Here are some questions that may be helpful for future or present puppy owners and families.
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Q.  Why should I want an English Golden Retriever?  
A.  The Golden Retriever Breed really speaks for itself.  There is a reason they are one of the most popular breeds in the US.  They are incredibly loving, intelligent, tolerant, as well as renowned for being fantastic pets and capable working dogs.  As of the English version, we find that they exhibit similar traits with the American side, but are commonly able to have a distinction between play time and a time to be calm.  They have a different look, but that is a personal preference we appreciate.
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Q.  Of all Golden Retriever breeders, why should I choose Classic Heritage?
A.  In short, we love dogs.  That alone does not make us special, but it fuels and motivates us to do and have the best for our dogs and puppies.  We do not take lightly the act of breeding and strive to be the best that we can.  All our puppies are socialized and acclimated in order to grow into well adjusted dogs.  As they grow, we watch them develop and work to find them a good and fitting home.  Our adult dogs are all of excellent pedigrees and have OFA records of at least three generations to ensure longevity and good health.  We stand behind that and offer a health guarantee on our puppies for heart, hips, elbows, eyes, genetic diseases, and cancer.  We encourage people to see our dogs and facility when considering us or any breeder; It helps to see the dogs in their normal state and to experience how they are interacted with and live on a day to day basis.  We like to be transparent and open with our dogs and how we operate here and have regular visits we can schedule for anyone interested in visiting.  Please take a look.

 

Q. Why does temperament testing and matching matter?

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A. “Social Styles” in people and in dogs allow us to classify each person and pup into four basic categories: analytical, driver, amiable, and expressive. Analytical personalities rank low in assertiveness and responsiveness, and therefore present with questioning and reserved mannerisms. On the other hand, an expressive individual will rank high for both traits, coming across as extremely animated and sociable. Drivers and amiables fall in the middle of the spectrum, ranking high on either assertiveness or expressiveness – not both traits. Drivers are serious, however, due to their assertive nature they also appear intense and deliberate. An amiable dog (or human) exhibits the highly animated movements of an expressive personality, yet usually requires reassurance of their actions.

 

It is important to note that no one single ranking is better than another- they simply serve to categorize! Ideally we like to assemble a team of trainers that can identify which puppy is less assertive, less emotive, and more versatile than their humans. This is done to ensure a strong and balanced relationship between the two, allowing the dog to naturally accept the pet parent as their leader. Once we are confident that a particular puppy/ dog and parent would work well together, we consider the child’s relationship with the puppy/ dog (if applicable). Prior to matching, potential puppy parents are asked to complete a lifestyle/personality form/application, have an in person meet and greet with us at our facility, or partake in a phone interview to discuss their specific needs and/or wants. This information is used to match the unique needs of the family to the personality and skill-set of the puppy/ dog. The aforementioned information is also used during the dog’s final two weeks of training, so the trainer can include commands that are custom to each family when able to do so.

 

During the final stage of matching we consider the home environment of the family. The temperament of the family is a large factor in determining if the puppy or dog is a good fit for the family. Just like no two puppies are exactly alike, no two families are exactly alike either. Each family may want the puppy/ dog to play a different role in the their life, whether to assist in motivating a child to play outside or help a teenager to be calm and stay in in one place to finish their homework, to do therapy work with children or the eldery, to go to work with them daily in a busy office setting, and sometimes even teaching their dog to surf. To assimilate well into the household, the puppy's personality should also be well matched with the family's routine. Activity levels vary for each household, thus we take a look at what an average day looks like. Some families are always on the go while others are homebodies - however our families spend their time together, we want to make sure the pup's personality fits nicely into the dynamic each family brings. The best bonds will form when the dog's natural state is matched with the family's natural way of being. 

 

One might say that our matching process is an intricate one - we would agree! Our team is committed to finding the best matches between our puppies and families. Good trainers know first hand the extraordinary benefit a puppy can be to a family with certain needs, and it all begins with paying attention to these puppies personalities from the very start, engaging amazing trainers and finding the right breeder who truly cares about these things.

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Q.  Do you have puppies regularly available?  If not, how does your waiting list work?

A.  We have high demand for our puppies and because of that, we very rarely have puppies that are available once they are born.  Always check with us to see how long the wait list is as it does fluctuate season to season.  When we receive your deposit, you will be given your options for the next available litter or be offered the ability to wait if you wish to delay. 
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Q.  I want to give my puppy a treat.  Is there anything you recommend?

A.  If your young one is food motivated, we find that treats are effective when used in moderation.  We prefer using fresh freeze-dried meats and treats with simple, pure ingredients and limited sugars.  We have many great options we are happy to share with you.

Q.  I have stairs in our home, is that a problem for the puppy?

A.  We do warn against excessive or consistent stair use, specifically in the formative first year, due to the potential to develop hip dysplasia as the joints are still developing.  We understand that stairs are a part of human life, so we recommend that, as able, you carry your puppy or minimize stair use as much as possible.
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Q.  When potty training, do you find anything that works well?

A.  We use pine shavings from when the puppies are three weeks old to facilitate the training.  By the time they go home with you, they associate their bathroom time with the scent and texture.  When bringing a puppy home, we suggest that you have a liter box of pine shavings close to the door and, as the pup is drawn to it to go to the bathroom, get them outside first.  If you like to have a specific place in the yard where the pup can go potty, we find that having a little shavings on the ground can help with that. These are available at different places, and we are happy to have them available for you when you take your puppy home.

Q.  We want to wait to spay/neuter our dog, when do you propose we do that?

A.  That is great that you are wanting to wait.  Studies show that the longer you delay getting them spayed or neutered the less likely your dog will be to get cancers.  We request at very least one full year for males and one heat cycle for females (7-9 months of age).

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Q.  Will we receive our puppy's registration paperwork and how will that happen?

A.  You will receive your puppy's paperworks after we receive conformation of the spay or neuter of your pup.  We will send you the paperwork needed
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Q.  We were thinking about crate training or using a pen.  What do you think about using them?

A.  As long as they are used in moderation and in a productive way, we think they are a great and very important tool.  We find that some of our dogs actually enjoy their crate time and find it as their safe haven.  It also facilitates potty training when done throughout the night (6-8 hours) and for naps during the day (up to 2 hours).  For more information on the benefits of crate training, feel free to ask.

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Q.  Our yard has some plants that we are not sure are safe for our puppy.  Do you know what is unsafe for puppies?
A.  There are many good sources of poisonous plants, but there is a comprehensive list of plants, human foods, and cleaners that the ASPCA has put together.  There is a lot to look through but it is good to be knowledgeable and safe.

Click Here for the ASPCA guide 

 

If you have any more specific questions, please contact us for more information.