Dental Hygiene and your Golden

The joy of owning a Golden comes with moments of absolute happiness.  A golden seeing its owner followed by incessant affection is sure to warm even the grinchiest Grinches.  However, when it comes to a dogs' breath, you may experience a less than wonderful experience in the moment.  Dogs often experience halitosis after eating something outside of their regular diet or if they are experiencing a health issue.   Here are a few tips to help you with keeping your dogs' breath and oral hygiene in top shape.

A canines' gums should be pink in color and be absent of tartar. Examine your dogs' gums occasionally to make sure there are no signs of gum disease, inflammation, or any growths.  Ensure you examine the entire gemlike including under the jowls (the flap of skin where the whiskers are growing).  Drooling excessively is an additional sign of possible oral disease.

Any sign of bad breath may be an indicator of disease.  Keep watch to see if your canine loses appetite, becomes excessively thirsty, or if  he/she urinates excessively.  If these conditions persist, a visit to the vet may be in order.

Regular dental care can have significant benefits and is actually quite easy to do for any owner.  So how to I take care of my dogs' teeth?  Brushing regularly is very important.  Standard soft toothbrushes may suffice but may be a bit rough for your canine.  Canine specific toothbrushes, which are smaller and softer than their human equivalent, are available at your local pet store.  You can use a dog specific toothpaste or use a simple paste of baking soda and water to brush with.  You should consider brushing your dogs' teeth 2-3 times a week.  Use a small circular motion on the outside of each tooth at a 45 degree angle if possible.

Other ideas to limit tartar buildup include:
- limiting table scraps form their diet
- using tartar control dog treats
- getting a chew toy

By taking these simple steps, you'll never be suffering from "doggie breath" again and your canine will enjoy years of smiles ahead....

Holiday Reminders

The holidays are a great time to reunite with family and friends, especially for those wonderful canines we own. There is plenty of food and drink around for our lovely golden retrievers to smell and attract their attention around the clock. Here are a few simple precautions you can take to ensure a safe holiday for your pet.

• Refrain from offering any table scraps to your dogs. These holiday foods, such as poultry skin and gravy, may cause severe intestinal problems and diarrhea. Also, poultry bones may splinter and cause internal bleeding.

• Remember golden retrievers are opportunistic at times and counter surf. Place your foods away from any counter or table edge. This should include any gingerbread houses or candy dishes left on any surfaces.

• Beverages such as alcohol and coffee can cause major problems for your golden depending on the amount that is consumed.

• Heart issues can arise from the consumption of chocolate so remove all chocolate from the prying noses of your dog.

• Other foods that could potentially cause tremors, seizures, and abdominal issues: bread dough, grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts.

• Xylitol - Xylitol is a non-sugar sweetener used in the creation of sugar free foods. It is highly toxic to dogs and can cause liver damage.

• Take the time to write down the contact information for you

r nearest pet emergency hospital. At a time of crisis, this handy reminder will save time and help you get your pet to the nearest emergency room veterinarian.

If your dogs is showing signs of any of the following conditions, you should seek immediate medical attention for your pet.

• lethargy, weakness, being excessively tired, depression or sluggishness
• urine color changes from yellow to orange or even red.
• vomiting
• muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heart rhythm, restlessness
• higher than normal body temperature
• excessive thirst

If the pet vomits, take a picture with your smartphone in order to show your vet. It may reveal details of what was ingested by your golden.

So during this holiday season, take a few extra precautions to ensure your golden retriever remains safe from any unexpected emergencies.

Happy Holidays from GRCGLAR.

Sources - ASPCA

Owner Turn Ins

One of the most heartbreaking moments is when a family has to make a difficult decision to turn in their dog to a rescue.  There could be many reasons for the turn-in: financial difficulties, relocation, or perhaps they can physically no longer care for the animal they love so much.  In every case, GRCGLAR is ready to commit resources to finding a new home for an innocent golden retriever. We have dedicated scouts who visit the shelters in their communities and look for golden retrievers, many of whom are owner turn-ins. We also have an established program for owners coming directly to GRCGLAR.

How does the dog behave an event like an owner turn-in? In most cases, the dog is confused and unsure of what is happening. Because they have lived with a family for a long period of time, all their common references have disappeared, such as a kennel, dog bed, or the backyard.  Often, these turn-ins occur at a shelter, which is a substantial shock in itself.  Many dogs withdraw because their familiar surroundings have drastically changed. Some don't even raise their heads or wag their tails and become anxious or restless. Small medical conditions can become large issues because of the stress a dog receives during a turn-in.

As an owner, consider finding an experienced rescue organization if you are facing the possibility of turning in your dog. Municipal animal shelters are overburdened and may not have the resources needed to re-home your pet. You can surrender your golden to GRCGLAR here.

GRCGLAR uses established protocols to rescue dogs, whether they are owner turn-ins or not. With the experience of placing over 4000 dogs in 10+ years and spanning over 39,500 square miles over 6 counties, you can depend on our organization to finding a new renewed life for your golden retriever, complete with another family full of love and care.

Dogtoberfest '14 - Gold Rush!

Dogtoberfest '14 was held Saturday October 11 and was a huge success! With over 130 people in attendance and over 95 golden retrievers, it was a sight to behold. After a brief setup, the day started off with well over 20 dogs barreling around the two pool, frolicking with tennis balls galore. Often owners had to double take to make sure their dog was their dog.

After hours of playing, it was clear many a dog was tired and there were scenes of dog naps everywhere.

An excellent taco bar was available for lunch and the aroma brought over many a golden to check out the food.  We were also very lucky to have Rita Kao, one of our executive partners in our Project Taiwan program. Rita took time out of her US trip to visit with many of our volunteers and the adopters of the dogs we have rescued from Taiwan. To date, we have saved over 110 golden retrievers from Taiwan. We thank Rita for her continued support from across the Pacific.

A special thanks goes out to Gerri Monohan, Barbara Davis, Joanne Delle, and Nancy Wright, our pack leaders who championed the event from start to finish. Additional thanks goes out to the entire Board of Directors and volunteers whose support and dedication ensured a smooth event for all in attendance. Hopefully, we'll see you next year at Dogtoberfest!

More pictures from the various volunteers can be found at the following links:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/euanc/sets/72157648650945572

https://www.flickr.com/photos/timbers_c/sets/72157648291170009/

Marvin says "See you next year!"

Oct 8 - National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

Oct 8 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, a time to determine if your canine or feline is obese (overweight). We all love our pets like children and it's important to know what factors can contribute to their overeating or overweight state.

Based on last years' survey, over 52.6% of dogs and 57.6% of cats are deemed overweight by the national standards. This amounts to over 43.8 millions dogs and 55 million cats nationwide.  Overweight pets can lead to other more serious medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, kidney disease, and diabetes.  There are plenty of nutritional approaches to combatting pet obesity so you should consult your veterinarian for professional advice and educate yourself online about pet obesity.

Read more about pet nutritional needs and calorie requirements here.  Also, you can participate in an independent national survey being conducted to determine how many of our pets are actually overweight, which may help in future treatments for our pets. You can participate free of charge here. In addition, previous years survey results are available to review.

There are plenty of tools and non-medical solutions available to help your pet live longer so please take the time to help your pet live longer.  You can also visit http://www.petobesityprevention.org for more information.

Simple changes can add years to your pets' life.

Scenes from a Jewelry Party

Our gracious partners at Beach Blvd Pet Hospital (BBPH) hosted a wonderful fundraiser last Saturday called the Gold and Silver Bash '14. The entire GRCGLAR family as well as the public was invited to exchange their unwanted jewelry during an evening of food, fun, and friendship.  In addition, Origami Owl presented some unique fashion jewelry available for purchase to all attendees.

 GRCGLAR also had a table setup for fundraising as well as passing out our famous calendars of lovely golden ambassadors.

As a result of your participation, GRCGLAR ended up raising over $1100.00 for our Rescue. A special thank you goes out to Dr Eric Lizardo and Dr Paige Lizardo for hosting the event. Beach Blvd Pet Hospital has been a partner of GRCGLAR for well over 5 years, helping rehabilitate our rescued golden retrievers in the South Coast/Orange County area.   Should you have any vet needs in the area, Beach Blvd Pet Hospital is a trusted partner in your pet's health.

If you are interested in hosting an Origami Owl jewelry party, you can contact Dr Paige directly at the following website:

http://paigelizardo.origamiowl.com/PWPmystory.ashx

Scenes from OC SPCA Western Waggin Day

GRCGLAR Event Booth

The Orange County SPCA held their annual Walk for the Animals in Huntington Beach this past Sunday to help raise money for their regional activities. The "Western Waggin Day" was a wonderful event, combining their walk with a festival complete with food trucks, music, and plenty of fun.  As a regional supporter of their efforts, GRCGLAR had a booth at the event as well as participating in the Walk.  With over 42 booths at the festival, there was plenty to see and do. GRCGLAR had about 10 volunteers at the event throughout the day and recruited over 30 people for the Walk around Central Park.

The weather was sunny but VERY HOT as a subtropical hurricane from Mexico was bringing unusually high temps to Southern California. The high temperature was 88 in Huntington Beach but our Goldens fared very well.
Despite the scorching heat, there was a fairly large turnout for the event. A special thank you goes out to Bruce and Cindy, our wonderful pack leaders of the GRCGLAR booth, as well as all the volunteers and goldens who braved the stifling heat to help the Orange County SPCA. 

More pictures will follow as our volunteers submit them this week.

Walk for the Animals

Ok, I think it's time to REST!

Shade was needed on such a hot day!