Today's Topic: Golden Retrievers are incredibly popular as pets, known for their friendly demeanor and versatility. Their gentle nature makes them great family companions, and their intelligence shines in various roles, from therapy dogs to loyal household members.  

As such, what can we do, especially early on in their development, to ensure that they live long, happy and productive lives?

That's why we invited attorney-turned-dog breeder, the founder of Nicholberry Goldens, a small family kennel focused on English Golden Retrievers in Clovis, CA, and the author of the book, Puppy Brain: How Our Dogs Learn, Think, and Love, Kerry Nichols, to the podcast, to discuss the topic of Goldens and cancer, the prevalence of antibiotics and the effects on a dog's microbiome, the effect she thinks spaying and neutering has on the long-term health of Goldens, whether neutering a Golden will result in a "calmer" Golden, the hallmarks of a "breed standard" Golden, the prevalence of hip dysplasia in Goldens, and so much more!

Guest Bio: Kerry Nichols is a retired attorney who began breeding Golden Retrievers nearly fifteen years ago. In the beginning, she envisioned that Nicholberry Goldens would be devoted to developing physically healthy Goldens. But it quickly evolved into something much more important, as she began to see just how critical it was that those puppies possessed resiliency and agency. In sharing the methods she continues to use to develop emotionally healthy puppies—and her particular passion for raising therapy dogs—she has amassed a large social media following and is releasing her first book in May 2024.

Connect With Kerry Nichols:

• Website

• Instagram

• YouTube

Other Resources Mentioned In The Podcast:

• Possible Relationship between Long-Term Adverse Health Effects of Gonad-Removing Surgical Sterilization and Luteinizing Hormone in Dogs by Dr. Michelle A. Kutzler

• Pet Partners Website

• Alliance Of Therapy Dogs Website

• Love On A Leash Website