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Frequently Asked Questions
We know you want to be sure you are making the right decision in purchasing a puppy/dog
from us, and we understand you’ll probably have questions to ask us to help you make an
informed decision. We have put together answers to questions that are asked most often.
Before formulating your list of questions to ask us during phone calls or in email's, please
take some time to read through our FAQ's as we may have already answered your
questions below. If you find that after reading through all the FAQ's, you still have
questions that we have not addressed here, please call or email us for more information.
If you have purchased a dog from someone other than Golden Journey and you have
questions, you should contact the person/breeder/store in which you purchased the dog.
They should know best how to answer your questions. We know how to appropriately
answer questions about our dogs because we know their history, pedigree and their level
of care.
1). Is my decision to purchase one of your dogs the only factor in obtaining one of
them?
While it is very important that you have confidence and a comfort-level with us, we do not
sell our puppies without having a comfort-level with you. We reserve the right to refuse to
sell our dogs/puppies to anyone. We take great pride in our puppies, the way we care for
them and the way in which they are considered part of our family, before they join yours.
Therefore, while you will likely have many questions for us, we in turn will ask many
questions of you. We make every effort through our communications with you to be a good
judge of character and to ensure our puppies are adopted into loving homes where they
will be properly cared for. You can expect that we will ask questions such as: “Will your
dog be kept inside or outside?”, “Will your dog be a family member”, “How many children
and other dogs/pets do you have?”, “how many hours will the dog be left alone each
day?”, etc.
2). What days and hours are you available to speak with me?
Please keep in mind we receive many inquires each week and we have posted FAQ's to
save us time and to help get you the answers you want quickly. We answer and return
calls as soon as we possibly can. Please, leave us a voice mail message, we will make
every effort to return your call as soon as possible. If you do not hear from us within 24
hours please try again. We are in the Central Time zone ~ CST. We ask for your
understanding as the care and attention given to the puppies and adult dogs must remain
our first priority.
3). How many pictures can I expect to receive of puppies I am interested in and
how often will I receive them?
We get picture requests each day, and as much as we would like to accommodate each
and every picture request, it takes a lot of time and energy away from caring for the dogs to
respond to each request, therefore we have established a “Photo Schedule”. We hope to
take 2-3 pictures of each puppy on Sunday and make every effort to post them online by
noon CST the following Monday. Once a puppy has been selected the pictures will be
removed from the website and personally emailed to each individual family.
Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances and the unpredictable nature of raising, and
caring for our dogs, we may not always meet this time frame, but we make every effort to
and appreciate your understanding should we incur delays.
4). May I come to your home and pick out my own puppy?
Yes, After the puppies are 6-7 weeks old and have had a vaccination. Please call to make
an appointment. Occasionally we have several litters at varying ages, this will be a
consideration before visits.
5). Do you require a deposit to hold my puppy or get on our Waiting List for future
litters?
Yes. When being placed on a waiting list a deposit is required once we have confirmed
the pregnancy or occasionally after the puppies are born. Please call or email with
inquires.
6). Are your prices negotiable?
Our puppies have been priced according to their specific pedigree, history, quality of their
care and the high level of service we provide to you, the buyer. We are confident that our
puppies are priced accordingly and therefore our listed/quoted prices are non-negotiable.
7). Do you ship dogs/puppies? Is it safe?
Yes, We ship from O'Hare Int. Airport in Chicago to
every major International Airport in the United States
using well respected airlines. Direct flights are chosen
as to avoid layovers and lengthening the pup’s flight
time. Shipping requires special attention to detail.
For the dogs safety there are government and airline
requirements and policies. We take care of all the arrangements for you.
All carriers are marked LIVE ANIMAL with instructions for watering and feeding.
You will be given all needed information to pickup your puppy, including
suggestions of what to take with you to the airport, directions to the selected
airport and flight details. Flight reservations are made within hours of the flight
due to weather restrictions. Therefore....
**YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR PUPPIES FLIGHT INFORMATION 12- 48 HOURS
BEFORE HIS/HER DEPARTURE.
We make trips to O’Hare International Airport (Airport code: ORD) in Chicago, Illinois on
Thursdays and Sundays. Again, please understand that we are not able to be flexible with
the days as the trip to O'Hare is a minimum of a 6 hour journey for us and that is a long
time to be away from puppies at home.
8). What are the charges for shipping a puppy?
The buyer will pay actual airline shipping costs: ticket, airline approved carrier and a puppy
health certificate from our Vet (required by the airline for the safety of the pup)
Shipping costs are approximately $250.00-300. Ticket amounts are determined by the
weight of the pup and the carrier size NOT by the distance they travel.
9). Can I pick up my puppy in person?
Yes. Please call or email to make arrangements. We will make every effort to
accommodate your schedule.
10). What type of food are the puppies eating?
Our puppies are fed "Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy"
It is important to continue feeding the food the puppy
has been accustom to for several weeks. Weaning
over a period of time will help eliminate tummy issues.
11). What type of toys do you recommend?
Like with babies our concerns are choking, strangulation and poisoning including lead in
toys. It is difficult to watch your pup every second so providing safe toys to play with and
chew on is very important. Nylabone and Kong both make several products for
"aggressive chewers". The most important thing is that small bits will not come off. A good
quality rope is fun, but if the strings start coming apart it can turn into a dangerous toy as
would the fiber from a stuffed toy. Balls and frisbees are essential for a retriever.
12). What size collar and leash should I buy for my 8 week old puppy?
A lightweight 6-9 inch collar and 6 foot leash is standard for an average size 8-10 week old
retriever pup. Remember, your puppy will outgrow this collar quickly.
When unattended a collar can become a strangulation hazard. If your dog/puppy becomes
entangled with a branch on a bush, a larger dogs jaw while “puppy” playing, a fence or
???? The collar can quickly become a noose cutting away air supply. The puppy may not
even be able to bark to let you know that he/she needs you.
We highly recommend www.breakawaycollar.com
13). How can we ease the transition for our puppy from sleeping with their siblings
to sleeping alone?
We ship each puppy with a towel, blanket or toy that has the smells of our home and their
siblings on it to soothe them while they transition into the comforts of your home. You may
find that your puppy prefers to sleep with a stuffed animal that is their same size or a bit
smaller. This may remind them of sleeping with one or all of their siblings. They tend to
sleep piled on and cuddled with one another, so your puppy may enjoy snuggling or
sleeping on top of a stuff animal. Some schools of thought recommend getting a wind-up
alarm clock and placing it under a fluffy blanket to resemble their mother’s or sibling’s
heartbeat. You might try putting an unlaundered t-shirt in your pups crate he/she will be
bonding to you even as they sleep. Unless you prefer to have your puppy sleeping in bed
with you every night, this may not be a habit you want to start. Try to imagine sleeping
with a 65-75 pound puppy on your bed in a few months.
14). Do you recommend we enroll our puppy/dog in obedience training?
Absolutely! You and your puppy will be much happier if you are both trained. It is best to
begin these classes after your pup has completed the vaccination series, around 16
weeks. Speak with your vet or trainer for his advice.
15). Are there any books you recommend we purchase as a first-time puppy/dog
owner?
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Clarice Rutherford
The Perfect Puppy: How to Raise a Well Behaved Dog by Gwen Bailey
Help! My Puppy is Driving Me Crazy: A Guide to Solving Common Puppy Problems by
Diana Delmar
16). Are there any websites you recommend we visit as first-time puppy/dog
owners?
http://www.purebredlabs.com/puppies.htm
http://www.raisingspot.com/intro_bringing_puppy_home.php
http://www.professorshouse.com/pets/dogs/first-time-dog-owners.aspx
http://101-dog-training-tips.com/Puppy_Training/index.shtml
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bring01.html
17). When will I receive my AKC paperwork/registration documents?
If your puppy is being shipped, all paperwork should be sent to you within 2-4 weeks. If
you are picking your pup up, you will be given paperwork at that time. Occasionally there
can be a delay ~ you will be notified as soon as possible.
18). What are some common issues that may occur after my puppy/dog comes
home with me?
Diarrhea: A stressful situation might be: changing their environment, water and/or food may
affect your puppies elimination habits. You may be able to ease this by adding a teaspoon
of plain yogurt with active cultures to their food. Be sure not to let the puppy become
dehydrated. Consult your vet.
Chewing: all puppies have a tendency to chew. It is up to you to teach your puppy what
they can and cannot chew. If they chew something you don’t want them to (a table leg),
remove them from the area and give them something they can chew (a Nylabone). Giving
them an alternative will help them learn what is off-limits and what is acceptable. There
are many training books out there that address this subject and we recommend you buy
and read one before bringing your puppy home with you. It may save you some
heartache.
Potty in the house: some puppies are easier to potty-train than others. It is a dog’s nature
not to want to potty in the place where they sleep (in their “den”). We attempt to teach our
puppies this at an early age, by separating their sleep/play/eating area from their potty
area in their pens. We place newspaper in their potty area and many of them get used to
going on the paper before they come home to you, however we do not make any
guarantees of you receiving a potty-trained puppy. That part is up to you and your
preference. There are different schools of thought on how to potty-train your puppy, some
of which include newspaper training and crate training. We leave this part up to you and
your personal decision and preference. Again, this is where purchasing and reading some
puppy books may save you time and flooring.
Worms: can be passed from the mother to the puppy while in the womb or during nursing.
At 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age, we administer de-worming medication. If you notice worms in
your puppies stool, this is normal cleansing. Your puppy will receive as many as 4
treatments until a culture is clear. Please consult your veterinarian for suggestions and/or
further treatment. Soon their own immune system will be taking care of this by itself.
19). Do I need to take my puppy to the vet upon bringing it home?
Yes. As Per our Purchase Agreement, you must take your puppy/dog to your veterinarian
within 72 hours of bringing it home. If a hereditary problem is found, we must be notified by
your vet in writing immediately.
20). What is your refund/replacement policy?
Per our Purchase Agreement:
“All of our puppies are guaranteed to be in good health when purchased. We guarantee
the puppy to be free of any life-threatening hereditary defects for 1 year from date of birth.
A licensed veterinarian must examine your puppy within 72 hours of delivery. Seller does
not guarantee against communicable diseases such as giardia, coccidian, parvo, etc. If
there is a debilitating illness or disease, the breeder’s veterinarian will interpret the report
and if he/she concurs, then a replacement puppy will be given. There will be no cash or
credit refunds. Golden Journey Retrievers offers replacement puppies only. Replacement
will be made within 1 year.
| Click picture for a list of....... "Things you MAY need when puppy comes home" |
| Click on picture for more info on shipping |