On this page, I will be doing my best to thoroughly cover my most commonly asked questions. If you do not see the answer to your question, please do not hesitate to reach out and I’d be happy to answer it!
QUESTION: Can i just wait to place deposit until I meet the puppy in person instead of placing deposit ahead of time?
ANSWER: Of course that is an option. However, like many reputable breeders, almost all my litters are either pre-reserved prior to birth or almost always by the time home visits would be allowed so I rarely ever have puppies available after that timeframe to come meet unless someone backs out last minute due to an emergency.
QUESTION: I see you take 4 male and 4 female reservations per litter. How can you know for sure how many puppies you’ll have or how many of each sex you will have prior to birth?
ANSWER: Unfortunately I can’t – not for sure, no breeder can. The average number of puppies in a litter is 8 and generally we have a fairly balanced number of boys and girls. That is why, over the years, I have ultimately adopted to taking 4 male and 4 female deposits on each litter as it is usually a “safe” bet. However there are zero guarantees on litter size as well as sex ratio and i offer refunds and/or transfers in the case that there aren’t enough puppies or desired and reserved sex is not available on any given litter.
QUESTION: Do you pick puppies for families or allow them to pick for themselves?
ANSWER: I work very very hard to match the correct pup to the correct buyer through extensive temperament testing. I’ve had outstanding success for years with this. The fit is absolutely paramount to the success of the placement. For example, in years past when I still let buyers pick themselves I’d see families want to pick the highest drive & most energetic pup out of a litter simply because they liked the look of the pup when they had already expressed to me that their lifestyle and activity level could not support a high drive/high energy dog and that they needed a more therapy type temperament. If allowed to simply select the pup they think is cutest, these are the same families that later regret that decision, feel a lot of guilt over taking a pup they couldn’t provide the proper home situation to and ultimately make the choice to surrender the pup back to me. After seeing this play out a few times, I switched to matching pups to my buyers. I will not allow a family to select a pup I know is not a good fit for them nor a good fit for the pup. However, I also offer choice anytime I am able to. For example, if you place your deposit early and are at the top of the waitlist and I happen to have multiple puppies with the correct temperament for your family, I will allow you to select whichever pup you like best. If you’d like the possibility of more selection, it is recommended you place deposit extremely early on a litter to be at the top of the waitlist but also please realize that all goldens are precious, loving and kind hearted. There is no bad or undesirable golden pup only the right fit for the right family and being a believer, I feel strongly God already knows and has planned which puppy is meant to be yours irregardless. If for some reason you vehemently disagree with the puppy you are matched with I would allow you to bump your deposit to another litter of your choosing but that almost never is the case. Trust me – when the fit is right both for the family and the dog, it is nothing but joy and happiness. You will have the most perfectly fit companion to spend the next decade or longer with. 💝
Question: How is picking/matching of pups arranged and when is it done?
Answer: We do matching between 5-6 weeks after temperament testing has been completed. I always aim for 6 weeks but also always do them on the weekend to accomodate most peoples work schedules so there may times we do matching a bit before 6 weeks to fall on the weekend. I usually offer video calls to families to meet their new little family member or if there are multiple pups to choose from this allows families to see them live to discuss, compare & make their decision.
QUESTION: Do you allow home visits before pups are vaccinated?
ANSWER: We do not offer in person picking/matching visits before they receive their first round of vaccines due to the biosecurity concerns as parvo is a very deadly disease and a major fear of all breeders and veterinarians. If our home somehow got contaminated with this virus that travels through soil before pups were vaccinated (not until right around go home age) it has a 95% fatality rate and being highly contagious would spread to all pups in the litter. It’s just something I’m not willing to risk in this age of technology when we have options like live video chat so you can see your puppy while also making sure they stay protected. You will see your pup in person in a few short weeks once vaccinated, why chance it? I have linked an article directly from AKC about this below for educational purposes to my buyers. It will help you understand why my policies are what they are. It’s not because I don’t want to see you. It simply is my job to protect these pups until old enough to be vaccinated and I just won’t risk their life for something that can be done just as easily and effectively through video. I find once properly educated on the matter, families fully understand and support this as they want to keep their baby safe and protected just as much as I do. My home and facilities have been inspected and certified by the AKC to be clean, well kept and fully adhering to all health and safety guidelines. Please check out “Our Facilities” tab to explore our set up! If you need any further verification, I do have countless references to provide from past buyers, our personal vet whom we have used for 7 years and many others we can provide for further peace of mind.
QUESTION: Do you allow “meet and greets” of parent dogs prior to placing a deposit?
ANSWER: We are unable to offer meet and greets with our parent dogs ahead of time because as you may have seen from our website, we do not keep all of our moms and dads here at our home permanently like many other breeders do. Instead, all have permanent guardian homes (essentially a co-ownership of the dog with a local family) so that each of my dogs can live in a single pet home where they are a spoiled and loved family pet without having to compete for attention from many other dogs in the home. This also eliminates the need to traumatically rehome dogs that have completed their breeding career and are now retired. Once a dog is retired from my program, they simply continue to live with the same guardian family that they have lived with since the beginning. We do things very differently than a lot of other breeders and this is one way we ensure all our moms and dads live the happiest and fullest life possible while also being a part of our breeding program and furthering the bettering of the breed through extensive health testing and genetic diversity. It is a way to breed more ethically and responsibly. I have made sure each dog has a detailed profile under “my ladies” and “my studs” tab that helps you get to know their temperament, health scores and additional pictures. Aside from my guardian dogs not living with me full time, having foot traffic in and out of my home regularly from visitors is not something I’m willing to risk as parvo is just too prevalent and too deadly. My #1 job is to keep my babies healthy and safe and I do take that job very seriously.
QUESTION: Do you show/title your dogs?
ANSWER: Yes. While health and temperament has always been my #1 focus, showing my dogs has become a part of my focus as well in recent years. Some of my dogs are already titled, some are currently working towards a title. All my dogs are CGC (obedience) titled before breeding and most of them also go one to compete for their conformation championship. Titling my dogs demonstrates their intelligence, trainability and structural soundness.
QUESTION: I am only looking for a pet. What do all these titles on the parents really mean for the average buyer?
ANSWER: Many people don’t actually understand the reason/significance of the titles & championships they earn so I’ll try to explain in lamens terms. Essentially the conformation titles ascertain if the dog is of correct structure, coat type, bite, size and color. Its not all about vanity though, structure of the dog is important to their orthopedic wellness. Lines with poor structure often also have associating weaknesses like hip and elbow dysplasia or arthritis which impact their quality of life dramatically. A poor bite can also affect quality of life and ability to chew and eat normally. Other titles focus on obedience or temperament and include those like CGC (Canine good citizen) which is a title earned by dogs who demonstrate a good stable temperament, obedience, gentle nature, good manners towards other people and pets. This title is a main entry into service and therapy work. These types titles on parents help keep intact the qualities we adore most in these stunning creatures and ensure it is passed down to the next generation. Choosing a breeder who makes an effort to title their potential breeding dogs shows a dedication to bettering the breed and preserving the future health, majestic beauty and temperament of the next generations.
QUESTION: What do puppies go home with?
ANSWER: All pups go home with:
A sample size of transition food if needed (Iam’s large breed puppy) Training treats, poop bags with dispenser, potty pads, stuffy or ball, long lasting rawhide free chew, scent blanket from mama and bandana. Please be aware that sometimes we may not be able to find certain items due to being out of stock so we substitute other/different items but we try hard to have all the above items in there. We also include akc papers, 30 days prepaid trupanion insurance, all vet records for physical exam as well as health passport trifold with shots/deworming, fecal testing and microchip info.
Things I don’t include are: collar/harness and leash, pet bowls, crate, and dog bed as everyone has pretty specific tastes/preferences for these items. I will provide some potty pads but I’d recommend having a big box on hand for home use. The same goes for training treats and chew/toys. I will provide some but I’d recommend having plenty more on hand. Plus its honestly a fun whole family event doing a pre-puppy spree with the kids at petco or some couples yet to have kids even hold a “puppy shower” as it’s their first child 😆 My advice? Let yourself embrace being crazily excited for this new member of your family. If you’ve ever known a golden retriever previously you’ll know that their golden heart is life changing. It’s kinda a big deal 🙂
QUESTION: What are your recommendations/tips for traveling with a puppy for families whom will be making a significant drive to pick up?
ANSWER: My tips for traveling families is to bring a small crate and set it up in the backseat. I’ll provide potty pads for your journey home in case of accident inside the crate but it’s a smart thing to have a whole box on hand at home. Having a few old towels on hand is also helpful. Bring a few super yummy long lasting chews (something tasty that will really keep their attention) along as well as maybe a small plushy toy for him to play with. When their not being actively being held or if their too wiggly to keep in one place while driving (please don’t risk an accident) put them in the crate with their chew and they likely will either fall sleep or busily chew away. They might cry a few times but they will be fine. Reassure them it’s okay. Maybe reach back with your hand and pet them through the crate to comfort them if they can’t be held. I always withhold breakfast and water the morning they go home for traveling families as it would be difficult for people to ever get home if the puppies were needing to stop for potty every 10 minutes along the way and additionally puppies often get car sick and the last thing you want is a poor sick puppy covered in vomit. They don’t get nearly as nauseous on an empty stomach. Give water but sparingly. Then as soon as you get home let them eat and drink right away 🙂 they will be ready for a good meal. I encourage you to use this first meal at home as a way for everyone in your home to hand-feed him his dinner. This act is very bonding and establishes right away that you are his new parent and you will care and provide for him 🥰 Absolutely DO NOT allow them out to run around or relieve themselves at rest stops on the grass. This is how many puppies pick up parvo and other viruses, worms & diseases! They are not fully immune until they complete their vaccine series so you do not want to chance them picking something up. Keep them safe and allow them to relieve themselves on the potty pad if they need to. You will need to avoid areas where dogs frequent/congregate like dog parks, rest stops, petco/petsmart, grooming parlors, etc. until after their final booster.
QUESTION: Are you a member of the GRCA? (Golden Retriever Club of America)
ANSWER: No. While I agree with most of what GRCA stands for, and not only meet but exceed all their pre-breeding health testing recommendations for goldens I feel they are neglecting some extremely important updating to their member and breeding standards/guildines. GRCA has not been updated in 14 years, which sadly puts them extremely behind the latest scientific studies in the fields of golden retrievers as a breed as well as current studies on reproductive health, cancer research, etc. Our scientific knowledge as well as the invention of new and more advanced/accurate health testing procedures (like Pennhip, for example) have vastly changed and evolved over the last 14 years as all science does over time. I personally feel extremely disappointed in the GRCA that they would be so behind on current research and scientific studies. Due to the negligence on their part as an organization supposedly dedicated to the health and well being of the breed, I have chosen not to become a member of the GRCA and instead follow european standard guidelines as they are – and always have been – extremely up to date on our ever changing and evolving scientific knowledge in the fields of canine reproductive health as well as the top authority for breeding standards for the entire world.
QUESTION: Do you guarantee a certain score for orthopedics (pennhip & OFA), COI percenrage or dna genetics on dogs sold on full registration intended for future breeding?
ANSWER:
In regards to pennhip and/or orthopedic (OFA) scores on dogs purchased on full registration, we cannot and do not guarantee what scores they may receive. Because a large percentage of failing orthopedic scores are attributed to injuries, environmental factors (over excerised/under exercised), hormonally derived laxity (around heats) and dietary factors (overfed, underfed, too much calcium, not enough glucosamine) rather than simply genetics – we cannot make guarantees in regards to these scores.
Alternatively, we only breed parents whom have been fully tested and have passed ALL orthopedic and dna testing in our program to rule out the chance of genetically derived failing scores. Please use the links provided on the website publicly to view parent dog’s clearances prior to placing deposit to verify.
We DO guarantee them against being affected from the breed specific diseases (ICT, DM, MD, PRA-1, PRA-2, PRA-PRCD, & NCL) for life as these factors are not affected by environment, diet etc. and are fully preventable through testing and selective breeding.
All dogs sold on full registration are breeding & show prospects ONLY and we do not make guarantees in regards to their orthopedic testing as we cannot control the environment, diet or potential injuries both seen or unseen they are subjected to after leaving our care nor can we guarantee their success as a show dog as so much of that success is intense training and practice.
In regards to COI (co-inefficiant of breeding) , all our pairings have been ran through k9data and are extremely low (most are under 1% whereas average is 8%) but we cannot and do not guarantee any certain number because different dna testing companies will often come back with wildly different percentages from one another on the same dog which makes it unfortunately very unreliable. Alternatively, we run all planned pairings on k9data ahead of breeding to check COI through the pedigree and only breed low COI matches. Please verify the COI on your chosen pairing on k9data before submitting deposit to ensure you are happy with the COI on the pairing. No refunds will be offered based on COI percentage.
We DO offer the ability to purchase limited registration to start and pay for full registration rights after all testing is completed and submitted to us to verify. All limited registration dogs are contractually obligated to become spayed and neutered unless full registration is purchased and legal contract amended. Upon reviewing the passing clearances for hips, elbows, cardiac, eyes + DNA and payment of additional rights made ($3000-$4000 depending on pairing), we will release the full registration rights on the dog. If full registration is purchased upfront, there are no refunds offered on breeding rights if you decide not to breed the dog for any reason.