The Golden Retriever's excellent temperament and ability to adapt to almost any situation make it an ideal choice as a family pet. Goldens are fun loving, intelligent, loyal and affectionate and are at their best when reared in the house. Bear in mind that being gundogs both male and female have a tendency to wander therefore it is essential that you have an enclosed garden. As far as temperament is concerned there is very little between the sexes. Both are equally intelligent and affectionate and both are excellent with children.

If you think that a Golden Retriever is for you one of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to get a male or a female. Familiarising yourself with the traits and characteristics of the breed is very important. You can do this by reading, there are many excellent books available on Goldens and by speaking to Golden owners who are usually enthusiastic about their chosen breed and only too happy to answer your questions.
When you decide to purchase a puppy we recommend that you contact us and we will put you touch with reputable breeders in your area. These are all Club members who have had their dogs and bitches checked for hereditary eye and hip conditions and who have submitted the relevant documentation to the Club Secretary. Be patient as you may have to wait for a little while for a suitable puppy, remembering that you hope to have this new family member for many years to come so time spent now is time well spent. We strongly advise against buying from puppy farmers, pet shops or commercial breeders. Your breeder should provide you with a pedigree certificate and registration papers for the puppy. You should also receive written instructions on feeding and the general care of your Golden. Look for a breeder that makes it clear that he/she will be available for advice throughout the lifetime of the dog. When you go to see or collect the puppy you should also ask to see the dam and sire if he is available. It may not be possible to see the sire as the breeder does not always own the stud dog but he/she may be able to show you photographs of him.

Should your circumstances change at any stage and you find that you are unable to keep your dog please contact your breeder who will give you every assistance in finding the right home.
On the other hand if you feel that you would like to give a loving home to an older dog please contact us as from time to time such dogs become available. Goldens are very adaptable and one of any age can become a member of the family in a short time

Puppy Line
The Club, through the Secretary, maintains a Puppy List and advertises for responsible prospective buyers to contact the Club to find a suitable puppy.  As you know our lovely breed along with many other breeds, suffers from a number of hereditary health defects.  By following the Club’s Code of Ethics, as responsible breeders, we are trying to do all we can to minimise these defects being passed on to future generations.  We therefore make it a condition that any puppy on our List has acceptable current eye and hip certificates for both the sire and dam of the puppies being listed.  The advertising is expensive and we do ask that Members using our Puppy List facility makes a donation to the Club.  Information on the hip X-ray and eye screening schemes is available through the Secretary (secretary@aigrc.com)