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I'm aware that there are many posts regarding show dogs vs pets but I felt as though I needed to write this post to help possibly educate someone or affirm their choices.
When I began my search for a Golden Retriever puppy I had no idea the whirlwind journey it would take me on. Naively, my first instinct was to take to Google and simply search "golden retriever puppies in my area" which I would guess would be the first step for many. I was quickly bombarded by a number of "breeders" with litters of adorable puppies for sale. Looking at their sweet, little faces, I thought I had the hard decision of simply choosing a puppy. What I did not realize at the start of my search was that I was in fact not choosing a puppy but rather a breeder. Being new to the world of breeders and show dogs, I did not fully understand the terms ethical and responsible. In my head, I thought I knew what a backyard breeder was. I had imagined something similar to a puppy mill with dogs in cages and scraggly looking puppies. However some of the "breeders" I came across had websites and pages displaying cute family dogs with equally cute puppies. I did not see the harm in purchasing a puppy from one these "breeders" as after all they were "pure-bred" and "AKC". These terms were thrown at me during my enquiries as though this alone holds enough sufficiency in selecting my lifelong companion. It was not until I came across the Golden Retriever forum to simply read about puppy essentials and new puppy training that I was met with terms such as "ethical", "responsible", "health clearances". Writing this now, it seems ridiculous to me that I would even purchase a puppy without thinking about their health history. However it is a sad truth that the thought does not many a mind.
After reading some eye opening articles, I changed my search to that of ethical breeders near me. I was once again bombarded by a number of persons breeding dogs claiming to be of good health with no actual paperwork to support. The only paperwork they were willing to show me was AKC papers which I now know means a lot less than you may think. I never thought I would purchase a puppy from a breeder who shows dogs because after all, I didn't want a show dog. I simply wanted a pet to love and adore. After all, wouldn't a regular puppy love me just as much? I also thought that along with the show dog breeder came the show dog price which I was not entirely wrong about. Now in saying this, one has to be educated about what the "show dog breeder price" entails. This price tag on your puppy is not simply so the breeder can make a quick dollar. It is about testing your future puppy's parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on. It is ensuring that your future puppy's mother is supplemented with all that she needs in order to produce the healthiest litter of puppies. It is about ensuring that your puppy was bred not to be simply cute but as healthy and sound in temperament as you would want your Golden to be. After all, isn't temperament one of your main reasons for choosing this breed?
Now that I had educated myself regarding breeders and show dogs as best to my ability, I started the painful journey of finding the right breeder. The process of finding a breeder had to have been one of the most difficult things. What I did not know when I started my quest was that breeders have waiting lists. Yes. Actual waiting lists. I was shocked to say the least that most of my enquiries were met with waiting periods of one year. I could not fathom having to wait that long for a puppy. After all, we live in an age of instant gratification. I wanted to place a deposit on a puppy and I wanted to do it then and there. Again, looking back at this now, I realize how impatient and unrealistic I was being. The problem is that many people like myself, I'll call us "ignorant dog folk" do not understand the planning that goes into a litter. I still do not fully understand the complexities of planning litters while ensuring the health of sires and damns but can whole heartedly understand why breeders have such long lists.
Saying this, my search went on for a few months filled with despair, lack of hope and frustration when I was just lucky enough that a breeder I had previously contacted had one puppy become available. This breeder did not live close to me. In fact, she was a 2 hour plane ride away. Never before would I imagine going through the trouble of flying to pick up a puppy. But I knew that this breeder ticked all my boxes in the research I had done, health clearances, temperament testing etc. In this case, it would have been easy to buy the $900 puppy available on the AKC website but I knew that as a future Golden mum, I did not want to and could not contribute to the growing epidemic of irresponsible breeding of goldens. This is not to say that my little boy is guaranteed to never have a single health problem in his life but I know in my heart that he was bred with the intention of being as healthy as possible and trying to improve the breed standard.
In closing of my experience, I am grateful that I did not buy the $900 puppy. I am grateful that I did a bit of reading before choosing a puppy because he was cute. I am grateful because in fact I learned that it has nothing to do with show dogs vs pets but rather the importance of health testing and temperament.
![Dog Mammal Vertebrate Canidae Dog breed]()
When I began my search for a Golden Retriever puppy I had no idea the whirlwind journey it would take me on. Naively, my first instinct was to take to Google and simply search "golden retriever puppies in my area" which I would guess would be the first step for many. I was quickly bombarded by a number of "breeders" with litters of adorable puppies for sale. Looking at their sweet, little faces, I thought I had the hard decision of simply choosing a puppy. What I did not realize at the start of my search was that I was in fact not choosing a puppy but rather a breeder. Being new to the world of breeders and show dogs, I did not fully understand the terms ethical and responsible. In my head, I thought I knew what a backyard breeder was. I had imagined something similar to a puppy mill with dogs in cages and scraggly looking puppies. However some of the "breeders" I came across had websites and pages displaying cute family dogs with equally cute puppies. I did not see the harm in purchasing a puppy from one these "breeders" as after all they were "pure-bred" and "AKC". These terms were thrown at me during my enquiries as though this alone holds enough sufficiency in selecting my lifelong companion. It was not until I came across the Golden Retriever forum to simply read about puppy essentials and new puppy training that I was met with terms such as "ethical", "responsible", "health clearances". Writing this now, it seems ridiculous to me that I would even purchase a puppy without thinking about their health history. However it is a sad truth that the thought does not many a mind.
After reading some eye opening articles, I changed my search to that of ethical breeders near me. I was once again bombarded by a number of persons breeding dogs claiming to be of good health with no actual paperwork to support. The only paperwork they were willing to show me was AKC papers which I now know means a lot less than you may think. I never thought I would purchase a puppy from a breeder who shows dogs because after all, I didn't want a show dog. I simply wanted a pet to love and adore. After all, wouldn't a regular puppy love me just as much? I also thought that along with the show dog breeder came the show dog price which I was not entirely wrong about. Now in saying this, one has to be educated about what the "show dog breeder price" entails. This price tag on your puppy is not simply so the breeder can make a quick dollar. It is about testing your future puppy's parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on. It is ensuring that your future puppy's mother is supplemented with all that she needs in order to produce the healthiest litter of puppies. It is about ensuring that your puppy was bred not to be simply cute but as healthy and sound in temperament as you would want your Golden to be. After all, isn't temperament one of your main reasons for choosing this breed?
Now that I had educated myself regarding breeders and show dogs as best to my ability, I started the painful journey of finding the right breeder. The process of finding a breeder had to have been one of the most difficult things. What I did not know when I started my quest was that breeders have waiting lists. Yes. Actual waiting lists. I was shocked to say the least that most of my enquiries were met with waiting periods of one year. I could not fathom having to wait that long for a puppy. After all, we live in an age of instant gratification. I wanted to place a deposit on a puppy and I wanted to do it then and there. Again, looking back at this now, I realize how impatient and unrealistic I was being. The problem is that many people like myself, I'll call us "ignorant dog folk" do not understand the planning that goes into a litter. I still do not fully understand the complexities of planning litters while ensuring the health of sires and damns but can whole heartedly understand why breeders have such long lists.
Saying this, my search went on for a few months filled with despair, lack of hope and frustration when I was just lucky enough that a breeder I had previously contacted had one puppy become available. This breeder did not live close to me. In fact, she was a 2 hour plane ride away. Never before would I imagine going through the trouble of flying to pick up a puppy. But I knew that this breeder ticked all my boxes in the research I had done, health clearances, temperament testing etc. In this case, it would have been easy to buy the $900 puppy available on the AKC website but I knew that as a future Golden mum, I did not want to and could not contribute to the growing epidemic of irresponsible breeding of goldens. This is not to say that my little boy is guaranteed to never have a single health problem in his life but I know in my heart that he was bred with the intention of being as healthy as possible and trying to improve the breed standard.
In closing of my experience, I am grateful that I did not buy the $900 puppy. I am grateful that I did a bit of reading before choosing a puppy because he was cute. I am grateful because in fact I learned that it has nothing to do with show dogs vs pets but rather the importance of health testing and temperament.
