Specializing in Breeding and Training Golden Retrievers for 40 Years.

Myths about puppies

I have had several clients ask me when is the best time to get a puppy. Individual life styles and circumstances are different for everyone, so I cannot say a certain time is better than another. For me personally, winter is my favorite time to potty train. Most people forget that a new puppy needs a tremendous amount of sleep, and they are not as hardy as an older pup. They have shorter play times, and spend a big part of the day in the crate, sleeping. In Minnesota, in the frozen tundra, when you let the puppy out to do his business, he is quick to get it done and come right back in the house. He learns quickly that “outside is where I go”. In the spring, it may be muddy and wet, and there are also a ton of distractions for a new pup. All kinds of smells, sticks to chew and frogs to find! If you get a winter puppy, by the time spring and summer arrive, he is older, and can romp and play outside with the family for longer stretches of time. There is also a question of male vs. female. In my opinion and experience, the only difference in the two is size. A male will grow to be about 10 pounds larger than the female. He will have a broader head, a more majestic look. As for personality, it depends on the individual puppy. I have had females who grew to be great hunters, as well as males. Females who were snuggle bugs and just wanted to please, as well as males. It is like saying when you have a baby girl “oh good, she is going to be a piano player” but when she grows she is the soft ball pitcher. Sex does not determine character. If you have grown up adoring females, get a female. But honestly, it gets down to each individual pup, it’s temperament and personality. That is why you have to trust me and believe I know the puppy after all the time I spend with them.