Looking to buy a golden retriever puppy this summer.

[Rerun]

My wife and I have decided to get a dog (she figures it will give me added incentive to go out for a daily walk... I really do need the exercise..)

Edit: Been getting lots of exercise this summer... have lost 20 lbs.

Plus I really do like dogs...

What should I look for? Is being CKC registered important?

I'd hate to end up with a dog that was dumber than a post so should I search for someone who has dogs and is into field trials and that sort of thing?

Both my wife and I work during the day so the pup would be alone from 7:15 am to 5 pm. Is this a problem? My wife wants to get a cat if I get a dog... would the cat be a good companion to the pup when we are away at work?

There is just the two of us at home... kids are grown up and have moved out.


.......... so many questions...

Any recommendation on a local breeder?

What can I expect to pay if the pup is CKC registered?


EDIT: My wife is changing her work hours so she now works in the afternoon and evenings. .... thus the longest the puppy will be alone and in its kennel will be about 2 hours. The pup will have lots of toys to keep it occupied and I hear that giving it a kong with frozen peanut butter inside, works wonders too. They'll spend hours trying to lick out that peanut butter.

[LGA]

The most important thing is to make sure that the parents of the pup have a clean bill of health, a lot of responsible breeders have their breeding dogs thoroughly checked out for things like hip dysplasia and joint problems. The second is to actually meet the puppies parents, make sure they are good sociable dogs.

If you want to get a cat with your dog I'd suggest do it early, animals tend to do a lot better with one another when they've been introduced to each other very early, which is why it's very important to get your dog out and socialized with everything (once it has it's first two shots anyways, three shots is safer).

As for the time away from home, that's a really long time for a young dog to be left alone. They generally don't have a lot of control of their peeing and pooing needs, while my adult dog only really needs to go out two-three times a day, puppies need to go out after everything. I mean everything, when they eat, when they wake up, after they play, before they sleep, all the time.

If you are going to have to be away that long I'd suggest trying to look for an older dog to adopt. Puppies need a lot of attention, so if you can't provide that I would definitely go the older dog route. Hope that helps.

[chid]

There are so many dogs AND puppies in rescues - but if you are adamant about getting a purebred who is CKC registered you will be paying upwards of 400 to possibly 1000.

As a puppy being home alone that long is really not good especially if you are crate training the dog, it simply cannot be alone in a crate that long. Even if you don't crate train and leave it in the house it will not be able to hold it self that long. Most puppies can hold it 2-4 hours. You should consider and look into doggy day care.

Not sure about the dogs and cats together, it really depends on the dog and cats personality and disposition.

[Rerun]

I kind of thought that might be a long time for a pup to spend alone....

thus my other thought, as chid just mentioned, was bringing him or her to work with me and dropping him off at the "doggy daycare" just down the street from where I work.

[CMPunk]

Doggy daycare is expensive at $20 plus a day...if you can at least lock them in the kitchen all day, thats better..food water and puppy pads on the floor work ok

[chid]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

Doggy daycare is expensive at $20 plus a day...if you can at least lock them in the kitchen all day, thats better..food water and puppy pads on the floor work ok

I wouldn't recommend that for a pup, as you are setting it up to not be a socialized dog. I don't think EVERY day the dog should go to doggy day care, but for the length of time you are gone 2-3 times a work week will help it with socialization and you won't feel so guilty leaving for work everyday.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by chid

I wouldn't recommend that for a pup, as you are setting it up to not be a socialized dog. I don't think EVERY day the dog should go to doggy day care, but for the length of time you are gone 2-3 times a work week will help it with socialization and you won't feel so guilty leaving for work everyday.

Not if you take the pup after they get there shots. I'm just saying taking the pup every day can get pricey

[chid]

^ definitely, its a lot of money. Most people I know take them once, maybe twice a work week, and even thats costly. 20 is pretty cheap, I've seen places that are 30.

[LGA]

Do you or your wife live close enough to work that you could drive back and let the dog out at lunch? When I got my first dog thats what I did and it worked out fairly well.

[Traditional_Ale]

Go to Auburn Mist.

http://www.auburnmist.com/

My last dog was a Golden who came from world championship show-dog lineage. Even after signing away my rights to ever show him in competition, he still cost $800! If I wanted the rights he would have been $6000!!!

Anyway, they are by far the most impressive breeders and care facilty I have ever been to. When it comes time for me to have another dog, it will be a Golden, and it will be from Auburn Mist. Period.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by chid

^ definitely, its a lot of money. Most people I know take them once, maybe twice a work week, and even thats costly. 20 is pretty cheap, I've seen places that are 30.

we usually take our pup saturdays while we go do running around...plus we have family with dogs that she loves to play with

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by Rerun

My wife and I have decided to get a dog (she figures it will give me added incentive to go out for a daily walk... I really do need the exercise..)

Plus I really do like dogs...

What should I look for? Is being CKC registered important?

I'd hate to end up with a dog that was dumber than a post so should I search for someone who has dogs and is into field trials and that sort of thing?

Both my wife and I work during the day so the pup would be alone from 7:15 am to 5 pm. Is this a problem? My wife wants to get a cat if I get a dog... would the cat be a good companion to the pup when we are away at work?

There is just the two of us at home... kids are grown up and have moved out.


.......... so many questions...

Any recommendation on a local breeder?

What can I expect to pay if the pup is CKC registered?

I think smaller dogs are more appropriate if they are left alone during the day. They still need exercise, but less than a 100 lb dog. They'll actaully get exercise running around the house during the day, especially if you have two. I hate to see what you're house may look like at 5:30 at night if a big dog is left alone all day. And to have it crated up, or confined all day...I don't think that's fair to the dog.

[chid]

CMpunk: where does your dog go for daycare?

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by chid

CMpunk: where does your dog go for daycare?

Chasin Tail

http://www.chasin-tails.ca/

they separate the big and small dogs..and the staff there is really friendly and helpful

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by LGA

Do you or your wife live close enough to work that you could drive back and let the dog out at lunch? When I got my first dog thats what I did and it worked out fairly well.

Unfortunately no. We live in Okotoks and work in Calgary (the south part of the city mind you... but it would still take 20-30 minutes to drive home for lunch.

[afc wimbledon]

Petfinder.com

and a mixed breed will be way healthier than a pure bred.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

I think smaller dogs are more appropriate if they are left alone during the day. They still need exercise, but less than a 100 lb dog. They'll actaully get exercise running around the house during the day, especially if you have two. I hate to see what you're house may look like at 5:30 at night if a big dog is left alone all day. And to have it crated up, or confined all day...I don't think that's fair to the dog.

My dog is almost 100lbs and is crated 3 times a week for around 6 hours at a time. He knows his kennel is the safest place he can be, and doesn't mind sitting in there if you make it comfy for him. I also leave a beef marrow bone (the real ones) in there with him and it lasts most of the time he's in the kennel.

I know you probably don't think it's fair, but i've got an extremely well behaved dog, and rarely ever scold him for anything because of what I believe to be the kennel traning when he was younger.

[Qwerty]

My golden is 4 years old now and I got it from a breeder out in Okatoks. Cost me $900 after I signed away my rights to show her.

I got to meet the parents, who were ridiculously well trained and then they even did a one on one for about 45 minutes with me and the puppy and how to train it, etc.

It came micro chipped and all the shots for an 8 week old pup.

Also it came with a warranty that if the dog ever got hip dysflexia or whatever it is called (very common in Goldens) that I could return the dog for a new puppy. No idea who would ever do that but I got a copy of the entire family tree to prove there has been no inbreeding and/or health problems.

Really... If you are not going to rescue spend the extra couple hundred and got a dog that you know 'should' be in good health and not a complete idiot. Your dog is going to be with you for 12-14 years if your lucky so what's a couple hundred extra.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

I think smaller dogs are more appropriate if they are left alone during the day. They still need exercise, but less than a 100 lb dog. They'll actaully get exercise running around the house during the day, especially if you have two. I hate to see what you're house may look like at 5:30 at night if a big dog is left alone all day. And to have it crated up, or confined all day...I don't think that's fair to the dog.

I wouldn't crate the dog for a 10 hour day... never. That would be terrible.... particularly for a puppy.

I agree that dogs do need daily exercise. We have a fairly large back yard and he/she would have the run of that during the day.... once he/she was older.

As for the daycare, I do know someone who could care for the puppy every Monday and I might know someone else who could look after the pup one or two other days.... thus I might be able to get away only taking the pup to doggy daycare 2 or 3 days a week.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I wouldn't crate the dog for the day... never. That would be terrible.... particularly for a puppy.

I agree that dogs do need daily exercise. We have a fairly large back yard and he/she would have the run of that during the day.... once he/she was older.

As for the daycare, I do know someone who could care for the puppy every Monday and I might know someone else who could look after the pup one or two other days.... thus I might be able to get away only taking the pup to doggy daycare 2 or 3 days a week.

Do you really trust everyone in your neighborhood enough to leave your dog in the back yard everyday?