# al-bark kennels.



## bmwalla (Jan 24, 2012)

Hello,
My girlfriend and I are looking to adopt/purchase a golden from a reputable breeder. I acknowledge the fact that premium/top of the line pup are ~1500 and up, unfortunately that is not in our price range. I have found a few breeders in my area I am curious about, but they fail to provide any detailed information about the sires and dams. Long story short, has anyone heard of Al-Bark Kennels? If so or if not, would anyone know of any reasonably price ($600-$800) breeders in the MD, DE, VA, WV area? Thanks so much.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Just be aware that if the puppies are that cheap, there usually is a reason.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Quality F1 Goldendoodle and Golden Retriever Puppies for sale!

Is this the place?


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Please be patient.....you will not regret saving, pinching pennies for a while to save up and buy from a reputable breeder that is doing everything they can to sell you a puppy with the best chance at a healthy life....

Please stick around and read why breeding doodles is a bad idea...

Please read up on why clearances are so darn important...

Please read why it is so important that breeders do something with their dogs other then make a buck...


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Please listen to the members of this forum before you buy a puppy from these people!


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

If you put away $200 a month for the next 6-7 months- you will be able to save. It will take longer, that's all. It will pay you back in the long run. A puppy from a lineage that has not been tested for hereditary disease is a shot in the dark. You might be fine, or you might end up with a very unhealthy dog requiring mediation, surgery, and the list goes on. Been there, done that!


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## Calistar (Dec 13, 2011)

If you buy a low price puppy who ends up not having good shoulder and hips, replacement surgery is about $8000 per hip. If you could not afford that what would you do? Let the dog live in pain? Put the dog down? As others have said, the cost of your puppy is the lowest cost you will incur. We have raised dogs for over 25 years and it is a reasonable estimate that it costs about $1000 per year to properly feed and care for the dog. If you are having problems with the incremental cost of less than $1000 you might best ask yourself if you can afford a dog at this point in your lives. Do you both work? If so how will you care for him while you are at work when he is a puppy and still needs training and interaction. From what you have said, you both need to think a lot mre before moving forward with this decision.


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## ragtym (Feb 3, 2008)

Did anyone else notice that one of their females is 24" and 80 lbs and their male is 20" and 55 lbs?

And the picture on the home page of the dogs kenneled in a Quonset hut  just makes my heart hurt.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Heck yes I did. That's why I said this



Maddie'sMom2011 said:


> Please listen to the members of this forum before you buy a puppy from these people!


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## golden_eclipse (Apr 1, 2011)

Not one of their goldens is pictured inside and not with a litter of puppies nursing off of them....so sad. These are social living beings, stuck on what looks like a green-house (which must be hot in MD). 

PLEASE I beg you wait for a puppy that will be healthy and everything that you want. By buying from these people you are securing a place for those poor adult dogs in a cage just to be bred again, to never know the love of a family. 
If you buy a puppy without health tested parents, I can almost promise you the vet bills will be double to triple those over the life time of a puppy from health tested parents. View this as an investment. 

A reputable breeder will walk you through everything, answer any question you have, take every step possible to prevent any health issues, show and cherish their breeding dogs as members of their family, and of course expertly raise your puppy to give him or her the best start possible (decreasing house breaking time and making obedience training a breeze). And $1500 is necessary the end all be all price, I think there are sometimes hobby breeders asking $1000, and most certainly $1200. Is there really that much difference in $1000 and $650 in terms of savings? Not really when you are talking the difference of ideals in a breeder. A reputable breeder who does everything right asks $1000 for a puppy they loose a lot of money (which means you get a good deal, they are providing more services than you are paying for out of their own pockets) this is for the betterment of the breed. Once you stay around a while you will see there is a divide, the people who do things for the breed as a whole, and the people who do things for their pocketbooks. These breeders asking $650 although might not seem like a lot, are making money, because they don't invest anything in their breeding dogs (except food), they don't pay for showing, health clearances, obedience classes, proper toys to socialize with, possible obedience shows, agility classes, hunt trials/training...they don't spend anything on their dogs. Please make the $350 dollar investment for your future, and for the future of our breed. 

(Or please consider a golden rescue, in the south homeless dogs are desperate to be saved)


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

bmwalla said:


> Hello,
> My girlfriend and I are looking to adopt/purchase a golden from a reputable breeder. I acknowledge the fact that premium/top of the line pup are ~1500 and up, unfortunately that is not in our price range. I have found a few breeders in my area I am curious about, but they fail to provide any detailed information about the sires and dams. Long story short, has anyone heard of Al-Bark Kennels? If so or if not, would anyone know of any reasonably price ($600-$800) breeders in the MD, DE, VA, WV area? Thanks so much.


I am not from your area and never heard of that kennel. Just do more research and I'm sure you will be able to narrow your search to a few breeders in your area. I personally would not even consider purchasing a pup without meeting both of the pups parents. Cheapest is not always the best and neither is the most expensive. There are healthy pups out there to be had at a reasonable price. Good luck!


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## bmwalla (Jan 24, 2012)

Wow, thank you all so much for the information and replies. Clearly, it seems to be in my best interest NOT to settle for a fly-by-night breeder. will take all of your points into consideration before making a quick pick. We definitely (and had prior to posting) planned on meeting the parents and area where the animals are being raised prior to committing to a waiting list.



Calistar said:


> We have raised dogs for over 25 years and it is a reasonable estimate that it costs about $1000 per year to properly feed and care for the dog. If you are having problems with the incremental cost of less than $1000 you might best ask yourself if you can afford a dog at this point in your lives. Do you both work?


We are aware of the costs and demands of a puppy as well as the deication of 15 years + required. We both come from families where we were the primary care givers for dogs and cats and our decision on which dog is right for us isnt one we are planning on taking lightly.

So, to further clarify my intentions... the pup will serve the purpose of being a loyal household pet. We have no intentions of showing or hunting w/ him/her. Eventually, dog permitting, we would like to possibly go through the process of allowing it to become a service dog, allowing it to meet elderly/sick at nursing homes.

So, does anyone have any suggestions for breeders in the DC, MD, VA, WV, south eastern PA area?

Thanks again for all of your helpful suggestions and ifnormation,
Blake


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Both litter have the same father which they say is shy but sweet. Goldens should not be shy. They say Susie is opinionated what does this mean I wonder. She is also outside standard.

I don't like these goldens are anything to right home about. None have the Wow factor. It says the male golden is ACA but nothing about he females.

I would keep looking.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Your question about breeders in MD has been asked many times. Did a quick search for you, hope this helps.

Web's largest community of Golden Retriever enthusiasts. Visit our Golden Retriever discussion forum & gallery with thousands of photos & videos. - Search Results for breeders in MD


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## bmwalla (Jan 24, 2012)

GoldenCamper said:


> Your question about breeders in MD has been asked many times. Did a quick search for you, hope this helps.
> 
> Web's largest community of Golden Retriever enthusiasts. Visit our Golden Retriever discussion forum & gallery with thousands of photos & videos. - Search Results for breeders in MD


 
Thank you.


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## Mosby's Mom (Oct 19, 2011)

bmwalla said:


> Thank you.


As a fellow Marylander (Marylandian?), I understand that finding a well bred dog in this part of the country is very expensive. But it is amazing how fast you can save up those few extra hundred bucks!

I always recommend contacting The Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club, as everyone I have spoken with there has been very helpful and friendly when it comes to helping you find a quality local pup. Puppy Referral


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I agree with everyone else. Saving is worth the wait.

While my puppy only cost me $575, I ended up having to spend HUNDREDS more over about 4 months after we brought him home because he was sick a lot.


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## golden_eclipse (Apr 1, 2011)

We got our first show golden from MD, and the breeder who had researched the pedigree completely, every dog in 5+ generations had all four health clearances including the parents of my puppy. Every Dog in the pedigree was either an AM or/and Can Champion. She sold her pet puppies for $1200. She even fed the BARF diet and gave you a decent supply. She did everything by the book, and I have absolutely no complaints. I think being patient is the key. Have you contacted "country Lakes Goldens" they have a full sibling to our first show golden. She has a very small breeding program, but seems to be very reputable.


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## bmwalla (Jan 24, 2012)

kdowningxc said:


> Have you contacted "country Lakes Goldens" they have a full sibling to our first show golden. She has a very small breeding program, but seems to be very reputable.


I have not, but I have the website up now and I'm going to take a look! Thanks!!



To everyone,
Thank you all so much for your information and support. I have decided that I want to wait and buy a quality pup. Not only for the health benefits, but to help the breed by ensuring quality pups are being adopted AND so i can rest happy knowing my pup will be less likely to develop terminal illnesses further down the road. Again, thanks all for the valuable information!!
-blake


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## bmwalla (Jan 24, 2012)

Hi all,
I took everyone's advice and found a knowledgeable breeder that has pet histories and parents w/ clearances. This is the breeder I've decided on, DND Golden Retrievers. Please let me know what your opinions are! Thanks so much!


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I didn't really look into clearances from this breeder, but you do need to be aware that these goldens are going to be very driven and will need a job to do (or they will find one in your house). They will not be much of a laid back dog if that is what you are looking for.


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## GoldensInRI (Jan 25, 2012)

Looks like you've found some nice sound goldens with great working/hunting pedigrees too. Good luck with your new pup when you get him/her. I hope you are going to post some pics when you do!


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Those should be super-charged pups! The sire of the current litter is my older dog's 1/2 brother and my younger dog's sire. Mine are both firecrackers!


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## Ridley (May 12, 2013)

I have a golden from this kennel... He has been the most amazing and BEAUTIFUL dog I've ever owned. I have had 3 goldens in the past from well-known championship breeders and they have all passed away before the age of 8 with cancer/tumors/stomach problems and one of them had horrible hip issues. 

This kennel is owned by an amish family and the dogs run in the fields on a regular basis. I found the kennel to be very simple and clean and the dogs were healthy. They are not perfectly groomed and have a "backyard pup appearance" but are well cared for and very happy. They recently added an english golden sire from England to start a new blood line. This was a big selling point for me. My dog has not had a single health issue to date and has the most endearing, loving personality. We recently decided to make him a hospital service dog because he has such a wonderful temperament and was so easy to train. 

I would agree that cheeper isn't always best when it comes to puppies. However, expensive doesn't guarantee health either. DO YOUR RESEARCH!! I can only speak from my own experience and I can say this kennel was fantastic to work with - they answered all of my questions (and I had many) and my puppy came with all necessary shots/worming up to 8 weeks when I took him home. I would absolutely recommend this kennel.


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## AlbusDumbledore (Dec 9, 2013)

*They Are Absolutely wonderful!*

I felt I needed to join this website just to defend Al-Bark. Yes they are inexpensive; however, I got my little guy there and the conditions were absolutely wonderful. They are an Amish family and there kids are very involved in raising these dogs. Breeding dogs is their business but the kennels are clean, the dogs are in amazing health and EXTREMELY friendly, they exercise them in a huge field, I went up 3 different times in the process of picking my guy and I was satisfied every time. If you are looking for a friendly well socialized member of you family, perhaps not totally show quality but still very beautiful, this is the place.:wave:


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Unfortunately, I believe that while Amish are nice people... they still are responsible for a lot of puppy mills out there. Just be warned as far as where you are putting your money.

And I believe people should simply re-read the past posts about this breeder producing mutts, producing out of standard goldens (badly bred goldens), dogs without clearances, as well as dogs raised outside of the home and so on. 

There are better places to put your money if you love this breed.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Some Amish are nice, some aren't. There is nothing inherent in the Amish religion that requires then to treat animals in a way that a large segment of the population (animal lovers) would consider humane. To many Amish, dogs are livestock and treated as such or rather puppies are a cash crop.


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Just my 2 cents but have you thought about a rescue. You seem like me & don't really need a "show" dog & there are a lot of Goldens out there that need a home. Take it from me it can be a blessing for both of you! Good luck in whatever you decide!


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## debbiedoglover (Dec 2, 2013)

*don't buy cheap puppy*

run away from ad for cheap goldens. I bought my Toby from ad in paper AKC goldens $500. He died during a nap when he was just 14 months old - no health issues before this - very active - it was sub aortic stenosis which should be bred out of a good line of dogs. A reputable breeder will not breed a dog with this so it should be eradicated. I am looking for new puppy from good breeder but that does not heal my broken heart - we loved him and I am so mad at that back yard breeder. She was in Hudson NY so if you see an ad beware.,.,...


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## Nicole Will (Nov 4, 2020)

bmwalla said:


> Hello,
> My girlfriend and I are looking to adopt/purchase a golden from a reputable breeder. I acknowledge the fact that premium/top of the line pup are ~1500 and up, unfortunately that is not in our price range. I have found a few breeders in my area I am curious about, but they fail to provide any detailed information about the sires and dams. Long story short, has anyone heard of Al-Bark Kennels? If so or if not, would anyone know of any reasonably price ($600-$800) breeders in the MD, DE, VA, WV area? Thanks so much.


Years later and I have gone back to Al-Bark for my second dog. My first goldendoodle is 9 years old that I purchased from them, and he has been the best dog I've ever owned. No illness and the BEST temperment. I was able to play with the pups from the litter and choose the one I wanted. At that time the pups were housed in a very clean barn, not inside their home, but a very adequate, clean space for the pups. In my opinion, a family pet does not need to have top pedigree, unless you plan on breeding. Al-Bark kennels is a great place to purchase a family dog.


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## Maggie'sVoice (Apr 4, 2018)

Of course, another 1 post supporter of bad breeders. Blah blah blah


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