# Colorado Breeders Revisited



## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

The bitch in the first breeding is not old enough yet for final clearances. Also not keen that full reg is available to anyone and everyone. The GRCA recommends the use of limited reg for dogs intended to be pets. The other red flag is that they will allow their stud dog to be used on bitches who only have prelim clearances. 

A good place to look for field bred dogs is in the RTF classifieds Classifieds - Golden Puppies

Is it the a field look you want (ie thinking more reddish in colour--not all field dogs are!!), or a dog for actual field work? Mosdt of the field bred dogs need a job to do, and there are kennels that breed conformation dogs with darker coats, like Rush Hill.

The second litter is very much an outcross so it will be hard to predict what the pups will be like. Sire of the bitches though is a brother to my Breeze's sire, who has produced two MH get.


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## inspiri29 (Oct 9, 2012)

Also looking for breeder recommendations in Colorado. This will be the first golden for my husband and I. 
A few breeders that we have looked at so far include Starz, Flyin' Hi and Venture Goldens. Any help is appreciated!


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

Starz is Kathy Bourland--she is well-respected and has lovely dogs--was the editor of the GRCA yearbook for a number of years. 

Clearances seem to be in order on the FLyN Hi dogs origianlly posted. I am familiar with dogs in the bitches line as they are related to my own dogs--lovely temperaments, and just nice old fashioned dogs.

Things look to be on the up and up with the Venture dogs as well--clearance info readily available.


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## AndyLL (Nov 18, 2009)

Thank you for the reply



sterregold said:


> The bitch in the first breeding is not old enough yet for final clearances.


Are final clearances typically done at 2 years old? I will inquire.



sterregold said:


> Also not keen that full reg is available to anyone and everyone.


I did notice that. Several of the hunting dog breeders I have viewed seemed to be more lax about open registrations then what I experienced 3 years ago.

That's one reason I'm hoping someone here has knowledge of this breeder.



sterregold said:


> Is it the a field look you want (ie thinking more reddish in colour--not all field dogs are!!), or a dog for actual field work?


half & half. I am hoping for the redder, less broad head, and shorter coat of the field lines.

My senior girl came from a hunter background and I love her traits. She is the most trainable dog I have ever had. Her eagerness to be out in a open field working is obvious.

Are goal with the new puppy is to try to enter the world of agility. Just found out that weekly classes are held 5 miniutes from my home. I'm going to drop in and see if the training looks as fun as the compititions do.


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## sterregold (Dec 9, 2009)

AndyLL said:


> Thank you for the reply
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Final orthopeadic clearances cannot be done until the dog is 2 years old. OFA will not issue a clearance number until that time. I believe that this is the breeder who caused a big kerfuffle on RTF when he listed a litter sired by the male in question last spring--no where near old enough for clearances--much to the dog's breeder's anger. 

Yes, SOME working breeders are not as stringent about using limiteds (moreso in labradors than in Goldens)--but usually they are selling to competition homes as well. For someone who has not proven their dogs in competition (and doesn't even have the terminology right--they refer to a video of a bitch doing a DOUBLE in JH, where all of the retrieves are singles!) it just speaks to a less than thorough approach to what they are doing, which along with the other red flags is worrisome. I breed for hunting/hunt tests, but my pups go out on limited unless there is a specific reason they need to be on full. 

You may have to go a little farther from home to find a field breeder that has their ducks in a row--there are way more conformation line breeders than there are working line breeders. In the west, there are good pockets of field breeders in Texas, California, and the PacNW.

The aforementioned Kathy Bourland at Starz is active in agility--it is one of the games she plays with her dogs. So even though she does not breed a field style dog, she might be a good contact for you to make.


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## autumn's mom (Oct 9, 2012)

We have decided to go with Stars. We are third on the list for her next breeding. She has already given us the K9 data on both dogs, gave some hints about other breeders.

She did recommend Highmark Kennels which just moved from Atlanta to Colorado and said she would get a puppy from them. I did send an email and have not heard back.

After talking to Kathy I really found that I loved her and am completely excited about having one of her pups. For this next litter TJ will be the stud and Kathy will be keeping the puppies at her house, in her words, because she has the 'stuff'. We like the bitch in this heat as well even though it is not Kathy's. 

I just told Andy I would be registering this pup for puppy obedience before she even comes home. I can't wait, but I must.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

It sounds like you've settled on Starz. But just in case something changes.
I got my puppy in Colorado, I went through the Mile High Golden Retriever Club referral to find a breeder
Finding a Puppy

I was pretty happy with most of these when I looked into them.


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## AndyLL (Nov 18, 2009)

Jennifer1 said:


> It sounds like you've settled on Starz. But just in case something changes.
> I got my puppy in Colorado, I went through the Mile High Golden Retriever Club referral to find a breeder
> Finding a Puppy
> 
> I was pretty happy with most of these when I looked into them.


Starz came highly recommended both this time and 3 years ago when we were also looking. I have not come across anyone that had anything but positive to say about Kathy.

Since leanne plans to work with this puppy through obedience and hopefully into agility it was just as important to find a breeder that we felt could help guide us with those activities.

Here is the breeding we are hoping to get a puppy from:

Pedigree: TJ ex Mia

But Jennifer is correct and the place to start is MHGRC's breeder page.

That's how we found our last breeder:

Relay's Goldens, Golden Retrievers, Westminster, CO

Lauren was outstanding to work with and we are comfortable recommending her to anyone looking for a golden in colorado.


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## luvbug0428 (May 6, 2013)

*Starz Goldens*

I was hoping to get an idea if Starz is recommended? I see that as of 2012 you were waiting the arrival of a golden. We are considering getting a golden from Starz, but want to make sure we are picking the right breeder. We recently lost our 13 year and 6 month old Golden, and want to make sure we are choosing right. She was our pride and joy, and our hearts are not the same without her!


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## autumn's mom (Oct 9, 2012)

luvbug - The breeding pair of TJ x Mia did not take, so we have no puppy at this time. 4 weeks ago Kathy bred Serephina to Levi and she is carrying 4 puppies. We are hoping two of them are girls because we are now second on the list.

We are going up to meet Kathy on the 18th. As I stated previously, I fell in love with her, and love her dogs. This will be our first time visiting her, and it happens to be on Sara's birthday, so I am thrilled. 

If we don't get a puppy from this litter, I will be seriously disappointed, but then will wait for the next TJ x Mia breeding. We have been waiting a long time for this puppy.

I did check with other breeders on the MHGC site, but none of them had a planned breeding or a puppy available that fit our needs.

It has been more than 6 months, and I am still very excited about training this dog and showing her in obedience, then in agility. She will be my well trained girl, like Amber, our senior golden. 

As you can probably guess from this information, we are still with Starz and will remain with Starz, even if this puppy falls through because there are not enough females. I think Kathy is amazing and does amazing work with her dogs.

Leanne


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## mvoler (Jun 13, 2015)

*Is anyone familiar with Crystal Glen Kennels in Colorado?*

Hi everyone,
Was wondering if anyone knows anything about this breeder and why they aren't included the Mile-Hi Golden Retriever Club's recommended breeder list?


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## Dee263 (Apr 27, 2015)

Mvoler, you might want to post this question in its own thread. You would probably get more response.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Venture and Elysian Goldens both have incredible programs in Colorado.


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