You can acquire Golden Retriever puppies from Hobby Breeders, the people who are also usually the "show" people and who usually have just a litter or two a year, if that; from Commercial Breeders, folks who do a lot of breeding and sell a lot of dogs, but who care about clearances and customer support; from puppy mills and backyard breeders or, maybe even worse, from pet stores (where puppy mills from the midwest ship the dogs they breed.)

Many people who are getting their second Golden did get their first one from a backyard breeder and, while they cherished their dog, over the years they have educated themselves and are now looking for dogs where they can know more about temperaments and health issues, going back for several generations.

This web site describes the various types of breeders so you can make up your mind from whom you want to buy your puppy. And, assuming no one wants to buy from a puppy mill, we have tried to paint a picture so you can tell when one of these internet or magazine ads will take you right to those folks.

There is only one standard (and you should read it - go to www.grca.org) but there are many styles of Goldens. One way to determine which breeders have the "look" you want , is to go to some dog shows and watch the dogs. Even though you may be looking for "just a pet", you'll find watching people with their dogs, how they treat them and how they show them, to be very informative.