[AC7200]

hi all,

after losing my beloved lab/golden mix 2 years ago (he was 13yr), and having a baby the same night, I am finally ready to get my next family member! i've been looking for rescue goldens or labs for the last 6months, and about a month ago decided i'm going with a golden breeder, mostly due to having a young toddler and really needing to know the history and temperment of the dog well be adopting. i'm looking for a new puppy or an older pup (less than 2yrs old - so not a retired breeder). i am very much drawn to the features of the english-type goldens so that has been my focus. i've found clearly reputable breeders - Tanglewood (in SC) and Acadia here in NC. i've also talked at length with Ventess just around the corner. i think all these breeders would be great, but wont have available litters until late fall or winter. i'm planning on visiting them this spring anyway and will gladly wait if i need to. Just want to draw on the deep wealth of info here and see if anyone knows of any other reputable english breeders in NC or the surrounding states that i may have missed?? especially in the case of an older puppy, which is much harder to find, i'd just like to put my name out there in case someone "local" hears of any available (which i have done with the above 3 breeders). alternatively, i'm leaning towards a baby puppy and timing would be a little better if i found one for end of the summer/early fall. any and all suggestions welcome! but again, happy to wait for a known reputable breeder this winter if necessary. thanks very much!
amy

 

[AC7200]

hi all,

could one of the "regulars" here tell me if i've said something wrong or insulting? the other two times i posted a question on this forum i had responses within minutes. is NC just not a good place to find a breeder, or have i said something that has turned people off (i.e. wanting an english-type)? genuinely asking and confused....
thanks, amy

 

[CarolinaCasey]

I'm not as familiar with the english type breeders. I prefer and own goldens bred to the American (AKC) standard. Perhaps shalva would be a good person to send a private mesage to. Most people will have to travel to find a reputable English golden breeder. There are many people with the "cream" exploitation in their advertising and you need to be careful.

What I would recommend is contacting your local GR club. See what breedings they recommend. There are some breedings that will give you that lighter color and blockier head but aren't advertised as English. You might want to contact Passion for Gold in TN. She just had a litter by Patton-- he is very beautiful and probably the type you're looking for and he is from American lines.

 

[nolefan]

No, it's not 'bad form' to like the English type dog. There are lots of the lighter coated dogs here on this forum and most folks have a favorite shade of gold. Unfortunately, for several reasons, it can be very, very difficult to find a really good breeder when you are putting color at the top of the list. Here is my take on the reason why it is so tough:

1) In general, the most reputable breeders are really small, hobby folks who compete in some form of 'dog sport' with their breed of dog, whatever it is. Could be just confirmation but ideally it should also be something else to show how trainable their dogs are (obedience, agility, field work etc.) A breeder who competes needs structurally sound dogs who won't break down with hard training and have the temperament to be trainable - these traits are gold to you as a pet owner even if you never show a single day.

2) Because the Golden Retriever Club of America doesn't recognize the extremely light colors as being correct, most of the serious people in the U.S. are not breeding dogs with focus on color. The majority of people doing this for the love of the breed and to improve it are pretty color blind when breeding their dogs. They are going for form and function, color is never something they even mention when discussing their future litters of puppies. (Again, this is in general - there are people who prefer a certain look but HEALTH and TEMPERAMENT are always their first priority).

3) The very light colors are more accepted in the confirmation ring in Canada (from what I understand), so an American breeder could get a confirmation championship on their light dogs there, but it adds a big expense. A hobby breeder probably can't afford to do that on a regular basis.

4) Because the lightest color has become more popular, many people have discovered they can charge more for the puppies and this has brought in plenty of people who breed dogs just to make money. They do not obtain the EXTREMELY important 4 health clearances for their dogs (Heart, Hips, Eyes and Elbows) and do not compete with them to prove their trainability or temperament. These people have no consideration for the lives of the dogs they produce with preventable health issues or the owners they have suckered into believing theses dogs are somehow superior to other goldens. The medical treatment for these health issues runs into thousands and thousands of dollars.

5) When you see a breeder on the internet advertise dogs from "world champion bloodlines" it generally means the dogs have come from a kennel across the ocean and the dog itself has never stepped foot in a show ring to show why it is superior. Breeders will tell you that they always keep their very best puppies for themselves, they would never ship their best dogs overseas to a complete stranger. That is something to keep in mind.

6) Expect to wait a while for your puppy. It can be a red flag that a person may be breeding to try to make money when they don't keep a puppy from the litter for themselves or the owner of the sire. As a result, the reputable breeders may only have a litter occasionally. When you have so few reallly good breeders of European type dogs, it will really push up your wait.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I wanted to help you understand why color discussions are sometimes misunderstood on this forum. No one here is biased against a light cream or dark red dog, what gets people upset is breeders who produce these colors without following the rest of the rules for bettering the golden retriever as a breed and putting health and temperament first.

You absolutely can like what you like, but it takes a ton more hard work to find a truly good breeder going to the trouble to produce those colors as well as the rest of the healthy, happy golden package. Many of the breeders on this forum have known each other for many years through competition with their dogs. A breeder producing puppies to sell only for color will not have developed a reputation with her peers because she's not out there developing the entire package with her dogs. I don't know if this is the case in the Carolinas, but I haven't seen mention of many really good breeders in this area of lighter colors. The lady who has Tangelwood, I believe, has a good reputation and has clearances on all her dogs and some of them have other titles. Personally, I have decided that I want performance titles on both parents of my future puppies. It's never a guarantee, but I really want the best chance possible to have a dog with good health and wonderful, classic golden temperament. If you are willing to expand your search up north, you will have an easier time finding what you are looking for.

I wish you the best in your search. Your investment in time and effort now and patience in waiting for the right litter should pay off in the end with a terrific dog in your home.

 

[Shalva]

It seems that you have found reputable breeders however, because we are few and far between for reputable breeders that also have english type, you might find that you have to get on a waiting list and do just that... wait... I know that I won't be having a litter until october we are subject to when our girls come into season.

 

[AC7200]

thanks, all. definitely ok with waiting for the right pup....just wanted to make sure there weren't other breeders i've missed.
@nolefan - have definitely found what you've described, through reading, research and discussion with breeders. this forum is a great resources too! thanks again!

amy

 

[2tired]

By looking at the pedigrees of their breeding stock, Tanglewood appears to have close ties with some of the reputable Canadian breeders of English-type goldens...Kyon, Shaynedoro, Tashora, to name a few.

 

[snapsnap]

Tanglewood

2tired is right on point with Tanglewood. My pup came from there and is now 4-5 months old. Joanne is fantastic and I believe she does it the right way for the right reasons. Tanglewood is located just south of Charlotte, just over the SC border.

She has a web site. Just search for Tanglewood goldens.

 

[Suni52]

I have an Acadia GR, (who is 3/4 English) and I couldn't be happier with her. She is 9mo right now. I have a little of different situation in that I got Sadie when she was 6mo. Patti was originally keeping her to show, but decided Sadie didn't really have a showy personality. Her loss, and our families forever grateful gain.
When I tell you that Sadie is not only gorgeous with incredible conformation, but she is everything I wanted in a family pet. I have a 2.5yo and an almost 5yo with special needs and Sadie is so patient and calm. We take her to the park several times a week and nobody can believe how young she is, because she is so calm. When children ask to pet her I put her in a sit position and hold her collar (just as a precaution), and she just lets them pet her and hug her. And she just lays at my feet while all the kids are running around. I just can't say enough good things about her. She is the family dog that I always dreamed of having and is the quinticential GR.
Patti spends a tremendous amount of time with her pups and it shows. I just went out to visit the current litter last week with my kids. She really makes sure that they are well socialized before placed with their new owners. They were all beautiful. Pattie also leaves herself very available to the new owners after they go home. I've had so many email exchanges with questions I have for her, and she's always gotten back to me within a day or two. She's awesome. From what I understand her next litter plans are with my dogs mother again, Patchouli. She's 1/2 american, 1/2 English.
I had also spoken at length to the woman from Tanglewood and really liked her a lot too. I got a good vibe from her. If things didn't work out with Acadia, Tanglewood would have been my next choice. But I don't know anyone else with a Tanglewood golden and I do know someone with an Acadia who is also very happy.
Feel free to PM me if you have anymore questions.

 

[AC7200]

Suni52,
thanks for your message. i just wrote you a long email but then it was deleted b/c evidently I cannot send private messages yet. if you want to resend to "[email protected]" i can try again. thanks!

 

[Suni52]

Suni52,
thanks for your message. i just wrote you a long email but then it was deleted b/c evidently I cannot send private messages yet. if you want to resend to "[email protected]" i can try again. thanks!

oooh I hate when that happens. I just emailed you.

 

[Sandy's Dad]

Do Acadia's puppies come with health certifications?

 

[ThatShortGirl]

They should. Have you been to the website?

 

[Sandy's Dad]

Their website does not specifically say. The only thing I found is that their puppy packet includes "copies of health clearances" but it does not get more specific than that.

 

[MikaTallulah]

If the website show the dog's AKC name you can look the up on the OFA website Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

If you don't see OFA clearances there I would definitely ask the breeder about it

 

[CHRIS-Ti Goldens]

puppies with clearances

GRCA is requiring that breeders do the OFA hips and elbow, cardiologist heart, and cerf for eye, now some for the elective breeder have decided to do the DNA that is by choice. Before puppies go home the breeder usually will take the litter in for a health clearance this is to evaluate the everything possible for a veterinary to check over. Heart, eyes, joints, parasites etc. So this breeder you are decussing has everything she is suppose to have on her site pedigree and K-9 data which shows her clearances some breeders will keep their DNA for their puppy packets and tell their prospected buyers at the time of interviews. If you have anymore questions please ask. :wavey:

 

[Suni52]

Patti from Acadia does do all the health clearances, but you are right, they aren't posted on her website.

 

[oro perro]

By looking at the pedigrees of their breeding stock, Tanglewood appears to have close ties with some of the reputable Canadian breeders of English-type goldens...Kyon, Shaynedoro, Tashora, to name a few.

Trust me...Shaynedoro is no longer "reputable".

 

[oro perro]

hi all,

after losing my beloved lab/golden mix 2 years ago (he was 13yr), and having a baby the same night, I am finally ready to get my next family member! i've been looking for rescue goldens or labs for the last 6months, and about a month ago decided i'm going with a golden breeder, mostly due to having a young toddler and really needing to know the history and temperment of the dog well be adopting. i'm looking for a new puppy or an older pup (less than 2yrs old - so not a retired breeder). i am very much drawn to the features of the english-type goldens so that has been my focus. i've found clearly reputable breeders - Tanglewood (in SC) and Acadia here in NC. i've also talked at length with Ventess just around the corner. i think all these breeders would be great, but wont have available litters until late fall or winter. i'm planning on visiting them this spring anyway and will gladly wait if i need to. Just want to draw on the deep wealth of info here and see if anyone knows of any other reputable english breeders in NC or the surrounding states that i may have missed?? especially in the case of an older puppy, which is much harder to find, i'd just like to put my name out there in case someone "local" hears of any available (which i have done with the above 3 breeders). alternatively, i'm leaning towards a baby puppy and timing would be a little better if i found one for end of the summer/early fall. any and all suggestions welcome! but again, happy to wait for a known reputable breeder this winter if necessary. thanks very much!
amy

I would definitely contact CHRISTi Goldens (Teri) if you are looking for someone that was mentored by a great breeder of English Goldens, of the past. (Carol Vogel)

There are some "boutiqey" breeders in N.C. whom I won't mention, that I'd stay clear of.

 

[Suni52]

Patti from Acadia does do all the health clearances, but you are right, they aren't posted on her website.

This message was actually in error, there are health clearances listed on the website with links to the dogs K9 data pages right underneath the pictures of the dogs.