Hello Everyone :wavey:,
So I'm getting the urge to get my puppy pretty soon but everyone is telling me to take it slow and make sure I do all the right research before I make my decision. A little background about me and my history of golden retrievers...
My very first dog, Brandy, was a female golden retriever that my parents got me when I was 10. She passed away earlier this year in April and I am 27, so she was a huge part of my childhood. My parents found her from a newspaper ad so they didn't really do much research beforehand and back in 1995, the internet wasn't as handy as it is nowadays. She wasn't a 'show dog' so she had her faults as in appearance but she was the greatest dog when it came to behavior and health.
Here's a couple pictures of Brandy
I recently watched a neighbors golden, Harry, (7 year old male) and he was huge!! He head was more square and he would prance around the house unlike Brandy use to. I was in 'aw' of his appearance and how he held himself. The owners told me that he was going to be a show dog but one of his testicles never dropped so they couldn't show him. He was extremely affectionate as well... however the only problem I see is that he has arthritis already and he's more gray then I would expect a 7 year old gold to be in the face.
Here's a good picture of Harry:
Now I know I have been blessed to have a golden live to be 17 years old but it's very hard for me not to compare when I think of health. I'm not even sure what the average age a golden lives up to. When you buy from a very reputable breeder with their hips, heart, eyes, etc. all checked - do they live that much longer on average?
So back to my future puppy !!!
What I want is a golden like Harry. I asked them where they got him from and it was from Fallchase in Sanford, FL. I have filled out their questionnaire online but haven't heard back from them yet. I have been on breeders.net and found many other local breeders and got into contact with one that told me about a dog show this weekend (tomorrow!). She told me that it would be a great experience for me to go to and ask questions. Get to meet the Florida breeders there and see what kind of dogs/ puppies they are producing. She told me that It gives you a good idea what the temperaments are and who you would feel comfortable getting a puppy from and you can find out when they are having puppies.
So I’m extremely excited for tomorrow’s dog show. I just don’t know what to look for or what to ask. That’s where the advice comes in. If you have any key questions to ask or what to look for in the dogs and breeders, I would greatly appreciate it!!
Cliff notes:
New to the whole buying puppies from qualified breeders.
Going to a dog show tomorrow for the first time.
Heard it’s a great place to gain experience and ask questions but what should I ask? What should I look for??
So I'm getting the urge to get my puppy pretty soon but everyone is telling me to take it slow and make sure I do all the right research before I make my decision. A little background about me and my history of golden retrievers...
My very first dog, Brandy, was a female golden retriever that my parents got me when I was 10. She passed away earlier this year in April and I am 27, so she was a huge part of my childhood. My parents found her from a newspaper ad so they didn't really do much research beforehand and back in 1995, the internet wasn't as handy as it is nowadays. She wasn't a 'show dog' so she had her faults as in appearance but she was the greatest dog when it came to behavior and health.
Here's a couple pictures of Brandy
I recently watched a neighbors golden, Harry, (7 year old male) and he was huge!! He head was more square and he would prance around the house unlike Brandy use to. I was in 'aw' of his appearance and how he held himself. The owners told me that he was going to be a show dog but one of his testicles never dropped so they couldn't show him. He was extremely affectionate as well... however the only problem I see is that he has arthritis already and he's more gray then I would expect a 7 year old gold to be in the face.
Here's a good picture of Harry:
Now I know I have been blessed to have a golden live to be 17 years old but it's very hard for me not to compare when I think of health. I'm not even sure what the average age a golden lives up to. When you buy from a very reputable breeder with their hips, heart, eyes, etc. all checked - do they live that much longer on average?
So back to my future puppy !!!
What I want is a golden like Harry. I asked them where they got him from and it was from Fallchase in Sanford, FL. I have filled out their questionnaire online but haven't heard back from them yet. I have been on breeders.net and found many other local breeders and got into contact with one that told me about a dog show this weekend (tomorrow!). She told me that it would be a great experience for me to go to and ask questions. Get to meet the Florida breeders there and see what kind of dogs/ puppies they are producing. She told me that It gives you a good idea what the temperaments are and who you would feel comfortable getting a puppy from and you can find out when they are having puppies.
So I’m extremely excited for tomorrow’s dog show. I just don’t know what to look for or what to ask. That’s where the advice comes in. If you have any key questions to ask or what to look for in the dogs and breeders, I would greatly appreciate it!!
Cliff notes:
New to the whole buying puppies from qualified breeders.
Going to a dog show tomorrow for the first time.
Heard it’s a great place to gain experience and ask questions but what should I ask? What should I look for??