I know this couple wants to do the right thing — you can feel it right through the letter — but I think a puppy is the WRONG way to add a dog to their family.
My husband and I are planning on getting a golden retriever within the next year. And just because I know you will probably ask, we think we have picked the breeder that we are going to get it from. We have been looking at different breeders in our area for a while now and he is the only one we have seen that gives health clearances. (A big plus since my German Shepard had hip dysplasia at 9 yrs old). We know this isn’t guaranteeing our dogs perfect health, but this makes us comfortable with the fact that he is not just running a puppy mill. Plus… he limits the amount of litters his dogs will have to three, and Jed is the only one we have come across that does that. Anyway, here is his web site; please let us what you think: http://www.windmillfarmsgg.net/
OK, to my real question: We are worried about our future dog when we are at work. We both work 10 hour shifts M-TH. That is a long time for a dog to be alone. We do have a big backyard, however, we live on a corner lot, and there is a lot of foot traffic on our street. We are worried about a few things. Our dog getting teased by people going down the street and this making our dog mean, or worse, hurting him. People are also trying to talk us out of a golden because they are runners and will get our and run away. My first instinct to fix both problems is to put him on a pulley with a chain so that he can not go to the south side of the yard… but this seems cruel! We want to come up with a solution before we get a puppy. PLEASE HELP!!
I think your concerns are misplaced – with both of you away most of the time I think a puppy is a really poor idea. He will develop bad habits, be lonely and possibly destructive and I think rescuing a Golden from a Golden Retriever rescue organization is a way better idea as a mature dog can tolerate that time alone better. Goldens do NOT run away more than other breeds. What kind of fence do you have and what sort of neighborhood do you live in that you think people will taunt or hurt your dog? What about a solid fence that nobody can see through? PLEASE drop the idea of a pulley and chain, it is horrible and dangerous, just as you thought. Especially for an unmonitored dog he can get tangled, strangle, etc. It can also cause aggression like any chaining does. Please call in to my shows so we can discuss this because I know you want to make the right choice and I’d be happy to help you.
Tracie
