# Experience with Breeder - Bella Pups, Pennington NJ



## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

I have no experience with this breeder. I did look at her site, mainly because I'm in Delaware and NJ isn't that far away. Here's what jumps out at me... She has a litter of Golden's listed and the only clearance she mentions for them is hips. She doesn't give registered names of the dogs, only call names. She has no link to K9 Data for those pups. I would require hips, elbows, eyes, and heart in order to consider her a responsible Golden Breeder. Sometimes breeders have them and they aren't listed as up to date (eyes in my experience), but if they have the 4 major clearances they are listed somewhere. I would also always expect to find a page on a website that lists "brags" and registered names of the dogs in the breeding program so I can do the research myself.

She also has a current litter of doodles, and is already expecting another one next month. It seems that's a lot of breeding going on.

Do a search on this site. At the top under tools and some pretty bad reviews will come up. 

I wish you the best of luck in finding a puppy. I myself know nothing about the doodle world, but I personally would not buy a Golden from someone that also bred Doodles. I don't think they have the best interest of the breed in mind. If I was going down that road I would educate myself on the necessary clearances of a poodle, and those of Golden's and I would only buy from someone that had all clearances on both dogs.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

You may want to look through this thread, it also references additional threads about this person. 

https://www.goldenretrieverforum.co...er-puppy/472162-bella-pups-patricia-hess.html


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Standard Poodle clearances required to be in compliance:
Hip Dysplasia (One of the following)
OFA Evaluation
OVC Evaluation
PennHIP Evaluation
Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist 
Results registered with OFA
Health Elective (One of the following tests) (One of the following)
OFA Thyroid evaluation from an approved laboratory
OFA SA Evaluation from an approved dermapathologist
Congenital Cardiac Exam
Advanced Cardiac Exam
Mini Poodle clearances to be in compliance:

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test 
DNA Based test from an approved laboratory.
Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist 
Results registered with OFA
Patellar Luxation 
OFA evaluation, minimum age 1 year
Hip Dysplasia (One of the following)
OFA Evaluation
OVC Evaluation

add to those the Golden Retriever clearances:
Hips, Elbows, Cardiac by Cardiologist, Eyes within the last 12 months.

Only with both breeds covered would you be buying from an ethical breeder.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Just me but would never consider a breeder of doodles to be a good golden breeder. Sadly most people that do have no respect for either breed and have never seen one that will use the best of either breed. Too many issues with both breeds to ever consider putting the two together. 
If doodles are what you are looking for... get insurance. You also need to consider the cost of grooming, lots of places won't even take them and when they do it's expensive and should be done monthly.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

As someone who owns a purebred poodle and a purebred golden retriever, I would just like to add that I have no idea why anyone would think it's a good idea to create a mixed breed from them. Our poodle is typical of his breed: bossy, assertive, very choosy about the rules he will obey, and very choosy about his interactions with other dogs. His coat (wool) requires constant care: daily brushing and frequent bathing to avoid matting and odour. I have him professionally trimmed and it costs me $60 per six weeks. And ours is a small poodle; I have a close friend with a standard poodle and he spends at least four hours per week to keep her coat in reasonable condition and to avoid the $100 six-weekly grooming fee. Don't get me wrong: we love our poodle and he's a formidable agility dog, but he would be an absolute tyrant in inexperienced hands. My golden, on the other hand, is a sweetheart, has a wash-and-wear coat that requires very little attention, and loves every living creature.


I have known a couple of golden-poodle mixes. While they're generally pleasant dogs, their coats are difficult to groom because they mat so easily. Both shed to some extent, although not much.They are also harder to train than the goldens I've known.


I can understand someone wanting a poodle: they have huge personalities and are hypoallergenic. I can understand someone wanting a golden: they are highly trainable and easy to look after. But to mix the two? You're not automatically going to get a golden personality and a hypoallergenic coat. You might very well get a poodle personality in a dog that sheds a bit and requires expensive grooming.


Anyway.


Best of luck. And whatever you decide to do, please choose a breeder that does extensive health testing. Both these breeds are susceptible to some pretty nasty hereditary conditions that you'd want to avoid at all costs.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

If you want a mixed breed dog, rescue from a local shelter. Don't pay an unethical breeder thousands of dollars.


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