Are you a puppy mill?

We are definitely not a puppy mill and completely understand that concern. We use best practices at Forever Family Goldens and prioritize the health and welfare of our goldens over profit. Our dogs are our inside family pets first and foremost, and we are dedicated to placing our puppies in loving families where they will experience that same commitment to care. We also screen the stud for the same shared vision for best practices in owning and breeding golden retrievers.

Can I visit?

Yes! We are happy to have you in our home where you can meet our dogs and us. If in person is not an option for you, we can also do that virtually. A visit can happen during the pregnancy or shortly after the puppies are born. We try to leave a few weeks of no visits right after birth for the mom and us to focus and care for her newborn puppies. Any other time visits are welcome!

Are the parents AKC registered and health tested?

You can expect both parents of all our litters to be AKC registered and come from wonderful proven breeding lines. We select a stud with excellent health testing, as well as prioritizing that for our dogs, including DNA testing, PennHip, and OFA testing.

How much does a puppy cost?

Our puppies will likely be in the price range of $2,000-$2,300 depending on the market at that time. After the puppies are born, a non-refundable $200 deposit will reserve a puppy for you. Families on our waitlist are given priority to place a deposit on a puppy before anyone else. A detailed receipt will be provided for all costs.

Do you do any special training with your puppies?

We certainly do! Besides all the love and socialization from day 1, we also provide each puppy with ENS and ESI. You can read more about that here and here. We have seen great results with this early intervention. We also begin crate and potty training (more on that below).

Will my puppy be potty trained and crate trained?

Your puppy will not be fully potty trained or crate trained, but they will have a great headstart! We begin potty training and awareness by using an indoor method with alfalfa pellets initially, and then eventually transitioning and including outside pottying in the grass as well. It’s a process, but we are more than happy to answer any questions you have about this. We are always amazed by how quickly puppies respond to this training. Your puppy will go home with a bag of pellets you can sprinkle in your yard for where you’d like them to go. We have heard great reports of this tremendously helping with potty training once home.

As for crate training, we also begin this very early. For us, it’s all about positive exposure and association with the crate. We prioritize playing, eating, and napping in the crate. Before each puppy goes home, they will have had the chance to spend at least one night sleeping in a crate! We have also heard great reports about this paving the way for ease in crate training once home.

Will my puppy see a veterinarian and get any shots?

Absolutely. Around 6 weeks of age, we take all the puppies to our local veterinarian. They each receive a thorough exam, their first round of vaccines, and dewormer. Our vet gives each puppy paperwork recording what exactly was done, and also notes dates for when to schedule upcoming visits. This day is always very busy and a highlight for our kids!

When can my puppy come home?

Puppies join their new families at 8 weeks! This is always bittersweet for us, but truly brings us so much joy to know each puppy is transitioning to the one on one care they need and deserve.

What is included with my puppy at pickup?

When you come to pick up your puppy, you will not be going home with empty arms! Here’s a list of what you will receive at pickup: obviously your precious furball, a comfort blanket with mom’s scent (you may bring your own as well), a bag of high quality puppy food (this helps with slowly transitioning your puppy to whatever food you choose), a bag of alfalfa pellets to assist with potty training, a small toy, a framed keepsake picture of mom and her puppies, a veterinarian health certificate with up-to-date vaccines and dewormer, AKC registration form, 1 month free of pet insurance with AKC registration, 2 year genetic health guarantee, and a detailed receipt.

What if I have questions after my puppy comes home?

At Forever Family Goldens we are committed to you and your puppy after they leave our home. We are always happy to continue to communicate at any time. We love updates and especially those holiday greetings! We have even had some puppies return for a visit which was very special for our entire family.

What if you didn’t answer my question?

We are more than happy to answer any further questions you may have! Feel free to contact us for more information.