Our policy for neutering/spaying:

We ask our puppy families to follow a delayed neutering/spaying schedule.  Please do not pediatrically neuter/spay your dog(under 9 months of age).  The surgical protocol taught in American veterinarian schools is to remove all their hormonal organs.  We are hearing reports from some family's successfully finding veterinarian's able and willing to offer neutering/spaying saving the organs.  We encourage you to talk with your veterinarian.  If a "neutering and spaying while saving the organs" is decided upon you could always choose to do a full castration or spay later on down the road, once they are fully grown.  Our European Golden Retrievers can grow up to 3 years of age.  The hormones in the reproductive organs are instrumental in the growth and development of their hips and elbows.  

​By delaying the time the organs are removed this gives the dogs body more time to mature, completely fill out and significantly reduces their chances of hip dysplasia, lower chances of cancer and may also provide a longer life expectancy.  Hormones are an integral part of growing.  Without the hormones produced by these organs they cannot and will not grow as they should

HERE is an article about Vasectomy/Tubal Ligation

How do I manage having an intact female and male?  Aren't the males supposed to be more aggressive?  This may be the case with some breeds but not with the Golden Retriever.  Our intact male is not aggressive at all with our other animals.        

For females;  she will go into "heat" her first time around 9-15 months old(this could vary a bit more).  Then approximately every 6-8 months from there.  Their heat cycle lasts about 3 weeks.  At this time you need to be with her or monitoring her closely while outside.  Do not let her roam freely.  Keep her inside 100% of the time unless you're outside with her to go potty.  We think this is a small sacrifice, in an effort, to protect your dogs health and longevity.  We require  spaying our females between 9-20 months of age and neutering for our males between 9-30 months of age.  AKC paperwork will not be provided until proof of spaying/neutering.  See our HEALTH GUARANTEE and PURCHASE AGREEMENT.