Hi,

I am looking for a reputable breeder in Texas. I hope to add a puppy to our family this summer.
We lost our precious golden, Heidi, last month to cancer at 10 years old. She had a lot of health problems over the years including severe hip dysplasia in both hips. We also have a 7 year old golden, Mandy, who has thankfully been in great health but seems to miss her sister. We are still mourning our loss and aren't ready for another one now but would like to start planning since it seems most puppies are already spoken for before they are born.
My main concern is the health of the dogs and would appreciate any referrals you can offer for a good reputable breeder. We live in the Dallas area but are willing to travel some.

Thank you for your time.
Arianne

Arianne,
I am sure people on this forum will direct you towards a breeder in your area.
I am sorry for your loss of Heidi. One thing I would advise though is to make Mandy part of your choosing process. Make sure first that she will accept a puppy in the house. Do you have friends that have a a puppy that can come and visit?
As far as reputable goes ... it's the luck of the draw. Yes, reputable breeders would take an unhealthy puppy back - question is - will you give a puppy back after you bought it and got attached to it because of health issues?

Arianne, when I started looking for a breeder in the DFW area, I joined the DFW Metro Golden Retriever's Club. I met a lot of great dogs and their owners. They hold monthly meetings and rotate the site all over the Metroplex.

Originally I wanted a summer puppy, but I fell in love with Sting and ended up waiting for her litter to arrive in September. An excellent decision on my part.

Good luck!

Mandy is very easy going, tolerant and submissive. We do have a friend that brings his terrier puppy over to play and she also goes to doggy day care once every 2 weeks. I think she will be okay and she seems to miss her playmate.
Thanks for the advice though and we definitely will have her involved.

I will look into the DFW club and joining it. That didn't occur to me. Thank you.

It's been a long time since we went through this process and we lived in a different state last time. It seems overwhelming when looking at all of the websites.
Thanks again!

I forgot to mention...no we would probably not give a dog back despite the health issues. Our vet told us Heidi's hip dysplasia was one of the most severe cases she had seen and most people would put the dog to sleep. She was just turning 2 at the time and it never occurred to us to put her down. It was money well spent to have her for another 10 years. I am hoping to avoid those types of health issues this time though. I do know there are no guarantees and we will love the pup no matter what.

A reputable breeder will not make you give the puppy back. They will refund the purchase price towards treatment, or if you cannot or do not wish to care for the dog, take the dog back.

Arianne, good luck in your adventure. Meet the breeders and see their facilities and meet the puppy parents. There are also some very nice breeders on this forum and you can also develop a relationship with them thru here. Stick around and most definitely post pictures of your furry babies.
Would love to see both Heidi and Mandy.

Thanks! I'm so glad I found this forum. It looks like there is a ton of helpful information. I attached some pictures of Heidi and Mandy.

Attached Thumbnails

     

such gorgeous pups!

Nope, I did not say that they will make you give the puppy back. I said they would take the puppy if the owner was willing to give it back due to health reasons.