My English Golden Retriever - "Belle"

By Jenni Sharpe
When I got Belle my Golden Retriever 5 1/2 years ago I had no idea how she would transform my life. I thought long and hard about getting a dog and my husband Adrian and I debated about which breed to get that would fit with our life style. I kept coming back to Goldens as they epitomize what "dog" is to me and when I see them my heart always opens (a good sign I thought). They are loving, have a good temperament, are the right size - not too big or small, generally healthy and with great ability to learn and please.
I considered getting a golden retriever rescue dog but felt I wasn't ready at that point to take one on. Having decided to go with a breeder I looked up the Golden Retriever Club of America and found one in my area.

As you can see we picked a sweet little girl who we named "BELLE" ("beauty" in French). Her given litter name is 'Lochanora Glenkinche' and she was born on Christmas eve, 2001

My Golden Retriever puppy

To keep her healthy and to play and teach, I have found a few products that help a lot. The Kong Toys are excellent for her teeth and fetching these may be purchased here, Kong Dog Toys - The Most Popular Rubber Dog Toy Today! as can the Nylabone products (highly recommended by my Vet) which I also use.

As with all animals (we also have two cats) keeping them healthy is a top priority. I have found that Solid Gold SeaMeal Powder is an excellent supplement, we noticed a great improvement their coats right away. you can see more about it here: Solid Gold SeaMeal Powder. We take her for a wonderful walk everyday which has helped us to keep healthy also.

As with any animal a visit to the vet is always a possibility and the costs can be a lot at certain times. I feel that for my own peace of mind having pet insurance is a worthwhile expense. Here is a link to an insurance provider where you can look at the different options. Pet Insurance