Dogs make wonderful companions for people of all ages but the introduction of one into the home brings with it a number of responsibilities. The Golden Retriever Club of WA (Inc) promotes responsible dog ownership. This starts with the actual decision to bring a dog into the household. In this the first section of our puppy buyers' guide we ask all prospective dog owners to question their desire to own a dog and their ability to look after it for its entire life.

1. Can you afford the money to provide:
• a proper diet?
• annual vaccinations?
• unexpected vet bills?
• boarding for the dog when necessary?
• etc, etc, etc?


2. Can you afford the time to provide:
• adequate exercise?
• training?
• grooming?
• the attention that most dogs demand?


3. Is your property suitable for a dog and
• do you have adequate fencing?
• are you prepared for anything ranging from the odd hole to the total destruction of your prized garden?
• can you provide adequate shelter in all weather conditions?
• can you protect the dog from the poisons that you use around the house or that grow in your garden?
• with most breeds there is the possibility of the constant shedding of hair and the implications of this for your housekeeping duties.


4. Are you prepared for the responsibilities that you are required to take on by your shire council or by common courtesy to others?
• this includes registration
• cleaning up after your dog and
• not allowing the dog to become a nuisance to others


5. Do you have children?
• will they take on some responsibility for the care of the dog?
• are they old/physically strong enough to do this?
• if they are very young will you be able to teach them the correct behaviour when they are around the dog?
• are you getting a dog just for the kids or do you really want one? Who will be ultimately responsible?


6. Are you prepared to take on the dog for its whole lifetime?
• baby puppies can be quite demanding and destructive
• also keep in mind that a dog's expected life span is somewhere between 10 - 14 years and for some animals the latter years may involve the problems of old age such as blindness, deafness and incontinence

If you have any doubts about any of the above then you need more time to consider you decision. If you think that you are prepared for dog ownership then read on.

Let's look at the AGE first. Are you thinking of getting a puppy or an adult dog that is looking for a new home.

PUPPIES are very dependent creatures. They are also very inquisitive and, very likely, destructive. Are you prepared for the care of a puppy? House training, chewing, constant feeding, and destructiveness? You may end up with some sleepless nights. Are you prepared to take the time to teach it to become a member of the family? The end result of a much loved family pet can be very rewarding but you must be prepared for some work and inconvenience along the way.

ADULT DOGS also bring their rewards, without the trials and tribulations of puppy hood. But, be warned, adults come with a whole range of experiences that will have shaped their behaviour. Sometimes problem behaviours only become evident in certain situations. There are many reasons why people need to re-home their pets and you should examine the situation very closely so that you have some idea of what you are getting. You must be particularly careful if you have children. A dog that has had no experience with young children for most of its life may react very badly to them. In this situation it is better to be safe than sorry.

Think about whether you want a puppy or an adult dog, carefully considering the advantages and disadvantages of each.

It is also important to decide whether you want a MALE or a FEMALE.

Like humans every dog is an individual which develops its own personality depending upon how it is reared. Generally speaking, however, males are bigger and stronger than females and thus they are not always a good choice for children, older people or those who are not very strong. Left unsterilised there is always the problem of a bitch's season and the possibility of a male wandering if there is an interesting scent to tempt him.

Overall, given the factors mentioned above, both males and females can make wonderful pets and generally a decision on gender will come down to a matter of personal choice.

Overall, given the factors mentioned above, both males and females can make wonderful pets and generally a decision on gender will come down to a matter of personal choice.

Now it is time to consider the BREED of dog for you.

If you are tossing up between several different breeds do a little homework on each breed.

• Contact Breed Clubs. The Canine Association of WA (phone 08 9455 1188) will be able to give you contact numbers
• Visit dog shows; obedience competitions, training classes, etc
• Talk to breeders and owners. Be careful though you need to find out the minuses as well as the pluses. Read books about the breed.
• Read books about the breed

Here we are looking at one breed in particular, THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER.

Firstly, find out all you can about the breed. You can check in your local library as there are several good books about Goldens, but here are some basic facts which you may find useful.

Golden Retrievers are a relatively large gundog. They have a thick coat that is made up of two layers a short soft water resistant undercoat and a longer topcoat. Hair shedding is probably the biggest problem most people face when owning a Golden Retriever if you are not prepared to deal with this then maybe a Golden isn't the dog for you. Colour is a matter of choice and ranges from cream to dark gold. Pigment of the nose and around the eyes should be black and eyes should be dark brown. This colouring helps to give the soft, melting expression for which the breed is renowned.

Goldens were initially bred to retrieve game in all sorts of British terrain. To carry out this work they needed to be energetic, gentle with the game, reliable and steady. It is these traits that have led to the breed's popularity today as a family pet. On the whole, representatives of the breed make trustworthy, easily trainable pets, which fit easily into most households.

Although affectionate and cuddly, puppies can be very active, inquisitive and extremely destructive - you need to be prepared for this stage of their life. Like any dog, they need training from babyhood to ensure that they develop acceptable social behaviour. Well-socialised adults are usually eager to play, romp in the park, swim or in the ocean but are also quite content to lie quietly (on you best sofa - if they can get away with it) when not much else is going on.

Goldens have had success in all fields of canine competition - showing, obedience, retrieving, agility, endurance, tracking - so there are plenty of opportunities for owners to compete with their dog. They have also been used as aids in a variety of activities such as drug detection and for therapeutic interaction for the blind, deaf and aged.

Golden Retrievers are generally robust, healthy dogs for most of their life. There are some hereditary diseases, in particular Hip Dysplasia and Eye Defects, which can affect Goldens. Dogs with the severest forms of Hip Dysplasia will be put down at a very early age, but it can be present in varying degrees causing varying amounts of lameness and discomfort. Some eye problems can result in blindness in the young dog, while others result in progressive blindness as the dog gets older. Often there are no signs of any of these problems in the 8 week old puppy and the best way to minimise the risk of it occurring in your puppy is to make sure that the breeder has taken the precautions of breeding from dogs and bitches which have a current clear eye certificate and which have been hip scored (0 - 106: low scores are the best). Puppy buyers should be able to sight these certificates. Any questions about these hereditary diseases can be directed towards the club

There is only a small amount of space here to tell you about the breed, but local libraries and bookshops have a variety of books on the Golden Retriever and we encourage you to do some reading. Yet there is nothing as good as first hand experiences so try and see as many dogs and speak to as many owners and breeders as you can. There are shows on just about every weekend and the Club conducts training classes on Monday nights. Please contact the Club for more information on these.

Once you have done all your homework and decided that the Golden is the dog for you then it is time to choose a breeder and a puppy. This is covered in Part 2 of this guide.

From the first part of this guide you have decided that you are a suitable dog owner and that the Golden Retriever is the dog for you. Now it is time to turn to the process of selecting a Breeder and a puppy for you.

Probably the most important piece of advice that we can give you here is DON'T BUY ON IMPULSE. All puppies are cute and it is amazing how many people hand over several hundred dollars because "the kids wanted that one" or, “my wife just couldn't leave it there". But there are people who breed dogs with scant regard for such things as hereditary health problems and temperament problems and who give little or no support once the dog has left their care. In the long run the price you pay for a puppy could be minimal compared with the anxiety and veterinary bills if you don't do your homework before purchase.

It is, however, also important to realise that no puppy will come with a 100% guarantee, even the most careful breeders will experience problems from time to time.

Talk to several breeders, owners and find those you feel you can trust and communicate with. You should feel happy that you can contact them when necessary if you require further information or if you encounter any problems with the puppy. They should be able to provide you with all the information that you need to raise the puppy and at the same time be able to stand back and let you take the responsibility

You may find you have to wait for a puppy as many breeders only have litters from time. It is better to wait than to get a puppy from someone you can't get on with or one that is born into conditions you are not particularly happy with just because you have to have it NOW.

Be prepared to answer some questions yourself. Puppy placement is an important part of a breeder's responsibilities and they will want to know about the environment into which their carefully planned puppy will be going

Please keep in mind that rearing a litter is a time consuming business and that breeders have other commitments as well. If you make appointments try to be punctual and if you alter any of the arrangements please let the breeder know as soon as possible. Should you decide on a particular puppy it is usual to leave a deposit to secure its purchase.

Generally, if you are looking for a pet, choose the puppy, which most appeals to you, if it looks healthy and you are happy with the conditions into which it has been born. Listen to the advice of the breeder - they know the temperament of the parents and they spend a lot of time with the puppies so they can see certain personality traits developing at an early age. Look at both parents if possible, they should you give you some idea of what the puppy will grow up like.

Even if you think that one in the first litter you look at is the puppy for you, don't commit yourself. Have a look at other litters if only to confirm your choice.

If you hope to compete in any field with your puppy it is a very good idea to get some advice from someone who has some experience in the field. If you want a show puppy get experienced breeders to give you advice and make sure you let the breeder know if you are planning to breed from the puppy at any time in the future.

When your pup is ready to come home (usually at 8 weeks of age but no earlier) try to pick a time when there will be someone around during the day to help him settle in. Establish a sleeping place that will be cool in summer and where he will be protected from the weather in winter. Be warned that expensive beds and blankets may be easily destroyed by a teething puppy. Have drinking water available - suitable bowls are unbreakable ones that cannot be tipped up or that the puppy cannot disappear into

Health: It is important that your puppy be healthy when you pick him up. In general you should check the following before you take your puppy:

• It should be alert and active.
• Its eyes should be clear and bright with no discharge.
• Its ears should be clean with no obvious odour.
• There should be no nasal discharge.
• The coat should be clean and soft with no sign of fleas or skin disorders.

Don't be afraid to mention any doubts you have to the breeder and if you are still not satisfied, have the puppy checked by a veterinarian. Puppies are expensive items that you will very quickly become attached to, so care and effort at this stage could save you a lot, both financially and emotionally, in the future.

Vaccination and worming: When you pick up your puppy you should receive a record of vaccinations and worming and information on future requirements. It is a very good idea to check with the breeder before any alterations are made to these.

Most vets will give the pup a thorough check-up be given at this stage, if they don't make sure you request one. This should also be done each time a dog has its annual inoculations.

Any serious problems should he reported straight back to the breeder. They need to know this for their breeding programs and they may also have had experience in dealing with such problems. If drastic measures or great outlays of money are involved, get another opinion. Other vets or breeders may have different experiences and therefore different insights into the problem.

Food: Make sure you get a feeding chart from the breeder so that you can get the necessary food before you pick up the puppy. It is essential that the puppy does not have a sudden change of diet as gastric troubles can result. If you want to feed something different, the change should be done gradually once the pup has settled in. Remember that the pup will be growing rapidly and that a good balanced diet with extra calcium is essential.

Papers: There are two kinds of papers that you can get with your puppy:

• PEDIGREE - This gives information on the puppy's ancestry and although there is a moral obligation for breeders to fill these out correctly, they are useless for showing or breeding purposes unless you have:


• REGISTRATION - The official Canine Association of WA document, which shows


• The pup is registered in your name
• The pup's registration number and
• A three generation pedigree

is what you must get if you are buying a "registered puppy" or a puppy "with papers".

CAWA regulations state that it is the breeder's responsibility to transfer a registered pup to the new owner and to pay the costs incurred. This may not be available when you pick up the puppy but you should have it within six weeks. If this does not happen, follow the matter up with the breeder and the CAWA.

You cannot show the puppy nor have a registered litter unless the puppy is officially registered in your name. Even if you have no intention of showing or breeding, make sure you still get the registration paper if you are buying a puppy "with papers". It is amazing how many people change their minds and have to go to a lot of trouble and expense to get something they were entitled to when they first bought their puppy.

Contracts: These are becoming more common in the Canine world.

• The CAWA has a Breeding Agreement, which some breeders use to help stop certain puppies being bred from
• Export Agreements prevent dogs from being exported without the consent of the breeder
• Individual contracts made up by the breeder

All these different types of contracts can be beneficial for new owners, breeders and the Breed as a whole, but all parties must make sure that they understand the terms and conditions and that they are willing to abide by them. Don't be afraid to question the terms and to get the opinions of others - someone in the legal profession may be helpful. Some people do not like to be bound in these ways and if you are one of these you should avoid sales, which involve contracts, otherwise, if you are happy with the terms - go ahead.

We wish you every success in the selection of the new addition to your family and hope that you will keep in mind that the Golden retriever Club of WA is for all Golden Retriever owners, not just those interested in showing or working their dogs.

Club Contact as of December 2007: Penny Greenwell - 08 9572 1639.