My husband and I have been longing for a golden retriever for years and now, due to a change in circumstances, we find we are able to give one a home from January next year.  I am very keen to make sure we get a puppy from a good home which has had all the necessary health checks etc and a good temperaments.  What I am not sure about is how to go about this.  Do we reserve a puppy from several breeders and then accept the first one that becomes available that we are happy with?  Or do we just reserve one from the breeder we like the look of best and then risk being disappointed if for some reason a puppy does not become available?  I have read advice that you should visit at least 3 breeders - I can't find three with litters planned in the south east which haven't already been reserved!  Can anyone offer any advice or help please?

In my own breed it would be considered rather rude and wasting of the breeders time to book with several breeders, but we are a numerically small breed.  with us you would book with the breeder that you liked, or was the one about to have a litter, and if they happened not to end up with a pup available you would be passed on to the next breeder with pups available, as sometimes one breeder may have all girls and another all boys etc.

I would advise with such a numerically strong breed which will be much more prone to exploitaion by puppy farmers and those breeding only for profit, that you should contact the National and Regional breed clubs for advise.  They will normally have a puppy list or list of breeders planning litters, and their members will be required to breed in accordance with the clubs code of ethics, regarding health checks, age and frequency of breeding, and responsibilities to the pups and their new owners.

The secretaries will also more than likely know who the rogue breeders are producing sub standard pups.