Puppies

GETTING BEYOND THE JARGON:  Frequently Asked Questions

Q:   Does buying from a breeder who registers their litter with the Kennel Club indicate a mark of quality?

A:   But, by their own admission, KC registration does not inherently provide an endorsement of health or welfare.  Registration is open to any breeder in the UK who owns Kennel Club registered dogs and who complies with their registration regulations. These include basic welfare stipulations for breeding bitches including minimum and maximum breeding ages, numbers of litters and restrictions on caesarean births. However, the KC will also register litters from parents who have NOT been health tested or only partially health tested.  .  By way of an example, in a random check conducted in Jan 26, of 12 litters registered, only 3 had all the health tests for the sire and dam…..So, as always ‘Buyer Beware!’

Q:   Are there any other On-line sites that I can visit to look at breeders/litters?

A:   Champdogs is a popular site used by lots of breeders.  To advertise you have to have a KC registered litter and be able to supply proof of health tests.  However, they have been known to accept litters with no or high elbow scores for example, so make sure you do your homework.  AVOID the following at all costs:  Pets4Homes, Gumtree, Camlist, PreLoved.  These sites have no criteria for advertising and do not care whether the parents are health tested or not.  Finally another site which may be of interest is K9 Data:

https://k9-data.org.  Whilst it does not advertise litters, it often provides an interesting record of dogs uploaded by the breeders.

Q:   I see lots of ads saying a breeder has a 5 Star Breeding Licence. What does this entail?

A:   In England, a breeding licence is required for anyone breeding three or more litters in a 12-month period.  The Breeder is inspected periodically the Local Authority, the License takes into account minimum standards of welfare, record keeping, training, cleanliness etc.  The 5 Star License is renewed every 3 years and includes at least one unannounced inspection.

Q:   What are Endorsements?

A:   On the paperwork you receive from the Breeder, expect your puppy to have an endorsement on him/her for breeding. Endorsements can be removed by breeder quite often when the puppy has had its health checks done later on.  If the litter is advertised saying ‘no endorsements’, it means the breeder unfortunately has no interest in whether you breed from your dog or not, regardless of the outcome of their health tests.

Q:   What is the difference between Health Checks and Health Tests?

A:    Health Checks should be made on the puppies by a vet before they leave the breeders to verify that they are in good health before they go to their new homes.  Pups should have been wormed 2-3 times before leaving and you should receive a certificate confirming which dates they were wormed and what product was used.  Many reputable breeders will not vaccinate before the puppy leaves, this is because vets use different brands and it is often better that this is started with your own vet so as not to mix brands up. Ask the breeder what their vaccination protocol is.

Health Tests are those tests made on both the Sire and Dam in order to confirm that they are suitable for breeding.

Q:   What about Microchips?

A:    It is a legal requirement for the breeder to have the pups microchipped before they leave for new homes. The microchip should be in breeder’s name to start with, you can pay to transfer it into your own name once you take ownership of the puppy.

Q:   ££££ How much should I be paying for a well bred puppy?

A:    At the time of writing (Jan 26), the average price you should expect to pay for a puppy should be in the region of £1800 – rising up to £2,500, depending on what area of the country you are in.  There is no justification for charging much more.

Q:   Why do a lot of stud dogs advertised have a long list of DNA health checks, whereas the bitches they are mated to,  do not?

A:    Many of these dogs have a package of tests done that are irrelevant to our breed.  This frequently indicates the owner doesn’t have much knowledge about the health tests for Goldens and are just using them as a selling point for their dog. Look further and you will find they have sired numerous puppies but have not proven themselves in the field or the show ring.  The main DNA tests you should look for in the breed are for PRA 1 & 2 and ICT (see ‘Health Tests’ above).

Q:   What is the difference between Show and Working lines?

A:   Show lines are generally bred for appearance with calmer temperaments, heavier bone and more coat, whereas working lines are bred for tasks like retrieving in the shooting field.  The working lines generally exhibit a higher energy drive, leaner athletic build and darker thinner coats.  Like anything, you can meet some very high energy show lines and some very calm working dogs – take the advice of your breeder who can advise what you may expect from their lines.

Q:   What are the Red Flags when I am looking at ads for litters?

A:    The following phrases are commonly used to hoodwink potential buyers without any substance:

‘Most healthiest stud in the UK’ (Completely subjective and cannot be proved!)

‘Deposit secures’ (most reputable breeders do not take deposits)

‘DNA clear parents, pups can never have eye problems’ (with all the health tests in the world, you can never guarantee there won’t by eye problems in later life….)

‘Crufts Champion’ (there’s technically no such thing…..)

‘Dad is health checked, mum is my family pet, is vet checked and healthy (no mention made of mum’s health tests)

‘Father is awaiting results of his health tests but his own dad has exceptional scores (you would Never breed from a dog without health testing first)

‘We have 7 adorable chunky English Cream and Platinum puppies’ (There are no such colours in the breed)

Q:  Is there anywhere I can meet with potential Breeders in person?

A:  Going along to a dog show and talking with breeders and stud dog owners is one of the best things you can do in your search for a puppy. Most of the main dog show schedules can be found on :  www.fossedata.co.uk and www.highampress.co.uk   At Crufts, held in March, there is also a ‘Discover Dogs’ booth where you can meet the breed and discuss them depth with a representative (as well as any other pedigree dog breed for that matter)

And finally…. a word about Doodles………

Occasionally, we receive enquiries from people wishing to purchase a Golden Doodle/Spangold or a crossbreed with a similar ‘made up’ name.  These crossbreeds are a deliberate attempt to mislead the public that there is an advantage to owning these ‘designer dogs’ who are prone to all of the genetic diseases of both breeds and offer none of the advantages that owning a purebred dog has to offer.  Speak to any groomer or vet regarding the ‘shedding’ myth and behavioural issues that these dogs can suffer from.  The attached article from the Royal Veterinary College also debunks the myth that designer crossbreeds are any healthier than their purebred cousins.  As a club, we expect all our members to undertake the basic health tests for hips/elbows/eyes and ICT as a minimum when breeding.  The Golden Retriever comes from generations of dogs with a common gene pool, characteristic appearance and temperament.  A Golden Retriever crossed with a poodle or similar is nothing more than an expensive mongrel

Puppy Buyer’s Check List: