BTW, a good friend of mine (an extremely experienced dog owner) has been "stung" on her dog purchases more than once. Standard Poodles that were crazy (ran in circles throwing sand all day), or that bit strangers, or that dropped dead suddenly, etc.
Then she switched to German Shepherds (good luck there), but if she'd wanted a guard dog, she didn't get it. She got a dog with a big bark but who cowers easily.
Most recently, she purchased a yellow lab puppy. I took one look at how stiff that pup was when getting up from a nap and I predicted that they will find that she has displasia. The dog is not yet two, and the stiffness she showed at 7 weeks has come back. I saw her last night and I think she is in bad shape right now because the college-aged son was home and played hard with her on the beach for a weekend. That should not wear out a healthy dog.
All of these dogs were pedigreed and each cost over $1000, etc. The Lab was bred by an agility instructor we both know and both of us know both the sire and the bitch -- both of them bench and agility champions -- nice dogs.
The problem is that you cannot X-ray and certify a pup's hips until after the dog is 2. The parents' background is a predictor, but it doesn't guarantee anything. And the breeder's warranty to take the dog back if something is found to be wrong is worthless once you have fallen in love with the dog (which you certainly will, unless you are totally heartless.)
My own personal take (from breeding cats for years) is that if you combine healthy parents with a good spread in the pedigree, you can improve your chances the most. In other words, not too much line breeding on either side. Sort of like the La Leche League's advice for avoiding problems with toxins in foods vis a vis breast feeding - eat a wide variety and not too much of any one thing.
I rarely see crippling dysplasia with OFA cleared parents, however people need to look at a broader sample than just Mom and Dad. They need to look back into the pedigree at siblings, grandparents etc. The OFA website is a fabulous tool. Additionally, for golden retrievers there is www.k9data.com Not all goldens are listed there, but it is quite an extensive database of pedigrees, many with Hip/elbow/heart/eye/thyroid clearance information. A great resource to check up on info a breeder may have given you.
BTW I don't require anyone to return a dog if it has a health issue, since as you say, it's generally become part of the family. I do the best I can to make it right, either through another dog (when they are ready) or a refund. So far (knock on wood!) I have been blessed with very few problems. However, it could happen any time!
susie