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Best Golden Retriever breeder for Health & Temperament

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  • 14-10-2021 10:28am
    #1
    xboxdad
    Registered Users Posts: 904 ✭✭✭


    Hi everyone,

    I've been researching Golden Retrievers for a while now and I learned that it's paramount to get the puppy from a reputable breeder that's known/proven to breed for health and temperament, not just looks and profit.

    Could you please recommend such breeder to me?

    Thank you.

    Tagged:


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    #2
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    If you contact one of the breed clubs eg AIGRC or GRSOI they’ll be able to put you in touch with a reputable breeder. So eg parents are fully health tested for hips/eyes/elbows, number of litters is limited, you have support from the breeder, their prices are capped unlike puppy farmers. I don’t know what the situation is like now but I was waiting just over a year for a pup.

    Joint issues aside, retrievers from bad backgrounds can have behavioural issues for example resource guarding so it’s very important to source one from sound parents.



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    #3
    xboxdad
    Registered Users Posts: 904 ✭✭✭xboxdad


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118018573#Comment_118018573

    Thank you for your detailed advice.



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    #4
    Tony H
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭Tony H


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118018573#Comment_118018573

    Hi just wondering what the cap on golden retriever prices from reputable breeders is at the moment ?



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    #5
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    Was €1500 when I was looking.



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    #6
    mary 2021
    Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭mary 2021


    Prices are coming down i think as ther lock down dogs are being dumped into rescues. I met a breeder at the vets he had unsold bernese pups 7 of them & they had been selling for 2000 euro but we do now have the xmas rush so buyer beware. Reputable breeders usually have clients before the pups are even born you need to get on their list.



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    #7
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    I had Rory booked before his him mam was even in season - I was second on the list and all of the other puppies were booked before they were born too. Doesn’t compare to somebody churning out pups.

    I was just over a year waiting as a good few breeders cancelled planned litters due to covid restrictions at the time.



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    #8
    Tony H
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭Tony H


    I was just curious as it was a little more than the last time , anyway I got lucky and found a lovely pup , it was a recommendation from a good breeder who I know about from someone who got a pup from her , anyway picking up out Ellie on Saturday morning , first time getting a female (bi***) golden , getting ready for a hectic few months .

    its strange though that this time we were going to go the rescue route but one rescue that was local never even got back to us even though we enquired about 2 different dogs and the main one in Dublin said we were to far away , but really happy we are getting another golden to fill out lives with love , madness and floating hair with every meal .



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    #9
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    Ah how exiting for you Tony. Rory is nothing like my lovely calm Lucy - he’s a divil lol 🤣🤣🤣



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    #10
    Tony H
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭Tony H


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118187588#Comment_118187588

    well we are due a calm(er) one the last two were mental , really looking forward to having another furball , the house will become a home again .



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    #11
    mary.poppins
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭mary.poppins


    Hi. Hope you don't mind for using this topic, because I have the similar question.

    It is first time that I am buying a dog from a breeder, so lots of unknows there for me. I've got recommendations from an AIGRC for a breeder. I cannot find any other information about the breeder, except of the father of the mother of the puppies. I am not interesting in showing, just in getting the healthy puppy with good temperament.. Would you say that any breeder with recommendations from Golden Retriever clubs would be a safe choice?

    Also, are you familiar about the prices in this moment. Is 1200 ok?

    Thank you



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    #12
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    We got our golden pup through a breeder recommended by the AIGRC last summer. They passed on the breeder’s details and I had a long chat with her on the phone. She was happy to answer all my questions, she invited us over once it was appropriate to do so to meet the mum and puppies, etc. The mum had a fab calm temperament which we found reassuring, and all the health checks were done.

    Now, that being said, our 9 month old puppy is a hell hound but I think they all are during adolescence 😅. I’m clinging on to hope that she’ll be a dream from about the age of 2 onwards.



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    #13
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    I’d always recommend going through the breed clubs as you have backup if there’s a problem and also because they do all of the relevant health checks. They’ll quiz you to suss you out rather than just give anyone a pup



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    #14
    mary.poppins
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭mary.poppins


    I went to see the puppies. They are lovely. I met the mum, she is wonderful, calm dog. Father is a well known champ.

    What I didn't like is that puppies are not in the house, separated from their mom (breeder told me they are annoying her now). They are alone there, they go outside during the day, spend some time with breeder.

    I liked the breeder lady, she seems nice, and has a great experience with golden retrievers. She will also keep one puppy for herself. One guy stole our heart so we chose him to be our new member of the family, although the other puppy had perfect proportions for a show dog (but we do not want to show, and he was more energetic and kind of dominant), and our choice we were told is a little bit weacker in back legs, but she sad only for now, he will be fine when get stronger.

    Do you think that it will have effect on dogs, that they are not in the house and not with their mom? They clean the area, and feed them well. They have been vaccinated.

    I have contacted also some other breeders, some of them keep puppies outside, some in the house



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    #15
    tk123
    Registered Users Posts: 14,036 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    Rory and his litter were moved out of the house and Lucy wasn’t. Lucy was just bomb proof where Rory can be a bit spooky sometimes. When you see the destruction one large breed puppy can cause in the house you’ll understand why breeders move them out. Like Rory had the fly curtain pulled off the door the first day he was here lol and everything he could drag outside was pulled out into the garden! 😂



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    #16
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    Yeah, our breeder has a purpose-built area out in the garden that the puppies spent most of their time in. They were allowed indoors for periods but not kept there once they were old enough. As @tk123 says, the destruction they cause is unimaginable and I definitely found myself wishing we could leave our pup outside! Not to mention toileting during the night would be a nightmare if you were trying to let them outside when they needed to go, with a litter all going at different times, and I wouldn't fancy coming down to the mess if you just tried to sleep through the night and they were all inside 🤢.



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    #17
    mary.poppins
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭mary.poppins


    Thank you so much!:)



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