Henry Rifle Forums

Hi all,

We recently lost our Golden Retriever to old age and would like to start the process to get a new puppy. My wife has been looking online at breeders and has sent two inquiries out and she has had zero response. Does anybody here know a quality breeder that she should contact? Location in the west would be preferred but that is not a limiting factor.

Thank you for any suggestions, she’s dealing well with her grief but finding a new puppy even if it’s next year will help considerably.

Mike

Sorry for your loss. I know of quality breeders but they are in the northeast. Our experience is more in the lab world. Beware of on-line breeders which can be nothing more than disguised puppy mills. Visit them if possible to see their facilities. AKC registry doesn't mean as much as it used to in-terms of quality. Ask about medical tests/clearances of parents e.g hips eyes and elbows. How old were the Parents? Do they guarantee health of pups for a period of time? Ask about the puppy socialization process. Were they raised in the house or in a kennel environment? I have queried on line breeders with prices ranging in price from $600 and up. Be prepared to compare pups to a breeder charging 4 times that much. You may want to look at retriever rescue groups. The only negative is that you won't get to socialize them as they grow, as most are older. Best of luck in your search.

As an example of a high quality golden breeder in the Northeast, search Starquest Goldens in Goffstown NH. I have seen several of her Pups and watched them mature into beautiful well mannered adults. For labs, check out Times Square Labs in Francestown NH. Their websites exemplify what good breeders strive for and services they provide for. Good info and good people.

PJM,

My wife found a breeder in Utah yesterday that hits all the points you mentioned in your first post. This breeder also had genetic information which my wife has been studying carefully. She has also seen examples of exactly what you mention in regards to puppy mill type of breeders. Another plus for this breeder is when my wife called her she answered the phone and was happy to converse as long as needed. Now, with my wife this can be a considerable amount of time. we still haven’t had a response from the two contacted over a week ago.

Anyway, she was very pleased with all the info garnered via the website, online reviews and her phone conversion so we sent a deposit for a pup from a liter planned for this spring. Perfect timing for us.

Thank you for taking the time to share your information and experiences with me.

Best of luck with your pup!