Hilltop Golden Paws Puppies
INTERESTED IN GETTING A GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPY?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
ARE YOU PREPARED TO...
-Take full responsibility for this dog and all its needs for the next 10-15 years? This is NOT a task that can be left to children!
-Invest the considerable time, money and patience it takes to train the dog to be a good companion? (This does not happen by itself!!!!)
-Always keep the dog safe; no running loose, riding in the back of an open pick up truck or being chained outside?
-Make sure the dog gets enough attention and exercise? (Golden puppies need several hours of both, every day!!)
-Live with shedding, retrieving, drooling and high activity for the next 10-15 years.
-Spend the money it takes to provide proper veterinary care including but certainly not limited to: vaccines, heartworm testing and preventative, spaying or neutering and annual check ups?
-Become educated about the proper care of the breed, correct training methods and how to groom? (There are many good books available, invest the time to read a few.)
-Keep the breeder informed and up to date on the dogs accomplishments and problems?
-Take your questions to the breeder or other appropriate professional before they become problems that are out of hand?
-Have the patience to accept (and enjoy) the trials of Golden puppyhood, which can last for three years, and each stage afterward?
-Continue to accept responsibility for the dog despite inevitable life changes such as new babies, kids going off to school, moving or returning to work?
-Resist impulse buying, and instead have the patience to make a responsible choice?
If you answered yes to ALL of the above you are ready for a puppy (or adult...). Plan about two to four months in advance since there is usually a waiting list, the right puppy or adult dog IS worth waiting for!!
Regarding rescue dogs...Rescue dogs may or may not have been responsibly bred. Since a high percentage are adults, the rescue organizations are able to evaluate them for signs of existing problems before you fall in love. This can be one of the many advantages to adopting an older dog!
Take the time in an initial phone call to ask the proper questions before you fall in love with the first cute golden face you see. You may not find a breeder who fits 100% of the criteria listed here, but don't settle for anything less than one or two negative responses.
You will be adding a new member to your family for the next 10-15 years. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BARGAIN HUNT!! Keep in mind the phrase "you get what you pay for." Prepare to spend at least $600-$1000 or more for a well bred puppy.
Some may have purchased a "backyard" bred dog or a pet store or puppy mill dog and had great success. This is NOT a common event, since there is a high number of serious problems seen in this breed and these establishments do not take genetic problems into consideration when breeding. Among these are temperament problems ranging from aggression to shyness to hyperactivity, hip dysplasia, eye problems causing early blindness, heart defects that can severely shorten life span and auto immune disorders such as thyroid disease and cancer are also very prevalent.
Responsible breeders research pedigrees and screen parents for these and other inherited problems before breeding. If you go see a litter of puppies and feel uncomfortable with the breeder or the conditions the pups are in, don't feel obligated to buy one of these pups. A lost deposit is a drop in a bucket compared to the accumulation of possible Vet bills down the road.
Now that you know that you are Ready!!!!
Thank you for considering Golden Paws Kennel for your new puppy. Your new puppy will provide you many years of enjoyment and loyal companionship. He or she will quickly become another member of your family and you owe it to yourselves to find the best possible puppy that you can.
This is not a decision to be taken lightly, for the quality and health of your puppy in the years to follow will directly reflect in the enjoyment of your new family member. You want to be sure that your new puppy will grow to become a happy and above all healthy dog.
Here at Hilltop Golden Paws Kennel we try our best to produce healthy, happy, well adjusted puppies to become your new family member. Our puppies are born and raised in my puppy room in my home, this way they receive the socialization that they need and deserve. They are cuddled, loved, socialized and exercised daily to make them happy and healthy puppies. They get my full attention from the day they are born until the day they leave to go to their new homes. I hope to keep in touch with you and get lots of pictures of them. I also offer boarding to all our puppies. This way I get to see how beautiful they have become!!! Here at Hilltop Golden Paws we are proud of our puppies and hope you will be also!!!
A poorly-bred, badly-raised puppy, no matter how cheap, is NO BARGAIN! Chances are that the parents were not screened appropriately for hereditary defects, that the puppies have had little, if any, veterinary care, and that the pups were not given the proper socialization and TLC that is needed to raise a healthy litter of Golden puppies. You should expect to pay a reasonable price for a sound, healthy, properly raised pet from good parentage sold on a spay/neuter contract and/or AKC Limited Registration. Show and breeding prospects may well be more expensive. Specific prices vary depending on the area of the country.
What are you looking for in a Golden Retriever? A beautiful animal? A good family pet? A good hunting dog? A good obedience worker? There are Golden Retrievers that fit each description, and some that fit all of these descriptions. The Golden Retriever Club of America has hundreds of members whose interest in the breed has led them to develop the potential of the Golden Retriever in each of these areas. Goldens also work as guide dogs for the blind, as narcotics detection dogs, as tracking dogs, appear in commercials and advertisements, and are one of the preferred breeds of veterinarians. There is no question that the Golden Retriever is a versatile and remarkable breed.
Before you even start looking at litters of puppies, take time to learn about the breed. Attend dog shows and field trials, Golden Retriever club meetings, and local kennel club meetings, and talk with and question Golden owners. They are proud of their dogs and are happy to share their enthusiasm.
Look around. It is much easier to find a puppy mill or backyard breeder that knows and cares little about the welfare of the breed than it is to find a reputable breeder. Have patience and never buy impulsively . . . all puppies are cute. The Golden Retriever Club of America and many of its local member clubs can supply you with a list of conscientious breeders in your area who will help you in your search even though they may not have anything for sale themselves.
Read and REREAD the section of this booklet on health and hereditary problems. You want a sound, healthy puppy who will grow up to be a sound, healthy representative of the breed. Careful selection now will save heartache and money later. Poor quality puppies are produced by people who breed their pets just to have a litter, or by profit seekers who give little thought to quality, looks or temperament in the puppies they produce. Many of these indiscriminately-bred puppies have health problems, poor temperaments, and/or breed disqualifications. Remember, you are choosing a companion for the next ten to fifteen years.
Temperamentally, there is little difference between the sexes in Goldens. Neither sex is harder to housetrain, and both are equally intelligent and affectionate. Both are excellent with children, and both make excellent companions. Problems of aggressiveness, which males of other breeds may exhibit, rarely occur in the Golden. Sex-related behavior such as mounting and marking may be exhibited by some male Goldens, particularly if other males are present or if the male has been used for breeding. Neutering a male before a year of age will not only help to alleviate these problems, but will also eliminate the risk of testicular cancer and lower the risk of prostate problems. Since there is no responsible reason NOT to neuter a bitch (unless she was bought from a serious hobby breeder specifically for showing or breeding), the estrous cycle in the female need not be a consideration.
The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland and England in the late 19th century for the purpose of retrieving wildfowl on land and water. Its physical characteristics and its willing, adaptable, trainable nature have also fitted it for usefulness in many other endeavors. The Golden Retriever is a natural dog needing no surgical alteration to ear or tail, and no exotic grooming, to keep it looking characteristic of the breed (as opposed to some terriers, poodles, etc.). The Golden Retriever has a normal canine structure without distortions of leg, jaw or tail, and is characteristically a healthy, sturdy, adaptable animal. Basic grooming for a Golden Retriever should take no more than 20 to 30 minutes a week.
The mature male Golden Retriever is ideally 23-24 inches tall at the shoulder, and weighs 65 to 75 pounds; bitches, 21 1/2 to 22 1/2 inches, and 55 to 65 pounds. Variances of an inch in height either way are permissible, though less desirable. The build is sturdy and muscular, but neither massive like a Newfoundland nor as refined as a Setter. The head is broad, with short pendant ears, and a kindly expression. The coat, which is one of the most characteristic features of the breed, is a double coat with a thick weather-proof topcoat and a dense, soft undercoat. There are featherings of longer hair on the backs of the legs, on the neck and chest, and on the tail. The adult coat may range from light to dark golden, and a golden body color with lighter feathering is quite common. A predominant color of either ivory or setter-red, or white markings on the head, feet or chest, are not desirable in the show ring, but have no effect on the dog's usefulness for work or companionship. The physical characteristics of the Golden Retriever are described fully in the Breed Standard, contained in this book.
