# Reputable Breeders in NOVA



## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Hi I'm looking for reputable breeder in the northern Virginia area with an upcoming litter or an available litter. I want to make sure my puppy is healthy and his parents have had all their health tests cleared. Thanks!


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## Jmcarp83 (May 4, 2018)

I would reach out to your local Golden Retriever Club for a Breeder Referral. 

https://www.grca.org/find-a-golden/begin-the-search/


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Hi thanks! I reached out to Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club as well as Chesapeake Golden Retriever Club and am not having much luck because they do not know of any with upcoming litters. 
One of the breeders I reached out got the parents from Ukraine and sent me their pedigrees but they definitely have not cleared health checks. 
I also looked into Golden Rock farm retrievers and found the forum stating they most likely are not honest about the parents health checks either.
It seems the trustworthy breeders don't have any upcoming litters. I will keep looking but I was just wondering if there were any I was overlooking.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Is there any prior knowledge of Winterset Goldens? I know listing them as English creme is often a red flag.
https://wintersetgoldens.com/


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> Is there any prior knowledge of Winterset Goldens? I know listing them as English creme is often a red flag.
> https://wintersetgoldens.com/


Winterset's last listed litter used an underage stud without health certifications. They say he passed now, but it's not listed on OFA. They don't give you any registered names for their dams so I can't look them up, but I don't see any breeding age dogs with that prefix in OFA 
https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search...nd_year=&rptdte=&btnSearch=Begin+Search#breed


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## Jmcarp83 (May 4, 2018)

The only breeder I know of in Virginia is El Dorado. Have you considered speaking with breeders in Maryland? Reach out to Chesapeake Golden Retriever Club.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

*Winterset Farm Golden Retrievers - Missing Health Certifications*



Nicole de Venoge said:


> Is there any prior knowledge of Winterset Goldens? I know listing them as English creme is often a red flag.
> https://wintersetgoldens.com/


Yes it is. The reason why is that in my experience, about 95% of the time breeders that are color their only priority and market that way by using ficttious marketing terms like “English Cream” or lAmerican Red” are not responsible with health certifications. Also more often than not they employ misinformation and falsehood to take advantage of buyer who don’t know how to verify their inaccurate claims. 

Winterset is an example of just that. There are several patently false claims in her advertising. These dogs do not have the health certifications they should and what they do have is misrepresented.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> Hi thanks! I reached out to Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club as well as Chesapeake Golden Retriever Club and am not having much luck because they do not know of any with upcoming litters.


There probably are upcoming litters from reputable breeders. The problem is and probably why the club can’t tell you about them is they are already sold before they are born and likely before the breeding ever happened. 

Good breeders are contacted for puppies way more times that they will ever have puppies. So, they don’t usually need the club for advertising. As an example for my current litter most families that have been waiting 5-6 months and one that has waited a year and a half. Well bred puppies are generally not immediately available. Heck it takes about 4 months from breeding to go home to even make a puppy happen. I am already fielding contacts for my next litter which may or may not happen in 2019 since I only have one girl that I breed and usually only breed when I want a puppy. 

If you want a puppy now, you will either have to get very lucky or perhaps buy a health risky puppy. If health is more imprortant that timing, stop shopping for a puppy and start shopping for a good breeer.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Thanks all! Health is the most important thing I am looking for in a new puppy and I am willing to wait months in order to ensure that is the case. My problem is the sites that I'm finding are often misleading or not up to date. I have contacted many breeders but have not had much luck yet. And some of those I have contacted are lying about health certifications which makes the process even more frustrating. If I'm going to spend close to 2k on a puppy I'm going to make sure it has the best chance at a long and healthy life.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

El dorado was a good suggestion thank you!


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

Nicole, I can tell you from personal experience that when you find a reputable breeder that you click with, and get on their list, and then bring home a puppy, it's the best experience ever. 

We got on a wait list last August, and brought home our puppy at the end of May. It was a long wait, but we were prepared for that wait. 

What we got in return was a well balanced puppy, temperament tested to match our lifestyle and what we were looking for, and SOOOO much easier than our first puppy (now 3 1/2 years old) who was from a BYB. 

We don't have a "land shark" puppy - we have a puppy who respects "no bite" immediately and without complaint, we have a puppy who recovers quickly from corrections, makes note of what we don't like and tries really hard not to repeat it (leaving the cat alone is hard - but he's really trying). 

My boyfriend was not a fan of the breeder picking the puppy, but "I" was paying for this puppy and so he acquiesced and trusted the process, and even HE admits that he'd never do it any other way in the future again. 

I'm in Georgia, so I don't know breeders in VA to recommend, but do consider expanding your search area to surrounding states possibly. See if there are any shows that you can attend and meet breeders and see who you click with (that's how I chose my breeder - I already "knew" her from this forum, but got to meet her in person). 

Good luck in your puppy search! Your perseverance and patience will pay off!


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## Hondo164 (Feb 13, 2018)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> El dorado was a good suggestion thank you!


I would check with Chris Browning of Eldorado. She has some litters planned, her dogs are on the higher end but she has some very nice looking solid dogs. this will be my 3rd golden and I did a lot of research and decided after exchanging several emails and talking to her to make the 400 mile trip from NJ a few weeks ago. She spent over 2 hours with us and we met all her dogs. She has strong opinions on the breed and is very knowledgeable. It was well worth it as I am waiting on a puppy for sometime later this fall.


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

Lycinan goldens in Maryland is planning a litter that should be on the ground early fall.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Thank you! I reached out to both El Dorado and Lycinan. I heard back from Storybrooke Goldens that they had a litter. Has anyone heard of them and know of their health certifications?

https://www.storybrookegoldens.com/


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

They list their registered names and OFA on their website.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?quicksearch=SS00989301
https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?quicksearch=SR81944204

How do these stack up? I have a hard time interpreting their clearance results.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Big no. More later.

Below you will see annotated screenshots. For the exorbitant price tag you should expect more than an underage sire and multiple deficient/missing health certifications.


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## BlazenGR (Jan 12, 2012)

The most troubling thing I see is when a veterinarian latches on to the whole English Cream fad, and doesn't tell the whole truth about health exams. I added Old Winterset's Golden Clydesdale to K9data. Yes, he has prelims, but he is well over the age where he should have finals. No evidence of eye or cardiac exam. And yes, he has been bred. 

I agree with LJack about "Show Me" Goldens. Just say no. Bred underage, missing core clearances, etc.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

I was referred to Gail Moscarell by GRCA. I know she is a good breeder however, I want to dive deeper into her clearances. 
Are fair hips something to be worried about? 

https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1788302
https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1875162


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

I'd be more concerned about the bitch's cardiac clearance personally. Fair hips are not 'almost dysplastic', they are just not as well-conformed as good or excellent.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Thank you! What is concerning about the cardiac clearance?


Here are two others I'm looking at with all their clearances:
https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1659193
https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1859651


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> Here are two others I'm looking at with all their clearances:
> https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1659193
> https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1859651



Eyes are out of date on the mum in this pair - but the breeder may have updated them and just not sent to the OFA. You should ask. Eyes are only good for one year.


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## Nicole de Venoge (Aug 1, 2018)

Pedigree: CH Lakesyde's Dirty Little Secret At Four Seasons BN RN

This is the father of one of the litters I'm looking at. I looked up his breeder and found one of the most sickening stories I've ever read.

Wellington Twp. kennel operator suspended by American Kennel Clu

Does anyone know what happened here? I'm assuming he was sold after this kennel was suspended. Extremely upsetting.


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> Pedigree: CH Lakesyde's Dirty Little Secret At Four Seasons BN RN
> 
> This is the father of one of the litters I'm looking at. I looked up his breeder and found one of the most sickening stories I've ever read.
> 
> ...


His parents are half siblings so he has a very high coefficient of inbreeding, in my opinion, at about 25% for 12 generation. I'd want to know everything about the grandparent they share before I bought a puppy from this litter.


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## GoldenLoverNoVA (Dec 20, 2021)

Nicole de Venoge said:


> Is there any prior knowledge of Winterset Goldens? I know listing them as English creme is often a red flag.
> English creme Golden Retrievers


Why is listing as English Creme a red flag? We are looking at goldens from this breeder. Is anyone familiar with them?


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

GoldenLoverNoVA said:


> Why is listing as English Creme a red flag? We are looking at goldens from this breeder. Is anyone familiar with them?


Because most (my personal tracking is in the 95 percentile or higher) don’t ever have the full and verifiable health certifications that dogs in the US should. That is the case for this breeder.

Here is her retired (per her) girt Merlot - Advanced Search | Orthopedic Foundation for Animals | Columbia, MO
Has hip and Elbow certifications, missing any eye certifications and heart certification is deficient since it was not done by a cardiologist.









Here is a boy she bred to Merlot to get her youngster *Old Winterset's Golden Chardonnay*





Advanced Search | OFA







www.ofa.org




He has hip and elbow certifications, missing any eye certifications and heart certification is deficient since it was not done by a cardiologist.










Her girl Old Winterset's Golden Chardonnay - just turned 2 on 12/3/2021. No verifiable health certifications at all.

Her girl Wintersets Golden Willow - will not turn 2 until 12/29/2021and can’t have hip or elbow certifications. Missing eye and heart certifications.

There is not a single dog in her program that has full certifications.


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## FurdogDad (Mar 30, 2021)

And if she's advertising color, she probably focuses/breeds for color instead of focusing on health, temperament, proper structure.....in other words, all the things that Golden Retrievers should be.....


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

On a more interpretation and personal opinion note:

I find several statements on the site quite disturbing and/or misleading.








So, the definition of extensive seems to be not meeting the basic health certifications in our country, which anyone who can complete a 5 minute search online should know about, let alone a vet. I would assume the breeder with “the reputation they needed” was a breeder willing to sell on full registration and doesn’t insist on full and verifiable health certifications or proving dogs in competition. This is IMHO not a girl any responsible preservation breeder would want as a foundation.










The quote that she completed all her health certifications is inaccurate at best and possibly purposly misleading at worst. She did not meet the basic health certifications for the US.

The quote on Champions is just disturbing. Clearly she understands that champions are dogs of verifiable high quality and therefore valuable. However, they do nothing competitive with their dogs and only seem to have breeding as their dog‘s purpose beyond pet. Then we have the “many champions” quote. I seems odd to claim 4 Great Grandparents (out of 14 ancestors in a 3 generation pedigree) as many. By that definition even puppy mill mommas have many champions in their pedigrees too. They also clearly have no idea how to read pedigrees if they are claiming Merlot is Europen bred as the made up “English Cream“ term implies. The whole dam line behind her (noted in gray) is all fairly common American show lines.


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