Golden retrievers are one of the world's favourite breeds, They are beautiful and gentle souls, with angelic faces that almost seem to be locked in a perpetual smile.
Their compelling eyes seem to peer into our core and we instantly fall in love with every part of them.
These dogs are no exception.
They all live on a beautiful little farm in Cavan, Ontario.
Their owners run a top-notch breeding service called "As Good As Gold", aptly named and highly respected.
The dogs here live the perfect life.
They roam the house with complete freedom, occupying beds and couches in comfort.
They have a large property to run and woods to explore.
And mornings are an exciting time for these beauties when they line up and stare in anticipation, waiting for the call for outside playtime.
When they hear the magic words and the twist of the door handle, they erupt in excitement and scramble for the door in the most beautiful stampede imaginable.
It's outside play time and they cannot wait to see what lies on the other side of the door.
It's winter in Ontario and fresh snow falls during most nights, allowing the dogs to roll and sniff, scratch and run.
Very few things warm our hearts like excited dogs loving life.
As Good As Gold is a breeding service that provides dogs only to loving homes with families who understand the commitment of owning an animal for ten years or more.
A family looking for a dog should carefully investigate their breeder to ensure that the puppies are being carefully bred for both health and temperament.
They should ask questions about veterinary care and nutrition, and interviewing the vet that the breeder uses is also very wise.
References and previous clients should be carefully considered to make sure the breeder's reputation is solid.
A tour of the facility and a look at the parents of the pups will also provide a lot of information.
Breeders who do things right will often have a long waiting list, but it is worth the wait for the right dog.
And just as important, while a family investigates and checks the breeder, a good breeder will also check their prospective forever families carefully too, asking for references and a show of commitment and preparedness for the challenge of raising a puppy properly.
The best breeders will place their dogs only with families capable of providing the love and care that a dog deserves.
Taking time to research and select a good breeder is crucial for getting the right dog, and it can also save you from medical expense or heart ache that can come later with the health and personality issues that we can expect from unprofessionally bred pups.
Getting a dog from an online advertiser who cannot answer questions or provide references is often a recipe for disaster.
