Dating their heritage to Scotland, golden retrievers were founded by Baron Tweedmouth who was initially Sir Dudley Marjoribanks.
Initially, his idea was to achieve a breed that would swim and recoup game from water bodies, while also acting as his aid dog during his hunting activities.
Due to their stunning beauty, friendliness, calmness and playful character, golden retrievers make an excellent dog breed. They are, for this reason, the most preferred dog breed globally.
When engaged properly and effectively, goldies can make excellent playmates.
By engaging them in different mental and physical activities, you can help maintain their mental and physical well-being at the highest possible levels.
You also stand to gain from the activities, as your mental and physical well-being is also catered to.
Golden Retriever puppies love to play
This article explores the many activities you can engage Goldie and maintain his optimal physical and mental health.
Car Rides
A car ride is a good activity to engage a golden retriever since it makes them accustomed to traveling. Car rides help alleviate fears of the car and develop acquaintance with different environments as well as other people. This comes in handy when going on a family trip or visiting your vet. Start with short rides and increase the distance; the dog will develop a love for it as time goes by. To make it fun and pleasant, have a dog seatbelt to prevent them from injuries in case of instant brakes.
Walks and Hikes
Walks and hikes are another great activity to engage golden retrievers. As you walk your furry friend, you also have a chance to burn some calories and catch a fresh breath of air. Walks help keep their physical health in optimum levels while hiking enhances their hunting instincts. Start with shorter distances and less challenging trails and increase the distance as the dog develops a love for the activity.
Swimming
Naturally, goldies are great swimmers, meaning they will learn faster than you may imagine. Swimming is good for bolstering the muscle health of your dog while at the same time honing their retrieval instincts. You can try throwing toys in the water and letting the Goldie retrieve them. You can also try to teach them how to swim. When in the pool, be sure to start at the shallow end and let them wade in. Also, have a safety vest for the dog and be ready to intervene if need be. Also, remember to keep the sessions short, 5-10 minutes since the activity is exhaustive.
Playdates
Playdates involve taking your dog out in the company of other dogs and their owners. This activity helps your Goldie develop confidence around other dogs and people. In addition, it helps stimulate your dog emotionally when taking orders. When considering this activity, ensure the dog is properly vaccinated so that they do not compromise the safety and health of other dogs and people at risk.
Training Sessions
Training sessions are the best activities to engage your dog in. It is during these sessions that they get to learn good behaviors and house rules. You can engage them in sessions for basic training using simple words like sit, go, come, and stop. As you teach these, be consistent with your commands and teach them each command at a time to avoid confusion. You can also accompany them to a training session. Here, your presence will make them more comfortable and they will be eager to learn. Remember to have some treats to reward your Goldie for any successfully learned behavior and commands.
Tug-Of-War
This is another great bond-building activity you can try with a golden retriever. With the dog holding one end of a toy rope and you holding the other, it can be very fun and engaging. As you both pull the rope, you both benefit from strength-building and mental stimulation. As you do that, be sure not to entertain aggressive behavior as this might come to haunt you later.
Grooming Sessions
Good grooming is among the many ways of maintaining the perfect health of your furry friend. As you trim their nails and wash and brush their coat and teeth, you have a perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond with the dog. Besides, you will also be making them develop a love for care, something that makes it easier during vet visits.
From grooming sessions, car drives, tug-of-war, duck diving, and playdates to walks and hikes, the list of activities to try out with golden retrievers is endless. Whatever, your choice of activity is, you should start slow, be patient and keenly observe their response towards each of them.