# Recommendations for Breeders of English-type in the North Carolina area?



## AC7200 (Apr 4, 2012)

hi all,

after losing my beloved lab/golden mix 2 years ago (he was 13yr), and having a baby the same night, I am finally ready to get my next family member! i've been looking for rescue goldens or labs for the last 6months, and about a month ago decided i'm going with a golden breeder, mostly due to having a young toddler and really needing to know the history and temperment of the dog well be adopting. i'm looking for a new puppy or an older pup (less than 2yrs old - so not a retired breeder). i am very much drawn to the features of the english-type goldens so that has been my focus. i've found clearly reputable breeders - Tanglewood (in SC) and Acadia here in NC. i've also talked at length with Ventess just around the corner. i think all these breeders would be great, but wont have available litters until late fall or winter. i'm planning on visiting them this spring anyway and will gladly wait if i need to. Just want to draw on the deep wealth of info here and see if anyone knows of any other reputable english breeders in NC or the surrounding states that i may have missed?? especially in the case of an older puppy, which is much harder to find, i'd just like to put my name out there in case someone "local" hears of any available (which i have done with the above 3 breeders). alternatively, i'm leaning towards a baby puppy and timing would be a little better if i found one for end of the summer/early fall. any and all suggestions welcome! but again, happy to wait for a known reputable breeder this winter if necessary. thanks very much!
amy


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## AC7200 (Apr 4, 2012)

hi all,

could one of the "regulars" here tell me if i've said something wrong or insulting? the other two times i posted a question on this forum i had responses within minutes. is NC just not a good place to find a breeder, or have i said something that has turned people off (i.e. wanting an english-type)? genuinely asking and confused....
thanks, amy


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I'm not as familiar with the english type breeders. I prefer and own goldens bred to the American (AKC) standard. Perhaps shalva would be a good person to send a private mesage to. Most people will have to travel to find a reputable English golden breeder. There are many people with the "cream" exploitation in their advertising and you need to be careful.

What I would recommend is contacting your local GR club. See what breedings they recommend. There are some breedings that will give you that lighter color and blockier head but aren't advertised as English. You might want to contact Passion for Gold in TN. She just had a litter by Patton-- he is very beautiful and probably the type you're looking for and he is from American lines.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

No, it's not 'bad form' to like the English type dog. There are lots of the lighter coated dogs here on this forum and most folks have a favorite shade of gold. Unfortunately, for several reasons, it can be very, very difficult to find a really good breeder when you are putting color at the top of the list. Here is my take on the reason why it is so tough:

1) In general, the most reputable breeders are really small, hobby folks who compete in some form of 'dog sport' with their breed of dog, whatever it is. Could be just confirmation but ideally it should also be something else to show how trainable their dogs are (obedience, agility, field work etc.) A breeder who competes needs structurally sound dogs who won't break down with hard training and have the temperament to be trainable - these traits are gold to you as a pet owner even if you never show a single day.

2) Because the Golden Retriever Club of America doesn't recognize the extremely light colors as being correct, most of the serious people in the U.S. are not breeding dogs with focus on color. The majority of people doing this for the love of the breed and to improve it are pretty color blind when breeding their dogs. They are going for form and function, color is never something they even mention when discussing their future litters of puppies. (Again, this is in general - there are people who prefer a certain look but HEALTH and TEMPERAMENT are always their first priority). 

3) The very light colors are more accepted in the confirmation ring in Canada (from what I understand), so an American breeder could get a confirmation championship on their light dogs there, but it adds a big expense. A hobby breeder probably can't afford to do that on a regular basis.

4) Because the lightest color has become more popular, many people have discovered they can charge more for the puppies and this has brought in plenty of people who breed dogs just to make money. They do not obtain the EXTREMELY important 4 health clearances for their dogs (Heart, Hips, Eyes and Elbows) and do not compete with them to prove their trainability or temperament. These people have no consideration for the lives of the dogs they produce with preventable health issues or the owners they have suckered into believing theses dogs are somehow superior to other goldens. The medical treatment for these health issues runs into thousands and thousands of dollars.

5) When you see a breeder on the internet advertise dogs from "world champion bloodlines" it generally means the dogs have come from a kennel across the ocean and the dog itself has never stepped foot in a show ring to show why it is superior. Breeders will tell you that they always keep their very best puppies for themselves, they would never ship their best dogs overseas to a complete stranger. That is something to keep in mind.

6) Expect to wait a while for your puppy. It can be a red flag that a person may be breeding to try to make money when they don't keep a puppy from the litter for themselves or the owner of the sire. As a result, the reputable breeders may only have a litter occasionally. When you have so few reallly good breeders of European type dogs, it will really push up your wait. 

Sorry for the long explanation, but I wanted to help you understand why color discussions are sometimes misunderstood on this forum. No one here is biased against a light cream or dark red dog, what gets people upset is breeders who produce these colors without following the rest of the rules for bettering the golden retriever as a breed and putting health and temperament first.

You absolutely can like what you like, but it takes a ton more hard work to find a truly good breeder going to the trouble to produce those colors as well as the rest of the healthy, happy golden package. Many of the breeders on this forum have known each other for many years through competition with their dogs. A breeder producing puppies to sell only for color will not have developed a reputation with her peers because she's not out there developing the entire package with her dogs. I don't know if this is the case in the Carolinas, but I haven't seen mention of many really good breeders in this area of lighter colors. The lady who has Tangelwood, I believe, has a good reputation and has clearances on all her dogs and some of them have other titles. Personally, I have decided that I want performance titles on both parents of my future puppies. It's never a guarantee, but I really want the best chance possible to have a dog with good health and wonderful, classic golden temperament. If you are willing to expand your search up north, you will have an easier time finding what you are looking for.

I wish you the best in your search. Your investment in time and effort now and patience in waiting for the right litter should pay off in the end with a terrific dog in your home.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

It seems that you have found reputable breeders however, because we are few and far between for reputable breeders that also have english type, you might find that you have to get on a waiting list and do just that... wait... I know that I won't be having a litter until october we are subject to when our girls come into season.


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## AC7200 (Apr 4, 2012)

thanks, all. definitely ok with waiting for the right pup....just wanted to make sure there weren't other breeders i've missed. 
@nolefan - have definitely found what you've described, through reading, research and discussion with breeders. this forum is a great resources too! thanks again!

amy


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## 2tired (Oct 19, 2011)

By looking at the pedigrees of their breeding stock, Tanglewood appears to have close ties with some of the reputable Canadian breeders of English-type goldens...Kyon, Shaynedoro, Tashora, to name a few.


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## snapsnap (Apr 24, 2012)

*Tanglewood*

2tired is right on point with Tanglewood. My pup came from there and is now 4-5 months old. Joanne is fantastic and I believe she does it the right way for the right reasons. Tanglewood is located just south of Charlotte, just over the SC border.

She has a web site. Just search for Tanglewood goldens.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

I have an Acadia GR, (who is 3/4 English) and I couldn't be happier with her. She is 9mo right now. I have a little of different situation in that I got Sadie when she was 6mo. Patti was originally keeping her to show, but decided Sadie didn't really have a showy personality. Her loss, and our families forever grateful gain.
When I tell you that Sadie is not only gorgeous with incredible conformation, but she is everything I wanted in a family pet. I have a 2.5yo and an almost 5yo with special needs and Sadie is so patient and calm. We take her to the park several times a week and nobody can believe how young she is, because she is so calm. When children ask to pet her I put her in a sit position and hold her collar (just as a precaution), and she just lets them pet her and hug her. And she just lays at my feet while all the kids are running around. I just can't say enough good things about her. She is the family dog that I always dreamed of having and is the quinticential GR. 
Patti spends a tremendous amount of time with her pups and it shows. I just went out to visit the current litter last week with my kids. She really makes sure that they are well socialized before placed with their new owners. They were all beautiful. Pattie also leaves herself very available to the new owners after they go home. I've had so many email exchanges with questions I have for her, and she's always gotten back to me within a day or two. She's awesome. From what I understand her next litter plans are with my dogs mother again, Patchouli. She's 1/2 american, 1/2 English. 
I had also spoken at length to the woman from Tanglewood and really liked her a lot too. I got a good vibe from her. If things didn't work out with Acadia, Tanglewood would have been my next choice. But I don't know anyone else with a Tanglewood golden and I do know someone with an Acadia who is also very happy. 
Feel free to PM me if you have anymore questions.


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## AC7200 (Apr 4, 2012)

Suni52,
thanks for your message. i just wrote you a long email but then it was deleted b/c evidently I cannot send private messages yet. if you want to resend to "[email protected]" i can try again. thanks!


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

AC7200 said:


> Suni52,
> thanks for your message. i just wrote you a long email but then it was deleted b/c evidently I cannot send private messages yet. if you want to resend to "[email protected]" i can try again. thanks!


oooh I hate when that happens. I just emailed you.


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## Sandy's Dad (Aug 20, 2011)

Do Acadia's puppies come with health certifications?


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## ThatShortGirl (Jul 19, 2012)

They should. Have you been to the website?


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## Sandy's Dad (Aug 20, 2011)

Their website does not specifically say. The only thing I found is that their puppy packet includes "copies of health clearances" but it does not get more specific than that.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

If the website show the dog's AKC name you can look the up on the OFA website Orthopedic Foundation for Animals 

If you don't see OFA clearances there I would definitely ask the breeder about it


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## CHRIS-Ti Goldens (Jul 29, 2012)

*puppies with clearances*

GRCA is requiring that breeders do the OFA hips and elbow, cardiologist heart, and cerf for eye, now some for the elective breeder have decided to do the DNA that is by choice. Before puppies go home the breeder usually will take the litter in for a health clearance this is to evaluate the everything possible for a veterinary to check over. Heart, eyes, joints, parasites etc. So this breeder you are decussing has everything she is suppose to have on her site pedigree and K-9 data which shows her clearances some breeders will keep their DNA for their puppy packets and tell their prospected buyers at the time of interviews. If you have anymore questions please ask. :wavey:


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Patti from Acadia does do all the health clearances, but you are right, they aren't posted on her website.


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## oro perro (Aug 20, 2012)

2tired said:


> By looking at the pedigrees of their breeding stock, Tanglewood appears to have close ties with some of the reputable Canadian breeders of English-type goldens...Kyon, Shaynedoro, Tashora, to name a few.


 
Trust me...Shaynedoro is no longer "reputable".


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## oro perro (Aug 20, 2012)

AC7200 said:


> hi all,
> 
> after losing my beloved lab/golden mix 2 years ago (he was 13yr), and having a baby the same night, I am finally ready to get my next family member! i've been looking for rescue goldens or labs for the last 6months, and about a month ago decided i'm going with a golden breeder, mostly due to having a young toddler and really needing to know the history and temperment of the dog well be adopting. i'm looking for a new puppy or an older pup (less than 2yrs old - so not a retired breeder). i am very much drawn to the features of the english-type goldens so that has been my focus. i've found clearly reputable breeders - Tanglewood (in SC) and Acadia here in NC. i've also talked at length with Ventess just around the corner. i think all these breeders would be great, but wont have available litters until late fall or winter. i'm planning on visiting them this spring anyway and will gladly wait if i need to. Just want to draw on the deep wealth of info here and see if anyone knows of any other reputable english breeders in NC or the surrounding states that i may have missed?? especially in the case of an older puppy, which is much harder to find, i'd just like to put my name out there in case someone "local" hears of any available (which i have done with the above 3 breeders). alternatively, i'm leaning towards a baby puppy and timing would be a little better if i found one for end of the summer/early fall. any and all suggestions welcome! but again, happy to wait for a known reputable breeder this winter if necessary. thanks very much!
> amy


 
I would definitely contact CHRISTi Goldens (Teri) if you are looking for someone that was mentored by a great breeder of English Goldens, of the past. (Carol Vogel) 

There are some "boutiqey" breeders in N.C. whom I won't mention, that I'd stay clear of.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Suni52 said:


> Patti from Acadia does do all the health clearances, but you are right, they aren't posted on her website.


This message was actually in error, there are health clearances listed on the website with links to the dogs K9 data pages right underneath the pictures of the dogs.


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## goldensequoia (Jun 4, 2008)

We just lost our Sequoia. we are going to get a new puppy in the summer. we are west of asheville, n Carolina but will drive anywhere for a new little girl. Can I get breeder recommendations? Thank you. I Am Sequoia - The Teaching Dog - Home Page


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I am so sorry for your loss. I hope a puppy search will help you with the grieving process. Sandlapper Golden Retriever Club and Atlanta Golden Retriever Club would be great resources. Just google for the club websites.


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## Ripley16 (Jan 26, 2012)

I am not from anywhere near Carolina, I'm in Vancouver BC, but my girls dad is from Tanglewood Goldens in North Carolina. The breeders name is Joanne, and apparently she is excellent. She breeds English and European lines. From what I can understand, she's not one of those breeders who charges more because they are "English type" but it is just the look she prefers. From all I can see, she sounds like a very responsible breeder. Our girls sire is Traffic Jam v.d. Beerse Hoeve or "Chevy". Our girl is a gorgeous dog, with a great temperament. Her mom was also from English lines, but mixed with American lines as well, so she has a combination of the two. All the pups in her litter were beautiful and of great temperament. I have never dealt with this breeder myself, but seeing as I have had no problems with my girl, and have herd great things, she sounds like she would be an excellent breeder! Her website is very informative, and all of her dogs look beautiful, and excellent specimens of the breed! Tanglewood Goldens -- Golden Retrievers of English Distinction


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## Sandy's Dad (Aug 20, 2011)

Ripley16 said:


> I am not from anywhere near Carolina, I'm in Vancouver BC, but my girls dad is from Tanglewood Goldens in North Carolina. The breeders name is Joanne, and apparently she is excellent. She breeds English and European lines. From what I can understand, she's not one of those breeders who charges more because they are "English type" but it is just the look she prefers. From all I can see, she sounds like a very responsible breeder. Our girls sire is Traffic Jam v.d. Beerse Hoeve or "Chevy". Our girl is a gorgeous dog, with a great temperament. Her mom was also from English lines, but mixed with American lines as well, so she has a combination of the two. All the pups in her litter were beautiful and of great temperament. I have never dealt with this breeder myself, but seeing as I have had no problems with my girl, and have herd great things, she sounds like she would be an excellent breeder! Her website is very informative, and all of her dogs look beautiful, and excellent specimens of the breed! Tanglewood Goldens -- Golden Retrievers of English Distinction


Sent Tanglewood an email a week ago but didn't hear back.


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## ellisda1 (Jul 24, 2013)

Try again, or give Joanne a call. She's very busy, and often travelling (internationally...) You might have better luck with a call - very knowledgeable, and fun to chat with.


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## Ripley16 (Jan 26, 2012)

Sandy's Dad said:


> Sent Tanglewood an email a week ago but didn't hear back.


I agree, Give her another call and email, It's worth it for sure. Our girl is gorgeous and a beautiful nature. So worth it


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## lor_lin (Mar 24, 2014)

Hi AC7200 - 

I'm starting my search for another golden and was wondering which breeder you ended up with? I've looked at Tanglewood, Acadia and Ventess. 

Thank you!

Lori


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## JohnS (Apr 10, 2014)

*English Goldens in NC and VA*

Having had two previous Golden Retrievers I understood the importance of finding the right breeder. After a great deal of research I found Carol Vogel in nearby Virginia Beach who raised English Golden Retrievers. (I had not seen an English Golden before.) I called her and found out she had a litter of puppies. After an extensive phone interview to determine if I was qualified to even see the puppies my wife and I were invited to to her house. We were again interviewed outside about whether or not we had been near any dogs recently (we had not) we took off our shoes and washed our hands and arms with Carol’s soap. We could then visit the puppies. One came and sat in my wife’s lap. After a few minutes he went to play but when he saw one of his litter mates in my wife’s lap he came back and pushed him out. That is how Casey picked us 12 years ago. A couple years ago we decided we could handle a second dog so we asked Carol, who had stopped breeding, were to find another Golden Retriever as good as Casey. Carol said she had passed down her kennel name, CAL-VO Goldens to Teri Kuklica to form CHRIS-TI /CAL-VO English Goldens. CHRIS Ti English Golden Retrievers. We just picked up Oscar who is now 6 months old. His great grandfather on his mother’s (“Carmen”) side is Indy Sr who was also our Casey’s father. Oscar’s father is CHRIS-TI / CAL-VO English Golden “Dreamer”. (Dreamer x Carmen litter) As we had put our names on the list almost two years ago Teri immediately informed us when the breeding had taken place and kept us up to date through the process. She sent pictures of the litter on their birth date and at least weekly thereafter. Teri sent emails to all the buyers of this litter informing us on the supplies we would need, the brand of food we should feed the puppy, supplements we would need, the type of toys to get and those to avoid. Since I am in my seventies I took advantage of Teri’s 8 week training program before we brought Oscar home. When we picked him up he was 16 weeks old, housebroken, leash trained, and knew sit, down, stay and my favorites leave it and drop it. He is still a puppy and tests my arm strength and patience daily but is a joy and has brought new energy to our 12 year old Casey. Teri tests her dogs to fit the dog to the adopting family. She is also totally invested in improving the Golden Retriever breed. Oscar has been DNA tested and cleared PRA1&2, DM, PRCD and ICT. Teri’s facilities, located in North Carolina just across the Virginia / NC border south of Suffolk, VA are the best I’ve seen, They include an in-ground swimming pool for the dogs. What I like best is that Teri genuinely cares for her dogs. I call her at least weekly to advise her of Oscar’s progress, behavior, and any questions we may come up with. She is always there ready to help. A breeder must be someone who does more than collect the money and who you never hear from again. I feel very fortunate that I found Carol Vogel for Casey and she led me to Teri Kuklica for Oscar.


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## joyshared (Apr 26, 2010)

We are currently in the market for a puppy in the Raleigh area and spent some time with Patti at Acadia. She is so nice and a wealth of information. She has been so patient with all of my questions and desire to meet all her dogs, which are all gorgeous. Her younger goldens are so calm, too. It's kind of amazing. I don't have any experience with English Goldens, but I think hers are superb! Might be getting one of hers from an upcoming litter, fingers crossed.


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## CHRIS-Ti Goldens (Jul 29, 2012)

*CHRIS-Ti/CAL-VO English Style Goldens*

Acadia is a great breeder who has a litter coming up.


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