The secret to a great relationship between child and dog lies first in choosing a suitable breed. Here are 3 dog breeds that will make a fabulous friend for life.

Golden Retriever – These dogs are gentle, kind, people-loving dogs who will greet even strangers with a beautifully feathered wagging tail. They are elegant in appearance with strands of golden hair throughout their coat that make them shimmer in the sunlight.

Available in dark red (even though this color is not recognized by the AKC), a medium brown, or blond, you are sure to find a color that is appealing. They also come in a wide range of sizes with females being slightly smaller than males. The standard weight is 75 pounds, but you can find Goldens in all sizes. They are one of the smartest breeds which makes them a joy to train. Their eagerness to please is a perfect compliment to their great intelligence.

Some tend to be high maintenance in terms of skin issues and grooming, but these dogs are absolutely worth every moment of care you give as they will return your attention with love 10,000 fold.

You’ll need a strong ego to walk into a room with this dog, as all eyes will be on the Golden. If you decide to get a Golden Retriever for your child when they are both young, your child will find no greater friend.

American Cocker Spaniel – This is the breed that Walt Disney made famous overnight in Lady and the Tramp. Lady, of course, was the beautiful Cocker Spaniel with compassion, grace, and beautiful manners. This describes Cocker Spaniels in real life too.

Small in stature their weight range is between 15 and 30 pounds and are generally 16 inches tall, give or take an inch. They have a luxuriously silky coat, long ears, a docked tail, and sweet facial expression. They come in solid brown or black, and many other color combinations too numerous to mention in this article. Research online or at your local library will give you a starting point for all the possible colors from which you can choose.

Their silky coats do require maintenance, and because they are prone to ear problems, keeping their ears cleaned is a must. They also require daily exercise to maintain their proper weight. But a small yard will easily satisfy this requirement. Training, formal or informal, is a good idea to establish the pack leader, and help your Cocker be a well mannered family member.

The Cocker is considered by the American Kennel Club (AKC) to be the number 2 dog breed in America. A properly cared for Cocker Spaniel can live up to 15 years and will make an elegant pet, companion, and friend for your child.

English-Style Labrador Retriever – Well built, intelligent dogs that are exceptionally good with children, Labs come in 3 solid colors-yellow, black, and chocolate. Most weigh in at 70 to 80 pounds with females being slightly smaller. Their coats are fairly easily maintained as they are short-haired without feathering.

Obedience training is recommended while it is still a puppy to establish behaviors that will make it a great pet for your child. Bred as working dogs, they need plenty of exercise and a fairly large yard to keep them happy. They will retrieve anything for as long as you have the strength to throw it. And they are thrilled if retrieving takes them into water as they are strong swimmers.

The English-Style Labrador tends to have a better health record because it is more selectively bred to avoid such conditions as hip dysplasia, elbow defects, and cataracts.

Keep in mind that, like people, each dog has individual characteristics which may not conform to breed standards. Consulting a breeder about the dog you are considering will go a long way towards helping you choose a specific dog from the litter that is best suited for your lifestyle and your child.

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Dinner Time

- Dogs should be fed on a set schedule. One of the most important puppy training tips is to feed your dog at the same times every day. This makes it much easier for house breaking. Keep in mind that most puppies need to eat at least 3 meals a day in order to supply the calories that their growing bodies need.

- Feed your dog a high quality diet. This is twofold – one, higher quality dog food will provide the nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. Two, a higher quality dog food creates less and better formed stools, reducing the number of accidents that your dog will have.

- Do not free feed your dog. What goes in must come out, and if you are free feeding your dog, you may not be home when this happens. Free feeding can also lead to obesity and other health problems.

Puppy Potty Training Tips

- Keep your dog on a potty schedule. An essential puppy potty training tip for house training involves a schedule. A schedule for going outside to use the bathroom makes it easier for your dog to anticipate when he or she will be able to go out next, and it help eliminates the risk of accidents. -

- Take the dog out in immediate “gotta go” situations. There are some situations that a dog will need to go to the bathroom – immediately after waking, eating, being crated, or in times of great excitement.

“Bad” Dog Training Tips

Much of puppy training involves preventing unwanted behavior. Here are some dog training tips that will make it easier to make your dog a model citizen.

- Set your dog up to succeed. Dog training tips without common sense will be counter productive to your dog training efforts. Make sure your dog does not have access to things that you do not want them to chew on.

- Do not give your dog items of clothing to play with. Your dog does not know the difference between playing tug of war with an old sock and playing tug of war with your brand new pair of pantyhose.

- Rotate toys. Like children, dogs can get bored with the same toys over and over again. Rotate toys as part of your dog training to help keep them fresh, and replace toys that have become broken or excessively worn.

Correction Dog Training Tips

Your dog will need correction at some point of your dog training. Tips to help with this include:

- Only use positive reinforcement. – Ignore bad behaviors like barking for attention.

- stop behavior unexpectdedly. Interrupting behavior at the same time and in the same way will cause your dog to ignore you.

- Redirect unwanted behaviors. If your dog is starting to jump up, tell him to sit and reward him for sitting. Replace inappropriate chew toys, like shoes, with appropriate toys instead.

By taking the time to conduct appropriate dog training, you will enjoy a lifetime of relaxed companionship with your new best friend.

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Grooming your Golden Retriever is a time-consuming process. Grooming should be done at least once, preferably twice, ever week. You can expect to spend about one-half an hour in the grooming process. The first step in the grooming process is a good brushing. Brush the entire body, from head to tail. When you’ve finished brushing, you can use a comb to remove any remaining loose hair and help distribute oils evenly throughout your Golden Retriever’s coat. While you’re accomplishing hair removal, you can also inspect your pet’s roots and skin for ticks and fleas or skin irritations. This will also be a good time to inspect his ears to be sure they’re clean and healthy and trim his nails.

You should give your Golden Retriever regular baths, too. Though it’s a little complicated, the path will keep his coat and skin in good condition and reduce your exposure to allergens. After brushing to get rid of tangles and loose hair, bathe your Golden Retriever with a shampoo designed specifically for dogs. Human shampoos are too harsh for a dog’s sensitive skin. You’ll find that two baths a month will be sufficient to maintain your Golden’s coat. If you do it consistently, your Golden Retriever’s coat will be easier to brush and clean.

Because Golden’s have longer fur, it is important to prevent matting. Daily brushing will accomplish this best, especially if you use metal combs or brushes. Taking the easy way by cutting the matts out is not advisable, as it could injure your pet, and it will certainly detract from his naturally beautiful coat. Avoid using scissors for grooming. Brushes and baths are the best way to prevent matting and maintain your Golden’s health.

Trimming your Golden Retriever’s nails regularly is also important. Too-long nails are bad for your dog’s health. They can split and bleed profusely. They can change the shape of the foot and cause other joint problems if they force your Golden Retriever to walk so as to protect the too-long nails.

If you have never done it before, it might be wise to take your Golden to the vet to learn how to do it properly. Most dogs don’t like having their nails clipped, and you may pick up some good hints on how to do it without a struggle. When you do clip your Golden’s nails, you should be aggressive, trimming them about 1/16 inch or 2 millimeters, from the quick. You can expect to see some bleeding now and then, so keep some styptic power nearby. You’ll probably need to undertake this task every few weeks.

Now, about your Golden Retriever’s ears. Their ears are easily infected if you don’t clean them regularly. Ear infections are very painful for dogs, and you’ll want to assure your Golden is free of this health risk. Symptoms that may indicate ear infections include head shaking and scratching the ears, painful reactions when the ears are touched, discharges or foul odors coming from the ears, and blisters, swelling, or redness on or around the skin. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should take your Golden to the vet before the problems get worse or become irreversible.

You should clean his ears once a week using a commercial ear-cleaning solution to prevent infection. Many people don’t realize that hair can grow inside and into dogs’ ears. Use a hemostat to carefully remove any hair inside the ear canal. Then use cotton or a cloth with the cleaning solution to gently clean no further than one-half an inch into the ear. Do NOT use Q-tips or alcohol to clean your Golden’s ears. And do not use water or a syringe to clean his ears. Leave this delicate and sometimes dangerous task to the vet. If you use tools like a hemostat, be sure they are sterile.

Good, regular grooming is essential to the health and well-being of your Golden Retriever. It takes some time from your daily routine, but it also helps you bond with your pet. If you don’t have the time, you should take your Golden Retriever to a dog-grooming professional. Now matter how you do it, you must assure that your Golden receives regular grooming and baths.

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