# Dissapointed in breeder search...



## i12flytoday (Dec 31, 2009)

Hello all, I have been looking into breeders for a few months now and on the forum to two days now and I'm already SO disappointed in my breeder search. I had one breeder in mind, but when I searched the Dam - Sire for health clearances, one was missing eye clearance and the other was missing eye and hips. :uhoh:

The price they were charging is not much less than what other breeders seem to be charging with Good - Excellent clearances on the parents.

Why are there so many out there trying to hurt the Golden population? My last golden was a rescue from her original owner, who dropped her off to be groomed and never picked her up  , then a gift to me, and I never had to go through all of this. Everything I read on this forum and other sites says that health clearances are absolutely required.

I went to law school and I can't figure some of this stuff out. 

I swear I have spent 30 hours easily looking at every post I can regarding this and I keep coming up with the same thing, either I pay $1600+ (which I'm not necessarily against, but I'm not looking for a show dog or anything) and have to wait until late summer to fall, or I get a pup that we will surely be attached to and end up spending many $$$ later on down the road for conditions that are close to preventable with proper breeding.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

I am sorry you are having these problems. How about another rescue? By far, the best and healthiest dogs I have ever had !


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## Bogey's Mom (Dec 23, 2008)

If you are in NC, have you thought about contact Collette Jaynes. I think she is in SC. I don't know her personally but have heard wonderful things about her breeding program.

http://www.jazzin.com/Goldens.html

Other suggestions:
Tanglewood Goldens

Joanne Cava
Charlotte, NC USA 29707 
[email protected]
www.tanglewoodgoldens.com 
803-802-3790

Honor Golden Retrievers

Paige McBride
Mineral Springs, NC USA 28108 
[email protected]
www.HonorGR.com 
704-764-8455

Lyric Golden Retrievers

Susan Nation
Hendersonville, NC USA 28792 
[email protected]
www.lyricgoldens.com 
828-698-0068

Acadia Golden Retrievers

Patricia Covert
Lemon Springs, NC USA 
[email protected]
acadiakennels.homestead.com 
919-775-3430

WagnTail Goldens

Jan Berie
Kernersville, NC USA 27284 
[email protected]
www.wagntailgoldens.com 

SpiceOLife Goldens
Jean Bjork McAloon
Mill Spring, NC USA 28756 
[email protected]
www.spiceolifedogs.net 
828 894-0387
*This breeder has puppies now born Decemer 5 - not sure if they are all spoken for or not.*

I do not know any of these people personally, but they appear to be worth looking into further.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

I planned and waited for 8 months for my pup to be born. Do your homework and choose breeders who have health clearances on their dogs. Call or email them to see if they are planning any near future litters. The breeder is usually trying to have some show prospects in the litter but there are always pet quality pups in the litter. That sure doesn't mean anything bad having pet quality. Hopefully, the puppy will be a healthy, well put together dog and give you many years of happiness. Patience is what it takes. By the way, I talked to at least 8 breeders before I found one even planning a litter. My pup has been well worth the wait. Good Luck!


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

My very first dog came from Honor stock. She was a 2nd cousin to the Ford's Liberty. A wonderful dog, very healthy, maybe a little too smart for her own good.


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

i12flytoday said:


> Hello all, I have been looking into breeders for a few months now and on the forum to two days now and I'm already SO disappointed in my breeder search. I had one breeder in mind, but when I searched the Dam - Sire for health clearances, one was missing eye clearance and the other was missing eye and hips. :uhoh:
> 
> The price they were charging is not much less than what other breeders seem to be charging with Good - Excellent clearances on the parents.
> 
> ...


When you purchase from a breeder that has conducted all the health clearances, you put the odds on your side that you'll have a healthy pup--true, there's no guarantees, but knowing that several generations behind that pup have clearances is a good feeling. You also have the support of that breeder for the lifetime of that pup--for counseling on health and training issues--and sometimes just to talk. A golden can live anywhere between 10 to 15 years--longer than some people own a car. When you went to buy your car, did you spend 30 hours or so researching different makes and models? How about your home, which most people live in, what, maybe 5 or so years? I realize that a car and a home are more expensive, but purchasing a pet is an important decision, and all that research is worthwhile. Don't give up--it took us a while before we got our first golden--worth every penny, worth all the time and effort.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

i12flytoday said:


> Hello all, I have been looking into breeders for a few months now and on the forum to two days now and I'm already SO disappointed in my breeder search. I had one breeder in mind, but when I searched the Dam - Sire for health clearances, one was missing eye clearance and the other was missing eye and hips. :uhoh:
> 
> The price they were charging is not much less than what other breeders seem to be charging with Good - Excellent clearances on the parents.
> 
> ...


Searching for the right pup can be a bit of work. There are numerous breeders who strive to play by the rules and do things right, however they're not always located right next door. 

When you start looking into Breeders that cross all the T's and dot all the I's, you'll find they're usually into some type of competition or performance event. They will usually tailor their breeding program toward their own area of interest. While they will all be producing Goldens, the dogs from each venue will be very different. What qualities are you looking for in a Golden? (Pet, Conformation, Obedience, Field Work, Agility, etc.)

Decide upon the qualities that are important to you, and search for breeders that have similar interests. Don't be afraid to expand your search beyond your local geographic area. Making a trip to pick up the right puppy is far less expensive than having to live with the wrong pup for the next ten to fifteen years.


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## Goldnbear (Dec 28, 2009)

I am sorry you are having trouble with your breeder search. The breeders that were posted on here previously in your state are reputable. You mentioned price in your post and I wondered if you have looked out of state? Sometimes different areas will charge different prices. Here in Ohio, puppies are usually $1000 and up depending on the breeding. Maybe you could look out of state? Remember too that clearances are not "required" by any means. They are recommended and are required by GRCA members in their code of ethics, but not all breeders are members of the GRCA. And, if you don't see a health clearance for a dog, but you are interested in the breeding, you might contact the breeder and ask them about it. Maybe it is just not listed on their website or they didn't send the proper paper work in yet, etc. And make sure you are checking OFA's website for to back these clearances up. Good luck with your search. Don't despair. Like someone mentioned on here, it takes patience, but it will be well worth it in the end!


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

And remember, that not all clearances are listed on OFA. Eyes are done by CERF and are not automatically listed under OFA so, just because they are not on OFA does not mean they don't exist. Hearts are similar to eyes, since the veterinary specialist actually makes the determination and not OFA, so it is not necessary to send the paperwork in to OFA to actually have the heart cleared.

If hips and elbows are listed on OFA, but not eyes and heart, I would contact the breeder directly to ask about those clearances.

There are a number of responsible breeders in North Carolina, several listed above, and others as well

www.crescentgoldens.com is one that comes to mind.


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## DanielleH (Nov 4, 2006)

When you do find the right breeder, even if you have to wait a little longer then the time frame you had in mind in the end it will be well worth the wait!! I waited around 2.5 years for Ritchie, and waited 10 months for London, both girls were well worth the wait.


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

Some excellent advice has been provided by the members including two breeders on this thread. As Swampcollie has mentioned, you may need to expand your search area and be willing to ship a pup if you are looking for the right breeder who will work with you for the lifetime of your pup and not someone who will disappear as soon as your cheque is cashed. I spent over 8 months looking for the breeder of my current pup (GSD, not GR) and she was flown across the continent to me. However, her breeder (husband wife team) has been absolutely wonderful. One of the drawbacks is that I didn't get to meet the sire and dam personally and check out their property which is one reason why some people insist on travelling to pick up their puppy or buying from a local breeder.


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## i12flytoday (Dec 31, 2009)

That's my concern as well, seeing the property and how the pups are treated / raised. I will never ship a pup; I would drive as far as it takes. I have looked into a few of the breeders that were suggested and I will pick a few to contact and get more information on upcoming litters and availability.

Thank you all for your input!


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## Traz (Jan 19, 2009)

The breeder I used (2 dogs now) has puppies right now. Not sure if they are all accounted for yet or not. Might be a bit far for you but I feel worth the trip. She is in Erie PA. She will not ship puppies, she insists on meeting you. (To me that was a good sign) I don't know when her next breeding will be.
When we got our 1st Golden years ago I never heard from her after the day we picked her up. She did have many health problems. I hear from our current breeder often & she is completely open to answering emails or talking on ther phone for questions or problems. Sucker for Gold on the forum has a littermate to our oldest puppy (almost a year) I know he also calls her to ask questions.
Her pups are in the house all the time & well socialized.

The name is Harborview Goldens, her name is Jenn Craig.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Some of the very best breeders, especially those with reasonably-priced, fully cleared pups, don't advertise. You have to get to know them by joining up with your local breed club or training center. The forum is a pretty good place to start, actually.

Don't give up! It's more than worth it to be patient in finding the right breeder and litter.


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## wagntail (Jan 1, 2009)

*NC Pups*

There are a number of quality breeders in NC and your best resource will be the GRCA puppy referral agents for the area:

http://www.grca.org/allabout/puppyreferrals.html

And you can also go to the websites for the Golden clubs (Tarheel Golden Retriever Club and Sandlapper Golden Retriever Club) for some additional contacts.

They keep track of potential breedings or litters of quality breeders (members of GRCA, participate in some aspect of dog sport, and do all of the required health testing (hips, elbows, eyes and heart clearances) on breeding stock). [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Most pups in these litters are placed as pets or family companions. In NC, expect to pay $1000-$1500 for a companion pup and more for a show prospect. and you may need to wait to find the right pup for your family....but be patient and be sure to do your homework, checking references and clearances.

The only litter on the ground that I am aware of is Jean McAloon's but not sure if she still has pups available (http://www.spiceolifedogs.net/). And there are several of us planning breedings for the spring. 

Jan Berie
WagnTail Goldens
www.wagntailgoldens.com
 

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