# Breeders in MD/PA



## CharlieBear80 (Oct 13, 2013)

FirstTimer said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I have been reading a lot of posts on here while doing my research on breeders, but I decided I would create my own post since some of the information was dated.
> 
> ...


Ruffwater is in PA and Marcy was lovely to interact with, although I didn't end up getting a puppy from her.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

FirstTimer said:


> ....I am just looking for a family dog and not a show dog......--FirstTimer



Even if you never intend to show your dog a day in his life, you will still want your pet to look and act like a Golden Retriever is supposed to. Going with a reputable breeder who is doing health testing and pedigree research before breeding his or her dogs gives you the best possible odds of bringing home a healthy puppy. A reputable breeder who considers temperament and trainability in their breeding decisions gives you the best chance of bringing home a puppy who (with attention to training and socialization, some time and effort and plenty of exercise), should grow in to a dog with the classic Golden personality. 

Here are a couple links to the GRCA website to help you with your research if you haven't seen them yet:

Finding Information About Golden Retriever Health

Golden Retriever puppies:Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) ALL ABOUT GOLDENS

Have you contacted any of the Golden Retriever clubs in your region? http://www.grca.org/allabout/puppyreferrals.html#central They may be able to help out a lot. You may have to expand your search a bit to meet your goal of a puppy home by spring. Best of luck on your search.


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

Welcome FirstTimer!

Here is a short list of good breeders in western pa. They are all fantastic. I don't know who has plans for a winter/spring litter but you could contact them to see if they will. 


Harborview Golden Retrievers... Welcome! Erie

Welcome to Brianne Goldens | Brianne Goldens North Hills of Pittsburgh

Â*Happytails Golden Retrievers - Home Sewickley

Ruffwater Golden Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Pittsburgh, pa Pittsburgh (my pup is a ruffwater golden.)

Infinite Goldens - Welcome Butler County

Home - Hillock Goldens - Golden Retrievers - Ligonier, Pennsylvania 

Good Luck on your search.


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## MaureenM (Sep 20, 2011)

Cindy Williamson from Lycinan in Maryland will be having pups in December.

Lycinan Goldens- Quality AKC Golden Retrievers- Harford County, Maryland

Good luck with your search, that's an exciting time!


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## FirstTimer (Nov 3, 2014)

thanks for all of your suggestions so far. I emailed Lycinan Goldens and Cindy mentioned that their dogs are ~2500$, which I think is really expensive. It comes with some certifications, a microchip, and multiple wormings, but I still feel like that is really expensive. Am I wrong?


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Well to give you an idea in Arizona our reputable breeders are charging right around $2000. So, based on your area and the reputation of the breeder that this toward the top end of the going rate for a well bred puppy.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

FirstTimer said:


> thanks for all of your suggestions so far. I emailed Lycinan Goldens and Cindy mentioned that their dogs are ~2500$, which I think is really expensive. It comes with some certifications, a microchip, and multiple wormings, but I still feel like that is really expensive. Am I wrong?



As menitoned, you are looking at a breeder who is pretty much the gold standard  for versatile, all around Goldens. This breeder, Cindy Williamson, was the Gundog Sweepstakes judge at this year's Golden Retriever National Show just held in Asheville, NC and she is a well known and respected person among Golden people who feel Golden Retrievers should do it all (in dog sports, retrieving etc.) and still have correct conformation. 

I have to say that only you know your budget, but I would absolutely save a bit more for a chance to have a pet puppy from one of her litters. I am sort of like you in the fact that I'm not interested in conformation showing, but I do want my dog to look like a Golden Retriever and have the correct structure to allow it to live a healthy life and look beautiful. 

I do want a dog who I want to be able to train easily and I want a breeder who has really taken these traits into consideration with planning the pedigree of her litter. A breeder like Cindy does that and it makes it a bit more likely that your puppy will be a dog who wants to please you, is focused and easy to train. Because she competes with her dogs in performance and obedience she takes the mindset needed for those functions into her breeding decisions. Not all breeders do that. There are no guarantees in life, but I think a breeder who is interested in working dogs and breeding for both looks and working ability is worth extra money. Just my 2 cents.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Unfortunately the Goldens are split between Show and Field. They are both family dogs but the show have different looks and retrieving qualities than the field dogs. 

Short and bulky = show

Thin and energetic - field


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I kinda think a big point to keep in mind is a well bred golden should correctly represent the AKC breed standard which has heights and weights written into it. 

Doesn't mean that there aren't sometimes dogs bred or produced in disregard to those exact heights and weights. Even showing in conformation. 

This past week in particular, I was chatting quite a bit with a friend about a golden I saw showing in the 12-18 class who I swear was at least a whole inch over height (pushing 25" at least). It was a very tall big boy. 

I was joking about how I was squatting down as much as I could in the Winners Ring next to this dog to make my own dog look as tall as possible. Because my right in the middle breed standard boy looked short in comparison next to the other dog. 

Energy is a big issue showing in conformation. Talking to my dog's breeder about what she looks for in a good solid conformation dog.... she indicated energy + a bubbly and outgoing temperament is a huge deal. Because these dogs can't be slugs on the other end of the leash - particularly if they win their class, win in the Winners ring, and win breed, and win group and go up for best in show. All this going on from morning until late afternoon with your dog probably getting a couple baths or otherwise a lot of grooming in between running around the ring. 

Other thing is golden retrievers as a breed is highly developed to be the most delightful and obedience STAR family pet you've ever owned. Providing you do your part and train the dogs. 

A lot of the independence and sluggy temperaments that you get with other breeds isn't generally found in this breed. 

Big "reputation" which I enjoy as somebody training my dog at obedience clubs and getting into obedience trials is golden retrievers are expected to pick up things quickly and excel in obedience. Because there is a huge track record of them doing exactly that - whether that is obedience, agility, tracking, or even field. 

Now separate subject that actually is on topic.... One little thing that crossed my mind when I saw the quote that the OP received for puppies. $2500 is absolutely worth it for some breeders but not all of them. If you have a breeder who essentially is just breeding whatever because they normally have 2-3 litters a year and have people on their lists wanting puppies.... I kinda think you could measure that litter up against another of a similar price and see if how that breeder and litter measures up. And I honestly think this needs to be done MORE by pet people to keep some breeders honest.

I think you have a lot of breeders out there who charge the highest going rate they can, but their puppies are not worth the same as other puppies who might cost that much or even less. Best example I can give there is I had a chance of spending $1500 on a puppy from Jacks' breeder where I basically didn't like the dogs behind the puppy and didn't have a lot of the titles and lines that I really wanted. If I bought a puppy from this breeder, it would have really come down to convenience and loyalty to the breeder. I went the other way and bought my show boy for $1200 instead. And I'll say here, I would have spent $1500-1800 if he cost that much and I had been "prepared" to spend that much. 

So I'd be very "picky" when it comes to spending a whole lot of money. At the very least, make sure this breeder is going to be that mother hen in your back pocket when it comes to your puppy. If you are new to purchasing golden retriever puppies, it is a huge deal having an involved or interested breeder who is there to teach you how to groom, and give you ideas for general care and training. I think you should LIKE the person you are buying a puppy from. 

I have my own snobby ideas of what I would look for beyond that, but at the very basic level - if you are purchasing a puppy from X breeder.... really make sure that the puppy is what you want. Don't buy what you can afford _if what you really want_ is something different.


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## brettwasbtd (Jul 3, 2014)

FirstTimer said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I have been reading a lot of posts on here while doing my research on breeders, but I decided I would create my own post since some of the information was dated.
> 
> ...


Just joined the forum and have been reading a lot to prepare. My wife and I will be getting our new puppy from Sunshine Hill in Southern Delaware (not sure where in MD you are). My wife's family has gotten two goldens previously from this breeder. The puppies should be born soon and will be available for take home sometime in January. Not sure how many are still unclaimed but you may want to contact Gwen Contact Us | Sunshine Hill Goldens


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

If you go to the Lycinan site, there is a notice about a pick-of-the-litter female puppy available for $1,700 from a breeder in New York. The sire is CH Lycinan's Good Sport and Cindy says the pedigree is lovely. 

If only I had room for another pup now, I would grab her myself instead of posting this.


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