Step 1 - Read FAQ

Step 2 - Read Application Process

Step 3 - Apply

Before applying for a RAGOM golden, please be aware of a few things...

• We don't have any perfect dogs.
• You may have to wait a long time for the dog of your dreams.
• Golden retrievers are not for everyone.
• You might not get the dog you were just looking at on the website.
• You should only apply for a RAGOM golden if your family is 100% ready to adopt.
• RAGOM dogs are not free.

We don't have any perfect dogs.

If you are looking for a dog that will move in to your home, have no issues and adapt immediately, you will be disappointed with the dogs we have. We are a rescue group and all of our dogs left their first home because something didn't work out for them. They may have behavior problems, they might shed too much, they might not like cats, or they might be too old to be welcome anymore. They may suffer from separation anxiety, bone and joint disorders. They may have allergies or their families may have just grown tired of them. Hard to believe, but this is common for our dogs. Rescued dogs are not perfect. That's not to say that one of our dogs might not become perfect once they are in your home! In fact, most of our adopting families say that their new rescue dog is perfect for them. Sure he messed on the rug and cried all night for the first two weeks. Yeah, he still rolls in the mud in the back yard and scratches at the patio door, but when he looks up at you with those big brown eyes when you pet him, he is the perfect dog.

You may have to wait a long time for the dog of your dreams.

Many families are looking for a 2 year old female that is housetrained, has no bad habits, and has gone through obedience training already. We hardly ever get those dogs and when we do, they find homes very quickly. Often these dogs don't even make it onto the web site. Be prepared to wait several months for that dog. However, we always have dogs that are, shall we say, less than perfect. Dogs with health problems, dogs needing obedience training, and dogs with more than just a few years behind them are always available and waiting for forever homes. The less perfect the dog, the shorter the wait. (Adopting a less than perfect dog can actually be a very rewarding experience. Read some of our Happy Endings and look at the Golden Oldies page to see what we mean.) We do consider our oldest applicants first, but sometimes they do not match a certain dog.

Golden retrievers are not for everyone.

They are big, furry attention seekers who shed on everything they are near and will demand to be by your side for every second of their long lives. Golden Retrievers have a double coat, which means there is constant fur in your house. They are RETRIEVERS, which means they will retrieve socks, shoes, underwear. If you are not enthusiastic about any of these qualities, please do not apply. We don't mind taking a golden in because it "sheds too much" or "follows me around all the time," but we certainly will not place a golden into a home where these would be complaints.

You might not get the dog you were just looking at on the website.

Many of the available dogs are already considering approved families. They might be placed by the time your application and home visit have been approved. Don't worry, there are more Golden Retrievers coming in all the time. You may not be a good match for the dog you really, really fell in love with online. Some dogs need fences, some dogs hate cats. As you can imagine, we are concerned with the needs of the dog. If your family is not a perfect match for a certain dog, we will make sure that the dog who is a perfect match for you finds its way to your home.

You should only apply for a RAGOM golden if your family is 100% ready to adopt.

If you are moving, grieving the loss of your last dog, remodeling your house, or not certain for any reason, please wait before applying. Some families are perfect for some dogs and it may happen that a dog needs you right away. We cannot put applications "on hold" because we simply don't have the resources.

RAGOM dogs are not free.

Our rescue dogs are priceless to us, as they will be to your family. To help with our operating costs we require non-negotiable adoption fees that vary. They are as follows:

• Puppy - 3 years ... $275.00
• 4 years - 8 years ... $225.00
• 9 years and up ... $125.00

These fees usually cover the cost of the medical treatment your dog receives while in foster care and also help pay for other costs associated with other rescued dogs.
RAGOM dogs must be spayed or neutered. All of our dogs come spayed or neutered, unless they are puppies under the age of 6 months or have a condition that prohibits us from neutering or spaying them while they are in foster care. If this is the case, RAGOM will reimburse you up to $87.50 toward the cost of a spay and $64.50 toward the cost of a neuter.
If you cannot afford the adoption fee, you probably cannot afford to keep a golden.

Please note

If you meet any of the following circumstances, RAGOM will return your application fee, as RAGOM does not adopt to:

• Families who have day care in their home.
• Group living facilities such as a nursing home or a group home. We WILL adopt to an employee of the facility if the dog is a family member and comes to work with and returns home with the employee at the end of their work shift.
• Families who have adopted another dog within the last six months.
• Families who do not live in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota or South Dakota or Western Wisconsin within 30 miles of the border.
  (Wisconsin applicants may adopt from us after they have applied to and been approved by Golden Retriever Rescue of Wisconsin (GRROW) or Wisconsin Adopt A Golden Retriever (WAAGR): www.grrow.org or www.waagr.org

If none of these items has changed your mind about adopting a RAGOM golden,
click on "Step 2 - The Application Process" at the top of the page.