[Oceanside]

We recently lost our beloved golden and our hearts are broken. We are hoping to fill the hole in our hearts with a golden puppy and I was hoping for some help as I really know nothing about picking a breeder or what medical checks should be done. We have been blessed in the past as we previously had a lab and a German shepherd who both lived to 14 1/2 and our beloved golden lived to 13 1/2. None had any health issues and I’m so thankful for that but when picking our next family member I’d like to have more knowledge as to what to look for. Any insight you can give is greatly appreciated as well as any breeder recommendations. Thank you.

Welcome! Sorry for your loss Here is a list of ethical NJ and PA breeders to start off. There are a lot of great breeders in the northeast.

As far as what to look for, you’ll want a breeder who follows the GRCA Code of Ethics, which specifies that OFA hips, elbows, heart by cardiologist, and yearly eyes by an ophthalmologist should be done on all breeding animals. Most ethical breeders compete with their dogs in one or more venues, which helps prove the abilities and temperaments of the dogs in their program.

As you find breeders that you’re interested in, post the registered names of the sire and dam so that members can check clearances and chime in.

New Jersey

• Garden State Golden Retriever Club – Morristown NJ
• New Jersey Pine Barrens Golden Retriever Club – Medford NJ
• Kalm Sea (Conformation)
  • Susan Robins — Southampton, NJ
• Penny Lane (Conformation)
  • Beryl Scaggs — Manalapan, NJ
• Goldenway (Conformation)
  • Leslie Lesser — Marlboro, NJ
• Shoregold (Conformation)
  • Gail Fumo — Marmora, NJ
• Camelot Goldens (Conformation)
  • Patricia Herschman — Bridgeton, NJ

Pennsylvania

• Greater Pittsburgh GRC – Pittsburgh PA
• Lenape Golden Retriever Club – Quakertown, PA
• Harborview (Conformation)
  • Jennifer Craig — Erie, PA
• Hillock (Conformation)
  • Tammy Tomlinson — Ligonier, PA
• Infinite Goldens
  • Sheri McCormick - Pittsburgh, PA
• Sunbolyn (Conformation)
  • Kim and Rick Kelley — Fleetwood, PA
• Brienne (Conformation)
  • Anne Pittman — Valencia, PA
• Ruffwater (Conformation)
  • Marcy Kronz — Pittsburgh, PA
• Highlight (Conformation)
  • Patrice Loves — Middletown, PA
• GoldenSoul (Conformation)

 

[Oceanside]

Thank you so much. That is really helpful. Do I just reach out to these breeders and see if they have any puppies available?

I would suggest researching each program. A lot of good breeders don’t update their websites, but you can start by looking at their dogs either on their websites or on Facebook. Breeders get a lot of inquiries, so I would recommend reaching out to the ones you like the most and send a personal message. Don’t ask the price.

Here is a blog that will help:

How To Get On “The List” – Reputable Breeders, Part 4

You've made a short list of reputable breeders, now it's time to contact them. Here are tips for getting on "The List" and getting the puppy of your dreams.

thecaninechasm.com

 

[Oceanside]

Has anyone heard of Honey Goldens in Cherry Hill, NJ? I did a search here but didn’t find anything.

Upon a quick glance, it’s clear that they aren’t doing the proper clearances. Didn’t see any hips or elbows at all, and not much of anything else either, and not one title in the pedigree of the current litter. There are also unknown/unmetered/unregistered dogs pretty close by in the pedigree, and unsurprisingly, the dogs have poor conformation.

They say they are a hobby breeder but they do not have a hobby, they just breed.

 

[Oceanside]

Thank you Matt. I think you are Matt right? I’m trying to learn how to use this message board. Lol. Im doing a lot of reading about the clearances. So the idea is the clearances tell you if the parents are healthy and won’t pass on any genetic issues to the puppies? What is embark? We never did any of this before so this is all new to me. I’m thankful we would so blessed with good health for our previous dogs. I am worried though about finding a new puppy because it seems like it could be very difficult to get one from these reputable breeders.

It’s not a guarantee, but idea is that dogs with passed clearances (hips, elbows, heart, eyes) will have a reduced risk of passing on potential issues to the offspring. Embark is one of the genetic testing companies, just like Paw Print and Optigen. There are also vet school labs like UC Davis who do the same testing. Genetics covers mutations like icthyosis (skin), NCL (a terminal brain disease), and a few eye conditions. Genetic testing does not replace the core 4 clearances (hips, elbows, heart, eyes), but should be done in addition.

While ethical breeders had a huge volume of inquires following Covid, things are mostly getting back to normal. You might not get a puppy tomorrow, but if you take the time to find a handful of ethical breeders and reach out, you’ll have no problem getting a well-bred puppy this year. The resources Lisa posted above are great.

 

[Oceanside]

So far it seems that the breeders who have puppies available aren’t necessarily the best options. I’m contacting every breeder that you recommended.

If I’m interpreting correctly, then yes you are correct. There are lots of unethical breeders who always have puppies available. The ethical ones breed less frequently, and I wouldn’t expect most of them to have available puppies right away. But they may have availability on their next litter or you can get on their list.