Are we ready for a Golden Retriever puppy?

Question

My wife and I would like to get a female Golden Retriever from a reputable breeder. Due to the fact that we both work all day, I'm a bit concerned that getting a 2-3 month old puppy would not be in the best interest of the puppy as we'd be gone most of the day during weekdays.

Also, my concern is that since the bladders of young puppies are so small, they would need to go out more than we could let them out. I also would rather not train the dog to eliminate inside the house. On the other hand, we see other puppy owners who work full time, but my concern is that they don't care for the puppy well.

Are my fears unrealistic or warranted? I want to make sure that the dog is not only a good fit for us, but that we're also a good fit for the dog.

If a puppy is not a good fit, how do we go about getting a dog that is 12-15 months old? This seems harder to do.

Please comment if you've had experience with what I am discussing and if you have insight into my dilemma. Thanks!

Answer 1

Ok I wasn't going to answer this question but the more I thought about it I just had to.

As a former breeder of these beautiful dogs the one thing I asked my perspective clients was who will care for your puppy when you are at work? Most people had someone to come to their homes to tend to the puppy while they were at work. If they didn't then they didn't get a puppy from me.
A pup should not be crated for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time. They need the interaction of people and to begin house training from day one. You can't do this if your at work!! Can you afford a puppy house sitter? Or someone to do the puppy stage for you??? A new puppy takes a hugh amount of time and commitment from you the new owner. I have had clients who on their lunch hour come home to take care of their pup and some have even taken vacation time to bond with their new pup and get him or her into a routine that fits their life style.
I don't think you are ready for that just yet. Sounds like you are to busy to fit a puppy of any kind into your life right now. Your heart is in the right place but if you came to me for a pup I would refuse to sell you one because you just don't have the time to comit to raising one.
If you got an older dog then that presents a hole list of other problems. Nobody just gives up their Golden for no good reason, so you may be getting someone else problem dog. Golden's have been so overbred by some backyard breeders and then there are the puppy mills out there that you have no idea what your getting your self into. The temperment can't be guarnteed, nor can the hips, eyes, thyroid, or heart. I spent a great amount of time getting to know my clients before making a decision as to weather they were going to get one of my pups. Most did but a few didn't, as a very responsible breeder it was my responsibility to make sure these pups went to the very best homes for them.

I would strongly suggest to wait until your life is better suited to careing for a puppy your self with out having to hire others to do it for you. The rewards are so worth the wait.
Hope this helps your decision.

Answer 2

Your worries are some what warranted...
-You would do fine with a puppy if you made sure to do the research and were willing to put the time into it when you're home.
-Retrievers have a high exercise demand, this, more so than the potty training is what may cause issues. Puppies are high energy as it is, and need plenty of exercise and socialization. This type of dog needs to be able to run and go for long walks often (nearly daily) and short walks in between in order to avoid behavioral problems. Many people with purebred retrievers take them for 45min walks twice a day. If this is a problem a retriever might not be ideal. (they also chew a lot....)
*Remedy for this: Hire a dog walker or dog sitter. This would also help with the potty training problems you might have. If you don't have your heart set on a retriever, you could look into different, lower energy breeds of dogs at http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/searchcategories.htm (by category).

-A young puppy (under 6 months) will have a difficult time holding it, but there are indoor training methods that you can use.
*Remedy for this: get a puppy 8+ months who is crate trained and/or potty trained. Still, 8 hours is a long time to go without using the potty.
*Puppy pads are a good alternative to newspaper. I know you don't want to train your puppy indoors, but these can be useful until a puppy is 6 months. The ink on newspaper often stains the carpet or floor, but these have a plastic coating on the bottom so the dog's waste doesn't get through. If you use this method you train them on the pads near the door you will take them out (and take them out when you can). After 6 months you can take them exclusively. People say that this is confusing to a dog... but my Lhasa never had a problem with it (and they honestly aren't the most intelligent dogs out there).

If you want to get an older puppy or young dog, contact some local breeders and see if they have any dogs that they couldn't breed. Some breeders may hold onto several puppies until they get older to see if they are worth breeding, also some dogs who were retired from being bred. You could also look at http://www.petfinder.com/. This site provides listings of specific breeds of dogs in shelters or rescue groups nearby and many of them are purebred. If you don't have your heart set on purebred, this is also a way of finding a dog more suited to your lifestyle.

Answer 3

A puppy may not be the best for you right now. The best time to bring home a puppy is when one or both of you will be around most of the day, usually around your vacation time. It is ideal to devote a good week for your pup's homecoming, so planning in advance is crucial for this.
Also, maybe a Golden is not the ideal dog for you. Goldens are a working breed which thrive on daily mental/physical stimulation. If both of you are at work all day long, the dog will get bored and find ways to entertain himself. Most people have the misconception that Goldens make the "perfect" family dog. This is absolutely untrue. Goldens need lots of playtime and exercise, more than twice a day! They are NOT content with a daily walk. There are far too many obese Goldens thanks to people believing they make the perfect family dog. They do not like being lazy! They thrive on having a job to do daily.

If you both work all day every day, a Golden is NOT the dog for you.
Consider a smaller dog, or a shelter mutt. One that is content with being alone, but then thrilled when you arrive.

I would suggest an Adult dog, possibly a Cocker Spaniel, West Highland White Terrier, Poodle, Schnauzer, or even a Corgi.

Answer 4

Everything you are saying is exactly what you should be thinking about. I just got a puppy a month ago, and she is work, work and more work. You can have the puppy and work all day but you will have to put the hours in. You will have to crate train the puppy right away because you cant leave them out all day when you are gone. And be prepared to wash them every day when you get home because they definatly will have messed in there cage. Some dogs are better then others though and wont mess where they sleep. And some dogs are potty trained quicker then others it all really comes down to how consistent you are with training and walks. You pretty much have to walk the puppy every hour; every morning it wakes up, after you feed it, after they play etc.

I had all the same fears as you did because before opening my company I used to work long hours and didnt think it was the best for a puppy. So I waited and I take the pup to work with me everyday. But as long as you arent working really long hours like 12 a day then a new puppy can be done. But its going to be alot of work. But they are so worth it, I also have a full grown 3 year old dog as well. Good luck :-)

Answer 5

So why do you want a golden retriever? If you want a more stable hunting dog get a lab, black are the most stable but the yellows aren't bad. If you don't want a hunting dog then look into a different breed, maybe a working dog. Full size poodles are great animals, their incredible smart, don't shed and can be left alone through the day. The retrievers, while wonderful dogs, are quite high strung, need plenty of exercise (so you'll have to leave it outside while your gone) and need to have either another dog or person around while maturing or they will not be that good of a pet when older. Check out some other breeds, I think that you'll be happier in the long run.

Answer 6

WOW!!! I commend you both on your expressed desire to take the DOG'S requirements into consideration. A puppy is great, and I think the most fulfilling experience one can have outside of bring home your just born child. :) If arrangements cannot be made with family or friends to help you with tending to the puppy when you can't, scrap the puppy idea completely. Go for an older doggie. Look on the Internet for golden retriever rescue sites. (I personally work with an Irish setter site)

I suggest this because it can do so much for you! First of all, you will find an appropriate aged animal though you may have to be patient for one. You most likely can sign up to 'foster home' a dog for a period of time, and in most cases, if you foster an animal and fall in love the dog can be adopted. If you find the situation less than you like, you will not have the burden of continuing the situation.

You will learn a lot, and might just find a 'forever friend'! BTW, most of the time adoption is far less expensive than going out and buying a pooch too! GOOD HUNTING!

Answer 7

I have a golden retriever and they are wonderful dogs but they sometimes get stereo-typed. They are thought to be really good dogs and have a great image, but that requires a lot of time and training. Its almost as if people get these dogs and expect them to be already house trained and have good obedience skills. I would suggest getting a adult dog from a shelter since it seems like you won't have the time to devote to a puppy. There are golden retriever rescue groups out there so check them out on-line.. there could be one in your area, and this way both you and the dog could benifit from the adoption! You could save a life, but not have to deal with all of the puppy stages... chewing.. housebreaking.. leash training.. you get the picture. Also Golden's require and thrive on human attention.. when people are not home they become restless if you crate them for long hours, they need people they are very loving dogs and they do not like to be alone.. ever.. my dog follows me all through out the house. Also take into consideration the size of your house. Goldens can get pretty big and they require alot of walking and playing and they love to swim! I would defiantly look into the spcas and rescue groups in your area. Also try looking into a variety of breeds of dogs so you can get an idea for the best fit for your family! Hope all of this helps.. if you need further information feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 8

Why not look into adopting an adult golden from a rescue? You would be giving an unwanted dog a new life, and you could avoid the whole puppy experience. Goldens are high energy dogs, and golden puppies like any other breed will need lots of attention. An adult golden will also need you to spend time with it, but sounds like a better fit for your work schedule.

Answer 9

Retrievers are from working lines and your puppy/dog will have lots of energy and need to *have a job* or at the very least you will need to play ball couple times a day to help use up his energy. Can you fix up one room in the house where you can leave puppy and put down papers for it?

If you have a basement you could make a box within a box .. the larger box to keep him in and the smaller box for dirt so he can go potty *naturally*.... just a thought.

Puppy will need a secure place so he can't destroy and needs to have plenty of toys to play with. Believe it or not but your puppy will sleep the best part of the day while you are at work...

GOOD LUCK

Answer 10

yoru more ready than the ash holes who ask
i just got a golden retreiver are they good dogs?

housebreaking is possible, i would wait to get the dog until they are 12 weeks, if the breeder is as good as you say she will hold on to the puppy a little longer to get that last little bit of bladder development int

if you cant wait then perhaps a dog walker, when my youngest was a puppy i was living between the us and out of the country, i worked ungodly hours when i was here so i had to hire a dog walker to come twice a day while i was at work(i took her to work other times)

she is a year old now and house trained, we got through it you will too i promise