🐾 Henry & Benny Care Report — Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Tip of the Day

Start Henry's first leash lessons indoors with a "follow me" game. Clip a light leash to his harness, let it hang loose, say his name, and take one or two steps backward; the moment he follows, mark "yes" and treat right at your leg. Once he's following happily, walk forward a few steps and reward him every step or two for staying by your side, and if the leash tightens, just stop and wait for him to turn back toward you before you move again. Keep it to two or three sessions of a minute or two in the house or yard, and stick to safe spots until Modern Animal says his vaccines cover sidewalk walks. Building the habit of choosing to stay near you now is what prevents a 70-pound puller later.

Recommended Reading

• How To Leash Train A Puppy — VCA Animal Hospitals
• Leash Training: How to Train a Dog or Puppy to Walk on a Leash — American Kennel Club
• Teaching Your Puppy to Love Their Leash Equipment — Veterinary Partner (VIN)
• Make Walking Your Dog a Pleasure With These Games — American Kennel Club

Tip of the Day

Do a quick ID check today. Make sure Henry wears a flat collar with an ID tag that has your current phone number, and check the fit: puppies grow fast, so American Humane recommends checking the collar at least weekly until he's full grown, loosening it as needed. If Henry is microchipped, find the chip number in his paperwork (or ask Modern Animal to scan it), then confirm it's registered with the chip manufacturer under your name and current phone and email; AVMA notes the chip only holds a number, so an unregistered chip can't get him home. AAHA's free Microchip Registry Lookup tool can tell you which registry the chip belongs to, and asking Modern Animal to scan it at each visit confirms it still reads.

Recommended Reading

• Microchipping: FAQs for Pet Owners — American Veterinary Medical Association
• Microchips Reunite Pets With Families — American Veterinary Medical Association
• Choosing a Dog Collar — American Humane
• Puppy Collar vs Harness — VCA Animal Hospitals

Tip of the Day

Gather Henry's parents' health clearances into his records today. The Golden Retriever Club of America recommends that both parents have hip and elbow evaluations (OFA or PennHIP for hips, OFA for elbows, done at 24 months or older), a heart exam by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist, and an eye exam by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. Ask your breeder for the sire's and dam's registered names or registration numbers, look them up on the OFA website, and save screenshots alongside Henry's vaccine record. Good parent clearances lower the odds of inherited problems but don't guarantee anything, so share them with Modern Animal and ask what to watch for as he grows, such as limping, stiffness after rest, or a "bunny-hopping" gait.

Recommended Reading

• Health Screenings for the Parents of a Litter — Golden Retriever Club of America
• Selecting a Breeder — Golden Retriever Club of America
• Interview Breeders — Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
• GRCA Code of Ethics — Golden Retriever Club of America

Tip of the Day

Learn to check Henry's body condition with your hands, since the scale alone doesn't tell you whether a growing puppy is lean. Place your thumbs on his backbone and spread your fingers over his ribs: you should feel each rib easily under a thin layer of fat, about like the back of your hand, and see a waist behind the ribs when you look down from above. Puppies have a less dramatic tummy tuck than adults, so lean on the rib feel more than the profile. WSAVA's guidelines put the ideal at about 4 to 5 on a 9-point scale, and staying lean while growing is especially helpful for large-breed joints. Jot down what you feel each week and bring it to Modern Animal before changing his food amount.

Recommended Reading

• Body Condition Scores — VCA Animal Hospitals
• Body Condition Score Chart (Dog) — World Small Animal Veterinary Association
• Body Condition Scoring for Dogs: Techniques & Scales — Clinician's Brief
• Nutritional Considerations for Large and Giant Breed Dogs — VCA Animal Hospitals

Tip of the Day

Give Henry a lick mat session using part of his regular meal. Spread a thin layer of soaked kibble or his wet puppy food into the grooves (or freeze it for a few hours to make it last longer), then let him lick while you sit nearby. Licking is a slow, calming activity that can soothe a teething, mouthy puppy and pairs nicely with things you want him to like, such as crate time or paw handling. Count it as part of his daily food, supervise so he doesn't chew up the mat, and pick it up when he's done. If you ever use peanut butter, check the label for xylitol first, since it's toxic to dogs.

Recommended Reading

• Lick Mats for Dogs: Everything You Need to Know — American Kennel Club
• Enriching Your Pet's Environment With Their Food — VCA Animal Hospitals
• Behavior Management: Enrichment and Activity Toys — VCA Animal Hospitals
• A Guide to Using Food Puzzle Toys With Your Dog — American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior

Tip of the Day

Teach Benny silent hand signals for cues he already knows. Ask for "sit" while giving a clear signal, such as an upturned palm rising, then mark and reward; after several reps, give only the hand signal and reward big when he gets it. Do the same for "down" (flat palm lowering) and "come" (arm sweeping toward your chest), using a thumbs-up as a silent "good." Practice in short sessions while Henry naps. Hand signals are handy when Henry is sleeping, at a distance or in noise, and they're a great investment for later years if Benny's hearing fades with age.

Recommended Reading

• Dog Training Hand Signals: Commands and Hand Signals for Dog Training — American Kennel Club
• Deaf Dog Training: How to Train and Care for a Deaf Dog — American Kennel Club
• Training Tips & Commands for Deaf Dogs — VCA Animal Hospitals
• Hearing Loss in Senior Dogs — American Kennel Club

Tip of the Day

Check Benny's nails today: if you hear them click on hard floors, they're due for a trim. Long nails can change how a dog stands and walks, which matters for a Golden's joints. Trim just the tip with dog clippers or a grinder, taking off a little at a time; on light nails stop well short of the pink quick, and on dark nails stop when you see a gray or dark dot in the center of the cut. Don't forget dewclaws, keep styptic powder handy in case you nick the quick, and reward him after each paw. If trims are a struggle, do one or two nails a day or ask Modern Animal to help.

Recommended Reading

• How to Trim a Dog's Nails — VCA Animal Hospitals
• How to Trim Your Dog's Nails at Home — American Kennel Club
• Good Grooming: Improve Your Dog's Nail Care Routine — American Kennel Club
• What To Do When Your Dog's Toenail Trims Don't Go as Planned — Veterinary Partner (VIN)

Tip of the Day

Take a quick look at Benny's food label with heart health in mind. Researchers at UC Davis published a study of Golden Retrievers with taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, a weakened, enlarged heart) that were eating certain commercial diets, and the FDA has been investigating a possible link between DCM and grain-free or pulse-heavy foods. Tufts' veterinary nutritionists say the pattern points to diets high in pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas, beans), which can include grain-inclusive foods too, though the exact cause hasn't been proven. If those ingredients sit near the top of Benny's list, bring the label to Modern Animal rather than switching foods or adding supplements on your own. Signs like coughing, trouble breathing, weakness, or fainting always warrant a prompt vet visit, though some dogs show no signs at all.

Recommended Reading

• Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy: June 2026 — Tufts Cummings School (Petfoodology)
• FDA Investigation Into Potential Link Between Certain Diets and Canine DCM — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Taurine Deficiency and Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Golden Retrievers Fed Commercial Diets — PLOS One (UC Davis study)
• Diet and DCM Handout — UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Tip of the Day

If you have access to a safe pool, calm lake, or a canine hydrotherapy center, swimming is a low-impact way to build Benny's strength and stamina without pounding his joints. Start in shallow water, let him wade in at his own pace, and use a snug dog life jacket with a handle until you know how he swims. Keep sessions short, about 5 to 10 minutes with rest breaks, since swimming is harder work than it looks. Skip any water with scum, foam, or discoloration, because blue-green algae can be deadly, and give him fresh water so he doesn't drink the pool or lake. Rinse his coat and dry his ears afterward, which helps prevent the ear infections floppy-eared Goldens are prone to.

Recommended Reading

• Can All Dogs Swim? How to Teach a Dog to Swim — American Kennel Club
• How to Find the Right Life Jacket for Your Dog — American Kennel Club
• What Is Hydrotherapy for Dogs? Benefits and Uses — American Kennel Club
• Blue-Green Algae Poisoning (Harmful Algal Blooms) — Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

Tip of the Day

Play a "take turns" game with both dogs. Put Benny on his mat or bed and have Henry in his pen, on leash with a helper, or in the crate. Ask Henry for two or three easy things (a sit, his name, a hand touch), and while that's happening, toss Benny a treat every few seconds for staying put; then swap, and give Benny a few fun tricks while Henry gets treats for waiting. Keep it to 3 to 5 minutes, and make Benny's rewards frequent at first since watching another dog get treats is genuinely hard. It builds patience and self-control for both dogs, and it teaches them that the other dog's turn is good news, not competition.

Recommended Reading

• How to Train Two Dogs Simultaneously — Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
• Teaching a Dog to Station While Another Dog Works — Eileen Anderson (Eileenanddogs)
• A Secret for Training Two Dogs — Eileen Anderson (Eileenanddogs)
• How to Teach Your Dog to Go to Their Place — American Kennel Club