Health and Diet Information

Generally speaking, Golden Retrievers are very healthy dogs. In thirteen years of sharing our life with these amazing, intelligent, loving dogs, the times we have had to run to the vet with any of them have been few. Still, I hear from people across the United States that has just lost their Golden due to a health issue. Health Issues are facing all breeds today like never before. Just like health issues in people. Health problems are not as simple as being purely genetic, if so, we could have eradicated them by now. So we have to look deeper into what is causing any health problem and take more responsibility in the fight to learn what we can do about them. The biggest problems facing dogs today and ways to solve them, in my opinion, are indicated below. Cancer Cancer is the #1 KILLER of all dogs. We have to look at the food, water, environment, vaccines, wormers, medications and everything that our dogs are being given to them and on them. Diet The long term health of your dog and minimizing the cost of ownership over the life of your dog will depend on diet. Research on diet proves that a good biological diet of raw meat, vegetables, fruit, and raw bones of human grade form is the best way of keeping your dog healthy. A good quality dry kibble should be offered daily that contains NO GRAINS. A quality food should be low in carbs and high in protein. Most commercial kibbles are cooked and heated to temperatures that kill any nutrients and enzymes in the food that a dog needs to survive. Feeding a low grade dog food is like giving your dog cardboard to eat every day not to mention what the additives are doing to the dogs system. Weight Keeping your dogs weight under control is essential in health. Diet is also playing a role in keeping your dog from getting heart disease. Heart disease is the #2 KILLER of dogs. Overweight dogs will and do develop all kinds of health problems from young to old. Your dog's diet is in your hands. Keeping your dog; Slim and Trim is the goal. *Remember to always keep your dogs bowls clean when feeding a raw diet. *Good Clean spring water in clean bowls should be given to your dog to drink. Vaccines Research is proving that many vaccines that are given routinely by veterinarians are causing enormous problems in dogs. Along with heart worm medications, wormers, flea and tick repellents, etc. Question everything you or your vet want to give your dog. Research the products first yourself before giving anything to your dog. Many holistic and natural products are available for dogs as well as humans. Offered here are some articles to read to develop your own opinions. Please do your own research. It could save your dog's life and give him/her many more years in health. In-Breeding A very BIG problem is many breeders today are in the practice of "in-breeding" their dogs. As dog groomers, we see the effects of in-breeding in all breeds on a daily basis. The American Kennel Club does not regulate in-breeding and so, in my opinion, they are inadequate and lacking in protecting the health of dogs. The results of in-breeding are devastating in the overall health of the dog. Dogs don't have a say in whom their parents are and that is why an organization like the AKC should. Look at the pedigree of the parents before you buy a puppy. Make sure the dogs are not related. White Oak Golden Retrievers DOES NOT in-breed our dogs. Hip/Joint Dysplasia Many veterinarians and dog organizations today are pushing breeders for certifications for eyes, heart, hips, joints, etc., primarily for the enormous profit that is gained to these veterinarians and organizations. There are many opinions concerning these certifications and the invasive procedures that our dogs must endure to get these certifications. Golden Retrievers and most large breed dogs have the ability to produce occasional bad hips/joints in their off spring. The research coming out both here and abroad is that genetics only play a 20-25% role in a dog having hip/joint dysplasia. This means that owners of dogs assume 75-80% responsibility in their dog developing good hips/joints or bad hips/joints. White Oak Golden Retrievers has certifications in the past on many of the dogs we own and raise, but recently we lost a prized Golden due to the anesthesia that was administered to get a "certification". It has been devastating to us as many of you know that we talk to everyday from all over the U.S that has lost a dog that you love dearly. We will no longer jump through any hoops or be pushed into getting these certifications (many times wrong and unreliable) to please other breeders, veterinarians, organizations or puppy owners. If you buy into the idea that the occasional genetic disease can be eradicated through only breeding dogs that "pass" these invasive procedures or you think that genetics is the cause of all hip/joint dysplasia than you should buy an adult dog (at least 2 years of age) that has passed all certifications and is guaranteed to be free of all disease. The likely hood of a puppy developing any genetic problem is very low considering the other problems that face dogs today; like cancer, No breeder anywhere can give you a guarantee that a "puppy" will not have or develop any problem whether certifications exist or not. White Oak Golden Retrievers offers a "Puppy Guarantee" covering any genetic problem up to one year of age of the dog. We do not take any problems that affect dogs lightly. We offer the information here that we learn on a daily basis through research that is ongoing all over the world that is dedicated to the health of dogs. We strive daily to produce, in a limited number, the best and healthiest puppies we can and offer them to qualified people and their families that are committed to and will also strive to keep them healthy. Information about dogs is everywhere, opinions are everywhere, and experts are everywhere, but always, always, always consider the source of the information before you adopt it as gospel. Most veterinarians do not raise dogs and have very little training in nutrition. They make money when your dog is sick. Don't get me wrong, there are some very good holistic veterinarians today that are into the health of your dog. Please seek them out. Drug companies that produce vaccines, wormers, medications, etc. are actively selling their products to you in all forums. Research everything before you buy and give to your dog. Causes for hip/joint dysplasia and what you can and cannot do when you get your new puppy: Genetics-- clinical findings say that only 20-25% of hip/joint dysplasia is genetic. Some research is now suggesting that it is completely environmental. Meaning that a dog develops these problems after birth due to the following; Diet-- All dogs need to eat their biological diet. Dogs are carnivores. This means raw meat, raw bones, vegetables, fruits and a quality dry kibble. Your goal should be to mirror their natural diet in the wild. Overfeeding-- No Carbs, No Sugar, No Milk, No Grains, No Chocolate, No Grapes, No Raisins Over exercise-- A gentle walk around the block when you get your puppy is o.k., letting him/her walk a couple of miles are going to cause injury. Sudden intense exercise after the dog has been sedentary most of the week and then goes out and plays, jumps, and runs on Saturday and Sunday is going to injure your dog. Your Golden is considered a "puppy" until it is 2 years of age. It will need protection until then. Slowly and routinely work up to more exercise with your puppy. When you get your puppy home, start off by giving him or her a couple daily short walks on the leash or playing ball in the backyard. This will help to begin to build a routine. Build up to more exercise slowly. Routine is the key word. Playing in the house is o.k. too. Playing with other dogs is good but do not let a puppy play to exhaustion. A puppy cannot live his life in a crate. He has to see the world and experience everything you can give him. Just do it slowly as not to injure his fragile bones and joints. Stifling-- Especially in young dogs- letting your dogs jump. Jumping off anything; couches/sofas, beds, chairs, etc. Standing on the hind legs all the time like on a fence or coming down on them playing Frisbee or going up and down steps many times a day. Stifling of the front leg joints and hind legs will cause problems in your pup or adult dog and is the main reason for joint problems in young dogs and later in life. Owners themselves ultimately have the responsibility to maintain the health of their dog. No matter what anyone tells you, research proves it's just not genetics anymore……..and that's a FACT! Additional Reading: www.puliworld.com/hips/html www.leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm Books available from www.leerburg.com on diet; Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs by Lew Olson Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats by Kymythy R. Schultze, CN, C.N.C. Raw Dog Food by Carina Beth MacDonald The Barf Diet by Ian Billinghurst Give Your Dog A Bone by Ian Billinghurst Book available on www.leerburg.com on vaccines; Shock to the System by Catherine O'Driscoll