# Agility-focused breeders?



## sammydog

These breeders are not all necessarily agility focused, but they all have bred some top agility Goldens:

Fast-Trak
Emberain
Rivercity
Go Gold
Heads Up
Tanbark
Sunfire
Hideaway
Gaylan's
Wakemup


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## nolefan

Here's a link from another good thread on this, fun to look at the dogs too.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...breeder-puppy/124618-preeminent-breeders.html


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## Sydney's Mom

sammydog said:


> These breeders are not all necessarily agility focused, but they all have bred some top agility Goldens:
> 
> Fast-Trak
> Emberain
> Rivercity
> Go Gold
> Heads Up
> Tanbark
> Sunfire
> Hideaway
> Gaylan's
> Wakemup


You didn't include yourself!


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## sammydog

Sydney's Mom said:


> You didn't include yourself!


Thanks! I guess I don't really consider myself a breeder, certainly not for anyone looking for a puppy now! I have only bred one litter and they are still young, although I have high expectations! We won't have another litter for a few years.


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## Melfice

How does a breeder focus on agility with their dogs? Field line Goldens maybe?


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## sammydog

I can only speak for myself but when I am looking for an agility Golden I am typically looking at field lines. It seems like many field dogs have a lot of the traits that make great agility dogs. For agility you want very good working structure and not too much bone. Then of course lots of drive and biddability.


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## Megora

I think that performance goldens (meaning those bred for agility and obedience) are probably set apart from field and conformation.... depending on who you look at? 

Here in Michigan - there's an agility person (Linda Brady, Starburst) who doesn't seem to breed very often, but when she does - generally the pups are going to people who do both obedience and agility. There's a lot of Meadowpond behind her dogs. And Meadowpond.... tends to be kinda typey as far as temperament and looks. I don't think anyone would call them "fieldy". 

But even there - I saw one of the pups from her litters show in obedience a couple years ago - and I'm still raving about what I saw. This was a very calm and well-behaved... relaxed.... one year old. Very blond and very fluffy and pretty. And smart as anything. <- I trained with the owner of his grandfather (not a MACH dog, but definitely a dog who did very well in agility and THRIVED on it) and I think there was probably a lot of Beau in this pup. 

I think agility people - meaning people like Linda - are going to put MACH's on their dogs left and right. Not that much different than Obedience people OTCH's. It takes dedication and a lot of showing and consistent success. 

If you are starting out green - then I think that you need to talk to breeders who are out there and competing all the time.... and see if they can help you get a dog who will work well with you. 

My personal opinion too is looking at pedigrees for litters - I think a history of MACH's behind your dog or a cazillion of those lower mysterious agility titles that I have no clue what they mean is what you want.


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## Sydney's Mom

Megora said:


> My personal opinion too is looking at pedigrees for litters - I think a history of MACH's behind your dog or a cazillion of those lower mysterious agility titles that I have no clue what they mean is what you want.


I tend to agree - on both fronts!


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## Loisiana

Melfice said:


> How does a breeder focus on agility with their dogs? Field line Goldens maybe?


Focus on dogs, lines, and pedigrees that have shown a strong aptitude for agility. Most breeders breeding specifically for agility have lighter boned dogs.


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## ILoveMyGolden

When you get trialing more regularly *wink wink* around our parts you will quickly find out who the Golden breeder(s) are at the trials. One name comes to mind in particular, but I think my struggle in getting a dog from her is that I don't just want a Golden for agility/performance, I want the awesome all-around temperament too that is a huge part of having a Golden! 

I struggle with down the road who I would look to for a pup in terms of what "kind" of breeder. We lucked out with a wacky driven guy who is great at agility, but by no means bred for it, nor has any of it behind him lineage-wise.


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