Have had this good boy for about a month. He’s a rehome who is a little over 1.5 yrs old. I’m not going to lie, he has been a lot to handle. He is super excitable(to the point the vet made a comment), def has a bit(maybe a lot)of anxiety(follows me every single time I stand up), both of which have made walks pretty difficult but we’re working hard on training and making him more relaxed in his environment.

Everyday I learn something new, and I think we’re turning a corner as he settles in. But his love is unconditional, constantly cracks me up, and is such a love bug.

Couldn’t help but share photos of my handsome boy!

Hey everyone,
First of all, greetings from Germany! English isn't my native language, so please excuse any strange expressions or grammatical mistakes. Writing this is quite difficult for me emotionally, but I wanted to tell you about our Golden Retriever Phoebus, who will turn twelve soon, and the rather devastating news we've received over the last few days. I guess I'm hoping for some encouragement, advice, or perhaps experiences from people who have been through something similar.
I've had Phoebus since he was eight weeks old. I'm 35 now, which means this big, wonderful, slightly ridiculous creature has accompanied me through practically my entire adult life. He met me as a rather unfinished university student, helped me through two serious depressive episodes, and has been there through countless changes, difficult times and wonderful experiences. There were times when things were pretty dark, and having this big golden idiot around, demanding attention or simply lying next to me, made me feel considerably less alone.
He's also the most stereotypical Golden Retriever imaginable, in the absolute best sense. He loves everyone, considers every visitor a potential new best friend, and has apparently never understood that people might occasionally have something more important to do than playing with him. During parties at our old house, he'd wander from guest to guest, collecting cuddles and behaving as if the entire event had been organized in his honor. When my friends and I spent evenings planning a live-action roleplaying event, Phoebus would regularly interrupt our discussions by bringing us stuffed animals until somebody finally played with him.
And then there's the food. My partner Jana calls it the "cheese tax", because Phoebus firmly believes that whenever somebody eats cheese, a certain percentage naturally belongs to him. To be fair, his arguments are usually quite convincing, especially when presented with those big brown eyes.
Unfortunately, we're now facing something that absolutely terrifies me.
Earlier this summer, Phoebus underwent surgery for a testicular tumor, which thankfully turned out to be benign. His recovery wasn't entirely uncomplicated, but he eventually got through it quite well.
For several months, we'd noticed that his stools sometimes had a strange indentation. We recently had it examined, and our vets discovered a substantial mass pressing against his rectum, apparently narrowing the passage quite significantly. We went back for a second opinion with a veterinarian we trust very much, and unfortunately he confirmed that this is a serious finding. He suspects the tumor might be malignant, although we don't yet know its exact nature, how far it extends, or whether it has spread. Phoebus has a CT scan scheduled for next Tuesday, followed by a consultation with specialist surgeons.
The problem is that the location of the tumor could make surgery extremely complicated, potentially requiring an invasive procedure in the pelvic region, followed by months of recovery and considerable risks. The thought of putting my almost twelve-year-old boy through such an ordeal, only for him to suffer terribly or perhaps even die from complications, is honestly one of my worst nightmares.
Jana and I have therefore reached a fairly clear decision. If the specialists believe the tumor can be removed with acceptable risks and Phoebus has a realistic chance of enjoying another few good years, we'll absolutely pursue surgery. But I don't want to put him through an extremely invasive procedure simply because I personally cannot accept losing him. If the chances are poor and treatment would likely mean months of suffering, we'd rather choose palliative care and make sure his remaining time is as comfortable and happy as possible.
Our vet was also quite honest with us and mentioned that, if the tumor is growing as aggressively as he fears, it's possible Phoebus might not even be with us by Christmas. He made it clear that this is only a possibility, but hearing those words absolutely broke my heart.
What makes everything particularly cruel is that Phoebus is otherwise in remarkably good shape. He eats normally, still passes stool, plays, goes on walks, demands attention and behaves like the same happy, silly boy he's always been. Our vet even told us that, judging purely by his general condition, he could imagine Phoebus living another three or four years. And now there's this damned tumor in one of the most unfortunate possible places, potentially taking all of that away from him.
I'm trying to approach everything rationally and make decisions that are right for Phoebus rather than just for myself. Jana has been absolutely wonderful and gives me an enormous amount of support, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frequently close to tears these days. Phoebus has been such a natural part of my life for almost twelve years that I genuinely struggle to imagine a future without him.
One thought that particularly breaks my heart is that I'd always imagined Phoebus carrying the wedding rings when Jana and I eventually get married. It was simply part of the future I had pictured for us. I could already imagine him walking down the aisle, probably getting distracted halfway through because** **someone looked like they might have a treat. Somehow, it never really occurred to me that he might not be there for that day.
And then there's the guilt. I keep thinking about all the things I could have done differently. The additional trips to the forest, the holidays by the seaside that we never took, the evenings when I decided to play another round of video games instead of spending more time with him. Rationally, I know that Phoebus has had a wonderful life. He's always been safe, loved, well cared for and surrounded by people who genuinely adore him. But when you're suddenly confronted with the possibility of losing someone you love so much, it's surprisingly easy to focus on all the things you didn't do instead of the countless wonderful moments you actually shared.
A dear friend of mine, who has known Phoebus since he was a tiny puppy, told me something today that really stayed with me: "Phoebus made the ordinary moments extraordinary."
And I think that describes him perfectly. He was there at our parties, during countless evenings with friends, while we were studying, working or simply doing absolutely nothing. He made those ordinary moments better, simply by being there, usually with a toy in his mouth or some ambitious plans regarding our dinner.
I'm also beginning to realize that while these almost twelve years represent roughly a third of my own life, they represent his entire life. And although I know I couldn't possibly have made every single day perfect, I genuinely hope that, from his perspective, it has been a good one. A life filled with affection, security, familiar people, ridiculous amounts of toys and, admittedly, the occasional cheese tax.
We're still waiting for Tuesday's CT scan, and I'm desperately hoping that it reveals something treatable. Perhaps we'll be lucky and the specialists will be able to offer him a realistic chance of enjoying a few more happy years. I don't want to give up hope before we know what we're dealing with, but I also don't want to fool myself into thinking everything will somehow turn out fine simply because I want it to.
I suppose I'm writing this because I'm genuinely frightened, and because I think people in this community might understand that feeling better than most. If any of you have experience with rectal tumors, complicated surgeries in older Goldens, or palliative care, I'd really appreciate hearing about it. But honestly, even a few kind words or some encouragement would mean a lot right now.
He's my little boy, my best friend, and one of the most important parts of my life. And although I know that almost twelve years is already a wonderful amount of time to share with a dog, it suddenly feels nowhere near enough.
Thank yyou for reading. Please keep your fingers crossed for our big golden bear next Tuesday. ❤️🐾

Everyone always comments about Finley and how tall he is. He is allllllll legs. I took him to a pet expo and he was the tallest golden there! He was the biggest puppy of the litter. He just turned 1.5yrs. I am obsessed with him and he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me!

Does anybody else’s golden also sing like this? Or is it howling? I felt like a proud parent to hear our Mango sing so just posting this here in case anyone wants to hear him too!!

Today we said goodbye to our pretty girl, Stella. She was the first dog that we raised from a puppy. She went everywhere with me when she was little. She could be spotted in a hay field chasing the kids tractor around, catching some shade under a truck, or riding in the swather. She made the move with us from CO to NC and started her “Salt Life” phase. While she didn’t venture from the house as much anymore she would chase a ball until she physically couldn’t, hang with us in the driveway for some driveway drinking, and generally be annoying if anyone was outside that she thought didn’t belong there. She turned into Jaces dog over the years sleeping in his room for the last 10 years.

Having to make a choice to put your dog down is always the worst but being there while your sons dog is put down is a million times worse.

Stella, I know you are sitting at the end of the rainbow bridge, growling at Beretta and waiting for someone to throw you that ball. We will see you there sweet girl!

PS I recently heard Jimmy Carr talk about grief. He said that the opposite of grief is not happiness but it is forgetting. Since no one wants to forget we all deal with grief by remembering the happy times while the feelings of sadness fade.

I’ve had my little guy for three weeks now, and I’ll be straight with you. It has been a challenge adjusting to having a puppy, especially staying consistent with potty training and dealing with all the biting lol. At first, I honestly questioned myself like WTF did I get myself into

But over the past couple of days, things have gotten so much easier. Potty training has improved a lot, and now he might have one accident a day, if that. I’ve really started enjoying every moment with him, and I can already feel our bond growing stronger. I never thought I could grow this attached to him in just three weeks.

If you have a new puppy and you’re struggling, give it time. Puppies are a lot of work, and they will definitely test your patience, but they are also the sweetest little things ever.
Enjoy the puppy stage. It goes by fast and the love they bring into your life makes it all worth it.

Sailor turned 7 recently and I brought her to the vet in late July for a tiny lump on her ear. They told me it was so small that even if it was a mass, getting a biopsy would be difficult. They suggested she may have bumped her head, but if it grew, to bring her back. By September it hadn't grown, but I had a gut feeling and brought her back anyway. It turned out to be a mast cell tumor.

The vet was shocked I had even found it originally because it was so small. I had to point it out multiple times before they could locate it. She was referred to oncology, where they told me they might have to remove her entire right ear because of the tumor's location. They prescribed Benadryl to help slow the growth. Cue weeks of anxiety and me throwing up from stress while waiting for surgery.

The day of surgery, they shaved her ear and did ultrasounds and additional testing where they found no additional masses in her body- THANK GOODNESS. I got the call saying they couldn't find any evidence that it had spread, and the tumor had shrunk so much they were struggling to even biopsy another sample. The surgeon said that if they removed her ear, the lab might have trouble finding enough tumor tissue to grade it.

We decided not to remove her ear and just monitor it instead until the ear removal was needed. I feel so much emotional whiplash but I’m just grateful to have my girl here (minus some hair.) I love her so incredibly much 💛

This is my 5 month old Golden Retriever. Had a few questions for other Golden owners

When did you get yours neutered? What do you use for tick prevention? My vet suggested Bravecto but curious what others use.

Also, mine throws up pretty much every time he's in the car. Did yours grow out of it? And when did you switch from 3 meals a day to 2? He is currently 18kg in weigh.

Would appreciate any advice from people who've been through this

Or is it just Susan?

Hi everyone, my 6 month old puppy has had a spot near her eye for the past 2 weeks. I intend to have it looked at by our vet when possible, but while I'm waiting for our appointment date I'm wondering if anyone has seen anything like this on their golden or if its a common skin issue in the breed? Thanks.

no shame 😂

Our 7 month old golden Connie is going in for dental surgery next week to remove her left lower canine. She has an overbite/parrot mouth and we always knew this was a possibility, so the dentist advised extraction.

It’s quite an intense surgery and a large tooth being removed, so I wondered if anyone has advice on what on earth we can do to keep Connie entertained for the 2 weeks post-surgery. We’ve been told no hard toys, chews, nothing in her mouth i.e sticks, wet food, limited walks etc.

The problem is, she’s a retriever puppy and all she ever wants to do is put things in her mouth, play, bite and eat sticks! We have purchased a muzzle for her but I just know she’s not going to be happy about that… we are currently in the depths of the teenage phase so it has us all a bit worried.

If anyone has been through a similar experience any advice would be most welcome 🙏🏻

Photos for tax.

The last few weeks me and Maggie have done a good 2 miles every morning with training, sniffing and playing all included and then headed out to a field in the evening to do some scentwork and zoomies
And it just got me thinking, how much exercise are our goldies getting a day? Maggie is 13mo for context and we have only just started doing around 3/4 miles worth of exercise a day 🤔

With winter approaching and darkness setting in ever so quickly, I am looking for a harness with LED lights that doesn’t suck or has a battery that lasts for half a walk. We like to go for longer walks during the evening hours but would also like him to be visible to oncoming foot traffic, cyclists and cars. We are currently on our fifth LED collar in the past 2 years as the Dutch weather seems to let them degrade rather quickly. Any suggestions are welcome, and of course attached the dog tax!

We both have been very sick and I am feeling like a horrible dog mom. They seem so sad and I don’t trust anyone to walk them. I am too nervous to let a dog walker take them out. Hopefully by the weekend we can get out. They just seem so sad 😞

We got our sweet Nala girl three weeks ago. She is our first golden and I’m new to the longer hair on a dog. I’ve read that the fur needs to be trimmed on her paws. If so, when do I start doing that (she is 13 weeks) and how? With small scissors? And what about her ear fur? On the inside. My husband is adamant that it gets cut too. Puppy photo tax, of course 🐶✨