Hello! New golden retriever owner seeks friendly help!

[lainiekazan]

Just bought golden retriever puppy, who will be arriving on May 16th. Very excited and very apprehensive!

I have trawled through all the old threads and wonder if Solo2 is still about, as some years ago she got a retriever pup and seemed similarly to be in a "new mum" state. [It's ridiculous - I can't remember doing hours of research before the arrival of ds!]

Specifically, what exact size cage/crate do I need to buy? There was a recommendation on a previous thread, but the link no longer worked. When I bring the puppy home (not too far), do I need a separate crate for the car? I have a Golf so can't fit in a very large crate.

And insurance - the choice is bewildering. Some say not to get it at all whilst the dog is a puppy but to save money for emergencies. If I were to buy "lifetime" insurance, does that tie me to one provider who may raise the premiums ludicrously year on year?

[Floralnomad]

Congratulations on your new arrival . I've no advice about crate sizes for the house but if you only have a smallish car perhaps you'd be better with a car seat harness as it seems a waste of money to buy a crate for the boot that he will only be able to use for a few months before he out grows it . Insurance is a very personal thing and needs lots of research , but is a must if only for the third party cover should your dog cause an accident.

[HarlotOTara]

Hi,

I have two golden retrievers, I had a large cage for mine when they were puppies (not together - not that mad). The first breeder told me to feed the puppy in their crate as they wouldn't wee and pooh in it which was true. There was room for a bed and a place for the food. I stopped using the crate when they were both six months or there abouts but I have a friend who still uses hers for her adult dog. In the car I just have a grill between the boot and back seat - parcel shelf removed. However my dogs don't go in the car that much as no real need to.
I think mine are insured with Direct Line and we pay monthly.

Really envious of you having a puppy, hard work but adorable, feel quite broody

[HarlotOTara]

Ps when I brought mine home, the first time we had a box and I sat in the back with the dog next to me. Second time my eldest dd had the puppy on her lap and I drove very slowly. Puppy slept for the whole journey.

[lainiekazan]

Thanks for replies.

I can't sit in the back with the dog as I'll be driving the car!

[idirdog]

I would recommend that more than one person goes to collect the puppy.

Someone to hold the puppy on their lap and someone else to drive. I would have a towel on my lap just in case of travel sickness.

You will need some kind of restraint in your car for safety. A car accident with a fully grown retriever could kill someone in the car if the dog is not restrained by some means. Personally I do crate in the car but you could use a rear dog guard or seat harness, With a hairy wet goldie you may prefer to have them in the boot with a guard.

Insurance I always insure puppies, they seem to all need some kind of vet treatment. I would go for life cover but be careful live does not mean life anymore in all policies so read the small print carefully.


You can get crates that have dividers so that the crate can grow with the puppy. You need to crate smallish when they are little or else they may go to the other side of the crate to wee. Look on ebay I know nothing about this company though but shows a cage with a divider here

[tabulahrasa]

I brought mine home in my cat carrier, then he had a harness and I don't know what I'm going to do next as he's outgrown my car, lol.

The difference between lifetime cover and annual cover is nothing to do with renewal or having to stay with them - it's how long they will pay out for medical issues. If your dog has say a heart condition, lifetime cover will pay for it forever, annual cover will pay for treatment for one year.

Puppies can still run up massive bills - mine is 9 months old and I've had to claim about £3000.

[Whoknowswhocares]

I'm just a few weeks ahead of you! My goldie is now 13 weeks old.
Cage for the house - medium ok for a girl, large for a boy pup and will then still be ok when adult
In the car I've started with a small crate just while she gets used to it. Sadly she has nearly outgrown it already so not sure i could recommend it as a wise purchase!
Insurance. Deffo get lifetime cover. My vet recommended we get the very highest level to start with (petplan for me)until she is a little older and her hips can be checked out a bit. Apparently it is not possible to upgrade later if a problem is found. he will test her to see the state of play and then we can downgrade if we want

[lainiekazan]

thanks v much. I knew lifetime cover was the way to go. I've done a few searches. How much are you paying, whoknowswhocares? Tesco wanted £35/month which seems a bit steep.

[HelgatheHairy]

I'm so jealous! My golden boy is 12 months now and I miss being able to pick him up to hug him. TBH I've never crated him, either in the car or at home but I've been lucky and he's never been destructive.

He is insured, luckily, as he suffers from recurrent colitis.

Other advice would be start training as soon as you get him and socialisation is also really important. My boy is over-friendly with dodgy recall so can't be left off lead in public yet which is a pity.

[Whoknowswhocares]

Haha.....more than that! 45 I think, but like I said, I will downgrade as soon as I know the likelihood of big hip problems is low. Would rather pay a few pounds extra than be landed with thousands later on!

[ILikeToClean]

Hi, we have a 13 week old doodle so will be the same sort of size. We've got a 42 inch crate with a divider, from eBay, quite cheap on there (about £35). Re pet insurance, we went with John Lewis, £28 pm, think it covers for about £7k per year, so quite good. Good luck, it's hard work but getting easier every day, and I've found the advice on here invaluable! HTH!

[ILikeToClean]

Also, re bringing puppy home, ideally you would need someone else with you, we had our pup in a box in the passenger footrest with me for first few journeys but then got a car crate for the boot, we have a Zafira and it slopes and goes lengthways down one half of the boot, iyswim. I doubt he'll fit it when he's bigger but by then he'll just go in the boot uncrated, but for now you'll need to either crate him in the boot or get a harness?

[lainiekazan]

I was thinking of a better, sturdy crate for home and a cheaper smaller one for journeys when he's small. I have a feeling he's going to be rather large (dad is huge) so he'll have to have a doggy seat belt later on.