Do you have any questions?

Of course you do! We're here to help you through this wonderful process.

Here are some commonly asked questions, paired with the answers. Click on the question, and the answer will show up below.

Questions & Answers

What is an “English-type” golden retriever?
The “English-type Golden Retrievers" typically are thicker boned and blockier with a nice, thick muzzle, wide skull and deep stops. The best part of them is their relaxed temperament. We describe our Goldens as "Couch Potatoes" that have enough energy to play, go for a jog, or hike, but when their family wants to.
Some of our puppies have gone on to serve as support for those with mental/emotional/mobility challenges, children’s hospitals/clinics, Veteran’s hospitals, special needs schools, senior centers, as well as service/therapy organizations such as BelieVet, SuperHeros w/SuperKids, North Star Therapy Animals, Health Partners, Fraser, Land O Lakes, Mall of America and People Animals Love Therapy Dogs.
What's the average lifespan of a golden retriever and typical cause of death?
10-12 years. Sadly, 75% of golden retrievers die from cancer. We specifically seek out lines that have a long and healthy life.
Read More (External Link)
How many times do you breed each of your females?
Each of our females are bred no more than 3 times in their life. Unfortunately, the AKC allows each female to have 12 registered litters in their life. Our dogs are family members first, breeding dogs second (We will only breed them IF health testing, personality, structure, and overall development align with our program.)
How often do your dogs "go into season?" (i.e. have their heat cycle)
That can vary, depending on the dog. It can range anywhere from once every 6 months to 13+ months.

Sometimes we use males from our own program, and sometimes we use males from other breeder's programs. We decide which males to pair with our females, based on many different factors, such as structure, temperament, and health. The end goal is to create better puppies than the parents. The rough timeline when a female comes in season, is breeding approximately 2 weeks after the dog's heat cycle begins. Females are pregnant for ~63 days, and the puppies will go home when they are 8 weeks old.
Read More (External Link)
Where are your puppies raised?
All of our puppies are raised inside of our home. Puppies are laid next to, from the time of birth, until they are at least 2 weeks old. This is to help out the female, as well as to ensure the puppies won’t accidentally be laid on, and are doing well overall. Paul works from home, so he is in the room with the puppies during the day (Monday through Friday) until they go home. The puppies hearing the phone calls, seeing people coming and going from the room, and having human interaction, on a nearly consistent bases, has shown to improve their temperament. Puppies can see they are not being deserted when we leave the room, and that we WILL return.
Do we get to meet the puppies before we choose who we would like to take home?
Absolutely! We generally do 2 different gatherings. The first would be when the puppies are about 5 ½ weeks old, and the second is when the puppies are about 6 ½ weeks old. When the puppies are 7 weeks old, the Volhard Personality Test is completed. Puppies can go home when they are 8 weeks old.
Volhard Test (External Link)
I don’t need a show dog; I just want a pet.
I get it, we’re expensive. I always encourage families to TAKE THEIR TIME getting a puppy and finding a breeder. We will never have the “next available” puppy, because we keep a Litter Reservation list. Breeders that tell you, “hurry because I’m raising my price, etc.” are NOT the breeder you want. Do not ever rush getting a puppy. Furthermore, I encourage you to AT LEAST have a phone conversation with the breeder and ask if you can stop by. Even if you can’t visit in person, for whatever reason, ask this question to see what their response is. You should always be allowed to visit the breeder in their home.
Just because two show dogs are bred, it does not mean the entire litter will be "show worthy." Quite the opposite. Breeders are often lucky to find one puppy in the litter that stands out as show worthy. Even if there is a puppy that stands out, it does not mean they’ll develop into the dog we’re hoping they will be. We are extremely picky with what females and males we choose to breed. Just because we invested a lot of time and money into them, does not mean we will breed them.
Is my Litter Reservation List deposit refundable?
No. We utilize our Litter Reservation List specifically to determine our breedings. It is very important to keep an accurate list of dedicated families because we are very selective with our pairings, the number of litters we do have, and who we place our puppies with. A deposit also shows us that the family is willing to wait for the right puppy for them.
When receiving inquiries, we are able to provide a more accurate timeline of when they can expect to bring home their new 4-legged family member. Sometimes people are looking for the next available puppy, of which we will not be, and want to put their name on a list, just in case one comes available. If we were to add everyone’s name on the list, with how many inquiries we get on a regular basis, it would be extremely long, and completely inaccurate. Not to mention the risk that we may have additional puppies, should they be on other breeder lists and find another puppy sooner. From a business perspective, it could also turn away a serious customer because the wait time is estimated several years out, when it could be significantly less because some were not serious inquiries.
Litter Reservation List