I've joined this forum just to find out more about the breed. My situation is that I have an 8 year old labrador who has been diagnosed as terminally ill with lung cancer.
We don't know how long he's got, but it could be weeks rather than months, which is absolutely breaking my heart. I cannot imagine not having a dog around, particularly as I am a disabled person who is at home a lot.
It comforts me to think about maybe owning another dog one day, particularly a rescue. Maybe its weird of me - I'm certainly not thinking about getting a new dog for quite a while, but I feel I have to have something to look forwards to.
I'm trying to find out more about golden retrievers because my mum has a guide dog which is crossbred goldie x lab, and also I have a friend with a white retriever the same age as mine. From the dogs I've known, it seems retrievers aren't quite as boisterous as labs, particularly once they are mature, and aren't such terrible food thieves (although I'd love it if my dog would steal food now - he's so thin
). I also think it might be helpful to look at a different breed, to avoid comparisons ("He's not as nice as Shadow" etc).
My situation is that I have a joint condition, so exercise is good for me, but not too much. I am an animal lover so often have other pets around (currently ferrets), so I can't have a dog with a big prey drive. I have three older teenage children and a partner, so its a busy house with lots of people coming and going. Also, I am very close to my mother who uses a guide dog, so any dog I have has to be dog-friendly. We live in a village close to a market town and my best friend is a dog-sitter/walker who gives me 'mates rates'.
So I was interested what people thought and whether I'd have what it takes to own a rescue retriever? Are they expensive to feed? What about health problems - one friend has a retriever with congenital pancreatitis and another has one with hip dysplasia, so they don't seem the healthiest breed. OTOH dogs for the disabled and guidedogs use them, so they can't be generally unhealthy, can they? My only worry about getting an older one is that I am frightened of vets bills and the heartbreak, but as I'm only look at the moment, I think I need to keep an open mind.
