Finding a Breeder
How do you find a reputable Breeder? Educate yourself and ask questions!!
1. Does this breeder show pictures and health clearences of all of their dogs on their website?
Does this breeder have puppies availble all of the time or will you have to wait for a little while because they
only have puppies when they can devote alot of time to them( 2 litters per year or less is common for a reputable breeder)
Are the puppies raised in the house? Does the breeder temperment test and do several evaluations that allows the breeder
to match up the right puppy with the right home?
2. Does this breeder ask you LOTS of questions about how you will care for the puppy?
Do they have an application process and a Sale Contract? Do not be offended by a breeder asking how you will care for your puppy, etc.
If the breeder is genuinely concerned about the welfare of their puppies they need to know the family purchasing the puppy will take excellent care of the puppy.
3. If you purchase a puppy from them will they supply hard copies of the clearences?
Hips are certified by OFA, Eyes anually by a certified Opthamologist, and Hearts anytime over 1 year of age by a certified cardiologist.
4. Does the Breeder Exhibit their dogs in some area of competition? There are many things you can do with a golden,
Conformation( show), Hunt tests, Field trials, Obedience, Agiliity, and Tracking.
Titles can be earned in all of these events.. What do those titles mean?
Do the dog have titles before and/or after their name? Breeders that exhibit their dogs are putting their money back into their dogs not just breeding for profit.
5. Beware of the "unique" golden. While there is a difference in the appearence of some English dogs compared to some American dogs,
American dogs originally came from the same gene pool as the breed was originated in England and all dogs in the USA can trace their lineage to their English Ancestors.
The golden retriever standard calls for the color of the coat to be any shade of Gold. A Cream color is the only color accepted by the English standard that is not accepted
by the American standard. There is not a "White, Ultra Light, Platinum, etc. Don't be fooled by fancy words and prices.
You can expect to pay around $2000 today for a quality golden retriever puppy. Paying more is not buying you a better quality puppy.
6. Look for a breeder that is devoted to the welfare of the breed, who not only clears for hips, eyes, hearts,
but researches the pedigrees for other health issues we do can not test for such as eplilepsy, megasophageous, and allergies.
7. Does the breeder have a contract and is he/she willing to take back your puppy anytime during the life of the puppy if you can not keep it.
Is the breeder willing to be there for you as a resource for questions while you have this puppy?
8. Designer dogs such as the Goldendoodle are NOT healthier, or better than a purebred bought from a reputable breeder.
These designer dogs will not ever be accepted as an AKC breed. These breeders can not compete in AKC events and are only breeding for profit.
These dogs do not have less health issues, rather they can have more because you are adding the health problems of two breeds together
( such as in goldens it is very uncommon to have PRA- Progressive Retinal Atrophy- which causes a dog to go blind between the age of 2 and 6.
Poodles are commonly afflicted with PRA, so now you have a mixed breed puppy that has potential hip, heart, cataract, epilepsy, allergies and PRA.
Since both breeds have a higher incidence of hip dysplasia you are also doubling on that herditary issue. Combining genes also means within a litter some dogs
will have more traits of a poodle and some of a golden. So some will shed just like a golden, and some will have a combined coat
that while cute as a puppy can be very difficult to deal with as an adult.
And last but not least find a breeder you are comfortable with,
in buying a puppy from this person you are establishing a relationship with that breeder for the life of your puppy which hopefully will be as long as 15 years.
Other resources:
What do all those title abbreviations before and after the dogs name mean? Click below to find out.
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