1.  Learn about the hereditary problems in the breed. You need to be well informed about hereditary diseases, the certificates required and what the scores (hip/elbow) mean so that you have the best chance of owning a healthy puppy. See Hereditary Problems.
2. Choose a breeder who is a member of DOGS Victoria. The puppies will be registered with DOGS Victoria. The sire and dam’s hip and elbow certificates must be lodged with DOGS Victoria before puppies can be registered. Members must abide by the DOGS Victoria code of ethics. See DOGS Victoria's Regulations, Codes, Policies & Procedures.
3. Choose a breeder who is a member of the Golden Retriever Club of Victoria (GRCV) or their State’s breed club. A GRCV member should be well informed about the breed and existing hereditary conditions. The GRCV member may have carried out more hereditary tests than the minimum the club requires. Members must abide by the club’s Code of Ethics.
   See  Choosing a Breeder
4. Meet the breeder in person. Visit the breeder to meet the mother (dam) and to see the living conditions of the puppies. The mother should be friendly, sociable and a good example of the breed. The puppies should be clean, healthy and sociable.
   
5. Visit the father (sire) if he is available. The sire should be friendly and sociable and be a good example of the breed.
6. View all the hereditary certificates and have the breeder explain the results to you. The minimum requirements for listing on the GRCV’s Litters Available page are for both parents to have a hip and elbow grading certificate, a heart certificate and a current (annual) Australian Canine Eye Scheme (ACES) certificate.
   See Hereditary Issues
   
7. Don’t pay a deposit until after the puppies have been born or there is a puppy available or you have visited the litter.  Deposits are refundable under Australian Consumer Law unless you change your mind. Refer to information below on Consumer Laws. The dam may not conceive or there might not be enough puppies born. Alternatively, your circumstances might unexpectedly change because of ill health, a work transfer or other unexpected event. 
8.  If you buy a puppy with purchase conditions about future breeding or showing called “breeder’s terms”, make sure these are spelled out in a written contract, which both breeder and buyer sign and retain respective copies of.  Be clear about the conditions and contact the Golden Retriever Club of Victoria (GRCV) if you are concerned or do not quite understand the terminology.  This will avoid disagreements later. The link above to Choosing a Breeder provides more information including advice on breeders terms.
9. You should view the Certificate of Registration and Pedigree for both the dam and sire. See further information via the link above to Choosing a Breeder.

Buying a pet is no different to buying any other type of good – your purchase is covered by the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which came into full effect on 1 January 2011. All consumers now have the same protections, and all businesses have the same obligations and responsibilities, across the whole of Australia. Under the ACL, the purchase of a pet is just like any other purchase made by a consumer – the same protections apply. For example, when purchasing a good or service, the ACL automatically provides the consumer with certain rights or consumer guarantees.