FAQ & Things To Know

All our puppies are vet checked and come with a two year Health Guarantee. Parents have passed OFA and Pawprint genetics certification examinations. Records of parents tests will be included in the puppy binder at pick up.

We certify each litter with the AKC, and provide each new owner with a limited AKC registration application that they can mail in or complete online. Full registration may be available at the discretion of the breeder and can be purchased for an additional $1000. “The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs.”

Puppy reservations are made on a first come basis, to qualified families, in the order of applications approved. First, you will need to complete our application form. If accepted, you will be placed on our list for the next litter. Hunting homes or experienced dog owners are given first priority, but we home puppies with new dog owners, service homes and more!

If your application is approved, you are on the list for our next litter ( we generally have one litter per year). You may place your deposit and sign our contract when the puppies are 48 hours old. Cash or local check only. If there are not enough puppies born to fill our waitlist, you can wait until are next litter and you will be at the top of picking order.

Puppies are $2000. A $500 nonrefundable deposit is due when pregnancy is confirmed. Remaining $1500 due when they go to new homes at 8 weeks old.

We send a Puppy Care Packet home with each one of our Golden Retriever puppies. In your Puppy Care Packet we have included a few items to make you and your new puppy more comfortable during the “acclimation period”. You will find a little puppy blanket with “mommy’s scent” on it, a small sample of the dog food he was enjoying while with us, all of his vaccination and worming records, his AKC (American Kennel Club) papers, Veterinarian Certification and educational brochures and a booklet which may be helpful for you.

You are welcome to meet any parents we have at home. We own the dams and several studs. For visiting studs, we may be able to arrange a meeting depending on their owners schedules.

We are available to meet new owners in Wasilla or Anchorage Alaska for Puppy pick up when they are 8 weeks of age. Custom times or locations may be arranged depending on our schedule and travel plans.

We do not ship puppies at this time. We are happy to give tips on how to travel by plane with your puppy if you are flying from a distance to pick up. Alaska Airlines is a great choice when flying with puppies in cabin and we can assist with information on the correct carrier and process for travel.

Our litters generally range in color from red to light blonde. The majority of puppies will likely be a medium gold color with a slight auburn hue. Color varies greatly depending on which parents we use. No color is guarunteed.

“The Golden Retriever can trace its ancestry back to a single breeding and the first pair of yellow retrievers destined to be called “Golden.” The fancy is indebted to a Scotsman, the former Sir Didley Majoriebanks, first Lord Tweedmouth of Guisachan at Inverness, Scotland, and the first “breeder” of our golden dog. “Typical of 19th-century aristocracy, Tweedmouth was an avid sportsman and waterfowl enthusiast. His passion as a hunter was equaled only by his dedication to the sporting dog. During the 1850s he turned his attention to the moderate sized retriever varieties who were the “water dogs” of that era. They possessed great courage, strength and temperament and not surprisingly, a superior nose. Although color was unimportant to most sportsmen, Tweedmouth was a true vanguard of his time and was bent on developing a yellow retriever strain. “Tweedmouth purchased his first yellow retriever in 1865, a dog named Nous (the Greek word for wisdom).” Nous is shown to be a large and handsome dog with a very wavy medium-color coat, very much resembling the modern Golden Retriever. Later, Tweedmouth’s cousin presented him with a Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle, which was the preferred hunting dog of that region. “Belle was destined to become the foundation of Tweedmouth’s plan to develop a yellow retriever breed. In 1868 the now-famed breeding of Nous and Belle resulted in four yellow pups.” "This produced the foundatin stock from which all of today's Golden Retrievers decend. Goldens were first brought to North America in the late 1890's

In our experience with Golden Retrievers, I can truly say that temperamentally there is little to no difference at all between the sexes. This may not apply to other breeds, but with Golden Retrievers, this is very much the case. So many people want a female Golden, with the anticipation that she will be very motherly and sweeter, calmer or what have you. This is simply not the case at all. It is like making a blanket statement that women (humans) are much gentler, sweeter and laid back than men. This is untrue. As we all have experienced, it’s about 50/50. Some women are a lot more feisty and high strung than men and vise versa. There are some seriously calm men out there. So back to the male Golden Retriever vs. the female; there is little difference between the genders in Goldens. Neither sex is easier to house train and both are equally as intelligent, affectionate and calm. Both males and females are excellent with children, and they both make excellent companions, therapy, hunting or working dogs. Males of other breeds may demonstrate problems with aggressiveness; this should NOT occur with our even-tempered Golden Retriever. The most noticeable and obvious difference between the male and female Golden Retriever is the size. Male Golden Retrievers when full grown, will typically weigh around 20 pounds more than a female Golden. Secondly, you may notice behaviors such as mounting and marking may be exhibited by some male Goldens, particularly if other males are present of if the male has been used for breeding. Females have a heat cycle twice a year, and that can take some extra time and care.

Yes. Your puppy will go through an acclimation period. Keep in mind that all puppies (and adult dogs) when changing environments or owners, will go through this. This time period typically can take anywhere from 3-30 days for your puppy to fully adjust. The duration differs between each individual puppy, depending on his or her personality. Some puppies bounce right into their new environments as if there was no change at all. Others will take the transition a bit harder. The key thing is be patient! (with the puppy and with yourself!) Along with your puppy getting used to his “new pack”, there are a lot of changes taking place in your life right now with adding a new member to your family. During this “acclimation” period your puppy may experience any or all of these symptoms: loss of appetite, loose stools, a lot of barking and/or “crying”/whining, or the “doggie blues”. All of these things are normal. The most important thing you must be mindful of is keeping your puppy hydrated.

The best way to introduce or change your puppy’s food is to do it slowly. Mix his old food (We use Purina Pro Plan Puppy Food ) with his new food over a period of several days. If you change his food to quickly, your puppy may experience diarrhea, which could dehydrate your puppy. If you suspect that your puppy has become dehydrated, consult your veterinarian right away. When choosing a new food for your puppy, a “Large Breed- Puppy Food” should be selected. It is best to avoid any foods with corn fillers (this is just a filler; hence less nutritious and more poop to clean up). There are many good choices in large-breed dog food on the market today. Your veterinarian will be able to recommend the right food for your new puppy. You may also consider going with a “raw food diet” with your Golden Retriever. If you choose to go this route however, you must stick with it for your dog’s entire lifetime. Once you get started on this it would be too big of a shock to your dog’s system to ever go back to a kibbles diet. There is a lot of information on the web about this method with both pros and cons.

For your ease in transitioning your puppy over to a new veterinarian we have provided his shot and worming records. It is important that you keep your puppy current on his shots. The first shot is given around 6 weeks of age and should be continued in 3 week interval until your puppy is approximately 18 weeks of age; a total of 5 baby shots. Consult with your veterinarian about annual adult booster shots and other shots which are necessary along the way (i.e. Rabies after 12 weeks). With worming, it is important to worm your puppy to keep the parasite load down. All dogs (and humans) have parasites. The growth and development of your puppy could be inhibited with a heavy parasite load. We worm our adult dogs regularly. Our puppies are wormed at least 2-3 times before leaving our kennel. Ask your vet what is best for your new puppy.

Always keep fresh water readily available for your Golden Retriever to drink. This is very important and should NEVER be restricted. On average, the adult Golden will drink about 1 gallon of water per day.

We highly encourage giving treats and praise for positive reinforcement when your Golden Retriever does something noteworthy. When giving treats to your puppy, make sure that the treats are small enough that your puppy won’t have to sit down and have a small meal each time she does something praise worthy. A treat should be small enough that your pup can devour it within a second or two. If in the middle of a “lesson”, and too much time lapses, she may lose focus of the lesson. Treats and training methods should be customized to fit your personal training goals.

Small puppies should not be expected to hold their bowels for longer than 3 hours at a time. As they grow older the holding time will increase. Keep in mind when we say “small puppy” we mean younger than 3-4 months old. A dog is technically a “puppy” for the first 18-24 months of his life. As a rule of thumb, a puppy will need to relieve himself every 2-4 hours until they are at least 6 months of age. Puppies will generally defecate 5-6 times a day and urinate even more frequently. You will need to get up during the night to take your puppy out. An easy way to figure out how many hours a puppy can be expected to control their bladder is to take the puppy’s age in months and add 1. For example, a 4 month old puppy will need to go out every 5 hours.

Crate Training is a very effective way to “potty train” your new Golden Retriever puppy. In fact, we highly recommend crate training as the most effective way to “potty train” your puppy. Our puppies will go to their new homes with started crate training, but not potty trained. However keep in mind during the acclimation period your puppy’s stools may become loosened because of stress, therefore affecting his ability to “hold his potty”. We absolutely do NOT recommend scolding your puppy if he has an accident. The best and most effective way to train your puppy (to do anything) is by POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT! This can be accomplished through treats and praise. Your voice is your greatest training tool! When (crate) training your dog, always use the same command, for example: “go potty” or “potty time” etc. Be sure you are consistent in your use of words so as not to confuse your puppy. If children or other adults are “commanding” your puppy, make sure they know the “correct command word”. Always use praise after she does her business- this is positive reinforcement. Dogs instinctively will not eliminate in the same area as where they sleep. This is very unnatural and counter to the way they are wired. This is why crate training is so effective. As long as the crate is only big enough for the puppy to lie down and sleep (AND NOTHING ELSE, except for drinking water) he will hold his potty for as long as he is physically capable. Small puppies should not be expected to hold their bowels for longer than 4 hours at a time. As they grow older the holding time will increase. Keep in mind when we say “small puppy” we mean younger than 3-4 months old. A dog is technically a “puppy” for the first 18-24 months of his life. As a rule of thumb, a puppy will need to relieve himself every 2-4 hours until they are at least 6 months of age. Puppies will generally defecate 5-6 times a day and urinate even more frequently. You will need to get up during the night to take your puppy out. An easy way to figure out how many hours a puppy can be expected to control their bladder is to take the puppy’s age in months and add 1. For example, a 4 month old puppy will need to go out every 5 hours. At first your puppy will not want to be in his crate. He will demonstrate this by crying and whining or barking excessively. As long as all of his needs are met before hand (food, water, potty, attention), he will be fine; no matter how much he doesn’t like being in there. A rule of thumb when crate training is, if your eyes can not be on your puppy, then put him in his crate. This will prevent him from having an “accident” on your carpet. Remember, it’s about preventing the “bad” behavior in the first place. If you are buying a crate for the first time, we recommend getting a large one that can be partitioned off. If the crate doesn’t already come with the equipment to partition it off then put a box or something dog-safe, yet big enough to leave just enough room for sleeping. As he grows bigger, (and Goldens grow quickly), you will adjust his sleeping space to accommodate his size. If you start out with a crate too large for your small puppy, he will sleep in one portion of the crate and do his business in the other portion of it. Not so nice when you’re the one cleaning it up. When it is potty time, make sure not to make it playtime. This will speed up the process in the future when you take her out to do her business, right before bedtime on a cold, snowy night! You will be thankful that “potty time” means potty time and not playtime! There are three things that will cause your dog to want to eliminate; 1- physical activity (playing, running, walking, training etc.) 2- just after a nap (puppies sleep between 15-20 hours a day. They are growing so fast they need the rest) 3- eating and drinking. These are your warning signs that your puppy will need to eliminate. Be on alert- remember, prevention is better than correction. Puppies have such short attention spans that correction/scolding rarely ever works. Over time, your puppy’s crate may become his “safe place” where he will want to go to get away (from kids, visitors, other dogs, etc.). To encourage him to like his crate, reward him with a small treat each time he goes into it. This will condition him to really love it! To create a cozy den-like environment, you may cover the crate with a towel or blanket; just be sure to leave plenty of openings for ventilation. Last but not least- just a word from experience, most of the time your puppy will first look for a spot to urinate, then find a different spot to do the big stuff; I have no idea why. Just be patient and make sure she is really done. So these are the basic steps to crate training. Let’s review: 1- Start out with the proper size crate 2- Have water accessible from inside crate 3- Make sure puppy’s needs are met before crating him 4- When your eyes are off puppy- put him in crate to eliminate accidents 5- Try to ignore his whining, because you know his needs are met and he’s okay 6- Potty time is potty time- not playtime 7- Be consistent in your “potty” command- use it EVERY time 8- When business is complete- use your voice and/or a treat for POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT 9- Remember the 3 things that will activate your puppy’s bowels 10- When they “go”, make sure they are really done

Yes. Golden Retrievers shed a little all year round. Then about twice a year they lose most of their coat. To keep the hair around your home to a minimum, I recommend a good brushing daily or weekly at minimum. This will help with flyaway hairs while shedding. My Goldens love this! They roll over and purrrr like some big, over-grown kitten. This is a real treat for them especially if you use a long wire brush that gently scratches their scalp. They love it!!

A well-bred, well-cared for Golden will live on average 10-12 years. We wished they lived forever! This is why when considering purchasing your Golden Retriever puppy you must think of it as a long term commitment.

For decades Golden Retrievers have assisted thousands of people with disabilities. There are wonderful stories about Golden Retrievers that have rescued small children and babies, or warned their owners of impending danger. Golden Retrievers are also used as Seeing Eye dogs, Search and Rescue, for people with epilepsy, MS and many other situations where they can be of life-saving assistance.

For decades Golden Retrievers have assisted thousands of people with disabilities. There are wonderful stories about Golden Retrievers that have rescued small children and babies, or warned their owners of impending danger. Golden Retrievers are also used as Seeing Eye dogs, Search and Rescue, for people with epilepsy, MS and many other situations where they can be of life-saving assistance.The Golden Retriever is well rounded in their temperament and is among the calmest of breeds. In fact, there is not another breed which rivals this quality in the Golden. This is probably why they consistently rate among the top 5 most desired breeds in the world. Golden Retrievers become highly attached to their masters. They are highly motivated by praise. They are polite and very eager to please. If you let them, they will prove to be a very loyal companion for the rest of their lives. They are eager to learn new tricks such as “shake” and roll over. Goldens are natural “retrievers” (hence their name) and love to fetch a ball or a stick. Unlike a lot of breeds out there, Golden Retrievers tend to be easy to train and they retain their lessons well.