PUPPIES

Choosing the right puppy/breeder is a big decision! This dog will ideally be a part of your family for the next 10-15 years. A reputable breeder can help set you up for success. Whether you get a golden retriever puppy from me, or someone else, the Golden Retriever Club of Canada has set ethical guidelines that every reputable breeder should follow to try to avoid known medical afflictions in the breed to help prevent undue costs to the family, and suffering of the dog. 

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1) You should be able to look up the registered name of the parents on https://k9-data.org. This will allow you to see the completed health testing on the parents, as well as trace their lineage, and the health of their lines. 

2) At 2 years of age, breeding golden retrievers should have OFA clearances on their hips, elbows, heart and eyes. Eyes need to be checked, annually. Health clearances are publicly available for viewing under the parent's registered names here: https://www.ofa.org.

3) Genetic testing should be done on the parent goldens to check for prcd-PRA status, PRA1, PRA2, Ichthyosis, DM and NCL. This should be made available for review on request. 

Additionally,

4) The breeder should have a detailed plan for early neurological stimulation, early scent introduction, and socialization for optimal early development. 

5) They should conduct temperament assessments at 7wks of age, and match the puppies to families according to their desired qualities for their pet.

6) Puppies should be dewormed, microchipped, vet-checked, and have had their first set of vaccines.

7) The parent dogs should carry relevant titles for what you are looking for in your own dog.

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You might be thinking, "I just want a pet. Why should I care about titles on the parent?" Not only do titles demonstrate that the dog can do what it was bred to do... but, they also demonstrate that the parent dog(s) have confident and stable temperaments, and can maintain focus in high pressure environments. They demonstrate the dogs' ability to function well, and behave when surrounded by other people, and dogs. 

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At Rundle Mountain Retrievers we are focused on producing healthy, balanced, confident, active dogs that will perform well in competitive dog sports (e.g., agility, hunting, obedience, scent work), and be loving family companions. Within every litter there are variations in energy and temperament. However, given our focus on performance and the fact that the Golden Retriever is a sporting breed, our puppies tend to have moderate to higher energy requirements. They will be easily excited and ready to engage with you. They should have an off-switch, but they will require daily activity and mental stimulation in order to activate it. If you're looking for a calmer dog, you might find our working dogs to be more than what you bargained for. They usually calm around 6 years of age.  Whenever possible, we will select 2-3 puppies that match the temperament you are looking for to choose from. We stand behind our program and our dogs, and will accept any puppy we produce back into our program for the duration of its life. 

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