Golden Retrievers abound in newspaper ads placed by puppy “brokers” who can dupe an unsuspecting buyer into selecting a puppy that has not had the best possible start in life. Reputable breeders stick to one breed and never have so many litters of puppies that they can't keep track of them. These are folks who usually breed dogs as a hobby and are not strictly in business to make a profit. They put an inordinate amount of time into each puppy and puppy buyer, and carefully match their puppies to appropriate homes. A good breeder is well educated about their breed and pays close attention to correct structure and temperament for their breed, even if they do not plan to show their dogs in conformation shows.

Good Breeding Matters

The Golden Retriever breed standard was set forth to offer a guideline for breeders to ensure the healthiest dogs possible. Without a standard, the Golden would be subject to anyone's opinion of what looked good, and eventually we would have many dogs within a “breed” that had few, if any, similarities, and looked nothing alike. The breed standard offers guidance about structure and locomotion, which are keys to having a healthy dog that can run, play, and live as long and trouble-free a life as possible. Without correct structure and locomotion, Golden Retrievers fall prey to hip and joint problems, lameness, injuries, and lack of endurance, all of which lessen the quality of life and enjoyment as a family pet or working companion.

Your best starting points for a reputable breeder are local or national breed clubs, which are made up of Golden Retriever enthusiasts who care about the character and longevity of the breed. Most Golden clubs offer a breeder referral list with names and numbers of people in your area who currently have puppies. If you contact a breeder who does not currently have puppies, ask him or her to refer you to someone else who might. You are better off finding a Golden puppy through word of mouth at dog shows and through other breeders than through newspaper ads.

Qualities to Look for in a Breeder

Not all reputable breeders are the same. Just because someone comes highly recommended doesn't mean that they necessarily have the perfect puppy for you. Referrals are starting points only, and educating yourself about puppy development, the breed standard, and other details is still important for you to make the best possible decision.

Each breeder has a different philosophy about their breeding program, and it is important to ask him or her what that is and make sure that it matches your expectations. The best breeders are great resources for information about the breed: Not only do they know the basics of their breed's conformation and temperament, but they can talk intelligently about inheritable diseases within the breed and their own lines. No breeder, no matter how long they have been breeding and how experienced they are, should ever make any guarantees about inheritable problems in their puppies. That's not to say that genetic screening for inheritable problems isn't important — it certainly is very important — but it doesn't come with any guarantee.

To find a good breeder, look for:

Remember: The more details you share about your expectations and experience, the better match the breeder will be able to make. All puppies are cute, Goldens especially so, but they vary in temperament, energy level, and ease of trainability. This Golden Retriever is going to be a dog a lot longer than he is a puppy: You want to be sure that the choice you make is one you can live with for the next twelve years or longer!

Two Golden males, ages nine and four.