# Suggestions on Reputable Breeders, Looking to Get a Golden



## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

Hey guys,

I'm totally new here and was just wondering if you all had a list of reputable breeders. By "reputable" I mean breeders who don't force any dogs to have large numbers of litters, have a reputable track record in field and show disciplines, and have performed all the appropriate eye, joint, and cardiac tests on all their breeding stock.

Within the next year or so I am thinking about getting a dog. By then I'll have my undergrad degree, be married to a medical resident, and will either have a job in the Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering field or will continue on in grad school. I guess my point in sharing that is to say that I will be in a position which will allow me to responsibly own a dog. To that end I have done a bit of searching and some calling to breeders that I have found. One I particularly like so far is Gold Rush Goldens. However, I was wondering if you all could add a couple of good breeders to my short list, or if you guys could help me steer clear of others.

Thanks,
Jeremy Pepper


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I am from Western PA. In our area, PA/OH/WV/MD/VA there are a lot of really great breeders. My advice would be go to and visit any breeder that you're interested in now. I'd recommend contacting the local GR clubs and ask for a puppy referral. Ask that they give you a list of all of their active breeders as you're not interested in a puppy right now so that they don't just give you the names of people with current litters.

Good luck and remember all hip/elbow clearances can be verifiable on www.offa.org If they aren't there, steer clear!


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## WendyS (Apr 6, 2011)

I cannot comment on any of the ones you listed, however if you do a search on this forum on goldrush goldens I think you will fnd a lot of commentary.... Good Luck!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I have enjoyed working with Harborview Goldens in PA. DocMar Goldens - I would love a golden from this breeder some day.


Some helpful links for you to evaluate litters are:
offa.org for health clearances
k9data.com for lots of different info on a litter's parenst etc
goldenretrieverbreedersresource.com
Everythinggolden.com and GRWeekly have litter listings


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## rabidyankee (Sep 7, 2011)

Jeremy said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm totally new here and was just wondering if you all had a list of reputable breeders. By "reputable" I mean breeders who don't force any dogs to have large numbers of litters, have a reputable track record in field and show disciplines, and have performed all the appropriate eye, joint, and cardiac tests on all their breeding stock.
> 
> ...


Jeremy, We live in southern PA, have had two Goldens, one from PA and one from RI. The RI GR had parents with all clearances and still had hip dysplasia. We are driving to FL soon to get our third Golden. Goggle Karagold GR in FL and you will see a breeder who has litters only a couple times a year, has over 50 CH and 150 titles for just her dogs and does things the right way. The cost for her dogs is $1800 and less than many of the "crank them out" breeders in PA and NJ. For us, it is worth the drive to get a dog with the proper clearances for parents from dogs tested in the arena and the field from someone who cares deeply about the breed. Good luck. Call me at 814.623.9878 with questions. 30 years of owning GR's and smarter for it! Bill Benigni


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## AlanK (Jun 28, 2008)

Jeremy do your research very carefully. There is a world of information here that will help you make a knowledgeable choice. Good luck with your quest to find a healthy Golden Retriever.
Al


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## Kmullen (Feb 17, 2010)

I wish you had enough post, so we could PM. I have a few things to say 2 that were mentioned! I will try to PM you, but I know you can not PM me back.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

What Kelli said..........


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## pas914 (Sep 3, 2011)

We just got a puppy from Harborview -- Jennifer was a pleasure to deal with, honest and VERY informative, and I would not hesitate to recommend her. I did a bit of researching and inquiring about other breeders in my area (drove about 15 hrs round trip to get to Harborview!), and there were one or two others that were on my short list -- specifically Delmarva and Shoregold Goldens. No first hand knowledge about the latter two, but I would definitely contact Jennifer when the time comes to get a pup!


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## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

All,

Thanks for all the replies guys! I didn't know what to expect posting on here. I appreciate the thoughtful responses. I am especially curious about Harborview Goldens and to a certain extent, DocMar. I will add them to a list of breeders I want to further investigate.

Also, I heard a rumor about hip dysplasia in the Eagle Ridge line (or more specifically that they may have bred a dysplastic dog). Also, I've heard some people say that the Karagolds display some of the aggressive traits recently found in the Golden lines. Any truth to either of these? I haven't gotten around to exploring some of the links to the different veterinary databases that you guys sent me, but I'm sure they will really help me make more discerning choices.

Thank you all VERY much! I hope to learn even more from my involvement here!!

-Jeremy
P.s.
rabidyankee, thanks for giving me your number. I will most likely take you up on that offer when school slows down a bit. I can't get over how open you guys are!! Amazing!!! Thanks again.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Anyone who has been breeding for awhile may've bred a dysplastic dog or...fill on the blank....


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## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

Sally's Mom said:


> Anyone who has been breeding for awhile may've bred a dysplastic dog or...fill on the blank....


Certainly understand that, I'm just trying to be careful. I don't mind if a dog or two here and there is bred that probably shouldn't have been. I'm just looking for trends that could be bad for the future health of my dog. I don't even think it makes breeders "bad," "greedy," or anything of the sort. I especially understand if they do something like that because they really like a particular dog. I'm just trolling for opinions. I figure that a place like this is ideal since most of you seem to have experience with reputable breeders.

I am partial to blocky, darker pigmented Goldens with GREAT temperments and a sporting background. I am interested in field competitions and am looking for a breeder who has a well rounded dog. The little extras like hip, elbow, eye, heart, and thyroid examinations are perks to me that help me decide. I don't mean ANY insult to anyone.

I am partial to Gold Rush Goldens as I have heard the most about them. Almost all positive. I like the "negatives" as well because it helps me see trends. However, I am mindful of the fact that the majority of the breeders discussed here are way better than your typical breeders, so it's all relative to the quality of dog I'm contemplating purchasing. Please don't mis-interpret anything I post as insult or judgement.

I have checked out most of the breeders you guys have mentioned. All seem good. Gold Rush, Eagle Ridge, Shoreline, Harborview, and Delmarva seem really good to me. Is it just me or are there a LOT of breeders in the PA/NJ area? Anyway, I'm still taking more input, but I don't want people getting upset if "negative" traits are mentioned so please be objective and factual if you point out reasons not to select any particular breeder.

Thanks again guys!!
Jeremy


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Jeremy, some of these breeders often read this forum, just FYI. 

If you are interested in field training especially, you might want to take some time to look at different lines bred for that. Gaylans, Sunfire, and Topbrass come to mind. . .

http://gaylans.com/


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## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

I just checked out the Gaylans and also looked at Chuckanut Retrievers. I liked both of them as well. It's amazing how many breeders there are that seem really good. I've been using the offa.org link that I was given to investigate pedigrees a little bit. What I really liked about the Gaylans is how they specifically mentioned diseases their dogs had been diagnosed with. I still really liked their dogs and was excited about some of their current litters. They seemed to have a tendency to develop eye problems, but had really good joint conformity.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Gayle at Gaylans is fantastic as is her breeding program. However, you will be getting a very high energy dog who will NEED a job to do. A completely different type of dog than you would get from Gold-Rush.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I think Shoreline, Harborview, Gaylans, Chuckanut and Delmarva are all excellent choices. No matter who you choose, use k9data.com and offa.org to check on clearances. I personally am looking forward to my "Docmar" puppy arriving in the next year or so 

There are enough excellent breeders in your area that, unless you are looking for a specific type of competition dog, you should be able to find one within easy driving distance.

Breeding a dysplastic dog is not something that should ever be done lightly, and for a pet person, I would recommend skipping a litter where one parent has not passed a major clearance. While a master breeder may feel comfortable doing such a breeding, it is hard to recommend it to a pet person.


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## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

Hmmm... Is that true of most sporting lines? If so, maybe I should adjust my thinking. My fiancé and I both will have professional careers which will keep us away for the normal 40 hrs a week (her maybe more). While professional careers means more flexible scheduling, it also means a dog left at home alone could get a bit restless. Higher energy would not be good in that case. I plan on treating the dog as part of the family and having it with me as much as possible, but due to the reality that I could be gone in 10-12 hour stretches on some days, it may be more realistic to go after a more sedentary line. Any thoughts?


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Jeremy said:


> Hmmm... Is that true of most sporting lines? If so, maybe I should adjust my thinking. My fiancé and I both will have professional careers which will keep us away for the normal 40 hrs a week (her maybe more). While professional careers means more flexible scheduling, it also means a dog left at home alone could get a bit restless. Higher energy would not be good in that case. I plan on treating the dog as part of the family and having it with me as much as possible, but due to the reality that I could be gone in 10-12 hour stretches on some days, it may be more realistic to go after a more sedentary line. Any thoughts?


Field types are most definitely more energetic. However, if you are looking for a middle of the run dog, check out a field/conformation cross. I have one of these and he has a great on/off switch. He is also a crazy dog in the field with lots of drive. He loves having things to do. If he is alone for 4-5 hours, I know that I will have to come home and spend at least 30 minutes giving him good hard exercise right when I get home. I know Topbrass breeds these crosses. Not sure of any others but I'm sure they are out there. 





Jeremy said:


> Certainly understand that, I'm just trying to be careful. I don't mind if a dog or two here and there is bred that probably shouldn't have been. I'm just looking for trends that could be bad for the future health of my dog. I don't even think it makes breeders "bad," "greedy," or anything of the sort. I especially understand if they do something like that because they really like a particular dog. I'm just trolling for opinions. I figure that a place like this is ideal since most of you seem to have experience with reputable breeders.
> 
> I am partial to blocky, darker pigmented Goldens with GREAT temperments and a sporting background. I am interested in field competitions and am looking for a breeder who has a well rounded dog. The little extras like hip, elbow, eye, heart, and thyroid examinations are perks to me that help me decide. I don't mean ANY insult to anyone.


Clearances are NOT "little extras." I'm not trying to be mean. I just want you to know that these are major things to look at. IMO, even if they "really like a particular dog," if it doesn't have all these clearances, it should not be bred. However, also know that even the most careful breeder can produce a dog with _________ (cancer, hip/elbow dysplasia, PU (eye disease), etc.). You are correct to be looking at trends. Especially when looking at hips. OFA website does a great job of listing a bunch of relatives. Look at all of them and then even going back generations. There should not be a large number of dysplasia in a dogs history. And the dogs being bred should be Excellent, Good, or Fair. Also, keep in mind that CERF should be done yearly. 

Good luck with your search! I love my golden and I will always have one in my house.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

There is some confusion here regarding the term "breeding a dysplastic dog." There is a huge difference between *breeding* (ie, mating) a dysplastic dog and *producing* a dysplastic dog from cleared parents. As one of my mentors told me," if you breed long enough, you'll produce most problems at least once." And this is because breeding dogs is not an exact science. It is a mixture of science (clearances and DNA testing) and art (knowledge of structure and standard).


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Not to throw water on you, but as soon as I read the field you are planning to work in, and that your fiancee is a medical student, I started thinking about how many hours a day you will be away from home.
A Golden (like mine) who needs less vigorous daily exercise still needed someone with him constantly the first month or so after we got him so he could be housetrained properly, then after he was about 4 months old someone still needed to make sure he got outside at least every 3 hours during the day, plus they need to be fed more often when they are young. Additionally, Goldens are "people" dogs. The best way to make sure your dog has a great personality is to make sure he isn't left alone all the time (this is kindof like kids, they need lots of parent child interaction to turn out well).
I am the one who suggested you might want to think about a rescue on the other thread (I suggested you consider the young, darker colored golden at the NC shelter if he was available for adoption). I didn't realize you were thinking ahead a full year when I wrote that, but still, a dog that is reliably housetrained, and one who is a year or two old, could more easily adapt to the schedule you describe (especially if you can arrange for someone to come into your home at lunchtime to let the dog out for a few minutes).
It is wonderful that you are thinking about this decision so far in advance, as it gives you plenty of time to consider all your options.


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## MarieP (Aug 21, 2011)

Tahnee GR said:


> There is some confusion here regarding the term "breeding a dysplastic dog." There is a huge difference between *breeding* (ie, mating) a dysplastic dog and *producing* a dysplastic dog from cleared parents. As one of my mentors told me," if you breed long enough, you'll produce most problems at least once." And this is because breeding dogs is not an exact science. It is a mixture of science (clearances and DNA testing) and art (knowledge of structure and standard).


I think you are correct. When I wrote breeding, I meant producing. Big difference! Thanks for clarifying for all of us.


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## Jeremy (Oct 20, 2011)

*Update on my search 10/27/2011*

Just thought I would update everyone. I have continued my search and continue to be interested in Harborview, Shor'Line, and KaraGold. However, a breeder, www.tennesseegoldens.com (Robin Bowen) who I got into contact with by first contacting Frank Andrews of the Golden Retriever Club of America, is currently at the top of my list. Three of Robin's dogs are rated OFA Excellent for hips and have passed all other standard elbow, heart, and eye tests. She has even done some DNA testing for several eye diseases as - if you trace her lines back - she had a bit of eye trouble with a few dogs. However, the current lot are certified as being genetically clear for those conditions according to OFA records. 

After thoroughly researching the dogs on Robin's website, I decided to send her an e-mail. So far I have done more research on her dogs than any others. As I have time I plan to look more thoroughly into Harborview, Shor'Line, and Karagold in addition to Starfire Goldens (another breeder recommended by Frank Andrews). So I guess that means I'm down (or up depending on how you look at it) to 5 potential breeders with an early leader.

To this point my search has involved quite a lot of work. In addition to many phone calls, emails, and posts, I have also gone to visit my local vet and have discussed potential issues with him. Continued reading, recommended by Robin Bowen, is set to include "The Blue Book" as well as - recommended by my local vet - Penn Gen's website as well as other information on the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary College website. I have one book on the breed which I purchased about 8-9 years ago (it's at my parents house and I can't remember the title). That book got me interested in the breed and is responsible for my continued interest. I figure that the more I read the better off I will be in the long run.

Anyway, that's my update to this point. I plan to periodically update this post and keep all of you informed of where my search leads me. I look at this as a challenge and plan to use my spare time to help me find the best possible companion that I can. I thank all of you for your contributions thus far.

-Jeremy


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## Sam's dad (Nov 1, 2011)

Sounds like your well on your way!!! I have a Gold-Rush pup and he's the 4th since 1980, so I'm a little prejudice Anyway you might want to read Anne Johnsons recent updated "The Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook" with the link on her home page...
Gold-Rush Goldens - Main Page. I highly recommend it. Lots of good info on just about all aspects of the the breed. Good luck with your search, Golden's are the greatest!!


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