Last Updated on November 14, 2021 by Pets Feed
Before buying a dog, you need to carefully discuss what kind of dog you want to have. If you are attracted to several breeds and cannot decide which one is preferable, find out everything you can about the nature of each breed before making a decision. If you do this, you will be prepared for smart choices. This is very important because you will be buying a dog that will become a family member for a dozen years or more. Buying a puppy is a decision that should not be made impulsively.
A golden retriever puppy
If you have opted for a golden retriever puppy, it is not surprising to immediately pounce on a cute puppy that caught your eye, and of course buy it. All golden retriever puppies are cute, even poor quality and unhealthy. Whether you want a dog for show, for testing, for hunting, or just a pet, the more you think before buying, the more likely you are to find what you are looking for. Even if you are going to buy just a family pet, naturally you want it to grow up without diseases, strong, thoroughbred (has a good heredity). If you are planning a show career for a dog, you need to put even more effort into finding and acquiring a puppy.
Golden retriever seller
Your first step in finding a puppy is to make an appointment with a potential golden retriever seller. It could be a well-known kennel or breeder. It may be in your area, where you live, where you can see dogs: both those that are for sale and breeding. Do not refuse to go further to find a good kennel. Time will not be wasted, because you will find the dog you need. Proximity to home is the last factor in deciding where to buy a puppy, and certainly not the first.
You are looking for an active, robust puppy with sparkling eyes and intelligent expression, friendly and agile, not overactive, but also not stupid or apathetic. The coat should be clean and thick and free from parasites. The room in which the puppies are kept should look clean, odorless, tidy, so that it can be seen that the puppies and their surroundings are in good hands. Puppies should greet you with wagging their tails. If they run away from a calm, friendly greeting, there is reason to suspect that they are poorly socialized and should be avoided. Goldens are dogs for humans, and this characteristic should be present even in puppies at 5 weeks old.
If you are unable to find a good kennel or droppings in your area, contact others more distant without hesitation if they are recognized and of good reputation. Transferring dogs is common practice today, especially showing potential puppies, and is relatively straightforward considering the number of dogs transferred each year. Reputable and reputable, a reputable breeder wants the buyer to be happy and will display and sell the puppies fairly. that your home is suitable for golden. If you are disappointed with your puppy upon arrival, the owner will almost certainly allow you to return it immediately. This type of breeder takes pride in his reputation and wishes to preserve it. So, for the sake of the future of the dog and the reputation of the owner – the breeder, buying a puppy from a distance presents little risk.
Puppy age
If your puppy is just a favorite pet, the best age to buy a puppy is around 7-7.5 weeks. If you take a puppy at this age, it is easier to accustom him to the home environment and requirements. An older puppy may already have habits that are difficult to change. Puppies should not be transferred to a new environment at 8 weeks of age, as observations show, they are especially sensitive to new changes in this week of their life. Better to wait until 9 weeks if you can’t bring it home before 8 weeks.
A younger puppy usually costs less than an older one, because less is invested in it. A puppy raised up to 5-6 months will require more worries and expenses than previously sold, and accordingly its cost will be. The estimated top show puppy at 9 months old will be even more expensive as the chances of buying such a puppy are less. There is a tremendous amount of truth in the claim that “cheap” puppies rarely become cheap in practice. A puppy at a price well below the established requirements of the breeders is often raised either for profit or by inexperienced and ignorant people for easy money. This can lead to grief, mood problems and large veterinarian bills, and the loss of more than you saved from buying a cheap puppy. On the other hand, an expensive puppy does not mean that it is healthy and well-bred. There are frequent cases when puppies are sold for $ 600 or more, sick, weak, raised in poor conditions, in which it is difficult to recognize Golden Retrievers.
Buying a potential puppy show
Everything that has already been mentioned above regarding the choice of a puppy and the place of purchase applies to the choice of a potential show puppy, but with many further discussions. Before buying, you need to study the breed and its standard more deeply from all the sources that you find about Goldens and dogs in general. Buying a show dog or setting up your own kennel for further breeding requires a lot of care and knowledge. The standard should be your guide, which you should study and not only the words in it, but also how to interpret them. You must learn how to apply it to a real dog before you are ready to make the right and smart choice of show dog. If you are thinking of a show dog, obviously you learned about the shows and attended at least a few. Now your activity should increase in this direction with each visit to each exhibition at a reasonable distance from home. Pay special attention to trade shows that are planned in your area. You can learn a lot about Goldens from being in the ring at any show.
Talk to the breeders who are exhibiting. Study the dogs on display. Watch the referee carefully, noticing each decision and trying to follow the reason for the referee’s decision. Notice the attributes of the winning dogs and how each one is rewarded. Do not listen to what they say outside the ring: “Everything is known in advance”, usually it is a newbie owner of 1 single dog or a new “cheerleader” who has derogatory remarks about everything that happens until he accidentally wins. This is a common type of exhibitor who comes and jostles among the “fans” and whose interests – “I wish it would pass sooner” – due to lack of knowledge and dissatisfaction caused by failure, not recognizing the need to learn. You, an amateur, who will enjoy this sport in the future, should develop independent thinking at this stage, because. you learn to draw your own conclusions about the merit or lack thereof seen before you yourself are in the ring. This will sharpen your own judgment in preparing wise and correct choices.
Pay close attention to which breeders in the company of dogs are the winners – not the only dog, but those who prepare for the show of home-bred dogs, the permanent winners. At one of them, you can choose your future star. Be careful not to become “blind” in the kennel by concentrating on one kennel, excluding all the others and not seeing any defects in the line of that kennel. This can lead you to miss out on a good dog.
If you live in a place where there are only occasional exhibitions, or visiting them is associated with long journeys, you should find another way, another opportunity to choose a standing show dog. Become a member of a national club, a member of another large association, read special literature, paying attention to photographs, talk with members of the golden retriever club, with breed breeders. Learn as much as you can about good kennels, good breeders. If you find a breeder you like, by all means ask permission to visit him, do it after getting him; It is not necessary to make a purchase right away, but you will have the opportunity to see what kind of dogs there are and discuss these dogs with the breeder. Each such visit will add knowledge to you.
The purchase of a puppy for the home was discussed above. It is clear that the same approach applies to a large extent to the purchase of a future show dog. The only place where you can buy a future show puppy is a breeder raising show offspring. To do it differently is to disappoint or fail when the puppy grows up. It is clear that a breeder cannot leave (support) all his beautiful young pets. Even the most active educators and exhibitors are happy to put their promising little ones into the hands of people interested in shows and victories and paying accordingly for the quality, future views and keeping the dog. Also, if what you are looking for is not nearby, do not hesitate to look elsewhere. This is a common thing today. Ask for a pedigree, a description of the dog, and a photograph.
Listen carefully to the advice and guidance of the breeder after you tell him about your future views of the dog you want to buy. Do you want to win just a few exhibitions or make a show career in the future? Discuss your plans honestly and openly with the breeder. You will be more satisfied with the results if you do so, as the breeder is the best person to help you choose the right dog. A show dog breeder has a passion for success and will act truthfully and honestly. He will not lose interest after the transaction, he will continue to give good advice and suggestions based on many years of experience, only you ask him. When inquiring about multiple litters, remember that promising show puppies are not always available. You can order a puppy from the following litter of the breed you are interested in. You may be asked to pay a deposit to confirm your order. Ask each breeder what they guarantee and what is not in their puppies, and since this is different for all breeders.
Remember that promising show puppies are more expensive than domesticated ones from the same litter, and puppies are cheaper than adult show dogs. An adult show dog always costs over $ 1,000 or more. The reason is that the puppy is just a chance, perhaps the development of unexpected defects or failure in the development of qualities previously expected. He may suffer from dysplasia, although he was born to healthy parents. There is always a risk factor in acquiring a show puppy. With an adult dog, “what you see is what you take,” and a dog can have changes only from living conditions and care. The advantage for the beginner owner is that the adult dog is trained in the ring, has shown experience, and possibly a title. If your dog is ready and will be at the show with a professional handler, let him help you choose a place where you can purchase a dog. The handler has access to a large number of breeders through his many clients. With experience, they will be able to help you select a promising puppy show. And as for an adult dog, your handler will certainly appreciate its qualities.
If you are considering breeding, consider purchasing 1 or 2 excellent bitches. They will become the backbone of your breeding activities with excellent pedigrees. And such bitches will always find good stud dogs for themselves.
A bitch with a show quality is usually quite difficult to acquire, because breeders do not really want to part with such valuable capital (property) and the price for such a bitch will be very high, about $ 2,000 and more. If you manage to find one, happy start.
Much attention should be paid to the pedigree of the bitch that you are going to use in breeding. If you don’t already know, try to see her father and mother. It is common knowledge that anyone who wants to breed should get good bitches without thinking about the dog. Knowing the bitch’s pedigree, you can choose the right “groom” for her when the time comes.
When actively selecting a potential show puppy, pay less attention to its color, whether it is unusually white or too dark, look at the color of the puppy’s ears. The color of the coat will eventually darken to match the color of the ears. The light puppy will get darker, but the dark puppy will not get lighter. The main thing you should focus on when choosing a star show is type and overall balance. At about 6-9 weeks, most puppies are a mirror of adult dogs. At this age, we should look for the same things we look for in adults: correct angulation of the forelegs and hindquarters, good reach and temperament are all there is to look into. puppy. After 12 weeks, most puppies are in a stage of asymmetric growth, lasting up to almost a year. So, it is better to choose a puppy before this age if possible or wait until 9-10 months. Finally, if you liked 2 puppies in a litter equally, choose a thicker coat with a straighter coat. Straight coat is easier to deal with than wavy coat in an adult show dog. Do not be seduced by the large amount of fluffy wool in the young golden. An adult dog does not need extra hair.
To summarize, if you want a dog as a family member, it is best to buy it young and raise it in connection with the family lifestyle. If you buy a show dog, the older it is, the more confident you will be in its future beauty and quality. If you are buying a main sire for breeding, buy the best you can afford from a good gene pool. Starting with breeding, it is best to start with bitches.
