# Tropico aka Southern Cal Kennel question



## MayFlowers (Jul 23, 2008)

Hiya!~~~

I'm doing my homework before buying a golden. This kennel is the closest to where I live. 
This will be my family's first time owning a dog and we would like to make sure we do everything right from the get-go! 
I've done some googling about this kennel and have gotten conflicting info. So, after browsing around this site, I thought maybe some of you might have some prior experience with Southern Cal Kennels which was formerly known as Tropico Kennels.
I'd appreciate any input or recommendations!

Thank you, May :wavey:


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

That is a definite no, without a doubt. I live in Lancaster and there are no breeders I can recommend with confidence in Lancaster/Palmdale, Rosamond, or Tehachapi. How far are you willing to drive?

There are always a bunch of lovely Goldens in rescue with the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles. I know the people who run the rescue and that's where I would look first if I wanted another Golden http://www.grcglarescue.org/RP_Adoptable.asp?cid= 

Also I've heard of there occasionally being entire litters of Golden puppies at the shelter on Avenue I, so that's worth keeping an eye on too. The adoption fee for a rescue is MUCH cheaper than any of the local "breeders," your money is going to a much better place, and the dogs will be just as wonderful family companions.


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## MayFlowers (Jul 23, 2008)

Me again! Forgot to add this to my original post.

p.s.-My husband really wants a purebred Golden like the one he grew up with. I notice that this kennel has Goldendoodles. Any thoughts on Goldendoodles would be appreciated also!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Here's a list of breeders referred by the local Los Angeles Golden Club:

http://www.grcgla.org/info_and_educ.htm


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

IMO, any breeder with a name that includes the word "kennel" is likely to be a larger scale producer of pups than I'd ever be comfortable with. Either that, or they do board and train and are likely corrective, again, which I'd not be comfortble with.

It's a gross generalization on my part, and I know that.... but I still believe that more likely than not, there's much truth to it!

Stick with a smaller hobby breeder.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Tapestry Goldens are lovely. As are Artistry Goldens. Both in the greater LA area. Tapestry is a local vet breeder. Sharon Shilkolf and Joyce Davis have nice pups, as does Rebecca Scribner and Celeste Mills.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

The people who breed Goldendoodles are just out to make money with no concern for the health of the puppies they are producing (same with the Golden "breeders" around here). They might say that they don't need to do health tests because their puppies have "hybrid vigor," but that does not apply when both of the breeds (Goldens and Poodles) are affected by a certain problem such as hip dysplasia. 

Like I said before, sadly there isn't really anyone in the AV who I'd feel comfortable recommending. You would get the same quality of dog from the shelter/rescue group for a lot less money (plus if you got an older dog you'd have some idea that they weren't going to develop crippling health problems).


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Good luck to you. I think you've gotten some good advice.


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## MayFlowers (Jul 23, 2008)

katieanddusty said:


> That is a definite no, without a doubt. I live in Lancaster and there are no breeders I can recommend with confidence in Lancaster/Palmdale, Rosamond, or Tehachapi. How far are you willing to drive?
> 
> *Thank you for your reply K&D! Wow, that pretty much covers my area. We're willing to travel as far down into the LA area, San Diego if necessary. In further research of the SoCal/Tropico Kennels, I found some discouraging reports from past clients, but of course on their website customer raves. My concern came from seeing the large number of puppies available. Kind of makes me think this might be a puppy mill. *
> 
> ...


*I wouldn't mind getting a golden from a rescue group, but my husband really has his mind set on a pup from a breeder. 

Thank you for your replys!
*


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## MayFlowers (Jul 23, 2008)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Here's a list of breeders referred by the local Los Angeles Golden Club:
> 
> http://www.grcgla.org/info_and_educ.htm


Thank you very much for this list! I'll further my research from it. 
Also-thanks for your other replies. From what I've learned here, I agree that it's worth the effort to find a smaller breeder. 

:lol:I'm really starting to relate to avincent52's thread "We just want a dog, why is it so hard?"


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

There's no difference between a puppy from an irresponsible breeder and a puppy from the shelter or a rescue group (other than that the breeder of the first puppy decided to keep them around and try to get money out of them, and the second puppy will come spayed/neutered and vaccinated). I talk to people at the dog park quite a bit who got puppies from the shelter. 

If he's really set on getting one from a breeder, at least you'll be able to find a good one in the LA area. I know several nice dogs from Artistry Goldens (I think they have a web site, you can google it) and there are a few other great breeders who are probably on the GRCGLA list.


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

I don't know where in California you are located but our Emmy is from this breeder http://www.sunbeamgoldens.com/\
She has stunning looking goldens, is very responsible and HONEST!
If you want anymore info you can PM me. She is located in Sylmar, CA


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

NO!! Don't walk RUN away from there. Christine Texter of Premiere has a litter coming up she is located in Redlands, CA. I have nothing but good things to say about her. She bred "Kali" the gorgeous girl in my avatar. www.premieregoldenretrievers.com


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Tropico Kennels??? Check ripoffreport.com.


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## engine934 (Jun 23, 2008)

May Flowers, Although we own and have owned Goldens, we have been watching my wife's boss's Golden Doddle and she is wonderful!!! a real treat to have around the house. Good luck


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## avincent52 (Jul 23, 2008)

May Flowers
I've actually started to think about this a little. 
Bascially it's a "pay now" or "pay later" situation if you want to get a puppy from a breeder.

Either you find a good breeder who'll find you a sound dog with good temperament and a good match to your lifestyle, which will cost you a few hundred dollars extra now as well as the time invested in finding the right one.

Or you go with the first "backyard" or "bottom line" breeder you find, and you could easily find yourself looking for the best dog behaviorist (because the dog is hyper or aggressive or whatever) or the best dog hip surgeon or oncologist (because the dog has some genetic disease.) And if you've seen what a vet bill looks like, avoiding this makes sense both economically as well as emotionally. 

You're not buying the dog, so much as you're buying the breeder. And from what I can tell it's not a strict cost-benefit situation. Some expensive breeders seem to be problematical, and some modestly priced ones produce amazing dogs.
But beware of "bargains" (Rescue dogs, excepted, of course.)


On the goldendoodle question: Health is a huge issue. The other is temperament. Our neighbor has a Goldendoodle and he's much more like a poodle (kind of aloof and rathe high strung) than a golden. He's pretty much a ringer for a friend's full breed poodle, except for the color. Seems to me that a goldendoodle can be a worst of all possible worlds option, with the temperament issues and health issues, not to mention no guarantee of non-shedding. You're probably better off going to the pound.


allen


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