[Metro]

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum. So far I've scoured it for all kinds of useful information about Goldens. It's been INCREDIBLY helpful and I feel so much better having found it.
I'm currently looking for my first Golden! Yay! I would like to find a couple of reputable breeders as close to me as possible. I know you usually put a deposit down with a good breeder well before the litter arrives, but I would at least like to be able to go and see the dogs and kennel and meet the breeder before I make such an important decision.

I've seen a couple of breeders mentioned favorably on here:
Sunkota
Delmarva (although they are only offering show/performance dogs and I'm looking for a pet)

I'm wondering if anyone has heard of Breezewood Kennel out of Scottsville, VA. She keeps the dogs in the house, says she has clearances (though not elbows), has been breeding Goldens for 20+ years and sent me a nice email about breed integrity and beware of backyard breeders, etc.

Has anyone heard of her before?

Also, please refer me to any other reputable breeders in the area. Central VA, 3 hours south of DC.

Thanks!!!

 

[Tahnee GR]

Sunkota and Delmarva are both excellent breeders, and would be great choices.

I don't know anything about Breezewood, but if she is not doing elbow clearances, then she is not getting all clearances on her dogs. I wouldn't bother to go any further than this, if accurate. OFA'ing elbows is not perfect but it is the best system we have right now. Elbow dysplasia can be harder to deal with than hip dysplasia-we have several members who have had to deal with this, unfortunately.

If you have the registered name of the sire and dam of her litter, you can check on clearances at offa.org Goldens need to have hips either PennHip'd or OFA'd, elbows OFA'd, hearts checked by a veterinary cardiologist and eyes checked annually by a veterinary opthamologist.

 

[Rainheart]

Delmarva is great. Wait a bit and she will then have deposits for pet dogs soon enough. You may want to look into NC breeders too. That is where I am going for my pup.

 

[Metro]

Thank you, both. I will check further into all the various clearances. She did list heart and eyes, but until you said, I didn't realize the eyes were an annual thing. Rainhart, this is good info. We're not quite ready anyway so it's good to know to keep Delmarva on our radar. I'll look into NC, too.