Health & Breeding
The health of our dogs and future puppies is something I am deeply passionate about. It begins with my dog Aris that I took in as a puppy after a family found they were unable to keep her as their family unexpectedly was growing. She was a puppy mill dog and a mutt, which I confirmed after a DNA test. That dog was my rock as I had moved states away for college and missed all the animals I had once cared for on my family’s dairy. She was the first dog I trained, using every training book I could find at the Petco I was working at. That dog went on to travel with me for work, living in hotels for weeks at a time and spending hours on the road. She had always been healthy, with no issues for the 11 years I had her. Shortly after my husband and I married she fainted in our living room. After many tests and sitting in my car for hours at an emergency vet during COVID, she was diagnosed with heart failure. We did everything we could for the year to follow. Mutliple medications daily, including blood thinner shots and unfortunately, keeping her from the outdoor adventures she loved so much. We had made a promise that when the day came that her pain was greater than getting to live a happy life she enjoyed that we would call it and allow her to cross the rainbow bridge. When that day came we made one last trip to a creek in Sedona, AZ. Fitted with her life vest she got to spend time in the creek and enjoyed the sun with Leo.
I realized that we were extremely fortunate to afford the care we gave to Aris for an entire year. But not every family has that ability nor do I wish it on anyone to have to deal with serious health issues like a heart condition. This is why it is extremely important to me that we do everything in our power to breed puppies that allow families to enjoy them from beginning to end without the worry of handling a medical condition that comes with bills that families should not have to worry about.
All our dogs complete these health clearances to screen for common health issues within the Golden Retriever breed:
OFA certification for Hips
OFA clearance for elbows
OFA eye exam (Also checked annually by a board-certified ophthalmologist)
OFA heart clearance completed by a board-certified cardiologist.
Genetic screening through Orivet
We began these tests with our Golden Leo and after his hips failed and came back with mild hip-dysplasia we made the decision to have him neutered. The thought of having a family add a puppy to their family that could potentially be hindered by hip pain or something more severe, impacting the family as a whole, was not something we could live with. As we begin this journey of breeding Goldens and wanting to be as ethical as possible, sending the healthiest puppies possible off to new homes, we will never blur the line and are willing to make the hard decisions in the best interest of our dogs.
When it comes to pairings, I am extremely grateful to have the years of experience and wealth of knowledge in our co-ownership and other breeders we have great friendships with. We utilize health tests and pedigrees as we spend time considering pairings. Through the time and effort put forth into considering our pairings we hope to produce healthy puppies to live long happy lives with their families.
Interested in a well bred Golden Retriever?
We can help! Email us GraniteMountainGoldens@gmail.com OR fill out our Puppy Application