Selecting Your Golden Puppy
Once you have decided on a breeder that you can trust,
you’ll need to start thinking about what type of puppy
you want. This decision could take you some time, as it
can be quite a few weeks or even months before the right
litter is whelped - although it will be worth the wait.
If your breeder has a few litters available when you
look for your Golden puppy, you may be able to compare.
Some breeders may require that you put a deposit down on
the puppy of your choice, if the puppies aren’t a
certain number of weeks old. The good litters rarely go
unsold, as most are already spoken for before the
puppies are seven weeks old. If you want to get in on a
good litter, your best bet is to get to your breeder
early - before all of the puppies are sold.
When you arrive to get your puppy, you shouldn’t be
alarmed if the breeder does the selecting for you. Most
quality breeders will spend quite a bit of time with the
puppies and they will know just what their individual
temperaments are. The better breeders however, will do
temperament tests to determine the temperament of the
puppies they have with each and every litter.
By performing these tests, the breeder will get
assistance in selecting which puppy goes to which type
of home. If you’ve chosen one of the better breeders,
you should let him do his work and help you select the
puppy that he or she thinks will be your best match.
Breeders can obviously select you a better puppy, as
they have been around the litter for several weeks - and
you have only been around the litter looking at them for
a few minutes.
Although all Golden puppies are appealing to the eyes,
you need to base your reasons on more than looks. Before
you pick your puppy up, you should always make sure that
he has a strong build, with straight legs. The puppy
should be strong and muscular, yet be squirmy and active
when you first try to pick him up. You should also make
sure that he has healthy teeth and gums, and look over
the rest of his body to make sure that he is healthy.
If your breeder does allow you to select your puppy from
the litter, then you should take the puppies that you
are considering to get away from the remainder of the
litter and observe each one carefully, and how they
react to you. Puppies that are around 7 weeks of age
should be apt to explore their surroundings. Even though
they may be a little cautious at first, the puppies
should still be more than anxious to look around and
sniff their surroundings.
When you single out the puppies, make sure you speak to
the ones you are interested in and see how they react to
your voice. Try moving around and playing with them, and
see how they respond to you. Some puppies will be faster
than others, although you shouldn’t pursue any interest
in a puppy that doesn’t show any interest in moving
objects or their surroundings.
If you take your time and evaluate each puppy that you
are interested in, you can find the best puppy for you
and your family. Golden Retriever puppies are great to
have, providing you get one that’s healthy. Getting a
healthy puppy should be your desire - as a healthy puppy
will grow into a strong and healthy adult - and be
around for years to come.
|