Breeders who are Dogs Australia members, agree to abide by a Code of Ethics, Rules and Regulations. They are subject to inspections and disciplinary proceedings should they fail to uphold the rules and regulations.
Check the breeder’s registration number with your Dogs Australia state body.

Check the number on the Pet Exchange Register (Victoria only).
In other states it is a Breeder Identification or Registration Number, find out what they need to have and check it.

Dogs Australia members can only breed with dogs that have been registered with the appropriate state body (Dogs Victoria in Victoria).

It is a requirement that Golden Retrievers have their hips and elbows x-rayed and assessed through CHEDS prior to breeding. Your breeder should be able to show you CHEDS certificates for both parents and explain what the scores mean.

Golden Retriever’s are susceptible to Sub Aortic Stenosis (SAS), a narrowing of the area below the aortic valve, due to an abnormal fibrous band of tissue.

Sometimes this band is present from birth (congenital) and other times it develops early in the postnatal period. The narrowing causes pressure overload in the heart’s left ventricle because it has to work extra hard to pump blood through the narrow valve. This has flow on effects to the rest of the heart which can lead to fainting and even sudden death.

Ethical breeders will test their dogs once they are at least 12 months if age through a Cardiology Veterinary Specialist. If the result is clear, then the dog won’t develop it later in life and is issued a certificate stating that there is no evidence of cardiac disease. This is why a dog only needs to be tested once.

SAS is genetic, so affected dogs should never be bred.

Your breeder should be able to show clear heart certificates for both parents from a Cardiology Veterinary Specialist (not a Vet).

DNA testing is a valuable tool that ethical breeders use to screen for genetic health risks.

It is important to note that Dogs Victoria are introducing mandatory parentage verification for all litters whelped from 1 January 2026. Read more here.

Eye health can change over time, so ethical breeders screen their dogs eyes through ACES every year. This is also a requirement for Dogs Australia members.

Eye tests are another tool that good breeders use to ensure they are not breeding dogs who may pass on eye conditions to their puppies.

Your breeder should be forthcoming with all of the required documentation and should be able to explain what they mean.

Organise this well in advance of the pups’ due date.

Your breeder should be able to tell you about the pups’ father and why they chose to pair two particular dogs.

It’s important to know what experiences the pups have during their time with your breeder, as these will shape puppy.

Good breeders will provide a Contract of Sale that protects you both, along with receipts for any payments.

They may also require a deposit once puppies are born.

Breeding and puppy raising rules, regulations and best practice benchmarks change constantly. It is important that your breeder makes efforts to stay up-to-date with these changes.

Breeders are required to have their pups vet checked and micro-chipped at 6 weeks of age.

Any health issues must be documented and shared with the puppy family ahead of home day.

Your breeder should advise if your pup will be placed on the Limited Register.

Pedigree papers are important because they are essentially your pup’s birth certificate and show three generations of your pup’s family tree.

Pedigree papers provide assurance that their pup is purebred with health-checked and documented ancestry.

Choosing a pedigree pup from a Dogs Australia member increases your chances of bringing home a pup that has been bred with health and behaviour as top priorities.

Puppies must stay with the breeder until they are at least 8 weeks of age. Your breeder will let you know when home day is once pups have been born.

Dogs Australia registered breeders are required to offer you support (e.g. training recommendations, resources, conversations about whatever your dog needs help with) throughout your dog’s life.