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Looking for female golden!

18K views 95 replies 21 participants last post by  cubbysan 
#1 ·
I'm looking for an adult female golden. Prefer around 1 yr or older. Must be registered with at least parents clearances. Must have good bloodlines and full registration. I am open to English and american. I am very fond of the caramel color show coats. Disposition is very important as I am looking to raise school and some public therapy dogs. This baby will be in our house not in a kennel. We have one other neutered male who is in training! We are in kansas so of you are to far away might need to meet .
 
#3 ·
This is a near impossible bill to fill.

Breeders generally are not going to let nice older girls leave their homes. There is not enough money under the sun to consider selling any of my own show/breeding or puppy prospects. No one I know would do that either.

Add to that if you are not a known dog person with some friends and credentials, most breeders won't sell a puppy with full registration and if they do it is rarely and likely with a co-ownership.

Based on your post I am thinking you also want to breed. We need more good breeders and you insistents on health testing and good blood lines indicate you could be the kind of person to do a good job of it.

I would suggest moving away from postings of this type for any random 1year old girl. Instead in your area get involved preferably in your local kennel club. Go to shows. When you see dogs you like, meet their owners. Look for a mentor. Someone who can help you understand what the health of the lines your looking at actually is. Remember there are no perfect lines everyone has health issues but a mentor can share that with you and help you research to find the best possible pairings.

Breeding well is not easy, cheap or immediately gratifying. It can be heart breaking and a very rewarding experience. To do it well is a passion and best when experienced breeders can guide you. You can rely on their experience and advice to skip learning things the hard way and get a real jump on success.

Getting active with your current dog in a competitive event like obedience will also help you find potential mentors and shows breeder's you are serious about learning.

Incase you are not familiar with the health certifications here is a Infographic that may help. Also a couple of screen shots.
 

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#4 ·
*so funny, I wrote this right after you posed the query and didn't hit submit. I see now that everyone else has pretty much said what I did but I will post it anyway*


I am reading into it that you want to start a breeding program for community service type dogs.
You will need a girl whose pedigree has good health, longevity, and temperament, and you will need to breed her carefully.
I can't imagine someone being willing to sell a young bitch like that on full registration to you, though. Serious breeders breed mostly for themselves, and they have sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars in their pedigrees- so they guard them carefully. I'd think that you would be better off putting off the head start and get a puppy, start classes, join the clubs in your area, and that will help too with your stud dog choices since you will have history and references. Stud dog owners are also careful who they trust with genes. Your intent to breed this puppy in the future- you should ask when you are making inquiry on a litter whether full registration is offered. If the answer is no, and it is a good pedigree for your future intent, ask if you can contractually have a change to full specified after you get clearances and a title of a mutually agreeable level. Personally, I think 4 points on the VC is a good starting place. And I think if you would be willing to do the title and clearances, before your bitch is breedable w AKC reg, then that gives you some good faith effort to bank on. If when you ask if full is offered you are told full costs more, but that you can have it no strings, you are not dealing w a good breeder in my view.Strings protect the breed..
 
#5 ·
Yeah, I'm with the others, but not as encouraging. I can't see any reputable breeder selling you a breeding bitch based on what you said. In fact, your post is all red flags. If you're willing to do the things that Laura and Robin said, then maybe you'll find someone, eventually, but more likely a puppy than a washed-out junior or adult that you can breed right away (I'm taking from your post that you'd breed a one-year old).

You're going to have to convince someone that you are serious about breeding and raising therapy dogs, that you have a plan and experience, and that you're not just someone looking for a dog you can breed. Lots of puppy mills in Kansas. That might be your best bet.
 
#6 ·
Very good advice. Thank you all. To answer some of your questions. No, I would never breed at 1 yrs old. I know there is some testing I can do at 1 . Yes, I would be looking at breeding the dog at some point but it will take some time to grow into that. My main reason for breeding my own is what I'm doing with training. Yes, there are a lot of back yard breeders. I've found plenty of them expecially in Kansas and the surrounding areas. I do not want a dog from them. I am very open to a pup but finding a little older dog would jump start the training process. I do not have a kennel. She would be a family dog and help children. I would love to find a mentor. I've asked for assistance from a few breeders and didn't have much luck. I don't have a lot of information on bloodlines. I understand breeders being reluctant with a " newbie" coming in. I would like to see them embrace a person trying to learn instead of beinng protective and seeing red flags. You get experiance by asking and learning. Although I have not bred dogs for a long time I'm not totally new to it. I have never bred goldens and want to learn. I have a lot of animal experiance but would love to learn more from anyone willing to teach!
 
#8 ·
Goldens are really not a very good practice breed- it would take a certain kind of mind to absorb the minutia you would need to to get to a place that is knowledgeable. And you too would be very protective of your pedigree if you had as much love, energy, thought and money in it.... breeders don't typically look at a newbie and think, 'oh, I will help them learn' because there isn't one of us who hasn't tried that at least once and been disappointed. It is a shame, because we DO need breeders who do it right. Hard place to be, because I personally don't want the be the pedigree the newbie learns on. It reflects on me. I've been doing this since the late 70's and I can tell you- I have sold 5 bitches on full with contracts to achieve. I've sold 3 on limited who later requested a change. Of the 5 I sold on full originally, 2 of them never bred and never achieved. 2 of them did a bang up job (but they were both experienced in the breed) and one the jury is out still- she's gotten a CD. And bred a litter. Of the ones who asked for a change to full AFTER getting a CD or JH, one bred a litter and worked from that and has built a nice program. The other never bred her bitch.
 
#7 ·
Oh and thank you for the links! I also appologize for making a post that I shouldn't of. I would be happy to start another post and ask for a breeding mentor!! I'm looking forward to this adventure and any help I can get. I love this breed and have seen first hand how amazing these dogs are!! If I would of known they were this amazing I would of done this year's ago!!!
 
#9 ·
I'm feeling discouraged after writing this post. I was so excited when I found this forum. I am feeling like if you don't have experiance or a name made for yourself you are an outsider, reminds me of the horse world .Not one person has offered to visit with me. All i have heard is if i spend years trying to know people i mght find some assistance. I am not throwing red flags or trying to step on anyone's toes.. I respect old timers and their knowledge. This is not a test breed for me.would any breed really be good as a test breed? I have a special needs child and have seen these dogs first hand help her and other children. If someone came to me asking for some advice with their child I would help in every way I could to save them years of testing and heartache. I would share what worked for me and what didnt and they can take what they want from me and leave behind what they dont. I'm going to breed one liter a year and alternate between bitches. I am wanting to raise assistance dogs and raise them as healthy as i possily can. I don't want to put 1 to 2 years of training into a dog and find out that because I didn't start right I now have a dog with health issues. I appreciate the ones that want to protect their hard work. If you would like to help me i would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you!
 
#10 · (Edited)
I think your cause is noble and needed. Two things are going on: first is that breeders have heard such enthusiasm many times only to find that rarely does anyone ever do it right; and second, it's not as easy as you think. Would you rewire your neighbor's house without years of training? Perform a root canal? Write a book in Mandarin? Sometimes, when you have zero knowledge about a thing, it looks a lot simpler than it is. I think that's the case with dog breeding. There is actually a pretty gigantic learning curve. It's like going down a rabbit hole: it looks straightforward from the surface, but gets more complicated, more bizarre, and more requiring of expertise, intuition and judgment the farther down you go.

Let's say you're considering breeding your bitch. The stud you're considering is an ICT carrier but not affected. Can you breed to him?

Or let's say that the great-grandsire of your proposed stud (who is also the great-great-grandsire to your bitch) died at 6 years old and you don't know from what, but your stud's sire lived to 15. Will breeding to him create long-lived puppies, or short-lived? (The answer is incredibly complicated.)

Your proposed stud, Henry, is an incredible therapy dog. He's the product of Charlie (sire) and Chelsea (dam). When Charlie was bred to Clara (a different female), 4 out of 8 puppies from that litter had hip or elbow dysplasia. But Henry was from a different dam. Is it safe for you to breed to this dog?

You have a breeding you're considering. The 10-generation Coefficient of Inbreeding is 7.2, but Hank (a popular sire who died 25 years ago) is the most influential dog at 3.9%. A longtime breeder tells you that she believes she can track her line's PU back to Hank, and she's not the only one who says that. But your girl has no PU in her background (that you know of). Is this a safe breeding for you? What if the breeding had a COI of 18% but Hank was robust and healthy and lived to 16 years old with no PU, cancer or other health issues?

You've researched dozens of potential breedings and have narrowed it down to four. But of those four, in one Hemangiosarcoma is present on both sides, but most of the dogs lived a long time and were otherwise healthy. In the second, there are several missing elbow clearances in get from your stud's siblings, but none in your stud's get. In the third, the pedigree looks pretty good, but the stud is one of the most popular sires in the country (is this a good thing or a bad thing?). And in the fourth, you're satisfied with everything in the pedigree, but there are several intelligent (good), bulletproof (good) and excellent learning (good) but high energy (bad) dogs in the stud's pedigree, and you're breeding therapy dogs. Which breeding should you do?

And you just want someone to sell you a breeding female so you can breed to a boy with the four core clearances.

It's like giving the keys to a car to a three-year old. Breeders understand that you need the equivalent of a college education. It's pretty alarming when people say they just want to get a dog and start breeding. I saw one lady (from Kansas) who recently posted in another forum that she wanted to buy a Golden to breed to Korgis for therapy dogs. Yikes.

If you are truly interested, you might want to start by clicking here to give you an introduction to breeding. It's also a good resource for knowledgeable people and sources of puppies.
 
#11 ·
Trust me we really do get your frustration. We wish it was different too. It would be such a lovely world if everyone came to us telling us how interested they were, how they want to do it right, that yes they would take advice from experts and make ethical choices was really going to follow through but as Robin pointed out the number of times that happens is minuscule. Almost all breeders have been burned or their good friends have. Asking for advice is one thing, asking to be give custody is another. When we are taking about lives, it is just so hard to take the risk.

Take some time to read this thread
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...65-how-does-one-become-reputable-breeder.html
This is exactly what is happening all the time. Perhaps it will be easier to understand why you will face challenge in getting to your goal. If you can flourish in the mist of challenges which I am thinking you can, it is possible. It just is not easy.
 
#16 · (Edited)
T
Take some time to read this thread
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...65-how-does-one-become-reputable-breeder.html
This is exactly what is happening all the time. Perhaps it will be easier to understand why you will face challenge in getting to your goal. If you can flourish in the mist of challenges which I am thinking you can, it is possible. It just is not easy.
This particular thread is invaluable. Not only because it has great advice within it, but also features a gal who knew better than all the long time people who offered their help to her.
She's going to have a long road to walk I predict, as she has in many ways burnt bridges that would have been invaluable to her. Funny thing is her bitch missed and amazingly, she somehow found the time to breed her on next cycle (that one she could not wait on clearances for because of her other obligations). She's found a support group that will be behind her in doing things the wrong way, naturally. Those groups are out there but I would not suggest them.
 
#12 ·
My opinion. I see it as you are not on the same page for goals as a responsible breeder. They are all about their individual dogs, that they end up having happy, healthy lives, whether it is as a pet, a champion, a hunting dog, a therapy dog or an assistant dog. Their wider goals are about preserving and bettering the breed.

Your goals are to find quality dogs and use them to help children. You are about the children.

Different goals / different focus.

Questions you would need to answer for yourself and give to those breeders you want to help you.

How many service dogs have you trained?
How long have you been doing it?
What are your own credentials, training in the field of dog training? Who have you studied with? How long have you been doing so?

I don't want you to answer these questions here but to build a resume for those breeders you want to help you.

If you haven't trained/worked in this field and have the experiences and successes why would a good breeder risk their dogs since they want the very best for them?

Have you worked with any of the programs out there that already train service dogs?

Many of them have programs that you can volunteer for and this would be a great way for you to be mentored which would take you in the direction you want to go which is to help the children.

You are right that you want a dog that has had the best opportunities before birth and after which leads you in the direction of a responsible breeder but the other componet which is just as important is someone that has the experience and training to teach the dog as environment is just as important as genetics. A very good dog can be ruined by a person that doesn't have the knowledge to train the dog.

Don't give up you have awesome goals. Just realize your dreams and goals may take more time than you first expected. Good luck.

There are good responsible breeders that do donate and sell great dogs but it is to volunteer groups that have a track record and experience in this venue.

You say you have a golden, I would love to learn all about your journey of love with him on another post.
 
#13 ·
Dana,
I see you have a college education in goldens.:) Your knowledge is appreciated. I understand fully what you are saying and you asked some very in depth questions to consider. That is why finding someone with knowledge like yours would be so helpful. I can see why long time, reputable breeders are protective of their experience and bloodlines.
I know this will require work and dedication. We all have to start somewhere. I just want to get a decent start.
I do appreciate everyone's concerns and suggestions even if I don't agree with all of them.
I really would just like to find some good breeders who might have what I am asking for and a mentor to help me get started. I am an open book , and im like a sponge, willing to learn. I am open to suggestions.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Dana,
I see you have a college education in goldens.:) Your knowledge is appreciated. I understand fully what you are saying and you asked some very in depth questions to consider. That is why finding someone with knowledge like yours would be so helpful. I can see why long time, reputable breeders are protective of their experience and bloodlines.
The thing is, I just bred my first litter from my own bitch. (In fact, just after I hit "post," I found out that my bitch is pregnant! Wohoo!) But I have studied this stuff for several years before trying it. And I still feel like I know next to nothing. It took me several years of being active in Goldens to get a good breeder to trust me with a quality breeding bitch. So, I've been where you are. I've had your conundrum. And I didn't find any shortcuts. It took me several years of study, courses in population genetics, mentoring from longtime breeders and deep diving into pedigrees. Indeed, one of the hypotheticals I gave you was one I recently faced.

It's one of those things where the less you know, the easier it seems. And the more you know, the less you realize you know.
 
#17 ·
I read that. She had good intintions and got side tracked somewhere along the way. I can see why breeders are reluctant to help. Maybe because of the hard feelings about newcomers this is the wrong place to ask for help. There is always one bad apple in the bunch that ruins it for the rest. Please know we are not all like her. I was starting to feel discouraged and almost attacked on a personal level for going after my dreams but I refuse to accept that. I do however understand that people offered their time and was disrespected. I wish I could of gotten here before the bad apples did! I would of loved all the help that was given to her! Thanks for the help I did receive and good luck to you all.
 
#20 ·
I can see why breeders are reluctant to help. Maybe because of the hard feelings about newcomers this is the wrong place to ask for help. There is always one bad apple in the bunch that ruins it for the rest. Please know we are not all like her. I was starting to feel discouraged and almost attacked on a personal level for going after my dreams but I refuse to accept that. I do however understand that people offered their time and was disrespected. I wish I could of gotten here before the bad apples did! I would of loved all the help that was given to her!
Sue you have been offered a lot of the same help she was. She was in a little different position as she already had a girl, a poorly bred one and you are looking so not the exact same situation.

This forum is actually a great place to ask general questions and is generally very responsive.

I want to make sure you understand the challenges facing new people looking to breed are the same everywhere. Wonder why you have to ask for full registration? Because breeders were fed up with selling pet puppies to what they thought were families only to see these dogs in BYB or mill situations. This has been a sensitive issue for good breeders for generations. The thread about Lyndsay Halligan and how badly that has gone is just a drop in the proverbial bucket and one you could see for yourself on the forum as an example. I meant it when I said this happens all the time both here and to all the good breeders in real life.

If you are serious it is possible, I am not giving names because I am not familiar with your area. I will repeat though if you want a mentor, go out there and find one. Get active with dog clubs, volunteer at events, meet people face to face. Competing with your current dog would be a fabulous way to do this.
 
#18 ·
I think I'm with Solinvictus on this. If your real goal is to be involved with service and therapy dogs I think the best way to approach it is through involvement with organizations that are active in those areas rather than getting into breeding.

There are a variety of ways you can get involved with and become more knowledgeable about therapy work. Often your local Golden Retriever club will have a group of people who are involved in therapy work. The national organizations www.PetPartners.org and TDI provide lots of information. R.E.A.D is another good source. Some training centers have therapy dog classes which usually teach the things you and your dog will need to master in order to pass the certification test for one of the national therapy dog organizations. It's important to note that at least for PetPartners certification is for teams, i.e. dog and handler, and if someone else wants to work with the dog a recertification is required. The result is that you don't see people selling therapy dogs.

I'm less familiar with service dogs but it's my understanding that organizations that train them typically select them for training after temperament testing rather than breeding them.

Even within a litter that might be expected to have temperaments appropriate for service or therapy work you are going to have significant variation and not all or perhaps any of the pups will develop into successful service or therapy dogs.
 
#19 ·
I'm very aware of the requirements for therapy and service dogs. Thanks for your opinions. I did not say i was selling therapy dogs. I'm not here to discuss that unless someone has specific questions I could be of assistance with. This whole thing has gotten so off topic. I didn't ask if I " should raise my own dogs" to achieve the very specific goals I have set and not shared with this group. I really am not trying to step on toes here but I am just asking about dogs, bloodlines and a possibly a mentor. Would anyone like to help me with that? If anyone knows a breeder whos dogs have gone on to be therapy or service animals i would love to get in touch with them. I could possibly buy a older female that doesn't work out as therapy , so I get her spayed and we have a beautifully trained pet. Im not out to breed any dog i can get my hands on. I have found plenty of " cheap" dogs. I want a good healthy dog to ttain. I will possibly breed her and would like that option, but i dont even have a male so please relax. Please do not read more into what you think I am doing . I have a very specific plan and even though I have not shared that ( and won't to the entire group) doesn't mean I have not thought about what I'm getting into. Please if you would like to help contact me! THanks again!!
 
#21 ·
Agree- she wasn't the first and won't be the last- and you and she are not anywhere near the same goals wise it seems. BUT the thing that is the same is you are thinking of breeding. We're suggesting you get involved first, in the breed, through AKC events, and THEN the rest will probably all fall into place. I honestly- in nearly 40 years of this- can only think of one (ONE!!!) example of someone who starts with the breeding part and goes on to make a real contribution to the breed. The country is very small in our community, so we do all know everyone.
And I don't want to speak for anyone else, but I believe any of us who have spent time on your question would be happy to help you- we just really (for the breed, not because of you or anything to do with you, but because we love the breed) want you to do it the right way. There aren't so many ways to do it well other than the right way. And certainly no other way to do it ethically well than the right way.

you've probably got enough posts to pm- and really, reach out and ask for help if you need it. I don't know anyone in Kansas but know there are people there who are ethical breeders (and I probably do just don't know they live there) and I know that most people are happy to educate, help, mentor- but you have to go to the right place to find those folks. HEad out to the show that Laura posted for you and find a hunt test too, on entry express, and go there as well. You'll meet super nice people. Mentors really need to be close enough to where you live to be able to go over dogs with you, spend time with you, etc. And be there to help you or you could help them when it comes whelping time. It's really not that easy and certainly is harder if all you have are long distance people to count on.
 
#22 ·
Yes there are a lot of "mills and backyard breeders" I have found several. I won't buy from them . I dont want to buy from anyone if they haven't done at least the 4 basic tests. I totally understand some of you have been burned. That doesn't mean all of us are out to do that. I understand the apprehension, but I also think that judgement should be on a case by case basis. i do have a golden. He is a very spoiled neutered male. I am starting from scratch and i am excited about that. I don't have a website or fb trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes. Not all newbies are out to take advantage or breed in a puppy mill. I have managed a humane society, worked a vet and fostered dogs. Everyone deserves a chance to start somewhere without having to defend their dreams or tell everyone their entire plan. I've spent a lot of time putting this together. If I didn't care about the breed I would buy a 500 $ dog and breed it . I don't want to. I love this breed and I don't want to breed problematic issues. I don't want for me or someone else to train for up to 2 yrs and have health issues that could of been avoided. I want my planned one litter a year to be the best it can be. I am "out finding" a mentor. I may not be looking at the shows but I am on this forum where there are so many educated people to help. I may go to some shows, I may not. I live so far away from anyrhing like that. I just don't want anyone atressuming I am like that other gal because I am asking for help. Honestly I'm not sure this is even the place to ask. There are so many hard feelings about it . Just not her. I don't want to be here defending my dreams with people I don't know. I just need some help. If that scares people I sorry.
 
#24 ·
Here's the thing- if you don't get involved, you will never get that nice breedable puppy. You'll have to start with less than.
You will find our feelings here, that seem hard to you, are the same every place you look. No one wants to see a careless mistake, not that you will make one, but that you COULD. And honestly, I would imagine you should see red flags if, like I said in an earlier post, someone offers to sell you full or just sells all pups on full.
It's a huge trust thing you would be asking for and without personal knowledge (which you could get if you'd make the steps to do it) of a person, any unknown will be untrusted. And if you ever become a breeder, I hope you too are just as discerning. If you say you won't be, then that is very telling.
 
#23 ·
On why people are so careful- just the other day, I saw a CL post for a boy who came down from a litter I knew was carefully placed by someone local to me at that time.
That boy's offspring, through less careful choices, has ended up in a puppy factory siring litters- probably hundreds since the owner of the puppy factory has a permit for more than 50 bitches. When you are a good breeder, and are so so so careful- and still it happens, it is discouraging. To say the least. That scenario is a nightmare scenario for a breeder who is conscientious and careful. It happens alot for the fast and easy breeder types. Some dogs end up out of the country. It's crazy. No one wants to take a chance that that could happen to their baby, that they carefully bred, whelped, and raised. It's when puppies go on full and reproduce that the next generation is in dire danger of just that.
 
#27 ·
I am actually getting to the point where I am sorry I even opened this can of worms. I thought this would be an encouraging and supportive place to ask questions. Please don't get me wrong, some posts have been very helpful. I feel like I am spending more time defending my hopes and dreams. I wonder of some remember those days.
 
#30 ·
I haven't read a single post that was discouraging to your dream. All of them are very realistic and honest.
No one here has said not to pursue it, just have given you an idea of what sort of scrutiny you will face if you want to use a solid foundation.
You didn't open a bad can. Probably hundreds of similar posts have been made here and on breeder lists. I think we are very supportive as a rule. And we do need more good breeders in this breed, absolutely. Especially in the MW. BUT you will have to jump some hoops to get what you need to start right. There won't be support like, 'oh, yes, and here's where you can get a bitch' in ANY breed. Any breed's good breeders primary concern is protecting their beloved breed, whether it is Malamutes or Greyhounds or Goldens.
 
#29 ·
So, what I did was to come here and go to dog shows. Here, I met someone here who recommended a breeder to me, and I ended up getting a dog from that breeder. And the person who recommended the breeder is now my friend. At dog shows, I met breeders and picked their brains for a long time. I joined my local Golden Retriever club and got involved, volunteering for everything and anything they needed. I got my dogs active in dog things (conformation dog shows, agility and hunt tests). In a fairly short time, all the local breeders knew I was serious about the breed; as serious as they were. And I made friends and connections. That was hard, and it took time and energy.

Then we started searching for a breeding female. Because we had proven both our dogs and ourselves, we were fortunate to have multiple litters to choose from for what we hoped to be our foundation bitch. We bought a puppy, raised her, showed her to her Grand Championship to prove her breeding worthiness, and researched for over a year for to find the right stud for what we wanted to accomplish. During all that, I took courses in population genetics, breeding techniques and puppy whelping and raising, and read a whole library of books. I also called breeders and spoke to them on the phone for hours to learn about proper breeding techniques.

I didn't just look for someone who would sell me a puppy I could breed. Had I gone that route, I doublt I would have succeeded, and I definitely wouldn't have learned what I know now.

My path isn't the only path. There are many. But there aren't really any shortcuts.

One of my dogs sired a puppy who is now a super highly trained service dog. I'm really impressed with what he's doing. It's amazing, and he's doing something that really matters. He's making a difference in the world, which lots of humans can't say. So, while you might think I'm discouraging you, I'm actually enthusiastically rooting for you. You can do it! It just might not be as quick or easy as you hoped. And you can't be discouraged when it's not handed to you after a couple of forum posts. It's hard. And it should be hard. Because those who actually go through the process and get there are usually the ones who deserve to get there. I'm hoping you're one who does.

By the way, the people here can be really helpful, and they can also be very brutal. There is sometimes an unhealthy mob mentality here, and a mean-spirited piling on. I was the victim of it when I was new here. It really hurt, at the time. Now I know not to take it seriously. (Of course, it helps that now I know more than most of them do, so I can see the baloney for what it is. That perspective was hard-earned, though.)

Hang in there. If you're destined to do this, you'll do it. If not, you'll fall by the wayside like so many others have. I guess we'll see. :)
 
#31 ·
Thank you for that and your encouraging words.. I will find a way and it will be the right way. I love what these dogs do for people. I've worked social services for a long time and I've seen animal therapy work over and over for our abused, neglected and thrown away children. I now have a personal understanding of " special needs" children. My heart is drawn to this work by personal experience and my personal spiritual beliefs. I will do this. I don't want it handed to me. I've done this work for years, I'm just adding the golden retriever piece. I'm sure it will take me several years. I live in the boonies and there isn't any reputable bredeers any where close so it makes it very difficult to find help.
 
#32 · (Edited)
Joining a club and going to GR club meetings in itself will help show local breeders that you're serious and willing to put in the work to do things right. Usually it's just a monthly meeting, and you don't have to make all of them. I drive an hour and a half each way to make meetings, some people drive over 2. But you'll learn so much and get a better chance to really meet people and talk dogs :)
 
#33 ·
Firstly, I want to make clear that I'm not a breeder and don't have any hidden agenda to follow here. I fully applaud your desire to increase the number of therapy dogs and goldens are certainly well suited to that.
But I can also see why you may have not got the replies you expected. For one thing, how does anybody know who you are and what you will do with the dog? Yours is an effectively anonymous post to this forum, where you could be telling us untruths (not that I am saying you're lying, but it has been known in the past from others.) Until breeders meet you, they won't know who you are and how passionate you are about breeding the best therapy dogs possible. So, go to the shows and go to the club meetings. Make connections with breeders and mentors. You won't know if you can work effectively with someone if you only "meet" them online.
Also, stand for a moment in the shoes of the breeders. The amount of work they have put in to improving the breed is not to be sneezed at. Nobody here has said no - most have just pointed out the challenges, sometimes bluntly. They just want to be sure of the fate of their dogs. They want to be sure that you want what is best for the breed as a whole.
I wish you well in your endeavors.
 
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