Frequently Asked Questions

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All of our dogs are checked and kept healthy by regular immunizations and regular vet care.  We have all of our dogs extensively tested through Paw Print Genetics. Additionally, our dogs are either fully OFA certified for heart, eyes, hips and elbows or currently in the process of certifications but not fully cleared yet. Testing and certification process takes years and thousands of dollars per dog—something very few breeders in the northwest (actually almost anywhere in the United States) can say. All the results of my dogs clearances are available on my website, the OFA website, and the Paw Print Genetics’ website. Many breeders charge only slightly lower prices but with no genetic or OFA testing. I recommend taking time to consider what you are looking for in a breeder. Quality breeders and puppies are worth the price and wait. 

Our puppies are raised indoors and outdoors on our more than 200 acre farm with our family. We believe socialization and early training (including early behavior imprinting) is the foundation for an emotionally stable puppy who transitions well to a new home. I take my profession very seriously, and we have spent a tremendous amount of time & money on our program to ensure that we produce happy & healthy puppies.  

All puppies for 2022 are reserved. For 2023-the demand for golden retrievers is high. We will take a waitlist and once full—we will not have any more puppies for the year.  

Please contact us about which litter of puppies you are be interested in. We should have 2 litters in the fall and 2 litters in the spring. We are taking reservations now for future litters.

We only have room in our home for a limited number of dogs and have only a limited amount of time to train so we can not keep your puppy beyond the 8 weeks.

We plan on having 2 litters in the spring 2023. and 2 litters in the summer/fall for 2023.

We make our decision about when to breed each of our dogs on a case by case basis.

Our price for a puppy varies on time of year and parents testing so please inquire. Generally speaking, most families want a spring/summer puppy making the demand much higher. Puppies going home in the dead of winter are less in demand but still get reserved within a week or two of announcing. A $750 non-refundable deposit is due to hold your spot for a puppy once offered a puppy with the balance due the time the puppy is 2 weeks old.  

We do not ship puppies. I feel that families need to fly in and meet me, meet the puppies, and then take their puppy home in a crate in the aircraft cabin if they need to fly with a puppy. I prefer families to drive and pick up their new family member.

If you are flying in and time is an issue. I do meet at the Portland airport only for an additional $200 fee. If this is something you need to have done; please make arrangements early so we can schedule a time that works best for both of us.

Absolutely yes! Each family will get a time to meet with me when you come to pick up your puppy. No other families are scheduled for your appointment time so I can tell you everything you need to know about your puppy, and you can ask any questions you may have. Occasionally families come late or

early because drive time can change due to accidents, traffic, delays, etc. but we try to give each family

30 minutes each.

We will only allow our puppies to go to homes where they will be given the very best of care and where they will receive a lot of love and attention. We won't place them in homes where everyone is gone most of the day without a well thought out plan to care for the puppy. We also will not sell to a back yard breeder or anyone who plans to breed. We require you to have your dog spayed or neutered. 

Puppy and dog nutrition is very important to the health and well being of your dog. I have researched dog foods, methods from raw to store bought dog foods. I have chosen to use Natures Domain puppy food for the puppies I raise.

 The short answer is no. The long answer is all my breeding dogs are full AKC registered golden retrievers. I have all their paperwork and am happy to email proof to families getting a golden from me. It’s also easily found by going to AKC.org.

However I do not believe registration makes a person a good breeder or makes for quality puppies so my emphasis is my program, how I raise the puppies and hope more breeders and families will recognize the need to buy based on quality of the program instead of “AKC registered“ as the litmus test for a quality dog.

No, none of our dogs have shown any signs of allergies. Skin conditions and allergies do have a genetic component, but environment and healthy food is also important in keeping any dog's skin and coat looking good. I live on the dry side of Washington. If you live in a different climate say the wet side of Oregon and Washington- You will want to seek advice from your vet on how to best prevent allergies and dry skin. 

Though I think having 2 dogs in the same home is a good idea, I caution against getting two puppies at once. Two puppies is a lot of work and unless you are very experienced at raising puppies, it can be overwhelming. I recommend getting a second puppy when the first puppy is 6 months to a year of age and only when you are in a position to have the time to give individual attention to both. I have exceptions to this, so please call to discuss further if your serious about the time commitment and have a reason why 2 at once is best for your situation.

We believe in finding the balance in charging a fair price for our puppies but also the need to get all the expensive genetic testing of a good breeder. If you ever wondered why puppies cost so much, here's why. All the testing and vet care to breed is very expensive.  Literally thousands of dollars per dog, not including normal vet care, and the initial investment to buy breeding dogs. We have chosen to do genetic testing And OFA testing on all of our dogs but until the dogs are two years old, they can’t even be certified so a family may have a litter prior to certification.

We sweep and mop our floors almost every day. My females will “blow their coat” a couple of months after weaning a litter of puppies. You can almost see the hair falling out at that time, but they do not shed again for almost a year. Some golden retrievers will profusely shed in the spring and have a much thinner coat for the summer. When you come pick your puppy up, plan for the mama to look quite thin as she just gave birth to many puppies. We give our mama dogs extra care during and after pregnancy to help their bodies through the effects of pregnancy, but they always look pretty thin for a few months after giving birth. She also may or may not have a full coat as often mamas blow their coat following birth. It is perfectly normal, and her beautiful coat comes back as her hormones normalize again.

With golden retrievers, there is not a big of difference between the temperament of males and females. Both are loving and sweet. I believe the parents of a litter make a bigger difference in temperament than the sex of the puppy. However, with that said, I will say that within a litter, there is probably a slightly bigger percentage of females that are calmer and males that are more playful. The biggest difference between the sexes is in size and look. Males are 10-15 pounds heavier and will have a bigger, blockier head whereas a female’s head will be more slimmer. Some people worry about males "humping" or "marking" their home so they shy away from them. It has been my experience that after you fix your male, you will not have these issues. My males have NEVER "humped" me or anyone, and they are not fixed. Only my unfixed males mark their territory (something I want in a male sire), but you would not have an issue with this behavior after fixing your dog so please do not shy away from a wonderful male companion dogs.