# Started female golden - wanted



## Texasrose (Apr 8, 2013)

I am looking for a female Golden 2-3 yrs that is a started gun dog to purchase. Do you have or know of one? 

Please contact!!!!!

Thank you


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Why do you want one? Or what are your intentions?


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I would post over on the retriever training forum. They are a lot more likely to know of something.

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/index.php


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Golden folks are less likely to have started dogs to sell (don't know why really--maybe that when we get one that works well we want to keep it for ourselves!!)

Your best bet would be to contact some of the bigger working kennels, or a pro trainer who works with Goldens regularly. They might know of a FT washout who has what it takes to be a good gundog but just couldn't cut it in FT work. The RTF is also a good place to look, but most of the listings will be for Labradors.

Rockerin Kennels

Angie Becker (Tioga Kennels--winters in TX, summers in MI)
John/Nancy Miner (High Times--Based in IL but winter in TX)


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Shelly - do people normally purchase dogs that old for "started"? I always assumed started would be anywhere under a year and taught the basics. 

The other thing I wondered - why do people do this instead of buying the puppy and sending out to a pro for training? Started dogs are pretty expensive, aren't they?


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

People sometimes use the term "started" to mean different levels of training. For some hunters/hunt testers, it does just mean a dog through FF, CC, and handling drills. But for others it means a dog that is at a point in its training where it would be getting into serious concepts training next to prepare for running FTs, but just lacks that extra something it would need to be successful at that level.

Sometimes people would rather get a started dog that they know can do the work at the level they want, rather than get a pup and have to wait for it to grow up and then go through all the training, and still maybe not have the skill set or drive they need for the hunting they do. They may have lost their hunting dog unexpectedly or had it suffer an injury which means it can no longer be the main hunting dog and they need a dog ready to work now. The owner of one of the ponds I sometimes train on is looking for a dog like this. He has always trained his own dogs from puppyhood, but is now in his 70's and just cannot do it this time around. He needs a hunting dog, so would rather get a mature trained dog that can be his hunting buddy right away.

Started dogs are expensive, but one suited for gundog work will not be as expensive as a FT prospect that is being turned over. When you factor in $1500 to buy a puppy that may not turn out, plus food, and veterinary expenses, plus pro training at $600+ per month for at least 3 months to get the dog to a basic handling stage, and more like a year to get a dog reliably working at the Master level, $4000-$5000 for a dog doing competent MH level work is actually quite a bargain!


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

Loisiana said:


> I would post over on the retriever training forum. They are a lot more likely to know of something.
> 
> RetrieverTraining.Net - the RTF


 
I agree that is a better source to find a Started Dog. That being said, there are seldom any Golden Retrievers for sale in the Started Dogs folder.

A "Started Dog" can be a housebroken pup up to a dog ready to run Seniors. Be sure you are clear about what you want the dog to be able to do.


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## Texasrose (Apr 8, 2013)

We have an 8 year old AKC registered male and want to breed him. We purchased a female puppy a couple of years ago and with the intent to breed her and hunt with her. As it turned out she had hip problems and we felt it best not to breed her and are looking for another female to breed with. We want an adolescent dog so we don't have to wait for her to mature.

Please let me know if you have or know of a started female for purchase.

Thank you


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## Texasrose (Apr 8, 2013)

Thank you all for the responses. I'll check the web sites y'all suggest.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

That's what I thought when I saw the age specified. Hmm.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Texasrose said:


> We have an 8 year old AKC registered male and want to breed him. We purchased a female puppy a couple of years ago and with the intent to breed her and hunt with her. As it turned out she had hip problems and we felt it best not to breed her and are looking for another female to breed with. We want an adolescent dog so we don't have to wait for her to mature.
> 
> Please let me know if you have or know of a started female for purchase.
> 
> Thank you


Kudos for not breeding your girl who did not clear. That said, you are less likely to find someone willing to sell you a mature dog for this purpose. Frankly, unless you have a proven record with your current dog (ie titles and full clearances in place) and an established reputation in the working Golden community people are not going to sell you a breeding prospect(at least not people who have done the clearances and proving that you should--and if they are selling a bitch who has passed her clearances, after making that investment into her, then it likely means she lacks something that accounts for their being willing to sell her!) The people who will sell a girl no questions asked are often the ones who would have bred a girl whose hips did not clear, and that is likely not where you want to go to establish a good breeding program.

Rather than trying to find a girl to buy for your boy right now, you might be better off building a relationship with one of the good working kennels in the Southwest, and work in mentorship with them, and lease a girl to do a breeding under their guidance down the road.


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## Texasrose (Apr 8, 2013)

Thank you so much for the advise. We are working all angles just in case someone has what we are looking for.

Cheers


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