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Arizona--please help us find a good golden breeder

9K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  vwbob 
#1 ·
We just lost our beloved 12 year old Ashley, and her brother Toller is lost..Ashley was never sick a day in her life.She went to the vet for what we thought was an upset tummy and found she had cancer around her heart..and she collapsed at the vet. We had to let her go to Rainbow Bridge..Shock and a hole in our hearts..

Please help us find a golden girl..

Bob and Carolyn-480 363 0732
 
#2 ·
Oh I am so sorry. I know the pain you are feeling. We live in Prescott and our golden is from a Calif. breeder (Sunbeam Goldens). Our vet here has lots of wonderful things to say about the Arizona Golden Retriever Rescue. Good luck and my thoughts are with you.
 
#3 ·
Oh thank you so much.. yes we are looking in to rescue, but we really want to make sure we have good health information..we have submitted an application for Golden Rescue, but we want to look at all possibilities..having had one seizure golden that dies so young, and now Ashley dying to cancer..we really want to find a good breeder..our hearts are broken, and we can not stop crying. Our Nova Scotia toller keeps searching and crying for his "mom"..this is the worse pani..right at Christmas time..(( tears and tears..))
 
#4 ·
This forum is a wonderful place to find people that understand the pain you are going through. When you feel able share some pictures of Ashley. Remember she will always be in your heart and always continue to be a part of your life but just in a different way. We have had 6 goldens over the years and all from great breeders but we still dealt with cancer so even from the best breeder there are no guarantees. If you buy from a breeder I absolutely believe making sure your breeder does all the clearances gives you a much better chance in the health of your dog but there are still the unknowns. I guess what I am saying is that rescues, even though you may not have all the health background you want, are a wonderful way to go too.
 
#7 ·
Thank you all, wonderful people...we are so lost..Ashley was a wise, loving beautiful girl.. she always knew what we were thinking..just looked at us with those eyes..human in her understanding..she never was a "dog", but a real being ..you all know what I mean...
 
#8 ·
Yes, Bob, I think we all know exactly what you mean. And we feel the same way. :) I'm so sorry about Ashley. I lost my wonderful heart dog a few months ago, and it was the same thing. One minute he was healthy, the next minute he was dying of cancer. The great thing about Ashley's death is that she was a healthy, happy dog right up until the last hours of her life. And that's the best we can hope for any of us, human or canine.

I don't know any breeders in AZ. I do know that a lot of AZ residents get Golden puppies in California, though, like gold4me, above. There are some really wonderful breeders here in California, and you might consider making a trip of it. I can tell you that gold4me's breeder, Sunbeam Goldens, is just about to have a litter (if she doesn't have it already). PM me if you want her contact information.

A word about cancer. I don't know how you avoid it. It's in so many Goldens. They all have to die of something, though. I think the best you can do is look for a line with good healthy and longevity. You can check out the history of a particular breeding on k9data.com and other online resources, and ask the breeders you talk to about how long their dogs live and what they tend to die from. While the pain of losing Ashley is terrible, in my humble opinion, she went the way I would want to go: a dog living a dog's life right up to the end.

:--heart:
 
#9 ·
Hi Bob, I am so sorry for your loss. The forum is such a great place. I really hope you find information, companionship and support here like I do.

If you see my signature it will be obvious that the breeder I chose is Debbie of Wildfire goldens. I do know she has plans for spring puppies. If you are interested, you can check out her website Wildfire Golden Retrievers of Arizona, Golden Retrievers, Chandler, AZ

I am in Arizona and while I am not a breeder, I do show and I will PM you some additional information if you want to stay local. You will not be able to PM back until you hit 15 posts.

You also should read the stickies at the top of the choosing a puppy section. They contain some really awesome information to help you as you start looking.

You will also want to become familiar with researching on Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and web.vmdb.org to check or double check health clearences. I also find K9DATA.COM Home Page which is a database of Golden Retriever pedigrees and information a useful tool as well.

Reputable breeders should be testing for:
Hips through OFA at 2 years or older
Elbows through OFA at 2 years or older
Hearts through OFA done by a cardiologist at 1 year or older
Eyes annually through CERF or OFA. Most will be CERF since OFA has just this year started to offer clearences for eyes. so, I would expect to see both in the future.

Unfortunately there is no reliable tests for cancer. But you should choose a breeder who is testing for what they can influence with good breeding choices.

Good luck in your search. If you would like us to double check the clearences with you, just post the sire and dam info. This group is great at giving you a double check.
 
#11 ·
Thank you all again..such good hearts you all have..and you all have been to where we are right now. Yes Ashley was a "heart and soul" girl. Could never believe such a being could exist behind those brown eyes. We pray to find a girl alot like her..of course no one will be her..but just another amazing soul with furry paws.
Our lives revolve around our fur kids..and not much more is important to us than they are.

Again thank you for all your kind words and help.We have contacted everyone we can, and filled out the apps..we wait and hope now for the special " one"
 

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#16 ·
Thank you so much for everyone who sent me a PM.. I have filled out several applications, and one to a rescue, where there is a Girl that may be suitable.. we have to see after the verbal interview. But I have learned a lot about checking clearances , and where to do so.. big help to me. I am hoping the good Lord points us in the right direction ( with the help of the Golden fairy).

Thanks for any further directions..and knowledge of where we should go
 
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