Now it’s time to find your breeder. Not just ANY breeder; THE breeder that seems to offer what you are looking for in all regards. You’ll want to find as many as you can to choose from within the distance you want to travel.

You should develop a good idea about what you want before you search for breeders but remember that they too are a good source of information. Don’t try to let them think you know more than you do and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

You do not find a good hunting dog by asking your car mechanic if he knows any breeders; unless of course he is into dogs and hunting. Start by asking Mr. Google. Search as many key words as you can think of (I am sure you know that drill.) Definitely search retriever clubs. Those sites will have a member directory that usually provides email addresses. They typically also list members who have puppies available. Draft an intro email that is as specific as possible about what you want. Take your time with it because you don’t want to overlook anything important by being ill prepared. Then make email contact with ALL members. This is a network and they often know of available litters whether or not they are listed anywhere. Most dog people and especially breeders LOVE to talk about their dogs (sometimes ad nauseam but that also can be educational) so information is not hard to come by. They are also a great source of referrals. Ask for them. The more breeders you talk to, the more options you will open for yourself and options are good because sometimes it’s hard to find a litter that meets all (or at least most of) your needs.

Many breeders are just as concerned about you as you are of them. And they are very particular about where they send their dogs. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire describing your living environment, your experience with dogs, will you hunt, etc. Good breeders take this very seriously and that is a good thing for you. Be honest and do not be intimidated by their questions.

Reputable breeders will give puppy shots and encourage you to take the pup to your vet for an examination as they will at least guarantee no issues with eyes and hips. Talk to the breeder about that and get to your vet quickly.

And extremely important, is that a good breeder will socialize the puppy with people and other dogs before you take your pup home.