NO
 
INBREEDING!

A slowed rate of growth will cause pups to be shorter and less physically developed than faster growing pups of the same age. However, adult height and body development will not be permanently altered, and these pups will eventually reach their full genetic potentials. They do this by growing more slowly, but for a longer period of time, than faster growing pups. That is, their growth curves will be more gradual and even, avoiding the steep, unnatural acceleration that is produced by overfeeding. 

The rate of growth can be influenced by the type and amount of food that the puppy eats. Culturally, most of us have been conditioned to believe that nutrient and calorie dense “Puppy” foods are beneficial to a pup. But in fact these can be harmful, for they are often in opposition to how Nature intended young canines to eat and grow. Thousands of years of evolution have designed dogs with an optimal growth rate that is slow and steady, and an ideal body composition that is lean and muscular. (Wild fox kits and wolf pups are not roly-poly sedentary youngsters!) The common misconception that a plump pup is healthy and robust turns Nature upside down!

Hip dysplasia means ‘badly formed hip.’ Positioned at the end of a dog’s leg bone is a ball and in a healthy dog this slots nicely into a pocket located within their hip. Dogs suffering from hip dysplasia do not possess this snugly fitting connection; the hip is badly malformed that the ball does not sit within the pocket.

1. There are several specific breeds of dog that are more prone to hip dysplasia, mainly the bigger breeds including the retriever. Golden Retriever is in that list.
2. The causes of hip dysplasia are considered heritable, but new research conclusively suggests that environment also plays a role. To what degree the causality is genetic and what portion environmental is a topic of current debate. Environmental influences would include overweight condition, injury at a young age, overexertion on hip joint at a young age, ligament tear at a young age, repetitive motion on forming joint (ie. jogging with puppy under the age of 1 year). As current studies progress, greater information will help provide procedures to effectively reduce the occurrence of this condition. In dogs, the problem almost always appears by the time the dog is 18 months old. Richard Pitcairn theorizes that the hips of young dogs are weakened by heavy vaccination. The defect can be anywhere from mild to severely crippling. It can cause severe osteoarthritis eventually.
   

Prevention, of course, is the best defense against cancer. Besides giving our dogs the healthy basics of life such as good food, clean filtered water, regular exercise and grooming, we can do many other things to keep them well. These include early spaying and neutering, providing regular exams, scheduling biannual exams for dogs 8 years and older, having frequent oral exams, and paying close attention to changes in eating and bowel habits.

Surveys show that cancer is the leading cause of death in the Golden Retriever breed, Hemangiosarcoma and Lymphosarcoma leading the list. This has brought the Golden's average lifespan down to 10½ years. While we believe they should be long-lived (12-16 years) and healthy and active during most of this time, no screening test for cancer is currently available. One approach is for breeders to select  bitches from lines where more than 75% of the dogs in the pedigree lived to at least 11 (longer than the golden average). Breeders can also research the cause of death on as many dogs in the pedigree and their siblings as possible, and additionally breed to older males who have already reached the average age. Unfortunately, this is seldom done as many want to breed to today's top-winning dogs. Rather, we need to be breeding to their sires.

What could be better than curing your dog’s cancer? How about avoiding the illness in the first place? No one has done any clinical trials or statistical studies that prove you can prevent cancer in at-risk dogs. “But common sense and clinical experience make a strong case for avoiding anything that exposes an animal to known carcinogens or weakens the immune system,” says Stacey Hershman, DVM, a holistic housecall veterinarian in Rockland County, New York.

Just like their human companions, dogs live longer, healthier lives when they eat the right foods, get enough exercise, breathe clean air, drink clean water, and stay away from harmful substances. They may also be helped by immune-boosting herbs, supplements, special foods, and a few things you might not have thought of. Here’s a review of recommendations from holistic veterinarians and other experts.

Good genes
An important first step in selecting a puppy or adult dog is learning everything you can about the immediate family – parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Some breeds are notoriously prone to cancer, and some lines within those breeds reinforce the trend. Look for good genes and good health when selecting puppies or adopting adult dogs. Look for long-living relatives!

The serious hobby breeder is your best chance of acquiring a puppy that has had the proper care put into its breeding and rearing. “Backyard breeders” are frequently well-intentioned perfectly nice people who love their dogs, but in many cases know little about health problems, proper structure and temperament, or health histories in their lines. They sometimes do not have the health clearances that responsible, knowledgeable breeders would consider the bare minimum requirements for contemplating a breeding. Pet shops are absolutely the worst choice; frequently the puppies there are the product of puppy mills, suffer from numerous health problems, and have been separated from the litter at too young an age. We believe the best pets come from litters bred by people who are actively involved with the sport of dogs in some way; ideally the breeder will belong to the Golden Retriever Club of America and a local Golden Retriever breed club (where one exists.) They should be involved in competing with their dogs in some way - in the show or obedience ring, at hunting tests or field trials, or in some combination of endeavors. These people are not breeding in a vacuum. They are exposed to competition to enable them to see how their dogs compare to others, and have opportunities to learn about the many factors that go into trying to improve the breed. While some of our dogs do go into competition or into a breeding program, most of the puppies produced live their lives as someone’s pet. You deserve a pet that is a result of a litter carefully planned for the proper structure, the proper temperament, and with attention paid to health considerations.

Things to look for:

• A responsible breeder will probably, as mentioned above, be involved with a dog club and involved in some area of endeavor with their dogs. The breeder competing in organized activities is known by others and will have a reputation to uphold.