Below are some frequently asked questions that we are asked. If you have another question that is not on this list then please e-mail us at pups@RGoldens.com or call 704-990-8030.

1. What makes Recherche Goldens different from every other breeder of English Creme Goldens?
   Recherche Goldens are unique because of the quality of our Goldens and the quality of our Program.
   
   Quality of our Goldens: Our English Creme Goldens have the some best pedigrees of almost any breeder in the US and the world. Multiple World, International, European and literally dozens of country champions are in our dogs pedigree (Please review their pedigrees on Our Stud & Our Dams page). Our stud also is an UCIBCA International Champion. All our Goldens are tested for their hips, elbows, eyes and hearts. We are OFA, BVA and CERF cleared to breed. We also guarantee our pups against these and other health defects with up to a 2 year warranty. Also our Goldens were chosen not only for their incredible pedigrees and health clearances. Each of our Goldens exemplify the wonderful temperament of the Golden Retriever.
   
   Quality of our Program: There are many different types of breeders. You have puppy mills, large professional kennels, back-yard breeders & professional hobby breeders. Puppy mills produce large amounts of low quality puppies. They are the worst of the worst (Watch a video of puppy mills by clicking HERE). Large professional breeders have high quality Goldens with health clearances and great pedigrees. They may even have a good program in place. On the other hand, they are so large they raise their dog's outside in runs and their puppies in kennels. Puppies are not well-socialized or trained. Their adults are not mistreated like a puppy mill but they are not loved and cared for like a Golden Retriever deserves. The third kind of breeder is back-yard breeders. They are small and raise their puppies in their homes. On the other hand, they don't have the best pedigrees & health clearances in their dogs and/or they are not very professional all the way around. You can see it on their website. Very hap-hazard, not organized, not knowledgable. Many of these are families that want their children to "experience the miracle of life" or they are just trying to make some quick easy cash out of their Goldens. Most of the breeders of English Cream Goldens are going to be large professional kennels or back-yard breeders. We are professional hobby breeders. A professional hobby breeder has high quality Goldens & health clearances but are small enough to be able to concentrate an enormous amount of time socializing and training each puppy from our litters ( For more information on our distinctions please visit the About Us page). There are not very many professional hobby breeders in the US with English Cream Golden Retrievers and of the few out there we have worked hard to become the best of the hobby breeders.
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2. What does it mean to "socialize" a puppy ?
   Puppies go through a critical period of socialization between five and twelve weeks of age. During this period of time they mature very rapidly. If isolated from external stimuli and not exposed to the outside world, they can grow up to be fearful adult dogs. Litters of puppies raised in an isolated location such as a barn, a garage or a dog kennel often have little exposure to humans except those feeding them. If puppies never leave their confined, isolated quarters where they have been raised, they may never experience any external stimuli such as automobiles, strangers, loud noises or children running and playing. If puppies are not socialized at an early enough age, it makes little difference if they have been raised by a breeder, a private family or in a vacant building; the outcome will usually be the same. Puppies that receive little or no human handling between the ages of five and twelve weeks of age often remain fearful when exposed to new situations. Meeting their new family for the first time, the car ride to their new home, their first trip to the vet, and meeting children, strangers or other dogs for the first time can be extremely frightening for these puppies.  How does Recherche Goldens get our puppies socialized so they grow up to be well-adjusted, adult dogs that are comfortable meeting strangers, children and other dogs? The key is to make sure our puppies get exposed to everything they may ever be exposed to during their lifetime, while they are very young. Once again, the critical age of socialization is between five and twelve weeks of age. If not exposed to new situations during this critical period, your puppy may always be fearful when exposed to new things in the future. Recherche Goldens consistently have the puppies interact with strangers and our other adult dogs. They are not confined in a cage for 24 hours a day. They are raised in our home and handled consistently by us and by several people. Charity is a piano teacher and because of that every puppy is handled by many curious and careful children. Every puppy is accustomed to hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, automobiles, pianos and other loud noised by the time they leave Recherche Goldens. Enrolling your puppy in Recherche Golden's Puppy Academy will also have many added benefits in socializing and training your puppy.
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3. What does the acronym titles stand for in the Golden's pedigree?
   Paws Village has the most complete listing of the International titles we have found. You may see all the titles and what they stand for by CLICKING HERE.
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4. What does it mean to "dew claw" a puppy?
   Dew clawing is the process of removing the front inside claws of a puppy typically at the age of 2 or 3 days old. It is a very safe procedure much like cutting the umbilical cord. Many Goldens when they get older will have their dew claws caught on fabric and will have it injured. Having an adult Golden dew clawed is a very painful and expensive procedure. Many problems can be avoided if the breeder would spend the extra money and dew claw the pups at a very early age.
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5. How does the puppy selection process work?
   Puppies are picked in order of deposits received (exception being the 1st picks of each gender for training). We do not require our buyers to select their puppy until they are 5-6 weeks old. This gives the puppies time to develop physically and emotionally. Every puppy from birth is marked with a separate colored collar so that we can observe and note the personalities of each puppy as they are growing. By 5-7 weeks of age they have enough of a distinct personality to share with the buyers. Though we have never had a "bad" puppy in a litter there are still distinct personality traits that some buyers desire. At 5-7 weeks of age we will give the personality descriptions (Using the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test) of all the females to the earliest female depositor and the males to the earliest male depositor. Once they make their choice we go down the line based on which buyer placed their deposit first. Pictures are posted of the litter at 1 day old, 2 weeks, 4 weeks old, 6 weeks old & 8 weeks old on our Available Pups page through Facebook. A copy of all the puppies pictures will be given to each buyer on a personalized CD.
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6. Is your dog registered and if yes, to what registry?
   Yes. Our dogs are dual registered with the American Kennel Club and the Kennel Club of their country of origin. Information about the AKC can be found on their website. The AKC (American Kennel Club) is the only registry that Recherche Goldens would recommend buying a Golden from in the US. Many of the others do not have the standards that AKC have. Buyers receive a copy of their limited registration AKC paperwork when they pick up their puppy. The final copy will be mailed to the buyer after we receive proof of spay/neuter. Each of our Goldens have had their DNA Profile completed with the AKC. This may be seen on each individual dogs webpage.
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7. What is the difference between "limited" registration and "full" registration?
   Limited Registration means that the dog is registered but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. A dog registered with an AKC Limited Registration shall be ineligible to be entered in a breed competition in a licensed or member dog show. It is eligible, however, to be entered in any other licensed or member event. These events include: Obedience, Tracking, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Herding, Lure Coursing, Agility and Earthdog. Breeding is a very complicated and serious decision. So many people have decided to breed dogs because of the financial benefits. An ethical breeder does not breed to make income- they breed to advance only the healthiest Goldens to the happiest homes. Hip Dysplasia and many other eye and heart diseases have been spread by irresponsible breeders. Because of the intense dedication it takes to breed appropriately, 99% of our pups will only be sold as pets. BEWARE of any breeder that is willing to advertise selling FULL registration to ANYBODY that pays extra. Once again, that breeder is not breeding for the betterment of the breed but simply for profit. As a rule of thumb, if a breeder is breeding for profit then they will cut-corners in every way possible to save money.
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8. What health clearances do your dogs have?
   Each of our Goldens have had their hips and elbows checked by the OFA or the BVA (British Veterinary Association). They also has been checked by an ophthalmologist yearly and a cardiologist/veterinarian and has been cleared with the OFA for their heart and the OFA/CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) with their eyes. For individual information please see their individual web pages.
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9. What kind of puppy food do you feed your pups?
   What we put into our dogs is as important as what we put in ourselves. For this reason, Recherche Goldens have taken seriously what puppy food is the best for our puppies. We do not feed our pups food that can be bought from Wal-mart. We feed our puppies Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken puppy food. This puppy food is a 5 star rated dog food according to DogFoodAnalysis.com. There is no corn in this puppy food and all the main ingredients are named meat products (Lamb, Lamb Meal, Ocean Fish Meal). The primary grains in the food are millet, rice and barley. Millet is a good quality grain, easily digested and non-allergenic. Rice is also a good quality grain and source of carbohydrates, protein and fibre. Barley is a further good quality grains, but rice bran is a grain fragment and filler. Canola oil is a good source of linoleic acid. We recommend that each puppy continues to be fed this very common but very good puppy food. For the a little more than Eukanuba and Science Diet, (both only 1 star rated dog foods) you can feed your puppy a much higher quality puppy food.
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10. Can we come and visit your dogs and see your facility?
    YES! This is a very commonly asked question that is asked of breeders. The answers that are given by other breeders quite frankly are shocking. Many breeders refuse for you to visit their kennel until the pups are 6 weeks old. By that time the buyer has already committed emotionally and financially to that breeder. Recherche Goldens understands that parvo and other diseases are a very serious threat. On the other hand, simple precautions can be made to eliminate the threat. We ask that if you choose to visit Recherche Goldens please do not visit another kennel before hand. Also, please try to stay away from any unfamiliar dog just in case they have any diseases. Many breeders hide behind trying to protect their dogs from hiding their facilities. Golden Retriever Club of America recommends that you find a breeder who has nothing to hide and is actually desirous of meeting with you. Recherche Goldens simply ask that you make an appointment out of courtesy before coming to visit.
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11. When's the earliest we can pick up our puppy?
    Every puppy is completely weaned and eating hard puppy food by the time they are 5-6 weeks old. On the other hand, we require our pups to be around 8 weeks old to be picked up or shipped.
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12. How much do your Goldens cost?
    Recherche Goldens are not the Wal-Mart of Golden Retrievers. Recherche Goldens have some of the highest quality English Cream Goldens in the world along a very extensive hands-on program. Therefore, they are  much sought after. Recherche Goldens typically have most of the pups sold before they are born. Those that buy from Recherche Goldens are more concerned about their vet bills (which run much higher many times than the cost of the puppy), their home repairs from a bad behaving pup, and most of all, the heart break of caring for an unhealthy Golden Retriever. Buying a dog should never be like buying a vehicle. The decision on what dog you will have for 10-15 years should NEVER be based on price alone. Recherche Golden pups are $2900- $3900 (depending on availability and quality of the breeding) for a male or a female which includes dew claw removal, health certificate, microchipping, 4 dewormings, puppy shots, health examination, Solid Gold Hunchen Flocken Puppy Packet, NuVet Starter Kit, Puppy Training Packet, Puppy Picture CD, copy of their limited AKC paperwork, 2 Year Health Warranty and a lifetime of support. The first pick of males and females from every litter are selected by the buyers with our help and each Golden goes through our Puppy Academy. These are the creme of the cream of the crop! Each trained puppy will be potty-trained, car trained, crate trained and go through our complete obedience classes with us. Chien Superieurs (1st pick with training) are $5900 for a male or a female. To learn more details about what we do in Puppy Academy please read question #27 & #28 below.
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13. How much does it cost to ship a puppy?
    Recherche Goldens uses Delta/Northwest, American Airlines or Continental Airlines to ship their puppies. They have proven to be very trustworthy and have taken care of every puppy we have shipped and every puppy we have received. All of our current adults have been shipped in from Europe and all have been treated with the utmost care. Delta/Northwest also allows Recherche Goldens to ship a puppy and have the buyer pay for the shipment upon arrival. The average ticket anywhere in the continental US for a Golden puppy at 8 weeks old is around $220-$260. Insurance can be purchased for an additional $20-$30 if you desire. We do ask that you simply pay Recherche Goldens $135 for a decent travel crate and for the mandatory Interstate Health Certificate.
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14. What type of shots and tests are given to each puppy?
    Each puppy is examined by the vet just a few days after birth and their dew claws are removed. Each puppy is then dewormed at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks & 8 weeks old. As a precaution, each puppy is treated with prescription Albon for coccidiosis. Right before pick-up each puppy is given their "puppy shot." The puppy shot is Duramune Max 5 which is the vaccine for coronavirus, parvovirus, distemper, parainfluenza, adenovirus type 2 (and hepatitis) plus four leptos. Also the pups will also be microchipped.
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15. When should I go to my veternarian after picking up my puppy?
    Each of our puppies come with a warranty that requires you to have your puppy checked by a vet within 72 hours after picking up your puppy. Your vet will need to check for any communicable diseases during that period. Your vet will also recommend a time to get follow-up "puppy shots." Most vets recommend puppies to be revaccinated every 2-4 weeks until 12 weeks old.
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16. What type of warranty do you provide?
    We provide up to a 2 Year Health Warranty. Details about what is covered, what is not covered, and how it is covered can be found on our Warranty Page.
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17. Do you provide an extended warranty?
    Because we highly recommend NuVet vitamins, we will extend our warranty for an additional year if you order online by clicking on the NuVet Lab logo or through our reference number (85927) so that we can track your use for 2 years. Dysplasia and other health defects is not only about genetics. It has as much to do with diet and proper antioxidants as anything else. NuVet makes it easy for the breeder to track those who continue to use their product and thereby allowing us to reward them by extending their warranty.
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18. What is NuVet?
    NuVet is a powerful antioxidant that gives a tremendous boost to the immune system to prevent skin and coat problems, and creates a defense against over fifty major diseases, including hip and elbow dysplasia, and extending the life span of your dog.  Please take time and CLICK HERE to read about NuVet.
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19. How do I train my puppy?
    Every buyer will receive our Puppy Training Manual to help answer common questions on training your puppy. You may see and print out the training manual by CLICKING HERE. Recherche Goldens do offer an extended and extensive training program for an additional cost.
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20. What do I need when picking up my puppy?
    We recommend that your bring a small travel crate, some large bath towels, a small collar or body harness, a basic leash (NOT a retractable leash because they fear them at first), paper towels, garbage bags, some chew toys, water and a food and water dish.
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What is your address and other contact information?
You can find that information and direction on how to get to my home by going to the Contact Us page.
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What's the difference between English and American Golden Retrievers?
The most obvious difference is the lighter colored coat. AKC penalizes for a light colored coat but the British Kennel Club doesn't. As a result many English Goldens have a light creme coat. English Goldens also have blockier heads, a more leveled topline and a more square and bigger muzzle than American Goldens. Most importantly, English Goldens have almost a 25% less chance of getting cancer and outlive American Goldens by almost 2 years on average. The vet bills incurred by a dog having cancer pales in comparison to the price difference between American and English Goldens. Many people pay upwards to $10,000 trying to save their beloved American Golden from cancer. We encourage every person to visit our English Golden Retriever page to see more of the differences.
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I have questions about the Golden Retrievers as a breed:
Information on Golden Retrievers temperament, care, history and health can be found in detail on the English Golden Retriever page.
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What do I do if I can no longer care for my Golden?
It is our policy that if you can no longer care for your Golden because of a move or because of financial difficulties then you must return you Golden to Recherche Goldens. This goes for the entire life of the animal. We will either find a good home for your Golden or care for him/her ourselves. Goldens purchased from Recherche Goldens should never be sent to an animal shelter, a rescue or given to someone else without prior approval of Recherche Goldens.
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Do you provide stud service for your male?
Yes, we do to approved females. Max is an incredible stud with an unbelievable pedigree and the best temperament of any Golden we've met. Please contact us to learn about our policies and prices. Visit our Stud page to learn much more about Max.
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Are you on Facebook?
Yes! Facebook is a great way for us to keep everyone posted quickly as well as post many extra pictures. Also, being friends will also give you the opportunity to post pictures, comments and questions. That way, we can truly be a "life-time of support." CLICK HERE to request to be friends with Recherche Goldens!
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Do you have an Extended Training Program?
Yes. Recherche Goldens has a very successful and extensive training program called "Puppy Academy." Recherche Goldens has trained a number of puppies successfully in this program. Puppy Academy is not a simple "Puppy Kindergarten" program consisting of classes 2-4 times a week with a trainer. Your puppy will be trained extensively by Recherche Goldens, drawing on years of experience training Golden Retrievers. Because the pups are raised in our home, we are able to earn the puppies' love, trust & respect prior to training. Also, because Recherche Goldens is so experienced, consistent & detailed, they are able to see Puppy Academy pups achieve amazing results by the time they graduate at 12 weeks of age. Most puppies that have graduated from Puppy Academy are better trained at 12 weeks of age then most dogs are at 12 months of age! Below is a week by week breakdown of what is taught in Puppy Academy.
Week 5-6
TAUGHT: The puppy will begin the process of being crate-trained. By this age, each puppy has already been weaned from their mother and are eating puppy food only. The puppies will be separated only at night and confined to a small crate to sleep in. This will train the puppy to learn to sleep alone (no screaming puppy for the first few nights!) & more importantly, to hold their restroom for long periods of time. Recherche Goldens will begin by waking up in the middle of the night to potty each Puppy Academy puppy. Each day, Recherche Goldens will lengthen the time between potty breaks. This will strengthen the puppies bladder and bowel control which is crucial to successful potty training.
Week 7-8
TAUGHT: By age 8 weeks, all of our regular puppies are taken home. This gives Recherche Goldens extra time to begin extensive potty training. By this age, most of our puppies will be able to hold their restroom for 6-8 hours at night. The puppies develop trust in the trainer that they will potty them at appropiate times. The trainer will begin having each puppy walk around their home, watching intently for the pups to start "pottying". Once they show a sign, they will immediately be taken outside and rewarded/praised for holding it. Potty training will continue in earnest until the pup is taken home at 12 weeks of age. At this 7-8 weeks, basic obedience training with clickers (so you can easily continue training at home) will also begin. It will begin with leash training and with "sitting." In addition, other commands such as "down/lay", "stay", "come" will be introduced.
Week 9-10
TAUGHT: Extensive training of basic obedience commands of "sit", "lay/down", "stay" & "come" will continue. Also during this time, each puppy will begin stair training. Many Goldens have a fear of stairs but if introduced slowly & appropriately at a young age, they will have no problem running up & down almost any type of stairs. Also each Puppy Academy puppy will be car trained and go on safe "field trips" to get each puppy accustomed to different environments & people. During this time we will continue "groom training." This will involve training the puppies to get bathed, blow dryed, nails clipped, teeth brushed & ear cleaned. Puppy Academy puppies will also begin to be taught how to appropriately interact with people & how to behave in a home. No biting hands, feet, or clothing is allowed. No chewing the furniture, digging on wood floors or getting in the trash is allowed.
Week 11-12
TAUGHT: For multiple weeks and for dozens of hours each Puppy Academy puppy has been potty trained, crate trained, leash trained, stair trained, car trained, groom trained, basic obedience trained & extensively socialized. Almost every command is understood by this age although some may not yet be mastered. "Repetition is the mother of all learning." Each Puppy Academy puppy will now be tested during these final two weeks with multiple distractions & repetition to make sure each puppy is worthy of Puppy Academy graduation. You can view a puppy graduate on our Youtube page by clicking HERE or by browsing on the bottom of the page.
Cost: $1900. An additional deposit of $1000 is due to reserve any puppy enrolled in our extensive Puppy Academy.
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Do you sell the "pick of the litter"?
Yes we do. The first pick of our males and our females are automatically enrolled in our extensive puppy training program called "Puppy Academy." Read the previous question & answer for a detailed description of what is taught in Puppy Academy. We call our 1st pick of our male & female pups with Puppy Academy our "Chien Supérieurs" (translation from French: "Top Dogs.") At 5-6 weeks of age, our puppy selection process begins. Those that have reserved our Chien Supérieurs will have the first choice of what puppy they will want. Recherche Goldens will assist in your selection but ultimately the buyers decide which puppy they want. Recherche Goldens look for a puppy with high intelligence, a sweet temperament, maturity & outstanding conformation for a Chien Supérieur. 
Cost: $5900. An initial non-refundable deposit of $1500 is due to reserve a Chien Supérieur.
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How do I reserve a puppy?
1. Read through this FAQ page- We have designed this page to be as informative as possible. Even if you choose not to go with us we believe reading through every question and every answer will help you in your search for the right breeder and Golden Retriever.

2. Fill out our online questionnaire (www.RechercheGoldens.com/Questionnaire.html)- BEWARE of any buyer that won't ask you questions except how to pay for your dog. They are obviously only breeding for money and not for the betterment of the breed.

3. If approved place your deposit- Notice that Recherche Goldens does not have a BUY NOW button. If you see this on a breeders webpage RUN AWAY! These breeders obviously do NOT have the best interest of their dogs in mind but their own pocket books. Those breeders are simply glorified pet stores who don't care about anything but the Almighty dollar. After we receive your questionnaire, we will review it carefully. Typically we will get back with you within 24-48 hours. If you are approved then we will give you the directions to place your $500 deposit with credit card, debit card, PayPal, or cashier's check/ money order. Please do NOT send money until you have filled out the questionnaire and have been approved.
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Below is a video of a puppy that graduated from Puppy Academy!