Labrador Retrievers are a wonderful breed and I hope you will be very happy with your puppy. My daughter was raised with an older Lab and we never had a problem. Of course, he was 7 years old when she was born so we didn't have a puppy and a baby at the same time. They are exuberant dogs though, and I have found my Goldens to be much "calmer" than the Lab was, but still, a perfect choice for a family dog. Get ready to walk, and walk, and walk. He/she will need lots of exercise, for sure, especially if you live in an apartment.

I have 3 Goldens now. Two of them, I bought as puppies, and the first did come from a backyard breeder. I know better now, but I didn't 7 years ago when I bought her. She was a gift for my daughter's 8th birthday, on January 29, 1999. Good heavens, my "baby" is turning 15 years old this coming Sunday!!!!! She's a lovely girl (the Golden, Honey) and I wouldn't trade her for the world. BUT, we also have a rescue boy and he is the greatest gift I have ever received. I will always adopt in the future, I think, because we have had such good luck with him, and I don't want to go through raising a puppy again.

We lost our elderly Lab, Murphy, in December. She was almost 16 years old and was a very laid back, lovely yellow girl. My daughter's dad has a Chocolate male and he is so well behaved and such a couch potato! The only problem I can foresee with a puppy is that you don't know what kind of personality will develop, but I'm sure if you go with a reputable breeder, you'll be fine.

Do some research and ask lots of questions, using the ideas proposed by some of the others. You don't want to buy from a breeder who is not working hard to better the breed. The testing of the parents should be done and the results should be available for your review and you also would want to know that the parents were both at least 2 years old at the time of breeding.

Good luck to you! Get ready! You're going to be busy with a puppy and a 2 year old. I don't envy you!

Logan