase the duration of time in the crate gradually over a few days
- The dog should be able to stay for up to 2 hours in about 3 days
- Reinforce the fact that the crate is a good place
- Locate it where to dog is still part of the family
- Feed the dog some meals in the crate
- Give the dog toys that are ONLY available when in the crate
- When you let the dog out -- Don't make a big deal about it
- Just be "matter-of-fact" like leaving the bedroom (not
like a rescue)
A final word about transporting a dog in a car or truck.
Our advice - put all animals in a crate, However, if you must
transport a dog and don't have a crate, at least restrain the dog and do not let
him put his head out the window or ride him in the back of a pickup truck.
Dogs will jump from moving vehicles or they can take a rock or other object into
their eyes.
Thanks for listening to the
rant...
Three (3) of our dogs were involved in a nasty SUV roll-over with us;
And, the only reason the dogs survived was because they were ALL riding in
crates.
The AKC has more information about traveling with a dog.
You may want to go to their website @ "Canine
Travel Tips"
Back to Top
Montair Golden Retrievers is located in the
Gold Country and Sierra Foothills of California in the town of
Auburn.
Our
dogs enjoy the wide open spaces on plenty of acreage and with
their own private pond for year around swimming, fun & mud!
For our "out of town" web visitors,
Auburn is North of Sacramento
on Highway 80.
The Map is from MapQuest. For maps, driving
instructions and other helpful travel advice visit their site at www.mapquest.com
It is a
30 minute drive from Auburn to the Sacramento International Airport.
Auburn is about an hour and 45 minute drive from San Francisco, Reno, NV or the Napa Wine Country.
We're slightly less than 2 hours from the beaches and
3.5 hours from
Carmel. You can be at Lake Tahoe in less than
two hours. Plan your trip accordingly when you visit!
Click on Visitors Information below...
Planning a trip to CA for a dog show?
See the State's Official Web Site...
Our Goldens are thoroughly groomed one day before each dog show. We
go to about three dog shows (weekends) per month on average. Janice
does her own grooming of our dogs, including nail trimming and teeth
cleaning. She's assisted on
an as needed basis by our handler, Laurie Jordan-Fenner, and Laurie's other handler assistants.
Summer
is extra hard on our Golden Groomers because our dogs are continually jumping
into the pond. When one goes in, the others follow.
If your dog goes into the pool, remember that prolonged contact with pool chemicals is not good for a dog's coat. So,
after each dip in the pool, they should be rinsed with the garden hose or given a
bath. Ears need regular checking after swimming too!
Here is a tip for new Golden owners:
A Goldens' coat comes from within. Lineage, good diet, exercise and a
proper environment are the key ingredients for a healthy coat.
We take
pride in being a very "high-end" breeder and only produce two or three litters
per year. Call or email to check on puppy availability.
Our
boys go out for Stud
frequently and continue to be in high demand.
We can
refer you to reputable breeders and particularly those breeders which
are expecting puppies sired by our Stud Dogs.
This could have two
answers
depending on how the question is interpreted. So I'll cover
the basics. First, the Official Standard of the Golden Retriever is a
written description of a proper Golden Retriever, approved by the AKC.
This description defines the desired size, proportion, temperament, gait
and other features unique to Goldens. The standard can be revised from time to time;
but, any changes must be approved by the Board of Directors of the American Kennel
Club. The last revision to the standard was September 1990.
Second, if you want to
know what the Official Standard of the Golden Retriever says, a copy is available on the
web site of The Golden Retriever Club of America.
Their address is www.grca.org
We get this question often too. You
should check out the AKC or
Golden Retriever Club of America - National
Rescue Committee websites for additional information
www.grca-nrc.org.
The
short answer is; Quality breeders do not want their puppies (or descendants
carrying their kennel name) to fall into an improper breeding program by
accident or ill design.
To help prevent
this, most reputable breeders sell "pet" puppies
on limited registration and with a contract requiring the puppy buyer to have the
animal spayed or neutered by
the time it is one (1) year old.
Golden Retriever Rescue
Organizations spend thousands of dollars
each year to save unwanted Goldens.
Most of these dogs became "rescues" because their owners had little idea of
the time, commitment and effort it takes to own a sporting dog.
One
large source of this problem is "Backyard
Breeders". They are not motivated by improving the breed. Their
reason for having a litter of pups may be the "cute factor" or making a few fast dollars,
etc. Unfortunately, they lack the experience to
study & understand pedigrees. Many fail to get the
proper health clearances before breeding. After breeding, the bitch
requires a diet change and regular veterinary checkups which the novice may not
realize.
When the puppies
are finally on the ground,
amateurs are not able to evaluate the litter, identify health problems or
evaluate puppy buyers to place
their pups in proper
homes.
A few
scenarios of mismatching puppies & owners are:
-
A "good" puppy
is sold to a family that doesn't understand how to raise or train a
Golden.
(They give it away,
send it to a rescue organization or abandon it later)
-
A bold, high
spirited or more aggressive pup is sold to the family with very young children,
so the family can't cope with the dog.
(The dog spends it life
neglected in a backyard kennel)
-
An
irresponsible person or adolescent is allowed to buy a puppy.
(The dog ends up in a
rescue shelter).
Other sources of rescue dogs are
the "Puppy Mills" and animal brokers that wholesale to pet shops and are only focused on profit. I'll spare you
the long rant on mills...
The
large number of rescue dogs are a testament to the fact that there are
too many Goldens bred carelessly, accidentally or because of
improper motivation.
When
Golden breeding is done right, pedigrees are closely analyzed
and matched, health clearances for eyes, heart, hips,
etc. are obtained for both parents prior to breeding. Proper veterinary
care is also arranged in advance for parents and pups (even for
the
“uncomplicated” litter).
When
you
consider the possible
breeding and whelping problems that breeders
may encounter; or, the risk of
amateurs diminishing the breed, we hope you will agree
that reputable breeders should require spay/neuter
contracts for all puppies going to "Pet" homes..
There are benefits
too! Some of the benefits
of spaying include not having to worry about accidental breeding, the stress and
inconvenience of confining a bitch in season,
"mismating" or creating unwanted puppies.
A spayed bitch will not develop uterine
infections or tumors of the reproductive system, as do some
older unspayed bitches.
Males may be easier to control and healthier
longer-term.
The basic
attitude and temperament of the
animal is NOT changed by removing
the reproductive capability.
FYI, "Show" puppies are NOT spayed or neutered.
The AKC requires these animals to be in tact for conformation competition.
Spayed or neutered animals may compete in field, agility and other AKC events.
Second,
Show Dogs will usually participate in future breeding programs once they become
a Champion.
In conclusion, "Pet" & "Show" puppies
are a product of the same careful pedigree matching and of equal quality and
health. The reason Pets are spayed or neutered has nothing to do with the
animal's health or quality.
If you are still thinking
about breeding your pet; The AKC web site has several articles worth reviewing:
-
Should I Breed
My Dog ?
-
AKC Defines The
MINIMUM Steps Involved For Responsible Dog Breeding
Date of last update:
December 17, 2008
