Please Read This First

Know Your Breeder!

Get to know your breeder before getting a puppy!  We cannot emphasize this enough!  Goldens are some of the most popular dogs in the US right now, precisely because they are such great dogs - for families, sport, etc.  Sadly, there are many 'breeders' who take advantage of this demand, and they breed dogs without any sense of responsibility.  

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Here are a few helpful tips to get to know your breeder better:

• Visit them on site to see how they treat their dogs, what their facilities are like, etc.

• Ask them about their breeding practices.  How many breeding dogs do they have?  How often do they breed their dams (females)?  What do they do with their dams after they are done with breeding (many sell them off to make more $$)?  What certifications do they have as breeders?  What organizations are they members of?  More questions might arise from reading the Breeder Red Flags below.

• Ask about socialization and development.  You will want to ensure pups have lots of positive interaction with humans.  What is the breeder's plan for that?  It doesn't have to be a set 'puppy development' program, but you don't want a pup who has been raised in a cage out back without any human interaction.

• Check out reviews and recommendations.  Don't hesitate to ask for a recommendation from their clients.

• Remember: no breeder is perfect.  Every responsible breeder is different.  Every litter is unique.  With every litter, we learn something new.  But there is no perfect breeder.  And there is no perfect Golden.  Hopefully, however, you will find a responsible breeder who will give you the best chance of having a healthy, socially-aware Golden.

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Breeder Red Flags!

Sadly, there are way too many Red Flags when it comes to breeders.  Some of these are very subtle and can be deceptive.

• Refuse to allow on-site visits.  Some breeders will say they are too busy, or it's a bad time or season.  Or they continually reschedule, hoping you will give up.  Don't buy it!  They are probably hiding something about their facilities they don't want you to see.  Many puppies are bred in backyard or barn kennels, where conditions are very dirty and where the dogs have no human care or interaction.

• Sending home too early.  A number of breeders will try to get their puppies gone fast.  It is a lot of work once week 5 rolls around, so we completely understand.  8 weeks is a good guide, but not a hard and fast rule.  7 weeks is acceptable under certain circumstances.  6 weeks is just too early.  (Sometimes a vet will recommend an early release for sickness or virus, which should be ok.)

• Not AKC registered.  This is typically a sign of two things... (1) It may be the dog is not full-bred.  How many times have I seen someone buy a golden only to find out their dog is not actually a golden!?  Way too many!!  Yes, this sort of thing happens, especially when puppies of different breeds look so similar.  And it can be heart-breaking for the family.  (2) The breeder may not have breeding rights.  Responsible breeders are looking out for the longevity and integrity of the breed and are very careful in who they allow to breed their dogs.  Others don't really care.  They are just interested in making quick cash.  And often they will undercut responsible breeders in price.  If you find a Golden for less than $2000, chances are you are not getting a well bred dog.  AKC registration (and OFAs) should be the minimum!

• Selling off their momma dogs.  Some breeders actually sell their momma dogs when they are done producing.  Though there are extenuating circumstances necessitating this (and certainly a family or individual would benefit from having an older dog) oftentimes these are breeders' retired dogs.  The breeder is just trying to minimize their overhead.  If a breeder consistently sells off their momma dogs, stay away!  Shameful practice in my opinion.

• Breeding more than 6 times.  AKC recommends breeding no more than 6 times in the life of the dam.  We retire our dogs after 4 times.  Check the online registration for number of litters.  If you see more than 6 litters from the same dam, run!

• Breeding too early.  A female is not breeding age until 2 years old, but they may start having heat around 6 months.  Even if the breeder tells you the age, doublecheck with AKC site to make sure.

• No OFA Certificates.  Or out of date certificates.  The standard for Goldens includes OFA certifications for Eyes (every year), Hips, Elbows, and Heart.  If these are good/normal/excellent, then you are good to go.  Responsible breeders will publish these (or at least make them available).  Why should I care about OFA Certificates?  With Goldens the above mentioned OFAs give an indication of the future health of the dog, since these are the most common genetic issues for the breed.  OFAs are performed by specialized vets and can detect early signs of bad genetics.  If the breeder does not have the above OFAs on the parents, you may pay the price for health issues later on (sometimes within months and often costing thousands of dollars).

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Know the Parent Dogs!

Check on the pedigree of the dam and sire!!  Responsible breeders will ensure the breed is maintaining a high quality of dog in their lineage.  They will have DNA testing and OFA certificates that give an indication of the dam's/sire's health.  Make sure you investigate BOTH dam and sire.  Don't just take the breeder's word for it!  Trust, but verify.  We hear story after story of dogs that have health issues at a very early age, because the owner purchased a dog from a bad breeder.  AKC registration is a good starting point, but it is not sufficient to know the health of the puppies.

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In addition, you will want to know the disposition of the parent dogs... at least the dam.  Visiting the dam prior to a litter and after she births the litter will give you a good indication of her disposition.  Also, we post on social media about our adult dogs A LOT for this very reason.  We want people to know how amazing our dogs are!! 

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15 Years!

Remember you are NOT buying a puppy!  You are buying a dog!  It's a 10 to 15 year commitment.  A puppy is cute and adorable, and what every family looks forward to bringing home.  However, the puppy grows up and gets complicated.  The puppy nostalgia fades, and the dog too quickly becomes forgotten or neglected. 

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Obedience Training

Having a Golden means you will be doing obedience training non-stop.  Lol.  You may not be at classes all the time or spending thousands on private lessons, but you do have a responsibility to ensure your dog is learning to live as part of your family.  And just like kids, who learn family rules, right from wrong, how to be mature... so our Goldens will need a similar investment.  The more you invest in helping them grow up early on... the more fun you will have when they are older.  Start training early!  10 or 15 minutes a day early on will pay dividends in behavior for the life of your dog.

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