[Cleigh024]

Hi! I’m looking for a reputable breeder for an “English Cream” Golden in Southeastern PA. I live Northwest of Philadelphia (about 40 mins outside the city) but have family in Doylestown and near the Delaware beaches so could always branch out those directions if anyone has any recommendations. I’m looking for a dog to train to be a therapy and/or service dog so the health is incredibly important to me. Thanks so much in advance!

Edit - just adding that the lighter “cream” color is just a preference. I have owned 4 other darker color Goldens in the past and I’m just looking to mix it up. I know “English Cream” is more just a show type name and it’s more just about color.

 

[LJack]

Good breeders are hard to find in general. Adding a very limiting cosmetic feature like pale color will make that vastly harder. English cream is a fictitious marking ploy term and is almost always used by breeders who fail to meet the basic health certifications for our country (GRCA COE/CHIC). Unfortunately when extreme color is the focus; health, temperament, and structure are very often sacrificed.

Your best bet is to contact the closest Golden Retriever club and/or attending a dog show.
This is a local show coming up soon.

You are in big time commercial kennel and BYB territory so be very cautious and independently verify any health certification claims. Here is an 11 minute tutorial on verifying certifications.

 

[SRW]

Hi! I’m looking for a reputable breeder for an “English Cream”

Pick one, you can't have both.

 

[Cleigh024]

Pick one, you can't have both.

I wasn’t really expecting such a harsh response. As stated before, I’ve had Goldens my whole life. I recently lost my Golden girl last month and I wanted a lighter color this next time. I don’t think it’s impossible to get a “light” Golden from a reputable breeder but I don’t think anyone needs to be responding in such a way either.

If someone actually has helpful information, I’d really appreciate it.

 

[SRW]

I wasn’t really expecting such a harsh response. As stated before, I’ve had Goldens my whole life. I recently lost my Golden girl last month and I wanted a lighter color this next time. I don’t think it’s impossible to get a “light” Golden from a reputable breeder but I don’t think anyone needs to be responding in such a way either.

If someone actually has helpful information, I’d really appreciate it.

You didn’t ask about light colored golden retrievers, you ask about “reputable English cream breeders”.
I posted an honest response.

 

[Cleigh024]

You didn’t ask about light colored golden retrievers, you ask about “reputable English cream breeders”.
I posted an honest response.

Okay. I would think “light colored” would indicate the same thing” but thank you anyway for your help.

 

[SRW]

Okay. I would think “light colored” would indicate the same thing” but thank you anyway for your help.

You’re welcome. “English Cream” is a marketing term used almost exclusively by less than reputable breeders.
Hope you find the pup you are looking for. Be aware that it may take a while.

 

[Hildae]

Hi! I’m looking for a reputable breeder for an “English Cream” Golden in Southeastern PA. I live Northwest of Philadelphia (about 40 mins outside the city) but have family in Doylestown and near the Delaware beaches so could always branch out those directions if anyone has any recommendations. I’m looking for a dog to train to be a therapy and/or service dog so the health is incredibly important to me. Thanks so much in advance!

I don't think there is any such thing

Edit - just adding that the lighter “cream” color is just a preference. I have owned 4 other darker color Goldens in the past and I’m just looking to mix it up. I know “English Cream” is more just a show type name and it’s more just about color.

No, it's a backyard breeder marketing term. Avoid anyone who uses it to describe their dogs.

 

[FurdogDad]

It's very possible to find lighter colored Goldens from ethical reputable breeders.....

There aren't many with very pale dogs however who actually do all the appropriate health clearances and DNA testing. When you start out looking based on color, you limit your options dramatically right away. A better path may be to find breeders that comply with the GRCA Code of Ethics and also do the appropriate DNA testing, then contact breeders whose dogs have a look that appeals to you

 

[cwag]

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately the term English Cream is a hot button term as you have just discovered. Please don't take it personally as the push back is against breeders who breed and market puppies with deceptive terms and lack of health clearances. @FurdogDad has given good advice and here's another post on the topic

Ethical "English Creme" breeders

In the last 24 hours I've been contacted by four different people looking for English Creme/European/white/light Goldens. I referred them to a couple friends who breed light dogs. But I'd like to create a list of ethical breeders all over the country who breed light dogs, or European dogs. You...

www.goldenretrieverforum.com

 

[SRW]

I wasn’t really expecting such a harsh response.

You are new here so probably not aware that there is kind of a learning curve in getting to know me. It starts with annoyance and anger. From that it grows into dislike and then hatred. This is followed by a period of white hot intense hate and then finally, acceptance.
Enjoy the ride and best of luck in your search for a pup.

 

[Sankari]

You are new here so probably not aware that there is kind of a learning curve in getting to know me. It starts with annoyance and anger. From that it grows into dislike and then hatred. This is followed by a period of white hot intense hate and then finally, acceptance.
Enjoy the ride and best of luck in your search for a pup.

This is not true for me... I have had no such experiences like that that I can think of... 😊

It's interesting to note how quite a few people in the US are asking for these lighter Goldens? (I don't know what's the correct term here) and back in France everyone wants the rusty coloured ones ..

 

[Hildae]

This is not true for me... I have had no such experiences like that that I can think of... 😊

It's interesting to note how quite a few people in the US are asking for these lighter Goldens? (I don't know what's the correct term here) and back in France everyone wants the rusty coloured ones ..

It's a sad thing to me, this fad of wanting a white/near white golden. It's outside of the standard, and thus one of the reasons ethical breeders aren't commonly breeding them. (There is a difference between a light gold dog, which is in the standard, and the "english cream" dogs.) Many of them go back to Russian/Ukranian breeders with super questionable ethics as well. I've got concerns about the effect these BYB dogs will have in the coming years.

 

[SRW]

This is not true for me... I have had no such experiences like that that I can think of... 😊

I'm not perfect

It's a sad thing to me, this fad of wanting a white/near white golden. It's outside of the standard, and thus one of the reasons ethical breeders aren't commonly breeding them.

Happens with other breeds too. White Labs used to be a thing, now it's "Fox Red".
There is also "Silver" but those aren't really Labradors.

 

[Hildae]

Happens with other breeds too. White Labs used to be a thing, now it's "Fox Red".
There is also "Silver" but those aren't really Labradors.

I'm not a lab person but I am aware of the weim mix issue. I'm not that well versed on the fox red thing. I've seen more and more yellow labs with a darker, redder color. Am I to assume that is bad?

 

[SRW]

I've seen more and more yellow labs with a darker, redder color. Am I to assume that is bad?

It is a color phase of yellow and not bad in itself. The bad part is breeding for color (and money) while ignoring the traits that really matter.

 

[Sankari]

It's a sad thing to me, this fad of wanting a white/near white golden. It's outside of the standard, and thus one of the reasons ethical breeders aren't commonly breeding them. (There is a difference between a light gold dog, which is in the standard, and the "english cream" dogs.) Many of them go back to Russian/Ukranian breeders with super questionable ethics as well. I've got concerns about the effect these BYB dogs will have in the coming years.

Yes this is truly horrible. We do not have the pale white one but ours is sandy coloured (or in french sable).. - this is the type of Goldens we see in France but many here want the rusty coloured ones. It feels like the grass is greener situation.. We have these BYBs too - they sell golden puppies for 500 euros and even do mix golden and labs - no clearances 🙁🤦🏽‍♀️

 

[Sankari]

I'm not perfect

I was laughing at this comment 😂 I have not been around long but I understand what you're trying to say... But I can think of also my parents telling me so many things when I was a kid the same way.... So maybe I'm just used to it 😬😅 it's the crux of the point that matters


*Sorry for the quotation error

 

[LJack]

A nicely bred litter that happens to produce fox red Lab is not a bad thing, just like a nicely bred Golden litter that happens to produce light golden is not bad.

It is when breeders focus on color (and likely profit) to the exclusion of everything else or nearly everything else that is is a problem.

With any superficial preference like color, it is always smarter to look for a great breeder first and then your preference next.

I love black and tan Miniature Pinschers. I desperately wanted a Black and Tan, yet I brought home a red because I preferred health and temperament over color and was unwilling to wait the year plus it would have taken for the chance of a Black and Tan litter from a responsible preservation breeder. While not perfect that little red boy (Rocky) had my heart for all 15 of his healthy and active years and beyond.

 

[sevans]

Our pup came from parents which I would describe as medium gold on the Golden spectrum. In the litter of 7- there were three pups that were quote dark gold (I hesitate to use the term “red”), two that were quite pale gold and two that were about the same medium colour as the parents. We see the same loss of qulaity in horses when one starts breeding for colour instead of correct conformation and good health. I remember when The Black Stallion movie came out (played BTW by a bay “Cass Olé” and a couple of bay TB’s who were all dyed for the role) and sudenly everone wanted a black. There were suddenly thousands of badly put together horses out there - but they were black.