Seeing a 10-month old Golden Retriever - advice pls!

[PermaShattered]

Hi, advice/tips appreciated. The owner of a GR is bringing him down to meet me on Saturday. I have no doubts this is a genuine need for rehoming - he has split up, now has a FT job and can't give him the home and time he needs . He clearly adores the dog. We've had lots of email contact and he's bringing him down to meet me and the family. He's been upfront with all my questions - nothing concerning in the least. He's asked me if i'm thinking about taking him in Saturday if we're happy. I would love to and can't see any problem in doing so and it would be better and less unsettling for Winston, the dog, in any case (presumably). What do people think?

[Hoppinggreen]

That's what we did after a year Of looking for a suitable rescue, growing up with Goldens it was the only breed for me.
Puppies are a pain in the arse, ours is 4 months and although I love him he does something to piss me off most days - not his fault he's just being a puppy. However, it passes quite quickly and In only 2 months our boy has come on amazingly.
Can't say I would get a puppy again but if I wanted another GR and couldn't find a rescue ( unlikely) I might.

[PermaShattered]

Aaaaagh, I'm starting to veer towards thinking the best, least risky option if to for a puppy from a KC registered breeder..... :/

[PermaShattered]

Definitely want a golden retriever. I grew up with goldens and that really is all i want. Thanks for the advice about contact breeders - that's something I really had not thought about!

[TrionicLettuce]

I agree with Bernards that a dog returned to a decent breeder would be a good avenue for you to investigate. Some breeders also look for pet homes for dogs who they kept back with a view to showing who either didn't end up being show quality or who don't enjoy it.

I'd recommend getting in touch with your regional breed club and asking if they know of anyone with an older puppy or young adult dog who is looking for a pet home for them.

[mrslaughan]

Do you definitely want a golden retriever? Would you consider a lurcher?

[mrslaughan]

If that was the case ginger you would make a scientific rather than emotive argument.

[tabulahrasa]

It's much much much riskier to take a dog advertised on a website than from a rescue!!!

Rescues assess dogs, they work with them before and after rehoming if needed and they can take them back if they have made a mistake, on a website you have one person's version of what their dog is like...someone who already isn't rehoming their dog the most responsible way anyway and you're stuck with it if you take it on and there's any sort of issue.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Contact breeders! Good breeders sell with a contract & dogs do sometimes get returned for all manner of reasons.

My 1st St had been returned because her owners split up & the husband didn't want her but the wife know longer had the option of only working pt so didn't have time for her anymore. Her breeder hadn't advertised her (in fact she'd been there for 18 months because she wanted the right 2nd home for her). I contacted her & we did the same interview that I'd have had had I been buying a puppy from her. She also came with exactly the same contract & lifetime of support.

It might mean contacting more than 1 person & being prepared to wait but knowing that you have someone to turn to makes it worth it.

[PermaShattered]

Rhoda, true re dogs and bad starts in life - I'll rethink my thoughts on 'ridiculous'! Thanks all for the warnings on Pets4Homes. I think it's my only option really because i don't want a young puppy - I'll just have to be very careful. My instincts are usually pretty good.

If months go by with no success i think i shall have to rethink not having a puppy...

[RhodaBull]

Failed guide dogs are of course very popular and first dibs go to the trainers. I know someone who trains them and actually failure is quite rare as guide dogs are specifically bred to be docile and biddable. They're not just any old golden retrievers/labradors. (And certainly my gr wouldn't make the grade!)

It's not "ridiculous" to refuse to rehome dogs to places where there are young children. Many, many dogs have had bad starts in life and may be a bit skittish at best and easily scared and defensive at worst.

Pets4Homes - watch out. Why would people want to rehome a "lovely family pet"? Hmmm? If they're that lovely someone they know would take them in. I would rather cut my arms and legs off than advertise my dog for rehoming and ask for money. I know someone who was sent to prison (white collar crime!) and his first thought was for his dogs and how they would be looked after in his (luckily quite short!) absence.

[TrionicLettuce]

I'd also advise caution if you're looking at private rehomes.

Presumably the one you mention in you're last post is the 8 month old? That's right about the age when dogs hit adolescence and it's no coincidence that it's a very common age for them to be rehomed.

I don't want the risks of a rescue dog

It's no less risky buying a dog from the free ads. In fact it's more so as you won't have the back up and support that a decent rescue (or breeder) would provide.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Be careful with the shite site, have your bullshit radar on full. While there are some very genuine advertisers & breeders on it there are also a lot of people spinning a tale about a 'perfect pet they're heartbroken to be re homing' when the reality is they have an untrained (not necessarily untrainable) nightmare.

[PermaShattered]

Hi, i called the rescue people weeks ago but they won't rehome to families with young children. Ridiculous. Also applied to rehome a retiring (or withdrawn) guide dog (GR) but apparently they get hundreds of applications. I don't want the risks of a rescue dog (thanks for the points raised earlier).

Pets4Homes has been my main source - the ones i've come across have come up for rehoming because of changes in the owners' circumstances. There's an utterly beautiful - white - one that came up yesterday but we can't go view him until Saturday and I think he'll be spoken for by then :( Will keep looking!

[Gingersstuff]

Mrslaughlan, you have absolutely no idea what I do for a living. I could be the Supreme Head of All Vets in the Universe, for all you know.
We'll have to agree to disagree on this topic.

[BabyGanoush]

OP, I hope you have checked the dogs paperwork?

I wonder if there is something fishy (a stolen dog? A dog with a health problem the owner can't/won't pay?). Probably not, but you want to do your homework.

A bit like with buying a car , make sure you check the history (who bred the dog, have you got the birth cert, vaccinations, microchip, has he been insured? Is the current owner happy for you to take the dog to the vet to have a check-up (that you pay for) before you commit)?

Or am I being paranoid?

How much money does he want?

[mrslaughan]

Ginger - I will take the advice of lonecat over yours, with regards to disease since she is a vet.
I am so pleased it worked out for you , however there are so many dogs in resumes here - I follow several , and they have dogs waiting for forever homes for a really long time.
Yes I am sure they are treated abominably, as are dogs in Greece and many other countries, but it's a societal problem which bringing dogs here will not solve, while you are exposing the dog population here (not to mention wildlife) to diseases that up until now we have been free of.
Sorry I just can't agree with it.

[Floralnomad]

ginger , have you read the other thread ( it's the one on tongue worm) , that dog had had all the necessary checks , sometimes those checks are not sufficient . I know that those dogs are in an appalling situation but bringing potentially fatal diseases into this country is not the answer .

[Hoppinggreen]

There is a GR rescue group on FB but they tend to be older dogs.
I like key for a suitable rescue one for almost a year before buying a puppy from a breeder

[Gingersstuff]

Mrslaughlan, rubbish. There are plenty of fantastic rescues who import these dogs responsibly, they are disease-tested, vaccinated and initially go into foster homes to assess temperament. One might argue that that is a more sensible route rather than buying a "designer" cross pup where you have no idea what you're actually going to end up with.
And have you seen the appalling conditions these dogs from places like Romania have to endure? You don't even want to know, seriously. They are treated worse than vermin. I'm very glad that at least some of them end up here in decent homes.
We have 2 kids and have adopted a Romanian boy. He is brilliant with them, so grateful for just a warm bed and decent food, and is so eager to please, it's actually heartbreaking and he's better behaved than our three UK dogs

[Floralnomad]

Yy mrslaughan , there is no way I'd take a rescue from abroad having read that thread and Turkey is even closer to where that particular parasite comes from.

[mrslaughan]

Oh and then there is also the other thread that is going about the rescue dog with tongue worm....... Really we should not be importing other countries strays, just in the basis of disease control alone.

[RhodaBull]

Grs rarely come up for rehoming. If they do, then they usually have a problem. Most of the time it's lack of training. People have to realise that grs do not come ready trained. A bored dog left alone for hours will bark, chew, be generally destructive and possibly do a few dirty protests. A few grs come up for adoption who are old or ill or whose owners have fallen by the wayside. Generally these coincide

The thing is with rescued grs (or any dog) from Turkey or wherever is that you don't know the origin of the dog. Grs are liable to hip problems, eye problems and who knows what kind of dogs the parents were. All these things are important if it is to be a family pet. OP has a five-year-old: you just can't take a chance on a dog when there are children involved. An experienced dog owner will cope with a troublesome pet. It's not fair on the dog nor the family to get a rescue dog and then have to see it move on again.

[Gingersstuff]

I know Happy Paws on FB are expecting 11 rescued goldens from Turkey imminently. Very much worth a look. Also Yappy Ever After dog rescue usually have goldens as well. Fantastic charity and they provide lifetime rescue back up.

[TrionicLettuce]

Try getting in touch with the rescue people at the breed club, they may be able to help.

[PermaShattered]

This GR clearly wasn't meant to be! The owner had to ( he says) hastily rehome him as he's chewed up the sofa and the landlord sounded off.... So on the look out again.

If anyone has, or knows of anyone, who has a young GR to rehome PLEASE let me know!