# Possibly Adopting a Retired Golden, Thoughts?



## MPaul (Sep 29, 2013)

Hello everyone!

I'm brand new here, but I've been reading through the forums for a few weeks now. We've been seriously considering getting a Golden for our family and may have a prospect. I contacted Judy from A Promise Kennels and she replied almost immediately and mentioned that she has a 7 year old girl that's retired and can be adopted. She sent pictures and a link to the dog's profile on her website, and I must say the dog is beautiful. We have never owned a golden and think this could be a good opportunity to get acquainted with the breed, not to mention offer a good "retirement" home. Plus, we feel that a retired show dog and dog used for breeding will mean we are getting a good quality dog. We were looking for an older dog since we live in Hawaii and the quarantine restrictions require any dog to be 10 months old before they can be qualified for immediate release from the airport. On top of that, we have a young child and feel that we may not be able to offer a young puppy the type of attention and socialization it would need to be a well rounded dog when it grows up. We are a little concerned about whether or not a 7 year old dog would be a good choice though, mainly due to age. I would like to know some general thoughts?


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

Older goldens are wonderful. I would check the breeder out to be sure she is a responsible breeder and ask about the health of the dog. Too many litters and poor medical care can lead to health problems for a dog. If the breeder has taken good care of this dog, it sounds like she would be a wonderful fit.

Ask the obvious questions about whether she is house-broken, good with kids, dogs, other pets, etc. just so you have the whole picture.

We adopted a rescue golden when he was nearly 6 years old and he has been a wonderful fit for our family. Puppies are adorable, but not everyone has the time to commit to training one so an older dog is perfect.

Good luck with your decision!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Older dogs make wonderful companions and family members. 

As member *brianne *said, be sure to check out the breeder thoroughly, find out as much information as you can about the dog you are considering, such as her health records, how she is with children, other dogs, cats, etc. 

The more information you can get about this girl, the easier it will be to make your decision as to whether or not she will be a good fit for you and your family. 

Best of luck!


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

We adopted Gussee when she was 6 years old from our breeder. The others have given you great advice about checking out your breeder to make sure all things are in order. Gusseee bonded with us and is a love bug. The only thing I would suggest is to work with an older dog on house training. Even if she is house trained she will be new to YOUR house. We found that it took us a little time to learn Gussee's signals as to when she needed to go and she had to learn about our house and our routine. We treated her like a new puppy and it made a big difference. Good luck!


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