The Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook - Hardcover

R. Ann Johnson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0878501630 ISBN 13: 9780878501632

Publisher: The Darwin Press, Inc., 2009

Synopsis

What Ann Johnson brings to the discussion in this book are very personal ways of caring for Golden Retriever puppies based on her experience, knowledge, and background in Biology. Her natural ability to listen to all points of view and her extensive background in science as an educator and researcher have proven invaluable in helping to create the best and most harmonious life for each of her Golden puppies and for each puppy’s family. Explaining the growth phases of a Golden puppy during his first year of life, Ann separates these periods into stages of development, describing the major changes that take place: Seven Weeks through Four Months Five Months through Eight Months Nine Months through Twelve Months In the comprehensive middle section of the book, she deals with health concerns: Vaccinations Feeding and Nutrition Common Health Problems Parasites Neutering and Spaying Finally, she addresses specific topics for new owners (and breeders) including a chapter about a puppy’s first visit to the vet (written by Jean H. Cunningham-Smith, VMD). This book is basically a compilation of responses to questions owners of new puppies have asked her over the course of three decades working with owners and their families. In addition, she discusses matters she finds interesting or fascinating and does not avoid discussing areas controversial in the breed: "Not everything is known about so-called genetic defects," she says. "For breeders and owners to focus exclusively on the genetic component and not take into consideration environmental influences ignores a major component of what goes into producing a healthy Golden." Most amazing of all is Ann’s devotion to her own canines and to the welfare of the breed. She is not only clearly fascinated with the lives of these wonderful creatures, but she is as closely connected to their world as she is to ours.

About this title

About the Author

R. Ann Johnson became a Golden Retriever person in the 1960s when she acquired her first Golden as a companion for her aging German Shepherd. She has been intimately involved in Goldens ever since. She is the founder of Gold-Rush Kennels, located in Wrightstown, New Jersey. Her Goldens (owned, bred, or sired) have produced more than 300 American champions and numerous Canadian champions. Her national record holders include Am. Can. Bda. Ch. Cummings’ Gold-Rush Charlie OS SDHF (Top Sporting Dog in the country and #1 Golden in 1974 and 1975, sire of 59 champions), Ch. Stone’s Gold-Rush Shilo SDHF (#1 Golden in 1980), and Ch. Lizzie’s Gold-Rush Echo OS SDHF (#1 Golden in 1985, sire of 18 champions). Two outstanding dogs, Ch. Russo’s Gold-Rush Sensation and Ch. Gold-Rush Wild Trout OS, earned the dual title CH.-OTCH. Many progeny of dogs of her breeding have excelled in obedience, as working dogs, and even as Junior, Master, and Senior hunters. Gold-Rush dogs have also been utilized as guide dogs for the blind, as narcotics- and explosive-detection dogs, and as therapy dogs. Ann holds an A.B. in Biology from Douglass College and an M.S. in Zoology from Rutgers University, where she completed her Ph.D. research in Developmental Biology. While at Rutgers she received a National Science Foundation traineeship grant and taught courses in Comparative Anatomy, Embryology, and Genetics. In the 1970s she taught at Georgian Court College and was Coadjutant Professor of Biology at The College of New Jersey, where she taught courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Developmental Biology, Embryology, and Principles of Biology. At the high-school level, she also taught Advanced Placement Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Genetics. In the 1980s, Ann turned her attention full time to maintaining and improving her Golden Retriever breeding program and was listed frequently by "Golden Retriever World" as one of the top breeders (in terms of number of champions bred each year). She maintains a special interest in educating those newly involved in and devoted to Golden Retrievers. She has helped in Animal Rescue, has judged at her Club’s Specialty Show, and has been corresponding secretary for her Club, where she has been a Board member and participated on the Committee that developed "Principles, Responsibilities and Guidelines" for Club members. Ann is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and keeps current in matters of science and scientific research through journals such as "Bioscience," "Nature," "Science," and "Scientific American." She is listed in "Who’s Who in Dogs" (Howell, 1998) as one of "a small number [of people in the sport of purebred dogs] who has made a lasting and significant contribution." A member of the Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) for 29 years, Ann has made it her goal in recent years to bring a group of talented individuals who can work together to maintain the tradition and type set forth by Gold-Rush Charlie and to improve the breed.

From the Inside Flap

Ann acquired her first Golden in the 1960s as a companion for her aging German Shepherd. She has been intimately involved with Goldens ever since. Her Goldens (owned, bred, or sired) have produced more than 300 American champions and numerous Canadian champions. Most notable of all was her national record holder, Am. Can. Bda. Ch. Cummings Gold-Rush Charlie, OS, SDHF. Ann holds an A.B. in Biology from Douglass College and an M.S. in Zoology from Rutgers University, where she received a National Science Foundation trainee-ship grant and taught courses in Comparative Anatomy, Embryology, and Genetics. She has also taught courses at the college level in Developmental Biology and Principles of Biology, and at the high-school level in Advanced Placement Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science. She is listed in "Who s Who in Dogs" (Howell 1998) as one of "a small number of people [in the sport of purebred dogs] who has made a lasting and significant contribution." About the Illustrator Karin Walter has been breeding and showing Goldens for twenty-six years and has been one of Ann s closest friends during that time. Her first Golden and first champion was Ch. Gold-Rush Sweet Adeline. Her love for Goldens and her artistic talents have been combined to produce a line of Golden Retriever artwork under the name "American Gold," which she displays at specialty Golden Retriever shows.

There is no substitute for the day-to day knowledge gained over time on a topic as varied and demanding as that of breeding and raising Golden Retrievers. A book that builds on such knowledge should be, ideally, a compendium of one person s lifetime of experience. Ann Johnson is unusually qualified to write such a book about Golden Retriever puppies. She has been breeding them for the past 30 years with great success, and her Gold-Rush Goldens are known world-wide. Her knowledge of the breed has been transformed into dogs that have entered the pedigrees of many lines in the highly competitive world of the show ring.

Explaining the growth phases of a Golden puppy during his first year of life, Ann separates these periods into stages of development, describing the major changes that take place: Seven Weeks through Four Months; Five Months through Eight Months; and Nine Months through Twelve Months. In a long middle section of the book, she deals with health concerns: Vaccinations; Feeding and Nutrition; Common Health Problems; Parasites; and Neutering and Spaying. Finally, she addresses specific topics for new owners (and breeders) each with a distinct chapter, including a puppy s first visit to the vet (written by Jean H. Cunningham-Smith, VMD).

As a biologist with professional training, Ann has an insider s understanding of the scientific aspects of animal husbandry, which is especially useful when writing about the early development of the canine. While intended for the neophyte just getting started in Goldens, this book should also interest breeders and veterinarians alike. L.C. 2004103872

Edition details

• Publisher: The Darwin Press, Inc.
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0878501630
• ISBN 13: 9780878501632
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 316