Questions
Questions people ask us
How much is a puppy?
£2,200, for a dog or a bitch. The Price, terms and process page explains what that covers.
How does the deposit work?
£300, taken only after the litter is born and you have visited. It is fully refundable until matching day at 7 weeks, and it comes off the price.
How long is the waiting list?
Usually six months to a year. For the spring 2027 litter, four families are approved and we expect six to eight puppies. We may keep one, so there is room for two more approvals. We will never put more families on a list than we expect puppies.
Can we choose our puppy?
Not exactly. We match puppies to families at seven weeks, after an independent temperament assessment and seven weeks of our own notes. You tell us what you hope for, and we explain our choice. Families almost always tell us later that we got it right.
When can we visit?
Any time between litters, by appointment. When there is a litter, approved families visit from five weeks. You always meet the mother with her puppies, where they were born.
Can you deliver a puppy, or meet us halfway?
No. Every puppy is collected from our home. We never ship puppies or hand them over anywhere else.
What papers come with the puppy?
RKC registration and the signed transfer, a five-generation pedigree, copies of both parents' certificates, the microchip transfer, the vaccination card, the vet's report, the litter eye-screen certificate, an insurance cover note, and The Puppy Contract.
Which health tests do the parents have?
BVA/RKC hips and elbows, a BVA/RKC/ISDS eye test every year, gonioscopy, DNA tests for GR_PRA1, GR_PRA2, ICT-A, prcd-PRA, NCL and DM, and a cardiologist heart check. Every result is on each dog's page.
What does your health guarantee cover?
Hereditary conditions we test the parents for, diagnosed before 26 months: we refund £1,000 and you keep your dog, or we take the dog back for a full refund.
What if we can't keep our dog one day?
Ring us. We take back any dog we bred, at any age, for any reason, or help rehome it to a family we approve. It's in the contract, and we have done it three times.
When should we neuter?
If at all, not before 18 months for a bitch or 24 months for a dog, unless your vet advises it. Goldens neutered early have a higher rate of some joint problems and cancers.
What food are they on?
A good-quality complete large-breed puppy kibble, fed four times a day at 8 weeks. You go home with 2 kg of it and a diet sheet. Please keep your puppy lean, because it is the best thing you can do for its hips.
Do you breed 'English cream' or 'white' Goldens?
We breed Golden Retrievers in the colours the breed standard allows: any shade of gold or cream. A lighter puppy is not rarer, and it does not cost more.
Could we have two puppies from the same litter?
No. Two littermates tend to bond with each other more than with you, and both are harder to train. We would be happy to talk about a second dog in a year or two.