Frequently asked questions
Q – How does the adoption process work?
A – 1st - First fill out the Legacy Champion Golden’s Puppy Application. You will find this to the right side of the page under the “More” tab/”Puppy Reservation”. Once we receive your application you will be notified if you’re approved or if we have any additional questions. 2nd - Order of picking is based on first come/first served. The order of picking a puppy is based on who makes the first deposit and so forth. 3rd - It will also be based on if you are picking a male or female puppy. 4th - it will also be based on how many males and females are born to that litter. Example: the first three deposits could be for a male puppy, and we have 5 males and three females and you want a female. So if you’re the 4th deposit and you want a female, then you would have 1st pick of the females. If there are not enough puppies in a litter your deposit will be forwarded to the next available litter. We have the right to refuse service to anyone.
Q – How can I know when you have puppies available?
A – On our web page below our welcome announcement is a place to sign up for litter announcements. Please remember as with humans, dogs can also be late or early based on their delivery date. This is why once a litter is born we will send out an announcement on the date of delivery, who the dam & sire are and how many males/females were born.
Q – Can I meet the puppies/parents or any of your other dogs?
A – Just as you are serious about wanting a healthy well rounded puppy we are committed and invested in keeping puppies safe. At this time we are not set up to have visitors on a frequent basis as we operate out of our personal home and need to keep pregnant/lactating females and puppies protected from any outside diseases that can easily be tracked on site. Its the very reason we have our vet come to our home. All puppies are raised in our home. You have to understand that our first priority is to protect the puppies from any dangerous diseases that can be transmitted to them by contamination. Even though our adult dogs are vaccinated, puppies are not fully vaccinated until their 16th week and should not go out into the public until 18 weeks of age. This gives the vaccines enough time to allow their bodies to build up immunity. We have made compromises until we are able to build our training facility. We offer an open house 3 times yearly for people interested in getting a dog from us to come and meet the dogs. Families that have a deposit in are welcome to come and meet the parents and pick their puppy at eight weeks of age. To answer your question we do not allow visitors until the puppies are eight weeks old or during our open house. On pick up day or if your puppy is being delivered for the safety of the puppies, we also do not allow anyone outside of the buyers to handle the puppies or other buyers to handle the puppy you have picked out. We are working on a separate building so the mothers can viewed with their puppies and kept safe.
Q - What type of testing do you do on the parents?
A – All of our goldens have had hip and elbow x-rays prior to breeding. Our dogs have all had a cardiac work up complete. All of our goldens have had genetic testing complete through paw print genetics. None of our puppies will be affected by Ichthyosis, PRCD, PRA 1, PRA 2 or DM.
Q – What color will my golden be?
A – Your golden will generally be the coloring of their parents. However we can get a rainbow of shades in a litter.
Q – What size will my golden be?
A – Your golden will generally be the size of their parents. From the floor to their shoulders they should be 21-24 i inches by the time they reach 2 years old.
Q - How much will my golden weight?
A – Your golden will generally be the size of their parents. If the Sire is 70 pounds and the Dam is 55 pounds then your puppy should fall in that range as an adult. If your golden is larger than their parents you may want to make sure they are not over weight and score a body condition score of 3
Q – How does temperament testing work?
A – We use the AVID dog temperament testing. It tests puppies in 33 catagories at day 49 of life.
Q – What are the different temperaments in golden’s?
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Q – How do I know what temperament category would be a good fit based on my family our family activities?
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Q – What are the differences from one golden line to another?
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Q –What are common disease of golden retrievers?
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Q – What do you do to prevent those diseases?
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Q – What is Icthyrosis?
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Q – Will my golden have Icthyrosis?
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Q – How many coats do my golden have and how often do they shed?
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Q –What’s the basic annual care for a golden retriever?
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Q – Where are the puppies raised?
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Q – What things should I never do to a golden?
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Q - How often does a female golden go into heat?
A – Female golden's should have their first heat between 8-12 months of age and cycle twice yearly.
Q – The neuter question?
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Q - What does my puppy come home with?
A – (Folder Containing): 1. Vet Health Certificate 2. Vaccination record. 3. Chip record and form. 4. AKC papers. 5. 1 bag of food. 6. Puppies blanket. 7. Care instructions. 8. Next Deworming kit.
Q - Does my puppy come with full AKC registration?
A – No, if you want full registration that is a additional cost and there will be additional questions we will ask.
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Q –When can I get my puppy?
A – Eight weeks after they have been health checked and cleared by our vet.
Q - When will I know when and where to pickup my puppy?
A- We have a private web page for our Legacy Champion Golden customers. Once you have made your deposit you will be sent an invitation to join. This is private and we post the location and time of pick up for each buyer.
Q – What happens if I cannot be there to pick up my puppy on delivery day?
A – We understand that emergencies can come up or planned vacations. If this occurs just contact us and we will make arrangements with you.
Q- What happens if things do not work out or for some reason I can no longer care for my puppy?
A – You need to immediately contact us as per our contract we have first right of refusal.
treat dogs and cats and a few smaller animals. Some treat all types of animals from farm to domestic. See what they have to offer, what can they do at their office? Do they have to send you some were else for certain things (more cost to you), check their ratings, feedbacks.
What are their hours? What days are they open? Do they have 24 hours emergency call service?
Some vets are all about the animals and some are all about the money. We have heard of too many stories from customers who have had test, unnecessary procedures done etc. Remember if a vet tells you your puppy or dog needs a procedure to prevent something else, to save it’s life, unless it is a true emergency, you have the right to get a second opinion for your puppy/dog just as you would do for yourself.
Q - What type of collar should I use?
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Q – What type of Harness should I use?
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Q – What type of leash should I use?
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Q – Should I use a crate at night/during the day if I am gone/and what type?
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Q – What are safe chew/play toys for my puppy?
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Q – Are animal bones/plastic etc bones safe for my golden?
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Q – What food should I feed my golden and why?
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Q- What foods can golden’s eat and not eat?
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Q –How often should I feed my dog?
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Q – What if my puppy eats to fast?
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Q – How much water does my puppy/dog need daily?
A – 1st never leave a bowl of water out and continuously keep filling it. A puppy will keep drinking as long as the water bowel is there. Too much water can cause the puppy to have diarrhea. A good rule of thumb is one once of water per body weight.
Q – What should my puppy be vaccinated against and when?
A – Check with your vet, each vet is a little different. Some vaccinations can depend on where you live if your puppy/dog would need additional types.
Q – When is it safe to take my puppy out in Public?
A – Your puppy will get its last vaccination at its 16th week. You should wait until the 18th week to give the vaccination time to take.
Q – What are dangers of dog parks?
A – As with anything, you should go check out the dog park first before bringing your puppy. Do they allow any type of dogs in the park? Do they have rules certain dogs are not allowed in the park. Is it fenced? Do they have a separate fenced area for puppies/smaller dogs? Is it clean? Trash? Animal waste? Signs its being used by humans after hours beer cans/drugs etc. Please remember not everyone vaccinates their dogs. So if you have a older dog(s) that are vaccinated and go to a dog park/out in public your dog could transfer a disease to your puppy if it is not fully vaccinated yet.
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Q -Do I need pet insurance?
A - As with us medical expenses can be very costly. It is a good idea to have pet insurance to help with the cost of the care of your puppy. Pet insurance usually does not start for 30 days so you may want to get it prior to bringing your puppy home. As with any insurance you will want to find out if there is a deductable, what is and what is not covered. Are you covered if you’re out of State or the Country or after hour emergencies.
Q – How do I potty train my puppy?
A – Once your home and feed and water your puppy they should go outside in 15 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them after they eat. They will start to look for a place to go. Take them out side to a certain spot you want them to use. As soon as they start to go praise them, give them a treat. They will learn that if I go here I get a reward. Soon you can cut back on the treats and it will become habit for them to go in the same spot/area.
Q – How soon should I start training?
A – The sooner the better. Puppies are young and will learn quickly.
Q - What type of training should I start?
A – Start with the basics, potty time, sit, stay, down, come.
Q – How do I find a good dog trainer for that is compatible with my golden retriever?
A – First a good dog trainer will have their own dog. You can find trainers at pet stores, private trainers and thru your local AKC. Ask questions, how long have they been training dogs, what types, what training tactics they use. Do they have a passion for what they do? Or is it just a job.
Q – How much Exercise should my golden puppy get daily and what type?
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Q – Can I over exercise my puppy?
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Q – What awards and Training can my golden earn?
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Q – What training is involved for my golden to become a certified service dog?
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Q – What training is involved for my golden to become a certified therapy dog?
A – If your dog has basic obedience, gets along with other dogs, people, check with your local AKC kennel club. They offer training and testing or they should be able to refer you to a agency that does.
Q – What if my golden eats/drinks something toxic?
A – Remember stay calm and call your vet. If after hours and they have an emergency number call it. Some vets have emergency numbers directly to them and they may be able to call you right back or it can take a while to call you back if there on another emergency. You can also call the 24 hour emergency pet poison control number at 1-888-426-4435/ASPCA 24/7, 365 days a year
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Q – What are household dangers/outside dangers, I should be aware of?
A – Puppies are like babies and need to be protected. They wonder around and look for things to do and to get into. Puppies love to please their family and they need a job to keep them busy; otherwise they will find their own job to do. Since puppies are teething and love to chew things they need their own chew toys and should be taught that is all they can chew on.
Electrical cords can burn and kill, medicines can make them very ill or cause death, chemicals left out, or used were the can step on it and lick their paws, lick it off the floor, cleaning buckets with chemicals left out are all very dangerous . They only see it as water for them to drink, not poison. Certain foods left out, spilled on the floor can be dangerous to them as mentioned before. Small objects can be choking hazards as well as dog food that can be too large for a puppy.
Outside dangers: certain types of fences that a puppy can get its head stuck in. A common myth is if my dog is eating grass they have an upset stomach. Do you use fertilizer on you grass, weed killer, bug killer on the grass or flower beds? Grass ingested with these chemicals /or chemicals on their paws and the clean them could make then very ill, cause paralysis such as cardiac arrest, asphyxia, muscular problems, neurological and death. Do you have ponds/creek/pool something a puppy could drown in? Insects such as bees, wasp, hornets stings, spider bites. Do you live where there is venomous snakes/spiders? Do you have a fenced yard?
Q – What are the dangers of heat exhaustion/heat stroke and what can I do if my golden is ill?
A – Symptoms of heat exhaustion/heat stroke: Panting/Dehydration/Excessive drooling/Increased body temperature - above 103° F/Reddened gums and moist tissues of the body/Small amounts of urine or no urine/can develop sudden kidney failure and rapid heart rate (160 bpm standard size dog/220 bpm puppy)/ Irregular heart beats/shock/Stoppage of the heart and breathing (cardiopulmonary arrest)/Fluid build-up in the lungs; sudden breathing distress/Blood-clotting disorder(s)/Vomiting blood/Passage of blood in the bowel movement or stool/Black, tarry stools/Small, pinpoint areas of bleeding/change in mental status/Seizures/Muscle tremors/Wobbly, uncoordinated or drunken movement/unconsciousness in which the dog cannot be stimulated to be awakened.
Call your vet, 1st try to lower the puppy/dogs body temperature, place the dog in a tub with cool water (NOT COLD/OR WITH ICE) you can wrap them in a cool towel that is wet, not soaking wet, if your outside you can use a hose enough to get them wet, lay them down, get them in shade, into air conditioned room, use a fan, get them in the car and to the vet to be checked.
Q – What is a good first aid kit for dogs?
A – There are several pre-made kits on the market, you can also make your own, and check with your vet as far as what over the counter meds you should have for your pet. Especially if you are traveling, out camping, boating, hiking etc and far away from a vet.
Q – Is there first aid course for animals?
A – Yes, American Red Cross offers a on line course (https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/cat-dog-first-aid), The Pet Professional Guild (https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/Learnpetfirstaid), You can also check with your local AKC kennel and see if they have information on class’s.
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Q –What are common disease of golden retrievers?
A – What is considered normal in the Golden Retriever Breed, thyroid/skin allergies, epilepsy, “loose hips” or entropion which is the rolling of the eyelid inward and cause the hair on the eyelid to rub the eye.
Q- What foods can golden’s eat and not eat?
A – There are several varieties of list on line of what is safe and what is not safe for dogs. Never feed your dog anything other than their normal food unless you check first with your vet or verified list of foods that are ok for them.
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Q – What meds are safe for my golden in an emergency?
A – Check with your vet, see what is ok to use, ask what a does rate would be for each medicine and keep it in a safe place. Tell the vet you would like to know this information in case of a emergency and you cannot contact them right away or you’re out of the area and no vet is close by.
Q – What are anal glands and there effects?
A – They are two small pouches on either side of their anus. They make a smelly, oily, brown fluid. Dogs use this to identify each other and mark their territory just like when they urinate. An anal sac disease begins as an uncomfortable impaction and often a dog will drag their bottom on the ground trying to relieve this. If this is untreated it can progress to infection or an abscess. You will need to take your dog to the vet and have the glands expressed manually. This is done by squeezing them by hand to push the fluid out.