So, after some more research (and an in-depth discussion with our neighbor on just how much hair she cleans up from her Golden Retriever,) I think we’re going to get a Labrador Retriever instead. My daughter’s a little crushed because she liked how pretty the Golden’s long fur is (and so do I.) In fact, she found a picture of an Afghan Hound and has been lobbying for one of those because of its beautiful fur! I know for certain I could not handle that kind of maintenance.
So why did we decide on a Lab? I got a little spooked after reading a bunch of articles about the Golden Retriever’s predisposition to cancer. And those articles jogged my memory of similar stories through the years from friends who lost Golden Retrievers much younger than expected. I know there’s no guarantee with any dog, and I’m certain many folks have enjoyed a good many years with their Goldens and had no health problems. But since we were on the fence with either breed, that fear kind of pushed me a little bit toward the Retriever camp—plus we found someone selling labs nearby with a great background and a great price. That was a good push off the fence, too.
I’ve been checking out ads for breeders like it’s my full time job, asking lots of questions of dog owners and experts, and trolling Craigslist for people looking to rehome puppies that were just a little too much for them. (I still have this niggling wish in my heart to give a home to an unwanted puppy. And I did find someone looking to give away 13-week-old lab. But that little guy was snapped up 5 minutes after he was posted.)
But now after my research, I think it’s best for us to get our own puppy from right from its mama. We’re going to check out a litter this weekend. They’re not AKC breeders, but we’re not looking to show or breed our dog. The puppies’ parents will be on site, so we’ll be able to take a look at them. The mother had 12 pups with some chocolate, black and yellow, so we can take our pick. (Didn’t know that could happen!) Once we determine that they’re healthy and come from a good home, we’re hoping we’ll just know which one is right for us. We’ll see if it the right fit.
We’ve had many discussions about male vs. female dogs. I think we’ve settled on getting a female dog since she will be smaller as an adult. My brother has a giant male Black Lab his little kids could ride to school—all three of them, at once. (He also jumps on me every time I come over and sometimes gnaws on my arm for fun. Really. But he is nice.) And that brings up a topic for another day—how to make sure my puppy is well behaved. My parents never trained the dogs we had when I was growing up, so this is a whole new world to me. I do hope I’m ready.
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Have you missed any of the articles in this series?
If so, you can find them at:
The Bringing Up Puppy Series page.
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