Accident Prevention

Accidents that never should've happened tend to repeat themselves. Keep in mind that your dog may have unexpected reactions and think for him, paying attention to which wall or tree he's jumping over, as he can't know what lies on the other side. Some pipelines end in the grass or under a grate. Your dog can get trip over, sprain a leg or get his paw stuck in something. Teach him not to jump out of your car in a crazy way. Also consider that in a closed car, even under shade, it can get very hot and he can faint. Your dog can also get hot during long walks on sunny days. You have to have the possibility of stopping for water. You ought NOT to play the ever-so-typical stick game with your Retriever. The wood might have splinters that can cause serious injuries to his snout, and in the middle of an exciting game it could even choke on it as it can enter longwise into his mouth – ouch! If you use balls, they have to be big enough so that they can't get stuck in his throat, which would also make him choke. Another thing that can be risky is pulling on ropes or cloth because he can sprain a muscle in his back, and especially during teething period it can produce serious injuries in the teeth and gums. When a dog gets to a water mirror, it is difficult to hold a Golden back, but don't let him in without control. Glass and bottle tops on the shore, a wrongly calculated depth, rocks or logs can cause injuries too. If your dog jumps off a steep slope or a wall into the water, he most probably won't be able to get out by his own means. Besides, you need to make sure that you take off his collar so that when he swims he doesn't get stuck in it or it doesn't hook on something in the water; needless to say, if ti were to happen, it could easily have fatal consequences! Avoid as well recently fumigated fields and vineyards. Young dogs are the ones who are obviously more at risk, even in your back yard because they like to dig around and bite anything they find.

Accident "firsts": When the dog is involved in a serious accident, because of panic or shock, he might react in an unexpected way and even bite. To protect the person who is aiding him, the best thing to do is cover his snout with a cloth, leaving enough space for him to breathe yet not bite. If the wounds are deep, you should first check his vital signs: the breathing, cardiac rhythm, the senses, his sensibility and reactions.