Random Tips
Start "molding" you dog as soon as possible. For example, if you want your dog to be absolutely harmless to your kids, let your kids play with the puppy from day one. Yes, the kids will stick their fingers in dog's mouth (some kids are actually caught eating out of dog's bowl), they will take dog's food away from the puppy, etc. Let them work things out! This way, your dog will absorb all that as a rule and, when all grown up, the dog won't growl at your kids when they try to mess with the dog's bowl. Surprise: Golden Retrievers are Number 1 biters in the US. Don't let your kids be rough with the dogs though) It's a two-way road: pups learn from kids, kids learn from pups.
Our Pledge
NO
INBREEDING!
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For The New Owners
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 If you are thinking about purchasing a Golden Retriever Puppy from Leia's litter, then this is the section for you! Even if you're thinking about buying a pup from someone else, you still will find plenty of useful material on this page.
Read about conditions and terms of sale, health guarantee, puppy package, and everything else that concerns the sale of puppies, including tips on living with your Golden Retriever, training, feeding, grooming, and much more. Hope this information will help you and your new Golden friend!
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Although Golden Retrievers are in many ways the ideal family pet, there are disadvantages to owning one, and some breed characteristics that may make them not the ideal breed for some families: 
Hair - Lots of hair! In general, Goldens shed profusely twice a year and shed at least a little all the time. If you or anyone in your house is fastidious about dog hair on the floor, furniture, clothes, and yes, occasionally on your dinner plate, a Golden is not the right pet for you! Brushing and combing every couple of days can make a tremendous difference in the amount of hair you find in the house; and when the “big coat blow” comes, bathing in warm water, blow drying and a couple of hours with a comb can get quite a lot of it over at once. There will always be some around, however.
Exercise - Goldens were developed as a sporting breed, and usually need at least a good long walk (thirty minutes) or jog every day; with some play or work sessions (retrieving, chasing a ball, etc.) thrown in as well. (Puppies under the age of 1-1/2 to 2 years shouldn’t run beside a bike or jog long distances.) Swimming is wonderful exercise for Goldens of all ages.
High Need for Companionship - One of the very things that is most delightful about the Golden Retriever to some people, can make it not the right breed for others. If you want an independent pet, or are bothered by big brown eyes staring you and a dog nudging you asking to be petted a large percentage of the time, the Golden Retriever is not right for you. Goldens are very pack oriented; they need to live with their families and not be isolated in a backyard, run or garage. They'd rather stay with you inside than be outside. It is true. Goldens are that way. They will follow you around the house. They will stick their noses in your face while you're watching TV. They will come to you into your kitchen and check what's cooking. They are extremely people-needing dogs. A bored or "heartbroken" Golden can easily become a problem barker, landscape destroyer or an aggressive chewer.
Size - Goldens are considered in the dog world to be medium-sized animals, but many people think of them as big dogs. Their tails are just about the right height to make a clean sweep of the coffee table! While Goldens are wonderful with children, they grow quickly and can be quite rambunctious during puppyhood and adolescence. An adult needs to be in charge of training and caring for the dog.
Expense - It costs a lot more to own a dog than most people realize! The normal equipment and feeding expenses, as well as normal veterinary care even if your pet doesn’t have any illness, will run several hundred dollars the first year. Food, leash, collar, shampoo, flea treatment, vaccinations, heartworm treatment, obedience training classes; it all adds up. I will be addressing these "issues" in my blog.
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Such a good question!
Have you ever met a dog who's afraid of vacuum?
Have you ever met a dog who hates cats?
Have you ever met a dog who's afraid of gun shots, lawn mowers, automatic garage doors, car rides, etc. etc.?
That's the dog that grew up with poor socialization or none at all.
For a breeder, it is not enough to mate two dogs, clean up some poop after the pups and then sell them in order to create a good dog.
For a new dog owner, it is not enough to buy a puppy, bring it home, feed it and watch the dog grow.
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Although the number of dogs euthanized in shelters is a small fraction of the estimates that have been bandied about for years, there are still too many healthy dogs dying because their owners can't find them and too many owners heartbroken at the loss of their pets. There are also lots of stray dogs that wind up in rescues, no-kill shelters, and with new owners because the original owner cannot be located. Statewide dog license laws are supposed to help return lost dogs to their owners, but they don't work very well. Few people obey the law, and many dogs lose their collars and tags somewhere between the yard they escaped from and the truck that carts them to the shelter. Owners of purebred show and breeding dogs have long used tattoos to comply with the rules of identification of the American Kennel Club and to provide permanent, visible identification should their dogs get lost. Many pet owners also tattoo their dogs to prevent loss. But tattoos have a drawback as well; although they cannot get separated from the dog as tags can, they can be hard to find and read if the dog is frightened, aggressive or has a heavy coat, so few shelters make the effort. |
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 We are against inbreeding and linebreeding. There are reasons why inbredding is bad, one of them - it is wrong in humans, and it is wrong in dogs as well. I guess I may change my mind if the breeder is a genetic engineer and knows exactly what he's doing. Other cases are just the hunt for the money, in my personal opinion. Even if you will buy a puppy from someone else, please, see the pedigrees of the parents BEFORE buying a pup of any breed. Any dog owner will want to take the best possible care of his or her companion. For Golden Retrievers, that can be a challenge. Because of their popularity they've had a long history that has involved a fair amount of inbreeding.
As the matter of fact, Goldens are the most inbred dogs due to it's popularity. You should be especially careful when you see both parents on site (when Dam and Sire have the same owner). Mating a bitch with a stud that is too closely related increases the odds of emphasizing certain genes. The chances of those genes combining is increased the more the pair share similar ones. That enhances the odds for both desirable and bad characteristics. For example, mating a male and female who both have dominant genes for a certain color or type of coat will substantially increase the odds of the pups sharing that. But the odds are increased for both good and bad, unfortunately. A pair who are both prone to hip dysplasia, for example, a common problem with Goldens, are much more likely to produce one or more pups with that condition. The result over the past 120 years that Golden Retrievers have been a distinct breed is a large number with various weaknesses. Hip dysplasia and certain kinds of cancers are among the two most common. But each breed will have its weak and strong points. Golden Retrievers are no more prone in general to health problems than any other breed.
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There are no white purebred Golden Retrievers as this breed does not come in a white variation. They can be very pale cream in color but are never white. Some breeders call their dogs Rare White Golden Retrievers or English White Golden Retrievers but they are in actual fact extremely light colored and not pure white. This is done in order to make these dogs sound like a rare variation of the breed or to encourage buyers that prefer white dogs but White Golden Retrievers are either light gold or cream in color. Purebred Golden Retrievers have certain standards and excessive amounts of white on the coat would count as a fault against the dog. There are many breeders who claim to have White Golden Retrievers in order to sell their pups at a higher price. The color of the dog should not really matter to someone who is looking for a pet to join their family but people can be led astray by promises of unusual white colored dogs. But the color of the dogs are just preferences and do not affect the temperament of the dog. If you are considering buying a pup and the breeder in question is offering a White Golden Retriever then it may be necessary for you to enquire about genetic testing and that the pups and the parents of the pups have appropriate papers declaring their thoroughbred status. If you are simply looking for a pet and not a thoroughbred or show dog then beware of breeders who charge higher prices for paler colored retrievers. |
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It's Flattering!
:)
Natasha, sending you a few pictures of Rogue. She is very healthy, no problems at all. She is full of energy and must be worked every day or she digs in the yard. But other than the digging, she is great. Loves retrieving and we are currently working on bird hunting skills. Thanks! ~Tony, Becca & Rogue (Apr'10)
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