VanGoghlden Retrievers

08/09/2025

The comments about people's dogs are also pretty great! Until they make "Air lays around and makes a good therapy dog" most of mine are out.

Calling all golden retriever owners who think your good boy or girl has what it takes to be a movie star! ⭐🐾

MORE: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/nation-world/air-bud-franchise-casting/507-0b4498e2-6281-445f-903a-2157feab653e?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WTHR-TV

(📸: Adobe Stock/Tanya)

07/31/2025

The latest study was done in a grooming environment:

"Grooming procedures are often stressful for dogs due to exposure to loud noises, unfamiliar individuals, and the absence of their owners. This study aimed to assess whether classical music could reduce stress-related behaviours in dogs during grooming. Fifteen companion dogs of various breeds, aged 2 to 8 years, were observed during three grooming sessions: a control session without music, and two experimental sessions featuring classical piano compositions–Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Chopin’s Nocturne. Music was played at 75 dB to mask ambient salon noise. Stress-related behaviours were rated on a 5-point scale during bathing, drying, clipping, and nail trimming. Results showed that all dogs, but especially males, exhibited significantly calmer behaviour in the music conditions. Female dogs showed similar trends, though differences were not statistically significant between stages. These findings suggest that classical music is a simple, effective, non-invasive enrichment method that can enhance dog welfare in grooming environments."

06/21/2025

Let's talk about this photo. It's cute, except it's not. I see a dog who cannot get up without telling the child to get off. How do you think a dog is going to do that?

The 7 Golden Toddler Dog Rules:
#1: If a dog walks away from you, you DO NOT FOLLOW.
#2: Always leave room for the dog to walk away from you.
---that right there is 90+% of dog bites eliminated---
#3: We do not climb on the dog.
#4: We do not grab or pull on the dog.
#5: We do not hit or throw anything at the dog.
#6: We do not touch the dog's food.
#7: We do not go into the dog's kennel.

I promise these are not overly difficult concepts for littles, nor will they rob a kid of their bond with the family dog. It will deepen that bond, while keeping everyone safe.

"Oh, it looks like Moose is walking away from you. She is saying she wants a break. Let's play with this instead!"

"It's Moose's dinner time! Let's give her space to enjoy her yummies."

"That is Moose's room(kennel) and only she is allowed to go in there."

"If Moose wanted a break, could she walk away from you right now? No she really couldn't. Let's move away from the play house. You can keep playing but now she can leave when she wants a break."

In conclusion, ***parent your child or your dog will do it for you, and you will not like how they do it.***