Golden Retriever Breeders

MidMan25

Hello everyone,

I am hoping to get a Golden Retriever some time over the summer.

Does anybody know of any reputable & IKC registered breeders?

I have been in contact with both breed clubs who advised me to contact them again in a month.

Living in Cork but willing to travel anywhere in the country for a well bred pup.

No interest in buying off Done Deal etc!

Thanks

andreac

http://www.whistlergoldens.com/zenevieva.html

http://homepage.eircom.net/~woodmoregoldenretrievers/Contact%20Us.htm

http://summerquestgoldens.com/

http://www.rathcloongoldens.com/

http://raistin.com/

http://www.weisfordgoldenretrievers.com/

Here are some contacts for you. I know the first four links personally and would recommend any of them. I know of the Raistin ones, but not to talk to.

tk123

Wait a month and call the breed club again. A month is nothing when you'll likely wait the best part of 2 months anyways once you've found a breeder - eg my pup was 9 days old when I called the breeder and came home at 8 weeks..
Assuming you've been researching GRs you'll know the health and behavioural problems they can have - by waiting and going with a reputable breeder you'll save yourself a lot of time and money down the line. I have 2 retrievers - one came from a crappy breeder and has/had medical and behavioural issues.. my pup came from a breed club breeder and she's fantastic so calm and relaxed and nothing fazes her.

MidMan25

tk123 wrote: »

Wait a month and call the breed club again. A month is nothing when you'll likely wait the best part of 2 months anyways once you've found a breeder - eg my pup was 9 days old when I called the breeder and came home at 8 weeks..
Assuming you've been researching GRs you'll know the health and behavioural problems they can have - by waiting and going with a reputable breeder you'll save yourself a lot of time and money down the line. I have 2 retrievers - one came from a crappy breeder and has/had medical and behavioural issues.. my pup came from a breed club breeder and she's fantastic so calm and relaxed and nothing fazes her.

Hi, absolutely I couldn't agree more.

I'm happy to wait until the right puppy becomes available even if that takes until the end of the summer

Thank you as well to the poster for the links above.

I have sent a few emails to breeders but maybe I'd have more luck calling them.

Do you mind me asking how much you paid for the dog from the reputable breeder?

Lemlin

MidMan25 wrote: »

Hi, absolutely I couldn't agree more.

I'm happy to wait until the right puppy becomes available even if that takes until the end of the summer

Thank you as well to the poster for the links above.

I have sent a few emails to breeders but maybe I'd have more luck calling them.

Do you mind me asking how much you paid for the dog from the reputable breeder?

I can't comment on Golden Retrievers but a Labrador from a breed club registered breeder is €600.

I would also agree that you should ring the breeder. They'll be well used to getting plenty of enquiry emails from people who never follow through.

If someone means business and are serious about commiting to a pet, they generally take the time to lift the phone.

I noticed on one of the sites Andreac even linked, the breeder has a note saying she will not sell by email and people have to call to her home. I wouldn't expect any less tbh.

MidMan25

Lemlin wrote: »

I can't comment on Golden Retrievers but a Labrador from a breed club registered breeder is €600.

I would also agree that you should ring the breeder. They'll be well used to getting plenty of enquiry emails from people who never follow through.

If someone means business and are serious about commuting to a pet, they generally take the time to lift the phone.

I noticed on one of the sites Andreac even linked, the breeder has a note saying she will not sell by email and people have to call to her home. I wouldn't expect any less tbh.

Thank you, I will make a few calls and see if I have better luck that way.

I would of course want to visit to see the puppies before taking one home.

I have purchased a dog through a breed club breeder before and would never consider the alternatives.

Lemlin

MidMan25 wrote: »

Thank you, I will make a few calls and see if I have better luck that way.

I would of course want to visit to see the puppies before taking one home.

I have purchased a dog through a breed club breeder before and would never consider the alternatives.

To be honest, I'd expect the breed club to be aware if any of those breeders had pups so I'd suggest waiting the month and contacting them again.

It took me six or seven months of waiting before I found my Labrador for example, and I wanted a black Lab. If I had wanted a yellow Lab, I would have been searching longer I'd imagine.

Ironlungs

Hi folks,

Do you think that 11 weeks is an appropriate age to take home a retriever puppy, or would we miss important socialisation and bonding?

Lemlin

Ironlungs wrote: »

Hi folks,

Do you think that 11 weeks is an appropriate age to take home a retriever puppy, or would we miss important socialisation and bonding?

I always aim for 8 weeks myself but I remember a thread on here before where a good few people believed 10 weeks or more was the optimum age to rehome.

tk123

I think it'd work in your favour as long as you pack in as much socialization as possible once you get the pup - will it be fully vaccinated by then? The mum will probably be fed up with the pups at this stage and will be telling them off - this is good. Also the pup will learn bite inhibition from being around other dogs/pups. My pup was thought not to jump up or bite by the older guy - thank god for us lol!!

Ironlungs

Thanks, it was suggested to us that the puppy might become attached to the breeder, leading to socialisation problems for us rehoming it at 11 weeks. We would have three weeks of intensive socialisation then before the kids return to school and we return to work. I reckon that is the advantage - the pup would be 14 weeks by the time we would need it to be alone for a few hours each morning (there would be someone in the house from 2 every day).

mel.b

I got my pup at 13 weeks and had no difficulties with socialisation, attachment etc. After having got a puppy at 8 weeks and one at 13 weeks I would in the future wait that little bit longer after 8 weeks for the reasons that tk123 mentions. Yes you might miss the really really cute tiny puppy stage but it's easier when you have a pup that is not nipping at you, is pretty much toilet trained etc.

honerbright

mel.b wrote: »

I got my pup at 13 weeks and had no difficulties with socialisation, attachment etc. After having got a puppy at 8 weeks and one at 13 weeks I would in the future wait that little bit longer after 8 weeks for the reasons that tk123 mentions. Yes you might miss the really really cute tiny puppy stage but it's easier when you have a pup that is not nipping at you, is pretty much toilet trained etc.

+1
I've two dogs, one we got at 8 weeks, the other 12 and the difference between the two is unreal and if we were to ever get another at puppy stage I would definitely wait for an older rather than younger.

DBB

Hmmm, it's not straightforward op.
If the breeder is putting a lot of effort into regularly exposing their pups to
a) living inside a house,
b) getting to meet lots of visitors
c) visitors must include lots of men and children especially
d) lots more children and men!
e) Hoovers, washing machines, hairdryers,
f) handling and picking up,
g) traffic,
h) travelling in the car,
i) lots of different noises,
j) lots of different substrates underfoot,
k) spending short periods of time alone,

and, is working at teaching pups to go to the toilet outside, wearing a collar and lead, and generally living a life that's very similar, in every way, to the life a pet dog is going to live, then I'd be happy to leave pup with breeder for that bit longer.
However, if there is any divergence from this list, particularly if the pups are being raised in a quiet, rural setting without meeting many people or experiencing new stuff, no matter whether the pups are being well cared-for and loved, proceed with caution. Pups that miss out on a fairly hectic 3-12 weeks of age are much more likely to be problematic as adults. You may get away with it if the pup is a very confident individual, but very confident dogs come with their own problems too!

MidMan25

Quick update: Picking up my pup in 2 weeks, going to visit them first this weekend.

He will be 8 weeks old when we pick him up

andreac

What breeder did you go with in the end?