Just a quick question after my other longer thread

[Goingtobeawesome]

We are looking at getting a golden retriever puppy if the rescue dog placing doesn't come to us.

More loving boy or more gentle girl, DH has asked me to choose.
I trust mumsnetters more than google.

I'm going out today to get some books but I'd like as much info as possible to make sure we are the right parents for the dog and we do everything right.

I wouldn't get hung up on wanting a boy or girl at this stage, sex isn't a reliable predictor of personality. Usually the breeder will help you pick the puppy that is going to be the best fit for your family.

This Champdogs article about buying a puppy is really worth a read. They've also got a useful list of questions to ask a breeder.

This KC article is really aimed at breeders but it gives you an idea of the work a breeder should be putting into breeding. There's a much longer version here on the American Kennel Club site which is really worth a read as well.

There are a number of health tests which should be done on the parent dogs before they are bred from, this is a GR-specific list. The breeder should be happy to show you all the relevant official paperwork. If you know the KC names (the fancy long ones) of the parents you can also look up their test results here on the KC site. I'd also expect any decent breeder these days to be paying attention to the coefficient of inbreeding (the Institute of Canine Biology has an excellent explanation of COIs) of their litters and be aiming for below the breed average. The average for GR's is also on the page that lists all the necessary health tests.

The best place to get started looking for a breeder is by approaching the breed club (either the national one or the relevant regional one) and asking if they could put you in touch with any breeder who are planning litters. The Champdogs website lists breeders and you can filter the results by type (show/working/dual purpose) and by those breeders who health test. There's also the KC list of Assured Breeders which is a reasonable starting point but there are flaws in the scheme and a lot of good breeders aren't necessarily part of it.

The breed clubs do also all run their own GR-specific rescues, there's a list of them here on the breed club site.

I've had male and female retrievers and currently have an 8 month old boy.
Neither is more gentle or more loving than the other gender, it can vary enormously.
I love them but they are large, hairy mud magnets and are like mini velociraptors until about 6 months old so make sure you fully appreciate what you are getting into

I'm keeping DH calm as he's getting a bit over excited and has registered interest with a puppy born this week. I'm still apprehensive even though I'd love a dog as I know it's a big deal. More than having a baby in my inexperience. Plus I'm still checking on the rescue four year old I'd set my heart on. Lots to read. There's lots of info about the mum, dad and puppies but all the scores, like apgar mean nothing to me.

DH registered with champdogs and that is where DH has found the tiny newborns.

The four year old isn't reserved anymore!