A couple months ago I was calling up golden breeders that I found online/through friends. I ended up going with a gentleman named Al Bain in Campbellford, ON. He seemed to know his stuff, provided an 8 year guarantee for hips, heart, eyes and elbows, and claimed to have some 40some years of experience in GR breeding. He also claimed to train guide dogs for St. John's Ambulance and boasts that his dogs are from the states and have no hereditary problems.
I visited them last week and both parents were well tempered and friendly, and he handled the puppies with care and overall it seemed like a good match. Of course, this was before I discovered this wealth of information online and I went ahead and placed a deposit with him. I looked him up online and found a few posts from members of this forum claiming they had good experiences with him as well.
Now that I'm reading all the checklists and such on this forum, I'm feeling a bit nervous because I noticed some red flags. He has no website and isn't registered with the CKC. He also only charges $430 a pup, and at the time of my visit, he hadn't offered any references or proof to any of his claims, but maybe that was because I didn't ask.
Another thing is that he said the puppies should be available for pickup in the first week of February, but when I asked if I could pick up on Friday, he told me to call Thursday to ask again because he said that his vet goes to him, and he won't know until the vet gives the OK. I found this kinda sketchy because I feel like breeders should know when their vet is going to drop by and when their puppies can be rehomed.
Anyhow, this is the most recent information I can find on him:
Als Goldens | Facebook
It hasn't been updated in a while.
Anyway, I was just hoping someone maybe had some experience with Al and could give me some peace of mind, or any thoughts. It's already too late to back out because I've already placed a deposit, but maybe if someone could help me think of what to ask him when I visit him again or over the phone?
Thanks and sorry for the wall of text