What is different and special about your breeding program?

Our dogs are all raised in our homes with us, they are not kept in a kennel facility. This allows us to really get to know them and understand their temperaments. Our litters are also whelped in a home environment so the puppies get a very early start on experiencing the hustle and bustle of a normal home environment. As veterinarians, we have a wealth of experience with dogs of all breeds, and have a special appreciation for health and genetic issues. As such, we are very diligent about health testing with our breeding stock as well as providing a high standard of medical care for each puppy that we produce.

Can I pick out the puppy that I want?

Our goal when we place puppies is to match their personalities with the personality and lifestyle of the person or family that they will be spending the next 12+ years with. While we do try and take your preferences into account, our main goal is that you are happy with the type of dog that your puppy is. For example, if you are a very active person, you might not be happy with a puppy who is more of a couch potato. Likewise, if you are not as active, you probably would not have as much fun with a very high energy puppy.

What is health testing and why is it important?

Health testing is a series of tests that our dogs are evaluated under to ensure that they are free of genetic health conditions. For example, our dogs get their hips and elbows x-rayed and submitted to OFA for evaluation to ensure that they do not have hip or elbow dysplasia. Other common issues in golden retrievers include heart problems, eye problems, hypothyroidism, and ichthyosis. By performing tests for these conditions, we can help ensure that each succesive generation of our dogs is healthier and healthier. These are complicated conditions and we can't prevent all cases by testing the parents, but litters from clear parentage are far less likely to ever develop genetic health issues.