The Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club provides, as a public service, information about Golden Retriever puppies in the form of a booklet, fondly called “All the Poop On Puppies.”
Sections in this short booklet include:
- Is the Golden Retriever the right dog for you?
- Puppy or Adult?
- Health Considerations
- Selecting a Breeder
- Owning a Golden
- References for more information
Download "All The Poop On Puppies", consider adoption by contacting a Golden Retriever Rescue organization in your area, or contact PVGRC’s Puppy Referral Service at puppies@pvgrc.org to see if any PVGRC members have listed an upcoming litter. Please note that we do not maintain a list of PVGRC members that are breeders.
Additionally, please prepare for the possibility of a long wait for your puppy. Most responsible breeders currently have all of their puppies spoken for even before they are born, The demand for puppies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has made this situation even more extreme. You may see advertisements in your local paper for "AKC registered" Golden Retriever puppies. AKC registration simply means the sire and dam of your Golden Retriever are the same breed, based on the AKC registration documents submitted by the breeder to the AKC. It does NOT guarantee health, temperament, structural soundness, or breeding quality. You should carefully check the environment in which your prospective puppy has been bred and in which it is living. Read the section of "All the Poop on Puppies" that addresses breeder selection. Well-bred Golden Retrievers are not cheap, so you should be aware of current prices for puppies in your area and what your money is buying you. Keep in mind that the purchase price of your puppy will be dwarfed over the puppy's life by the costs of feeding, training, and especially maintaining your pooch's health and well-being.
We highly recommend that you read through the educational links listed below:
Acquiring a Golden Retriever (link to: https://grca.org/find-a-golden/)
Golden Retriever Breed Clubs by State (link to: https://grca.org/about-grca/grca-clubs-map/)
English Cream Golden Retrievers (link to: https://grca.org/find-a-golden/more-topics-before-you-buy/english-cream-golden-retrievers/)
What About Goldendoodles? (link to: https://grca.org/find-a-golden/more-topics-before-you-buy/goldendoodles/)
Health and Research (link to: https://grca.org/about-the-breed/health-research/)
