Hey, that is my backyard. I will PM some options but please be aware in the entire state we have hundreds of breeders but only about a dozen reputable breeders that are doing appropriate health certifications. Those dozen or so will not have puppies on demand.

If you are looking at a breeder you have found, here are some tools to help you learn how to very any health testing claims. Be very cautious there are a lot of pretty websites/facebook pages masking underage breeding and misleading health claims.

This is a tutorial video, an infographic and a screenshot that may help.

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My example dog is waiting for OFA to update her eye exam so keep an eye out for exam dates to be current on eye certifications in the last 12 months.

 

LJack I'm also interested in getting this list of AZ breeders if you still have that available. Thanks!

 

Thanks Ljack for the detailed and informative reply!

 

You should know that LJack is one of the best breeders in Arizona. And so is her mother, Deborah Wheat, Wildfire Goldens. So there are two great resources right there. The forum rules prevent her from suggesting herself, but I can suggest her and tout her general awesomeness.

 

Thanks for the informational post Ljack, it’s very helpful as we are starting our search for a puppy. We’re also in Arizona, would you mind sending over some breeders to me as well that you recommend in Arizona or Southern California to start our search?

 

We are in Arizona too and have a 12 year old Golden "English type" we are on the search for a reputable small breeder with the necessary health clearances. Just like we got with our first girl. That breeder is no longer around. I have it narrowed down. I know we might have to wait til 2021. I remember with our first girl it took about a year. So, here I am again.....

 

Thank you....I am looking for the Golden "English" again. Since we have had such good luck and want to continue in this direction. We already have one and looking to add to our family.

 

So I second the suggestion of LJACK- she has an imported bitch and she is super ethical.

 

Yes, I appreciate and have both American style and European style. What I would say is be very cautious. I cannot think of a single breeder in the state with this style that I could recommend. Most are doing a dismal job with health and making breeding decisions that are not focused on much beyond color and making money.

There are a handful that could be good but you have to catch the right litter. Sometimes they have appropriate health certifications and sometimes they don’t (Which is why I don’t feel comfortable with a blanket referral to them).

There are also a few that are very good at being deceptive and have very pretty websites. They will say they have health certifications but actually be referring to preliminary reports, underage foreign health tests or deficient heart certifications (practitioner and not the needed Cardiologist). They will also claim amazing champion parents but actually be referring to IABCA titles where every dog without a disqualification gets to be a Champion in a day or two.

Here are some resources that may help you learn what to look for so you won’t be duped by the many less than reputable breeders out there.
This 11 minute video is a complete tutorial on verifying health certification claims.

Here is an example of an imported dog with full and verifiable health certifications. https://www.ofa.org/advanced-search?f=sr&appnum=1913739
Note: Imported dogs will not have parents in the OFA database. Also this dog is Ichthyosis affected and can be bred responsibly to a clear dog to ensure no affected puppies are produced. Ichthyosis is common in European pedigrees so look for dogs that are carrier or affected to be bred to a clear/normal dog to avoid getting an affected puppy.

Here is some information on Championships so you can weigh the quality of any Championships claimed.

If you need a second look at the health certifications on any puppy parents you are considering, post the registration names here and a forum member can help you see what you are or are not getting. It is a hopefully 10+ decision, so make sure you do your due diligence and verify independently any breeder claims.

Good luck in your search.

 

Thank you for all the information. I appreciate it. I was really happy with the breeder from almost 13 years ago in Arizona. Our girl is amazing. We have never had any issues and I hope I can find this again. She is the joy of our life. I was disappointed that the breeder was no longer breeding, but that was a long time ago.

 

LJack...I had emailed you back and now that I have researched MORE about reputable breeders here in AZ, we definitely need your HELP! Your knowledge, concern and passion is what we are looking for! I’ll email you again and I hope to hear from you - Jeannine Majka

 

I’m commenting on this post to see if any of the above posters can share what they learned in researching breeders in Arizona and California. I would so appreciate any recommendations!

 

Hello, I was wondering if anyone above could possibly send me a PM with some recommendations for reputable breeders in the Az/Ca area as well. I am looking to add a golden to our family.

 

I sent you contact recommendations for Arizona in a PM.

Please be very cautious. There are literally hundreds of breeders in Arizona and I only feel comfortable recommending around a dozen. I imagine California is the same way. Lots of less than reputable/honest people are out there willing to omit, mislead or lie about health while trying to dazzle you out of your money with cute but health risky puppies. If you have not already, please review the video I posted above. Don’t hesitate to provide any potential puppy parent registration names or numbers here on the forum for a double check from someone not looking to benefit financially from you.

 

I am new to this forum and we re ready for our Golden. Was wondering if you ever found your puppy from a reputable breeder in AZ? Thank you!

 

Here is a list of ethical breeders in each state. I’ve linked the Arizona post below.

USA Ethical Breeder List

USA Ethical Breeder List I have compiled a state-by-state list of ethical Golden Retriever breeders in the USA. This list consists of breeders who routinely follow the GRCA Code of Ethics and who have a history of participation in activities such as AKC events, preferably with titles. At this...

www.goldenretrieverforum.com

 

We have tons of bad ones here and very few good ones.

If you are in the Phoenix area there is a huge show this weekend that would be a great place to see Goldens. A catalog will get you kennel names and you could possibly meet some contacts. If you want more information just let me know.

 

@LJack Can you PM me your AZ breeder recommendations? (I'm new to this forum and not able to PM you)

 

@CJSkill - The link that Oceanside shared on page 1 is a good start. You can also check out this page Breeder Referral (vdsgrc.com)