Golden Retrievers have become popular family dogs and are known for their good temperament and their intelligence. Golden Retrievers, along with Labrador Retrievers, are often viewed as the quintessential dog to accompany the all-American family. Before you decide to get a Golden Retriever, though, you should understand exactly what to expect once you get the dog home.

Golden Retrievers are made to retrieve and as a result are very active dogs. You will need to have lots of time to exercise your Golden Retriever or their energy could turn into problems for your household. Dogs whose energy needs are not met will try to work out their energy another way, whether it be by chewing or digging, and can create a lot of damage. Make sure you have the appropriate time and energy to exercise your Golden Retriever.

Finding a Good Golden Retriever Breeder

Because of their popularity, the Golden Retriever breed has suffered some setbacks. When a breed of dog becomes popular, bad breeding becomes very prevalent. Breeders looking to capitalize on the popularity of a breed will try and breed as many dogs as fast as they can without any regard for the health and safety of the dogs or the preservation of the breed. Weakness and illness become very prevalent and almost epidemic.

In order to avoid adopting a Golden Retriever that is a victim of bad breeding, you will need to visit a lot of breeders and ask a lot of questions. This will probably take a lot of time and involve a lot of research. You will need to be incredibly persistent in your questioning, finding out everything you can about the parents of the puppy you’re looking at and their health. You will need to look at the breeder’s facilities to see where the puppies are being kept.

If a breeder seems hesitant to answer questions, blows your questions off or ridicules you for asking them, just leave. A good breeder will always have time and energy to answer all your questions. If you are not willing to take the time and energy necessary to make sure you find a healthy Golden Retriever, you will probably be better off with a different, less popular breed.