Recommend your awesome Golden retriever breeder. Experiene w Wonderkind White Gold in Fallston MD?

[Anonymous]

Hey DCUM, we finally moved out of an apartment and have a wonderful house with a yard. We are ready to adopt our first golden retriever and have been saving up! This has been a dream of ours; my husband had a golden as kid.

Would you recommend your breeder in the DMV area? even PA? Puppies aren't cheap but we're willing to invest in a quality breeder if that makes sense. Advice welcomed for a new to be golden family.

Also has anyone ever worked with the breeder, Wonderkind White Gold ? Gotten a puppy from them? Know anything about them beyond their web site? Their puppies look adorable and they're in the DMV, near Baltimore.

TIA.

[Anonymous]

We have a wonderful, healthy good boy from Stormy Point Goldens in Stafford VA.

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much. Hard to tell the backyard breeders (not all bad don’t get me wrong) from reputable ones!
—op

[Anonymous]

THere's a ton of really gorgeous Goldens at the rescue

ggreat.org

please check them out - they helped us with a re-home when we face moving / illness and they were super kind and helpful and so focused on the well being of the dog.

[Anonymous]

Definitely look at the alc registry for the parents and then you can track the grandparents as well. Our friends had a pheinimenal golden bit I ended up not wanting to use their breeder because they didn’t disclose that the mom had failed the elbow test. The elbow test is somewhat controversial and there are questions about whether it should be given but I was unhappy they didn’t disclose it.
Anyway checking for the hip and eye clearances for parents and grandparents will screen out the backyard breeders.

[Anonymous]

All pure bred dogs are highly inbred fwiw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All pure bred dogs are highly inbred fwiw

And the defects aren't just physical. A lot of purebreds are just as neurotic as rescues, only it's genetic, not just situational (i.e. correctable).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:THere's a ton of really gorgeous Goldens at the rescue

ggreat.org

please check them out - they helped us with a re-home when we face moving / illness and they were super kind and helpful and so focused on the well being of the dog.

Why would you get rid of a dog because you moved? That’s cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:THere's a ton of really gorgeous Goldens at the rescue

ggreat.org

please check them out - they helped us with a re-home when we face moving / illness and they were super kind and helpful and so focused on the well being of the dog.

Why would you get rid of a dog because you moved? That’s cruel.

She said moving/illness. You have no idea what her situation was, so shove the judgment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:THere's a ton of really gorgeous Goldens at the rescue

ggreat.org

please check them out - they helped us with a re-home when we face moving / illness and they were super kind and helpful and so focused on the well being of the dog.

Why would you get rid of a dog because you moved? That’s cruel.

She said moving/illness. You have no idea what her situation was, so shove the judgment

Pushing others to rescue when she gave up her dog is disingenuous. Lots of us have serious health issues. We still manage to make it work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All pure bred dogs are highly inbred fwiw

And the defects aren't just physical. A lot of purebreds are just as neurotic as rescues, only it's genetic, not just situational (i.e. correctable).

Absolutely not true. Reputable breeders consider all types of factors, coefficient of inbreeding being one of them. Not being purebred does not guarantee a healthy dog.

OP - reach out to PVGRC.org - they have a puppy referral service and other resources on what to look for.

In general, you will want to find a breeder that does health clearances with OFA - not just genetic testing (PawPrint, Embark, etc.). While genetic testing is helpful, breeders adhering to the GRCA code of ethics will have hip, elbow, eye, and heart clearances on their dogs and you can look them up by individual dog on OFA.org.

Do not fall for the marketing of “English cream” or “American gold” or “Rare white European” goldens as they are not rare or in any way different than other goldens apart from coat color which can vary through the spectrum of almost white through deep gold. That’s not to say there are not wonderful breeders who do the clearances etc and focus on a more English-type golden, but they don’t market on “English cream” either.

A breeder trying to sell on coat color vs the merits of their dogs is being disingenuous. The GRCA.org website can tell you A LOT about this and other topics.

Good luck in your search!

[Anonymous]

If you do a search for this in - or follow - Pet Vet Corner on Facebook for a while you'll see vets repeatedly say what 10:07 says. OFA is critical. If a breeder won't show you OFA results and just claims they're "tested" or does Embark, skip them.

[Anonymous]

We’re about to get a golden from Potomac Whiskey Goldens in Potomac. They have 2 litters ready to go next week. They seem very knowledgeable, helpful, involved. Their dogs seem very gentle. Pricey though! You can look them up on Facebook.

[Anonymous]

If you don't find what you want through a breeder, please consider these folks, they have puppies, young dogs, adults and seniors, all lovely Goldens. They helped us re home our dog.


ggreat.org

[Anonymous]

Just want to say thanks for all the feedback ! — op