White dog taking a mud bath! Believe it or not, 2 hours later the mud had dried and fallen off of Luna. Not exactly a clean dog, but recognizable as a white dog.
So as you take your Peyton Golden puppy home, I want to give you some tips.
Nails: Don't let nails get too long. Imagine walking in shoes that are too tight all the time. The puppies nails have been clipped every 3 days since birth. Continue clipping or Dremeling 1 or 2 nails every day to keep them comfortable with it. My advice is to invest in a cordless Dremel. (The real thing. Not a cheap knock-off.) It takes off the nail little by little so even if you get distracted mid-nail, the puppy has time to let you know before you've gone too drastically far.
Feet: This is the biggest challenge for Golden Retriever owners. That fur can bring in a lot of mud. The fur on the bottom of the paws, between the pads can add an extra 3/4" of mud carrying potential. Clippers or scissors will work to trim the excess hair down level with the pad. For the rest of the leg, there's a new product on the market, the Dexas Mudbuster, that works pretty well. Basically a large cup with silicone bristles inside, you put the dogs foot in, give it a swirl or 2 and the leg comes out clean. Be sure to do some training before filling it with water. Paw in, treat, paw out.
Privates: Puppies are so low to the ground, that when they pee, they can pick up a UTI. Peyton Golden puppies have been supplemented with NaturVet Cranberry Relief. Continue that until they're about 4 months old. If you're having alot of trouble with potty training, a UTI could be the problem. Also, very carefully trim the hair around their privates to help prevent it from touching the ground when they pee.
Body: Make brushing and combing a regular part of your time together. If it's cuddle time for the puppy, they'll always associate grooming with quality time with their special person. Find a brush that feels good to them. Our favorite is a wooden bristle brush. Honestly, daily would be great, but isn't necessary. Even once every other week will keep the mats at bay.
Bathing: With a gentle, dog specific shampoo, it's ok to give them a bath pretty often. I usually try wait to schedule baths after an especially dirty activity. Training tip: smear peanut butter on the walls of your bathtub to make it fun and easy. Just be sure that your peanut butter is natural and has no sorbitol or xylitol. Those sugar substitutes are toxic to dogs.
There's nothing like the almost luminescent glow of a clean, shining English Cream Golden Retriever in the sun. Enjoy that moment. It's worth the bit of extra effort that they require.