Posts Tagged ‘Overpopulation’

GOLDEN RETRIEVERS FOR SALE : WHERE TO BUY THE GOLDEN ONE

Golden Retrievers for Sale. You have seen posts on bulletin boards, in newspapers, pet magazines, yellow pages and a lot more on the web. With hundreds of advertisements, where can you really find the Golden one?

If you are a first time owner and new in the Golden Retriever scene, you have to be aware of where you are going to buy your Golden. There are lots of factors that you have to consider before deciding which breeder to get your puppy from.

First factor are hereditary diseases. A lot of fatal illnesses can be acquired from the sire and dam. Illnesses such as cancer, heart and eye diseases, hip and elbow dysplasia are just some. Golden Retrievers suffering from these are not qualified to be part of the breeding program. Not just because the disease can be passed on to their pups, pregnancy can be fatal for the dam too.

Second factor is the overpopulation of dogs. The more we buy from irresponsible breeders, the more they will meet demands in producing poor quality litters. These substandard puppies usually have illnesses that cannot be treated or have not been socialized early on and develop bad behaviors. Owners of such consider surrendering these poor dogs in shelters. The cost of surgery and treatment is high or because the behavior of the dog can no longer be improved.

Third factor is the years that you want to spend with your Golden. You probably wanted to have one because you wanted a lifetime companion, a dog who will be with you for the next 10 or more years of his life. With all the hereditary diseases and poor nourishment involved, 10 years is not guaranteed if you bought your dog from a profit breeder.

Theses are the reasons why you have to screen breeders before purchasing a puppy. You have to ask for health certifications, pedigree, AKC registration, temperament test and medical records. You have to visit the breeding site and see if the pups and parents are given the best care and socialization. You have to find out if the breeder just breeds for money or for the breed’s integrity.

If you bought a pup from a reputable breeder, chances are you are getting a high quality and healthy pup right from the start. No need to surrender to shelter or spend a lot for treatments. And longer years of loyal companionship are guaranteed.

ADOPT A GOLDEN RETRIEVER : AN OPTION FOR DOG LOVERS

For a dog lover, there is no better deed than to adopt a Golden Retriever.  Breeders breed just to meet the demands of people wanting to own a Golden. The sad fact is while more people decide to have one, more owners also neglect their dogs which results to overpopulation in the shelters.

This is one reason why potential dog owners have to rethink about their goals in owning a Golden Retriever. When they buy out of impulse and not really knowing much information about the breed, they end up disappointed and later on surrendering the dog to the shelter. You always have to know what you are getting yourself into and if you have what it takes to care for a dog.

You can make a difference. If your reason is to have a loving addition to your family, Golden Retrievers in the shelters have what it takes to be a loving family dog.  You can never gauge the love that they can give since they long for the same love and care from their previous owners.

Aside from the love, adopting an older Golden relieves you from the menace of puppyhood. Goldens in the shelters usually know their basic obedience and have already been housetrained. Volunteers provide them the training and socialization that they need while they wait to be adopted.

The only reality that you have to face is that Goldens in the shelters are not screened for genetic disorders. You cannot guarantee if he will suffer hip dysplasia, heart or eye disease and cancer later on. You can’t be certain how long he will live or if he will die from a dreaded disease.

But it really doesn’t matter how long he will live but how happy his remaining life was with you. Dying from a disease and knowing that he was loved is better than dying of euthanasia because nobody cared to love him. Dogs in shelters are euthanized each year because of overpopulation. When you take him home, you are saving his life.

When you consider buying from a breeder, think what good it can do considering adoption. You do not need to go through screening breeders and you will only pay fraction of the cost. Aside from that, you are helping alleviate the problem of dog overpopulation.

To end the story happy rather than sad, consider adopting a Golden Retriever. You’ll never know how much love they can give unless you try caring for one.