dog question

My husband and I have really been wanting a dog for a couple of years now, but we have been waiting until the time was right. We are looking at moving this next month into a duplex that allows dogs and I have a pretty light schedule for the next few months, therefore a lot of time to spend with the new dog, so we have started our search.

Justin (my husband) is really set on a golden retriever. He has always wanted one and he is very determined to have a purebred puppy. I would prefer a small dog, a maltese or a bichon, but ultimately i decided to let him win with our first dog. So, you would think he would give in to my really wanting to adopt a slightly older dog, but no. For his first dog he just has his heart set on a puppy.

I have been trying to research reputable breeders (which , thanks to this site, I can now identify) but I am having trouble finding places. I guess i'm just not sure where to start. We're in Wisconsin, but would be willing to travel if we need to for the right breeder/puppy. I have looked a little online, but beside that, I'm not really sure where else to look. Also, does anyone know how much I can expect a reputable breeder to be selling his/ her golden retriever puppies for? From the places I have been able to locate, i have seen a crazy range of prices, anywhere from $250 to $2500.

Also, is pretty much any breed okay with cats if raised around them? My cats are my babies and I REALLY don't want to stress them out too badly. Is there anything in particular I could do to make bringing a new dog into the house easier on them? We have a room at our apartment that is just for the cat's and I was hoping to get the same set-up at the new place. I was thinking if I could gate off their room, so just the cats could get over the gate, maybe that would help by giving them their own, dog-free space.

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it, we're trying to gather lots of info before we make any decisions. Thanks!

A dog will need you even in a few months when your schedule gets busy again, its not something that takes time now and less later. Its not good to get a dog if it will be left at home for hours on end. If you are interested look into www.petfinder.ca they have all breeds and crosses of all ages, and tell you if the dog is good with cats or not. Dogs that are brought up around cats are of any breed its all in the socializing. Yes your cats could be stressed for a while why your dog gets use to them, and it would be a good idea to fence off your room so they have a place to get away to and that they can still see the dog and the dog them. I'm sure someone else here can give you more info, I hope I have helped a little. Good luck.

If your husband is set on a purebred puppy make sure you do your research and once you have found several breeders that meet the criteria you have set go out and check them out. If you are going to check out puppies don't go for the quiet one in the corner for your first pup. It is best to pick the one that comes to you not necessarily the prettiest one. Goldens are very popular with the BYB's so be careful. Check with the kennel club in your area. You can also check through dogs annual.
Goldens in this area are not being bred with clear lines so many pups are having serious health issues.
Make sure the pups are registered with American Kennel Club or Canadian Kennel Club(don't get tricked with a similar but fake registry). See that the lines are free from defects a few generations back(proof), atleast a 2 yr health guarantee against all genetic defects. Parents are shown through obedience or conformation. See parents to see how social they are. How mant puppies they produce. How often is a pup returned.
Check out www.akc.com and www.ckc.com These sites can give you tons of info on how to find a good breeder and what questions to ask.

Doggy lover, yes, obviously a dog will still need me in a few months, all i am saying is that it will be nice to have a few months where i rarely have to leave, while the whole transition is taking place. While the dog is getting used to our home and our cats and vice versa. The dog will not be left alone for hours upon hours. And yes, i work in rescue and am well aware of Petfinder (i run our rescue's petfinder sight), unfortunately purebred puppies are rare there (although i have certainly been checking....daily :) ). I wish i could persuade him to rescue an older dog, but since he has tolerated the constant parade of cats that is moving through our apartment with all of the fostering i do, i feel obligated to let him make a few calls in the pet department. We will have more dogs in the future and they will certainly be rescued! Thank you for your reply!

Stacey B, thank you very much for your advice! I will check out those websites and will definitely do my homework first.

Are you going back to work full time? If you get a very young puppy, it'll still be a baby in a few months and not be able to stay alone all day. Is there someone who can come in and take it out for bathroom breaks and training?

Yes, if you get a puppy and raise it with cats, it should eventually be fine with them (but no guarantees) however it's going to take a long time and lots of training, supervision and stressed out cats.

No, i'm not going back to work full time, at least not for awhile. I am finishing up with college. I will definitely have family members who will be able to come by and walk/play with the dog if i have to be gone for any extended period of time. Plus my husband and i are on pretty different schedules so most of the time, if i'm not around he will be and vice versa.

Do you have any suggestions on how i can make this any less stressful for my cats? Or is it pretty inevitable? I'm really worried about that. :(

well, most reputable breeders actually have waiting lists, so you might have a problem finding a pure bred puppy in the amount of time your speaking.

My own golden retriever was a rescue ... not from a reputable breeder.
There are some golden owners on here, perhaps they can ask their breeders who is trusted in your area....
I tend to rely on breeders I trust to recommend breeders in other areas.

As for the cats, they will just go to a high spot that the puppy cannot get to. Thats at least what my cats did, and what i was told the would do. I had no problems introducing

The cats will either accept and love puppy or avoid them. I would worry about puppys eyes getting scratched and losing sight of that eye. I know of many puppies this has happened to. Make sure that interactions are supervised and all bedroom doors closed so puppy can't chase puppy under beds.