# Any advice on these breeders?



## GeorgiaGolden (Sep 30, 2015)

I live in Georgia and have looked at three different breeders of English Golden Retrievers. I was wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge of these three?

Riverbend Goldens Dams

Cottonwood Kennels Home

Syrah Goldens Index

Thanks for any insight.


----------



## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

The first two breeders, without even going in to clearances, you couldn't pay ME to take a dog from them. The first breeds doodles, for the price of $1,800. The second will give out breeding rights to anyone willing to pay more money. The last one at least knows to say the right things, but it's impossible to check the clearances she touts because she doesn't post the registered names of the sire and dam. Seems more interested in selling puppies and supplements than about their own dogs.


----------



## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

Even the third breeder doesn't look reputable. You're allowed to pay your deposit on a litter by just clicking a link and paying $500. They don't care at all about where their puppies are going. If they did, they'd care about the homes they send puppies and want to know about them. That sounds like a puppy mill to me.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Welcome to the forum. 

I moved your thread into the "Choosing a Golden Retriever Breeder and puppy" Section so you would get more views and replies. 

The Golden Retriever Club of America has a lot of very good info and also a Breeder Referral. Here are the links-

GRCA-

Golden Retriever Club of America GRCA: The Official AKC National Breed Club

Puppy Referral-you can do a search by Region or State

Golden Retriever Puppies: GRCA Puppy Referral: Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) Find your Golden Retriever Pupppy Here

At the top of the Choosing a Golden Retriever Breeder and Puppy section, there are some threads at the top of the section called Stickies you may want to read through, good info that may be helpful for you. 

Choosing A Golden Retriever Breeder & Puppy - Golden Retrievers : Golden Retriever Dog Forums

Good luck in your search for a puppy, enjoy the forum.


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

There are much better breeders in Georgia such as Goldruls and Goodtime Goldens in Atlanta, both reputable.


----------



## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

My advice is move on. Lots of red flags. 
Also, from the prices listed you are not getting very much value in the form the health testing that increases your chances for a healthy puppy or parents proven in some venue. These all look like operations designed to maximize profits not the quality of dogs produced. 

For the price range they are listing, you can find a breeder that has full health certifications for generations and parents that have proven thier structure, temperament or trainability in a venue. I find all of these things to be very important to me in a puppy but you may be different. If your main priority is a white dog, then any of these will give you that for an exorbitant price.


----------



## vschapman (Sep 29, 2017)

Hello,

I was wondering if you decided to do business with Syrah Goldens? We are thinking about using them and wondering if you had any information on them? Thanks!


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

The first line on the first page of their website tells it all- profit driven. "All our dogs live in foster homes".
This is not a breeder I would consider giving my money to- breeders who do nothing with their dogs, merely produce puppies and place their dogs in foster situations are not good breeders- ever. The dogs on k9data owned by Hollie Mann are not dogs I would want a puppy from, and imo choosing a breeder such as Goldruls (or one of the many good breeders in Atlanta area) would be a far better investment.


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

BTW I posted her name because information is quite difficult to find on her site- and you can go to k9data and put the owner name in on the 'other' search page and a list will come up.


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

I would not take a puppy from any of these breeders even if it was "free". My advice is to run like hell in the other direction.


----------



## ClipsSu81 (Aug 12, 2017)

Swampcollie said:


> I would not take a puppy from any of these breeders even if it was "free". My advice is to run like hell in the other direction.


Like the Go directly Jail, Do not Pass Go, Do not collect 200 dollars type run?


I'll 2nd a positive experience with GoldenRuls, I found them to be super responsive and they were my 2nd choice for this go around. (Coming all the was from DC to GA just because I really liked her)


----------



## Bailey Boy Golden (Oct 19, 2017)

I purchased an English Cream Golden from Syrah Goldens in July 2016. He is everything I expected and the sweetest dog ever. My whole experience with Syrah was excellent and they continue to help and aid me with answers to any question I have. I visited several kennels before deciding and as soon as I visited Syrah, I knew they were quality just from the gut feel I got while there. I can't say enough good things about Syrah and I'm sure if you also decide to adopt from there you won't be disappointed. All their puppies are socialized by living with families and being around children / families, so very friendly to other dogs and people. 

More recently I wanted my pup (who is now 18 months old) to have some extra training. I was disappointed to find out they only offer training up to four months of age, but they highly recommended
Keith


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Bailey Boy Golden said:


> I purchased an English Cream Golden from Syrah Goldens in July 2016. He is everything I expected and the sweetest dog ever. My whole experience with Syrah was excellent and they continue to help and aid me with answers to any question I have. I visited several kennels before deciding and as soon as I visited Syrah, I knew they were quality just from the gut feel I got while there. I can't say enough good things about Syrah and I'm sure if you also decide to adopt from there you won't be disappointed. All their puppies are socialized by living with families and being around children / families, so very friendly to other dogs and people.
> 
> More recently I wanted my pup (who is now 18 months old) to have some extra training. I was disappointed to find out they only offer training up to four months of age, but they highly recommended
> Keith


Welcome to the forum. It's probably not comfortable to read that your breeder isn't considered a good breeder. 
You could make a difference in opinion by posting the sire and dam names and links to OFA clearances!


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Bailey Boy Golden said:


> ... I knew they were quality just from the gut feel I got while there. ....


Keith, I am afraid that it is simply not possible to judge or 'just know' the quality of the dogs by a "gut feel". The truth is that there is a lot more to it and the easiest way to start is by looking at the Health Clearances for Elbows, Eyes, Hips and Heart on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals website https://www.ofa.org/browse-by-breed#tests

Another way to judge is on the basis of the dog's breed traits as judged in some form of competition such as in the obedience ring, hunt tests or the conformation ring with AKC titles. Most people's dogs are well behaved and loving when they are at home, it's when they go out to compete in different venues that it's easier to assess temperament and get an unbiased view of how the dogs compare to other Goldens.

Most breeders are very proud of the hard work they put in titling, training and getting clearances on their dogs. They use websites to showcase their dogs and brag on them and always share the dogs' registered names and titles of them and their offspring. They share links to their dogs' pedigrees and links to the PROOF of health clearances passed on OFA for the world to see. 

The fact of the matter is that although I am very glad you love your puppy (we all love our Goldens) Syrah appears to be spending a lot of time and trouble to sell puppies and not much else. The website gives no registered names of the dogs, no information about training or competing with their breeding stock and no links or information about their health clearances and genetic testing. They do have a giant BUY NOW link on the website, advertise Christmas Puppies for sale and have 4 litters expected within 2 months of each other. This is pretty much a glorified puppy mill situation and I am afraid it's not the ideal place for anyone to purchase a puppy. Unless you would care to show us the copies of health clearances and genetic testing such as PRA and ichthyosis on the parents of your puppy, it would be best not to recommend this breeder to people.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

I always find it interesting when a bad breeder is roundly and rightly criticized, suddenly a brand new member with no previous or subsequent posts appears and enthusiastically defends said bad breeder. It happens so often! It's almost predictable. And quite a coincidence. Must be the vibes in the universe aligned just right.


----------



## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

DanaRuns said:


> I always find it interesting when a bad breeder is roundly and rightly criticized, suddenly a brand new member with no previous or subsequent posts appears and enthusiastically defends said bad breeder. It happens so often! It's almost predictable. And quite a coincidence. Must be the vibes in the universe aligned just right.


Or perhaps they have puppies for sale and don’t like that this thread comes up in their google search. It is a mystery.


----------



## soprano87 (May 19, 2006)

DanaRuns said:


> I always find it interesting when a bad breeder is roundly and rightly criticized, suddenly a brand new member with no previous or subsequent posts appears and enthusiastically defends said bad breeder. It happens so often! It's almost predictable. And quite a coincidence. Must be the vibes in the universe aligned just right.



Sounds like a certain VA breeder I considered for a hot second.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

DanaRuns said:


> I always find it interesting when a bad breeder is roundly and rightly criticized, suddenly a brand new member with no previous or subsequent posts appears and enthusiastically defends said bad breeder. It happens so often! It's almost predictable. And quite a coincidence. Must be the vibes in the universe aligned just right.


My guess is that the breeders have google alerts on their name set, and when they see negative threads like this one, they ask one of their owners to join and make a positive post. Or it's the breeder him or herself, joining under another name. Either way, it is always so obviously contrived.


----------



## oneandonly (Oct 22, 2017)

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! I got a dog from them a few months ago and at 4.5 months of age, she ALREADY has hip dysplasia and they are saying my only option is to "return" our dog to them and refuse to give us a refund. How can you return the dog who has become like your child? They are not good breeders and do not do what is right in any situation. When we went to pick up our dog, they didn't let us see where the dogs were kept, anything. very very sketchy breeders and do not trust them.


----------



## oneandonly (Oct 22, 2017)

*Do not get a dog from them*



vschapman said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was wondering if you decided to do business with Syrah Goldens? We are thinking about using them and wondering if you had any information on them? Thanks!


DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM!!!

DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! I got a dog from them a few months ago and at 4.5 months of age, she ALREADY has hip dysplasia and they are saying my only option is to "return" our dog to them and refuse to give us a refund. How can you return the dog who has become like your child? They are not good breeders and do not do what is right in any situation. When we went to pick up our dog, they didn't let us see where the dogs were kept, anything. very very sketchy breeders and do not trust them.


----------



## u0643262 (Oct 19, 2017)

Georgia Golden based on the websites you submitted it looks like you are looking for a light color golden retriever. Please look at the cream retriever reputable thread as there is much you can learn. I am in the same boat and have been discussing the issue with members there.


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

oneandonly said:


> DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM!!!
> 
> DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM! I got a dog from them a few months ago and at 4.5 months of age, she ALREADY has hip dysplasia and they are saying my only option is to "return" our dog to them and refuse to give us a refund. How can you return the dog who has become like your child? They are not good breeders and do not do what is right in any situation. When we went to pick up our dog, they didn't let us see where the dogs were kept, anything. very very sketchy breeders and do not trust them.


I'm so sorry for your hard situation and your dog's condition.
Depending on your state, there may be a puppy law in place that would require compensation. Also sometimes depends on where you pick the puppy up- shipped, etc.
If I am not mistaken, shipping (for instance) a puppy sight unseen puts a breeder into a USDA category- you might look into whether you could use that as a route to take.


----------



## oneandonly (Oct 22, 2017)

Do you know where to find this type of information? The breeder was in Georgia and I can't find laws about breeder's responsibilities.


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

oneandonly said:


> Do you know where to find this type of information? The breeder was in Georgia and I can't find laws about breeder's responsibilities.


Google "USDA pet dealer Georgia" and I imagine the rules will come up. I do believe sight unseen sales throw you into a dealer category, whether you make one litter or 10 a year, and that little piece will change all the requirements.
Also google "Georgia pet dealer lemon law" and see if anything comes up. And maybe throw in "legislation"


----------



## ellisda1 (Jul 24, 2013)

To the OP: if you're interested in reputable English breeders, you might want to expand your search at bit. You might want to add Tanglewood Goldens (near Charlotte NC)(Joann Cava) to your list.


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Prism Goldens said:


> BTW I posted her name because information is quite difficult to find on her site- and you can go to k9data and put the owner name in on the 'other' search page and a list will come up.


Hollie Nicole Autry or Autrey. (I guess I am starting alias lists lol)


----------



## melodyhicks (Apr 20, 2018)

I would not advise purchasing a puppy from Syrah Goldens. We made the mistake of doing so in November 2017 and was sold a puppy that has severe hip Dysplasia. We will be bringing Sadie in for two surgeries this summer totaling 11,000.00. They will not refund our money and of course will take the puppy back and give us a new one, but how could any person return a puppy that you have fallen in love with! We are sick about the pain our puppy is in and I don't wish this nightmare on anyone! Stay far far away!!!


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

I'd suggest to you to check out the GA pet dealer laws. It might be that you are within the window to get not only a refund but partial repair payments. I'm so sorry for your heartache. I'm not in GA, so do not know as to lemon laws there on puppies but there is surely some sort of restitution available.


----------



## GoldenGeorgia (Apr 24, 2018)

*Syrah Goldens*

I thought I would also follow-up and see if anyone out there has (new) feedback on Syrah Goldens? Does anyone have any referrals to English cream goldens that are in Georiga or even the surrounding states that they would recommend? Thank you!


----------



## IndigoJen (Apr 22, 2018)

GoldenGeorgia said:


> I thought I would also follow-up and see if anyone out there has (new) feedback on Syrah Goldens? Does anyone have any referrals to English cream goldens that are in Georiga or even the surrounding states that they would recommend? Thank you!


Hi, You might try Danfords Goldens. They're in Dallas Georgia. I think they're expecting a litter soon. One of their males (Hunter) is co-owned by Joanne Cava of Tanglewood. He sired the litter we're hoping to get one from and has a very clean-looking bloodline. 

edit to add - I looked back at their females & see that the dam of their upcoming litter had some of her tests at 17 months. She's almost 3 now, but that might be a red flag. ymmv.
edit again to add - that was the heart and eye test, so it may be ok. 
also - post #5 on this thread has some GA recommendations, and someone else mentioned Tanglewood which is in Charlotte, NC. 

Good luck with your search!


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Danford's Goldens :
Hunter was not 24 months of age or older when he got hips/elbows.
See change history on his k9data page for addition of BVA scoring

Ruby does not have hip/elbow clearances and is their next litter.

She is well old enough for finals.
I would skip it but quick.


----------



## IndigoJen (Apr 22, 2018)

The OVC method certifies starting at 18 months. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3524811/) While I would feel better if they had waited until 24, I have trouble imagining that Tanglewood would have recommended a bad breeder. Am I wrong to assume that? Now I'm worried. The dam of the pup we're getting had her OFAs at 24 & 25 months and the dam's sire was one of Joanna's.


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

OVC doesn't certify anymore. Most Canadian breeders (reputable ones), at least the ones I know, follow the 2 year old rule, and use OFA.

http://ovc.uoguelph.ca/hip-elbow


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

OVC quit in May 2012. 
The thing with a co-owner, usually (and I do not know that this is the case in this case)a breeder might sell someone a full registration on a boy, with a co-own, to somewhat protect their own interests.
I'd be talking out my little toes to say she hasn't seen him but since this breeder doesn't show or compete in performance, it'd be a drive to go get him evaluated by his own breeder/coowner. I just don't see the clearances that should be there.


----------



## IndigoJen (Apr 22, 2018)

The sire was imported from Serbia, so not bred at Tanglewood, but co-owned. I guess I have some questions to ask!

Meanwhile, I revoke my suggestion of Danfords until further notice. Sorry!


----------



## Cindy1857 (Oct 15, 2018)

IndigoJen said:


> The sire was imported from Serbia, so not bred at Tanglewood, but co-owned. I guess I have some questions to ask!
> 
> Meanwhile, I revoke my suggestion of Danfords until further notice. Sorry!


Hi Jen!
Did you ever wind up purchasing a puppy from Danfords? We are interested in their next litter and would love any feedback that you may be able to offer. 

Thanks


----------



## IndigoJen (Apr 22, 2018)

Cindy1857 said:


> Hi Jen!
> Did you ever wind up purchasing a puppy from Danfords? We are interested in their next litter and would love any feedback that you may be able to offer.
> 
> Thanks


Hi Cindy, 

We got Freya from Reflections Kennel in Aiken, SC, but her sire is Hunter who is owned by Danfords and Tanglewood. She's beautiful, smart, and healthy and I have no regrets!

I'm happy to answer any questions but I don't have any direct experience with Danfords. Their puppies sure are cute, though!


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

sigh.... 
nothing ever changes. 

do a search on this kennel name, I don't see any major (or minor)changes since they were previously discussed.


----------



## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Prism Goldens said:


> Hollie Nicole Autry or Autrey. (I guess I am starting alias lists lol)


So, just adding a new one to this alias list- Hollie Greenbaum. Hollie Nicole Autrey. Hollie Mann.


----------



## Gertrude (Nov 18, 2017)

Prism Goldens said:


> Welcome to the forum. It's probably not comfortable to read that your breeder isn't considered a good breeder.
> You could make a difference in opinion by posting the sire and dam names and links to OFA clearances!





oneandonly said:


> *Do not get a dog from them*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





oneandonly said:


> *Do not get a dog from them*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


DO NOT DO IT!! Fosters.....yes... it saves them tons of money!!! They don't check the forster homes or run any checks on the fosters....... NEXT... The worst part...... Their breeding dogs are not OFA certified......So if you are spending thousands of dollars to buy a dog.....look elsewhere.... They are basically a high priced and advertised puppy mill.!!


----------

