>>Well, as some of you might know, I am expecting, er, WAS expecting my golden puppy, Gallagher, to be born on Apirl 29th.
>>
>>TURNS OUT!!!! that his mother... wich I should stop calling her that lol, wasn't ever really pregnant at all! *GROOOAAAANNN!!* BUT we're looking at another breeder now, who's pups are ready to go home in just 10 days. Due to an unexpected cancellation (spelling?!) they had a boy available. I'm waiting to hear if it's show quality. This might be a VERY hard decision for me to make; take a dog as a pet quality for the purpose of time (although Macintosh isn't doing well so we might HAVE to! ) OOOORRR wait a few more months till I can get a very good show quality puppy from another breeder. *sigh* I wish Finnegan was still here!
>>
>>Anyway; I will totaly keep you posted... and if I do get that boy from that breeder, I'll post a picture of him here so everyone can see! (he's allready so big hehe!- but the breeder has almost DAILY pictures of the litter on her webpage; believe it or not, I've been watching them grow up since day 2, without even knowing that I'd ever be asking them for a puppy. It's STRANGE isn't it??? A sign perhaps!? III think it's really neat...)
>>
>>Welll, got to go to my OTHER golden retriever board at canadiangoldens.com...... probably shouldn't have written that! but ah well..
>>
>>Tootles!
>>-----
>>Sara,
>>Owned by...
>>Macintosh and Finnegan (in spirit)
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Getting a dog is something like getting married. It's ALWAYS worth the wait for the RIGHT dog. There's an old saying about getting married that's so true for both getting a dog and getting married: "Marry in haste, repent at leisure." If you are interested in eventually breeding dogs, your foundation dogs are critical. You need the very best genetics you can possibly get, with a fine breeder as your mentor.
If you want a companion or working dog you will never breed, then you're looking for something entirely different. I prefer adopting young adult dogs for myself. This allows a better assessment of health and temperament. In the case of companion and working dogs, it's often less expensive than a puppy, too. In the case of show and breeding dogs, the dog past puppyhood whose show qualities are apparent should cost more than a puppy. But there is a lot less risk that the dog would turn out unable to do what you got it for.
I think a pretty good estimate of how likely any given puppy is to grow up into what you want to do with the dog--breed, show, therapy dogs, assistance dog to person with a disability, hunting dog, search and rescue, etc.--is roughly 20%. One out of five puppies turns out to meet the specific needs that the person wanted.
Those who know a lot about dogs and think this is ridiculous, start thinking back over the puppies you've known, your own and your friends' and students. You'll be amazed to see how these numbers work out. Now that doesn't mean that you didn't keep that dog and change your own plans for what to do with the dog to meet the dog's actual abilities as it matured--that's a success, too, but it puts that dog into the 80% who didn't grow up to do what you got that puppy for.
Moral of the story is that when you really, really need a dog for something specific, seriously consider getting a much older puppy or a young adult dog. Or if a long working life is not a priority, the dog need not even be all that young. This might apply, for example, when acquiring a dog as quiet companion to a senior citizen, or solid temperament for a home with a small child.
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com
) OOOORRR wait a few more months till I can get a very good show quality puppy from another breeder. *sigh* I wish Finnegan was still here! 
III think it's really neat...)
but ah well..
Macintosh and Finnegan (in spirit)
