Puppy Buyer Be Aware!

There are Golden breeders and there are Golden breeders.
Anyone can say their Goldens are show dogs.
Anyone can say their pedigree's are full of Champions.
Anyone can say their dogs have "clearances"
Anyone that is a GRCA member can say they are GRCA members, this is no guarantee they do all recommended clearances.

and the really big one:

Anyone can say their Goldens have good temperament, the Hallmark of the breed.
 

Be a knowledgeable buyer!

Know that there are ways to check on the veracity of what you are told.

You can check the AKC website (www.akc.org) to see if the dogs in the pedigree you plan to buy are indeed registered Champions, or pointed .
 

Do not feel embarrassed to ask a breeder to provide you with copies of health clearances. You can check the Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) to see if the sire and dam of your dog do indeed have hip, elbow, heart and thyroid clearances. If the other dogs in the immediate pedigree have hip clearances.

You can check the CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) site to see if the dogs do indeed have eye clearances. If they do not have CERF numbers you should insist on receiving a copy of the Veterinary Ophthalmologist report.

You should receive copies of all clearances as well as at least a three generation pedigree.

You may find pedigrees you are interested in at the k9database.

Know what the guarantee you are receiving means.

Are you entitled to a refund if the puppy you buy develops hip dysplasia? Eye problems? Seizures? SAS? Do you know that OFA will not certify a dog's hips until it is two years old? The guarantee should be for at least that long.

Are you entitled to a refund if the dog develops a disqualifying fault? Know what the disqualifying faults are, learn the breed standard.

When the guarantee says refund OR replacement are you able to CHOOSE which litter you will take a replacement from?

Who is responsible for paying to ship the dog back to the breeder?

What happens to a dog that has to be returned?

Who is responsible for Vet bills?

Does the breeder carefully screen potential puppy buyers or do you get the feeling that as long as you can pay the price you will get a dog?

Is the breeder happy to supply references of other people who own their dogs?

Buying a puppy is a long term arrangement. You should be planning on living with this Golden for the life of the dog, ten to twelve years at least.

Know what you are getting into.

Insist on full disclosure.

If a breeder is unwilling to answer your questions, or supply references RUN until you find a breeder who will.

You can find a good breeder. The purchase of a Golden Retriever to live with you for its lifetime is not something to be rushed into.

Contact the Golden Retriever Club of America.
Contact a GRCA puppy referral person.

Learn what you should know to be an informed consumer.

Read:

ACQUIRING A GOLDEN RETRIEVER

Learn how a litter of puppies should be raised and socialized. How much time and effort it takes to raise a litter.

A Golden puppy that has not been socialized and raised with a lot of attention may not become the dog you hope for.

Know that acquiring a Golden Retriever, whether a puppy or an adult, should be a huge commitment, one that will be your responsibility for many years and one that will provide you with some of the happiest times of your life and all the love you could ask for.

Please feel free to use any and all of this information to help educate puppy buyers. This information can apply to any breed.