Breeding the Perfect Pair

Our approach to breeding AKC Golden Retrievers begins with matching parents with the best possible health and genetics clearances. The process for bringing you a great puppy begins with the sire and dam. The genetics of the parents will influence the health of your puppy over the course of his or her life, which for Goldens is an average of 10-12 years. Simply put, parents with great genetics give puppies the best possible start to a long and healthy life. Even though we are a private family and not a large breeder, we have taken extra steps to adhere to the Golden Retriever Club of America code of ethics as a dog owner and breeder (https://www.grca.org/about-the-breed/grca-code-of-ethics).

This commitment extends to the sire we select for our Golden girl as we evaluate traits and health clearances that will complement Piper's and ultimately result in a litter of healthy adorable puppies with great personalities and temperaments.

ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation)

Between days 3 and 16 after whelping, we will provide each puppy with a series of five brief exercises outlined by the AKC (see link here) that provide a variety of stimuli in the early stages of their development. Many studies have shown that canines that were exposed to ENS exercises developed improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate); stronger heartbeats; stronger adrenal glands; more tolerance to stress; and greater resistance to disease than dogs from the same litters that did not.

Aptitude and Socialization

As your puppy develops, our family will not only provide lots of playtime and snuggles, but at 49 days of age, we will assess each puppy in the litter using Volhard's Puppy Aptitude Test. This aptitude test measures each puppy's tendencies toward dominant and submissive behaviors as well as their fight or flight response to a variety of stimuli. The results of Volhard's Aptitude test assists us in matching your family with the perfect personality and temperament in the litter. Part of the final selection process includes a conversation with you and your family about the potential matches in our litter. We will provide you with a print-out of your puppy's scoring results when you receive your puppy.

Application and Puppy Contract

You may begin the process of getting your new puppy by submitting an application. After you submit your application, we will email you with more information about our waiting list, expected litter whelping date, and puppy availability.

Applicants that are approved for a puppy in the litter will be required to provide a $500 non-refundable cash deposit and sign a puppy contract to reserve their puppy from our litter. Should we encounter a situation where a puppy is not available based on the number of puppies born, your gender preference not being available, or an unforeseen health issue arises with your puppy before you receive it, your deposit will be refunded in full.

Because we are a private family, please allow us a few days to respond to your application. If you have not heard from us within one week, please send us a text message.

What will my puppy come with?

Your puppy will be dewormed and receive all recommended vaccinations at 6 weeks of age. We will also provide you with:

• A bag of food to transition the puppy's diet

• A toy they love from their whelping period in our home

• Their AKC Registration papers

• Their Volhard Canine Personality Profile

• A copy of their examination records performed by our veterinarian

What do I need for my new puppy?

We recommend a number of common items to have on hand for when your puppy is brought to their new home including:

• Food and water bowls

• An old towel and/or crate for the drive home

• Paper towels and/or baby wipes

• Chew toys (no rawhides)

• Moisturizing puppy shampoo and conditioner

• A leash and collar

• A crate with dividers so you can adjust the size as your puppy grows

What care will my Golden Retriever require?

Goldens tend to be low maintenance, but here are a few things we recommend to ensure your Golden stays in great health:

• Annual vet visits for wellness checkups and necessary shots

• Spay or neuter your puppy around 12 months of age. This needs to be done after the puppy's growth plates close (which usually occurs both for males and females between 8-10 months of age) and for females after they have had their first heat.

• Regular treatment with a flea, tick, & heartworm preventative

• Daily exercise and attention

• Regularly clean their ears

• Brush their teeth and fur weekly

• A variety of chew toys for your first year with your new Golden

When can I take my puppy home?

Golden Retriever puppies usually are ready to transition into their new homes at 8 weeks old. We will not fly puppies to new owners like some breeders, however, we are glad to arrange delivery within acceptable driving distances. If you live out of state and would like to fly in to pick up your puppy and then fly back with them that is also acceptable.

How much is one of your puppies?

All puppies for our 2024 Thanksgiving litter will be$3,000, AKC limited registration. Once we have approved your application, we will send you a puppy contract that outlines more details for the process of receiving one of our puppies.  Upon receipt of a signed contract, a $500 deposit will be required to hold your position. The deposit may be cash or sent via Venmo for new owners that do not live nearby. The remaining balance is due upon receipt of your puppy.

Will there be future litters?

Yes, after each litter goes to their new homes we have Piper screened by our vet to ensure she is healthy and we begin planning for the next litter. All approved applications that are not matched with a puppy for our current litter will be kept on file for our next litter. We will not breed Piper during the heat immediately following the whelping of the current litter.