Q: Are Hank & Sadie current on all of their shots?

A: Yes. Hank & Sadie are cared for by Countryside Veterinary Clinic here in Appleton. They are current on all shots/checkups, and Hank & Sadie each get a monthly dose of Simparica Trio, which prevents heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, fleas, and ticks.

Q: What food do Hank & Sadie eat?

A: Our dogs eat Purina Pro Plan Adult formula. It’s easy to find at major pet stores, Tractor Supply, Fleet Farm, etc. We like to alternate flavors so that Hank & Sadie stay interested in their food. They’ll get Chicken & Rice flavor one time, then Beef & Rice the next time, etc. The variety of Pro Plan that our dogs eat has a Golden Retriever on the bag, so it’s easy to remember which one to put in your cart.

Q: What food will you be sending home with the puppy?

A: This can be confusing because Purina makes close to a dozen different formulas of Pro Plan puppy food. The variety that we send home with puppies is Pro Plan Puppy Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice flavor. This blend has a picture of a Golden Retriever puppy on the bag, so it’s easy to remember. If your store does not carry this variety of Pro Plan Puppy, you can also use Pro Plan Puppy that has a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy on the bag. Both varieties are the same formula. The difference is that the shredded blend introduces different shapes and textures for the puppies to learn to eat. When puppies get bigger, around four to six months of age, owners may consider switching to a large breed puppy food or a formula for puppies that are up to two years old vs. up to one year old. It can be confusing for sure. The bottom line is, if you want your puppy to eat what our dogs eat, just look for the Purina Pro Plan with a Golden Retriever on the bag.

Q: Do you get paid by Purina to advertise their dog food?

A: We don’t get paid by anyone to recommend anything. What we endorse is what we have used and honestly recommend based on 25 years of Golden Retriever ownership & breeding. Other dog foods we have used and recommend are the 4Health brand at Tractor Supply and Diamond Puppy, which is available at Fleet Farm, major pet stores, and Tractor Supply.

Q: What supplies do you recommend?

A: You’re going to want a hair brush, actually, you’ll want two or three hair brushes to reach different layers of your dog’s coat. We recommend the Furminator, a slicker brush, and possibly a rake-style brush. If you figure out a way to monetize Golden Retriever hair, let us know. We use slow-feed bowls when puppies get old enough to use them. Puppies tend to eat so fast that they’ll occasionally throw up what they just ate, which is another reason to eventually switch to a large breed puppy food. A slow-feed bowl prevents puppy from devouring the food faster than its system can handle. You’ll want to make sure your puppy has fresh water, and Golden Retrievers like to swim, so start out with a smaller bowl or gravity-fed watering system that prevents puppy from splashing water all over the room (Hank used to love to do this). Also, you’ll want a bottle of Zymox Otic 1.0% Hydrocortisone solution. This is for treating ear infections. If your dog develops an ear infection, you’ll want the medicine on hand right now rather than waiting two days for Amazon to deliver it.

Q: What are some cleaning supplies that you recommend?

A: With Golden Retrievers, you can’t have enough vacuums. We strongly recommend the Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner for cleaning spot stains. It’s very powerful, and ours has lasted for six years with no problems. Our upright carpet cleaner is a Bissell Revolution and it is also excellent, but our specific model doesn’t seem to be sold anymore. For cleaning solution, we use OxyClean Large Area Carpet Cleaner. For pre-treating or spot cleaning, Dawn Powerspray is excellent, and ZEP makes a pet stain spray that works great.

Q: What shampoo do you use for bathing the puppies?

A: For Sadie & Hank, we use Furminator shampoo and conditioner. It helps to release hair, so that we can reduce shedding for a week or so by just brushing all of that extra fur out. Puppies don’t shed as much, so just a gentle oatmeal shampoo is a good choice. We just have a generic bottle of oatmeal shampoo that we use for the pups. Be careful not to bathe a puppy too often, or his/her skin can get dry and itchy.