A successful introduction starts with setting both dogs up to feel safe and supported. With the right environment and guidance, you can turn first hellos into calm, confidence-building experiences. 🌿 Choose a quiet place – a calm bush track or reserve is easier to navigate than a busy park. ↔️ Create space – distance helps dogs settle and adjust before moving closer. 🐾 Position wisely – let the less confident dog follow. This reduces eye contact and keeps pressure low. 👀 Notice their body language – head turns, sniffs, or lip licks show they’re regulating and coping. 🎯 Support with your clicker or marker – reinforce disengagement and help them bounce back before tension builds. ⏳ Go at their pace – steady, thoughtful progress builds trust and makes future interactions smoother. ✨ Introductions aren’t about rushing. They’re about creating comfort, choice, and the chance for genuine connection . Bensound – License code: FZXIKSKKTPNDQPPC | Artist: Benjamin Tissot

Can you notice when you dog is being avoidant or asking for space ?

✨ Thinking about a Golden Retriever puppy? Goldens are beautiful, gentle companions but they are also at higher risk of certain health problems like hip dysplasia, cancers, and heart disease. That’s why it’s so important to ask the right questions before bringing a puppy home. 🧬 Spay, Neuter & Hormones Spaying reduces the risk of mammary cancer and prevents pyometra. Neutering prevents testicular cancer. But early desexing in Golden Retrievers is also linked to a higher risk of hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, and joint disease. The healthiest option for many Goldens is a delayed neuter (after 12–18 months) or alternatives like an ovary-sparing spay (OSS), which prevents uterine disease while keeping hormones to support joints, bones, and reduce risks of other cancers. 👩‍⚕️ Health Testing First Responsible breeders test hips, elbows, eyes, and heart, and use DNA to rule out inherited conditions. Annual specialist eye exams and cardiologist checks protect against diseases that can’t be spotted with a swab. 🌳 Family Tree & Lifespan Paperwork should go beyond certificates. A good breeder is open about the health and lifespan of parents, grandparents, and siblings. Did they live long, cancer-free lives? Or is cancer common in the line? This transparency helps you understand your puppy’s true risk. 🏡 Environment & Early Life Puppies should be raised in the home, not kennels, and benefit from structured socialisation programs such as Puppy Culture or ENS. These give puppies the best start, helping them become confident, resilient companions. 📑 Contracts & Support Ethical breeders provide written health guarantees, clear vaccination and worming records, and lifelong support for the puppies they bring into the world. Under consumer protection law, you have the right to expect this transparency. 🌟 The Takeaway Spay/neuter choices matter. Health testing matters. Family history matters. Environment and breeder ethics matter. When all of these pieces come together, you give your Golden the best chance at a healthy, happy life. 🤍

Our dogs are not aggressive all the time, nor are they reactive. How do you define your dogs behaviour?

Knowing what a healthy dog looks and feels like is one of the most powerful safety tools we have. When we notice changes – sore paws, stiff movement, skin irritations, tummy upsets – we can understand behaviour shifts for what they are: signs of discomfort. Now add children into the picture. Their moods and emotional meltdowns can feel unpredictable to dogs, and when combined with pain or stress, this can increase risk. That’s why management and compassion matter so much. Management keeps children and dogs safe in those heightened moments, and compassion reminds us that every growl, flinch, or change in behaviour is communication, not disobedience. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s awareness, empathy, and creating safe spaces where dogs and children can live alongside one another with trust. 🌻🐾