Help

Question
I have three Golden retrievers and two of them are boys,  they're both 8 months old and I'm wondering if they're mature enough to mate with my five year old Girl. (I already know which one I'm mating her with.)

Answer
Hi, Rissa,

My personal feeling is that 8 months is a little young; I would suggest you be in close contact with your vet regarding this matter.

I do have a couple of questions for you, though.  Are you aware that golden retrievers are predisposed to a number of health conditions, such as hip dysplasia and heart and eye conditions?  Have you done any health screenings on these dogs to be sure they do not have any genetic faults?  Are you prepared to take your puppies back if the new owners cannot keep them, and have that in a puppy-buyer contract?

Are you prepared to help the female if she develops problems during whelping?  What if you have a stillborn puppy, or a breach?

Are you intending to breed your dogs in order to better the breed, or to sell the puppies and make some money?

I volunteer for a golden retriever rescue group, and unfortunately I see what happens when there are too many dogs and too few good homes.