FAQ

Our objective is to breed exceptional Golden Retrievers that thrive in any setting. At Southern Golden Retrievers, we prioritize health and temperament, ensuring that our dogs are not only excellent companions but also healthy and well-adjusted. We aim to provide families with outstanding, friendly, and balanced pets for a lifetime. To achieve this, we focus on the qualities of our breeding dogs, ensuring that all our breeders are in optimal health. Our beautiful Goldens are carefully selected for their joyful demeanor, strong drive, remarkable working abilities, and excellent trainability. Most importantly, we emphasize their overall health and genetics, allowing us to produce puppies that inherit the same desirable traits, characteristics, and vitality as their parents.

As responsible and caring breeders of golden retrievers, we ensure that all our dogs are certified by the Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) and/or PennHIP. This commitment guarantees that our breeding dogs are in excellent health prior to any breeding activities, allowing us to responsibly produce the healthiest and happiest puppies, free from diseases. X-ray examinations and screenings are conducted when our goldens reach the appropriate age—typically around 2 years for OFA and as early as 4 to 5 months for PennHIP. Additionally, we perform genetic testing on our goldens, usually when they are puppies, although some may be cleared through parentage, negating the need for testing, and at other times it may coincide with their OFA or PennHIP evaluations. While no method is infallible, conducting these tests significantly reduces uncertainty and ensures that we are fulfilling our responsibility as breeders. This approach not only helps us improve the breed but also allows us to share the joy of owning wonderful and happy golden retrievers with others.

YES!! We go to Dr. Butchko, board-certified reproductive specialist, located in Riverside for any of our vet needs including regular vet check ups for our adult goldens Whelping needs Post-partum Monitoring & Neonatal Care. Breeding needs such as AI, TCI or Surgical Regular health checks for our puppies while with us A-Z Health Check before all puppies go home, making sure they are clear of any health problems before they leave us. Vet checks can happen as early as 4-5 weeks but usually around 8-9 weeks and most times we go multiple times from age 4 or 5 till they leave us to monitor their health making sure they are 100% healthy. At each vet check they are looking for early signs for hip or elbow dysplasia, heart murmurs, underbite or overbite, undescended testicles, worms, ear health and more. We will do their last check at least 3 days before your puppy is due to be picked up by you. Our vet clears them to go home at this time as well so that you know your are only getting a happy, healthy goldens.

Yes we require all of our goldens to get spayed or neutered once they are old enough. It is not healthy to have our pups altered until the dog is at the very least 1yr of age and since health is our top priority we ask and expect all of our new puppy owners to refrain from this until then. We do highly recommend waiting until the age of 2yrs; once pup is full done growing. The longer you can hold off the better. That of course means while your pup continues to grow you must practice common sense puppy/dog ownership and never allow your bitch in heat to get out or your intact male left along around in season bitches. Not only can this result in an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy it also can be potentially dangerous. Breeding is not something to be taken lightly. It really can jeopardize the safety and health of your pup.

Yes! Our Retriever puppies are completely up-to-date on vaccinations, and include vaccination records. We follow Dr. Jean Dodds – Dog Vaccine Protocol.

I have been asked this question repeatedly over the years, and my response is always a resounding YES! It can happen to even the most experienced breeders. When we encounter any issues with our puppies, we do not simply ignore them; instead, we view them as valuable learning experiences. Our goal is to improve with each subsequent mating until we achieve the best possible outcome, as breeders are always striving for excellence. This sometimes means deciding against mating a particular pair again. Despite our years of experience, we continue to learn about the breed, their genetics, pedigrees, and traits, as well as what it truly takes to breed for perfection. Any breeder who claims to know everything due to their experience is likely not being truthful with you or themselves. I would advise caution with such individuals, as even the most knowledgeable breeders are still on a learning journey, which is a positive aspect. For you as a prospective puppy buyer, this means that your breeder is committed to ensuring that the puppy you receive is the best possible match for you, and you can trust that your puppy will be as healthy as possible.

All of our Golden Retrievers are registered with the AKC -American Kennel Club- which is the registration of choice for many well bred canines and used by all responsibly breeders, however some if not most of our goldens are also dual registered with other amazing kennel clubs like FCI or UKC as well. This is due to a number of reasons, such as being imported and or competing in other club events like conformation or field work in UKC. Which means all of our litters are able to be registered with the kennel clubs their parents are registered to.

While our puppies do not come fully potty-trained, they start their training at a very young age to use litter pans, doggie doors and to use the restroom outdoors . Most of our new owners say that the transition to their new environment is easy and the training they did have went a long way and most have had only a few accidents if any. We give each and every one of our pups the very best start in life which in turns makes transitioning to their new homes much much more easier and pleasant for all involved.

Before you can reserve a SGR puppy you first have to go through our "Approval Process" Before anyone can add a SGR puppy to their family you have to submit your puppy questionnaire and get approved.

If you are looking for a golden, have done all your research and decided to get one from SGR, your next step is completing the puppy questionnaire to start the process to become an "approved home" Once your questionnaire has been received and reviewed we will reach back out to you to set up an phone interview with you. We interview all of our applicants to ensure our puppies will be going to great homes! Of course want to ensure the new puppy and family are a good fit, but we must also make sure breeder and potential SGR families are also a good fit. During the phone call we’ll get to know each other, ask you questions, and then answer any questions you may have for us! The approval decision will be made usually at the end of the call but sometimes if we have a lot of interviews we may need to take a day or 2 before we are able to let you know. Once you're approved if there is room you will have the ability to get onto our current list or possibly our waitlist. We can’t wait to get in contact with you!

This is only applies to those that have already gone through our "Approval Process" if you have not done so first please do it now. We are pleased to offer our waiting lists as a way to reserve your spot in choosing your next SGR pup when we do not have him/her already here for you. We can only offer this to a few people/families as we have no way of knowing how many puppies we will have out of each breeding or if we have any at all. To be place on our waiting list, a $200 non-refundable fee is required to hold your spot. Everyone on this list will have first choice in any upcoming litters before we open to the public and if you choose at that time to get a current pup being offered your waiting list fee goes towards the the "Holding Fee" require to hold your puppy "pick" on our "current available list"; of course all monies collected goes towards the purchase price of pup. Contact us to reserve your spot.

The earliest any pup can go home is 8weeks and that's California Law. However here at SGR our Puppies are typically available between to go home around 9-10 weeks sometimes longer if we feel they need to stay.

We all must understand that until your pup is about 2yrs old they are like babies and require us to be consistent and some needing a more active family than other or you may see this built up energy being released in other ways like tearing up a house, ripping up the yard, and bolting out the door. This is why we test our goldens and then matching them to their families lifestyle, of course this is not full proof but its a great tool we use to guide us in helping you all make this decision with the goal to keep this from ever happening. Puppies are not toys and they do require you to put in the work needed to make this cute, loving balls of fur into the obedient, well-mannered, and well-behaved goldens we are all looking for in our four legged companion. Yes, here at SGR we do start training early and lay a great foundation for you to build off of but you still need to put in the work and make sure your puppy continues with the proper training, and gets the right amount of exercise (both mind and body) that will keep them out of trouble when in your home. Always remember training a dog is forever so consistency will be your key at a well-behaved golden. Good thing for you is that goldens are super eager to please their humans and want to make them happy which means a less stressful training sessions and quick learners.

We require a fee (30% of the entire purchase price) to be placed on all of our SGR puppies. This "Holding Fee" will hold your place in line before the picking process begins usually at 6-7weeks! Deposits, fees and all monies paid to SGR are all non-refundable

All fees and deposits can be made by PayPal (Friends and Family), Venmo (Friends and Family), CashApp, Zelle, Bank Wire, Western union, Walmart to Walmart & Cash .Please message us regarding which payment method works best for you

For payments such as pay offs, Cash, western union and Walmart to Walmart will be the only forms of payment permitted and must be made 2 weeks before pickup. We do take cashiers check but we will need the payment in full 1 week before the puppies 8th week. If you are wanting to use Personal checks or MO's (Money Orders) please be sure to tell us of your desire to pay this way and we MUST receive it 3 weeks before their 8th week no excepts will be made for the time frame as our bank needs this time to clear all checks. For all Installment payments contact us.

Unfortunately there has been way to many times where I have used other services such as PayPal goods & services or Venmo and even Checks where once the new family received their pup they immediately placed a refund or stop payment. Since these services are only their to help buyers we were left having to go take them to court using more funds and even then if they do not show up at all we are left without a puppy and only have a judgment for a payment with no guarantee they actually pay it. For the ones that do show up but with out pup we are still out of a puppy and money with again only a judgment (order to pay or give back pup) Now I understand the majority of my new puppy parents are not like this, but understand it only takes 1 and in our case 4 to ruin it. I can not risk this happening again and to protect ourselves we can no longer offer any other ways of payments for total payoffs or installments. As always thank you for your understanding and your continued support. We may make exceptions on a case by case basis but this is not a guarantee. Please reach out to us and let us know if you are needing to make a payment other than in cash form for final payments or instalments. We will do our best to accommodate you but understand this may not be possible depending on when we are notified; the sooner we know the easier it is for us to make an arrangement for these types of request.

We do require all of our puppies to be paid 2 weeks prior to pick up for a number of reasons. We also recognize this can be problematic for some whether its because you feel more comfortable waiting until you pick up or just need more time than the 2 weeks we get it. One reason for this policy is because payments received at pick up can pose a safety rick for us and yourself. When we allow final payments to be made at pick up, it exposes everyone to the threat of theft and bodily harm as we now meet publicly for pick ups and only accept cash as a final payment. We want everyone safe and as a safety precaution we ask everyone to make your finale payments before hand. Since we must clear all payments, we give ourselves a 2 week buffer in case there are any problems. However, exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis. IF you think you will need more time or would like to pay in person at pick up please let us know ASAP. This is not a guarantee we can but we will do our best to accommodate you and your needs. The sooner we know the more easier and fast we can find a solution that works for everyone.

If you are out of state or not within driving distances we will except a cashiers check from your bank only. We must receive this payment 1 week before your pup is 8weeks old. We will also accept western union, and Walmart to Walmart as well but we still require payments 2 weeks before puppies are due to go home *If you need more than 2 weeks, we do make exceptions on a case by case basis. Please reach out to us to let us know ASAP. This is never a guarantee but the sooner we know the easier and faster it is for us to make arrangements and come up with a solution that works for all involved.

To be honest never pay anything if you are truly worried about being scrammed. We want everyone to feel comfortable and want them to be 100% sure before sending any payment to us. So if you ever feel uncomfortable or not sure we ask that you voice your concerns with us so we can discus your concerns. I am not like other breeders where you have to take them at their word without any proof. If you reach out to us before our litter is born and not due in 2weeks, we have no problem meeting you in a public area so you can meet mom and talk with us in person. We can allow you to come over to our home ONLY if we have no other puppies on the premises. This is a safety issue and we make no exceptions on this for ANYONE. You will have every opportunity to see your pup in person, when we have our puppy parties. These controlled group visits are are great opportunity for our puppy and our puppy parents to come out and get to know each other. If there is ever any problems with your puppy I have an extensive health agreement that is in place to protect breeder and buyer. I stand behind my contract 100% and in these times of internet and reviews we do not mess around. Our name and word means everything to us and even 1 negative review is unacceptable. UPDATE: APRIL 2021 New Covid policy All though you will not be permitted to come in person to meet us at any time, you will have the ability to see our mama, her pups and talk to us live via web chat. This allows you to make sure we are real, your pup is real and you know you are not being scammed. We also always update our website once you are placed on our waitlist or current list. We normally post on our Social media site of all of our milestones and vet visits and health updates for all to see. We also have a ton of references from families that have got a golden from us that are more than willing to share their experiences with you about their dealings with us, the process, our testing and the own golden. As we can not guarantee the time lines on when we will get back to normal we are very hopeful that things will go back to some normalcy and you will be able to see your growing pup in person. Times are strange and things are difficult but we will navigate this together and I will always be here for you if you have any questions and or concerns you may have. UPDATE: January 2022 Our Covid policy will stay in place until further notice for new families we will still allow you to meet us and momma in person in a public area if you reach out to us before our litter is born, if she is not due in 2weeks or less and we have no other puppies in our home.

We have learned that waiting to make your pick is not only a smart thing to do but its beneficial to all involved. So instead of placing a deposit or a holding fee on new born pups individually, we take "holding fees" on orders of pick. This way you can make a better decision on a pup that doesn't look like a ball of fur and we as the breeder can better help you make that choice. It allows us to give recommendations to our new puppy owners. We can guide you to the right pup that will be best suited for your environment and lifestyle. Matching you with the right Golden is very very important because the one you may have picked at 2 days old may not be what you like at 4,5 or 6weeks old and might not be your best match anyways. I cant tell you how many people have told us we are so glad we listen to you because its like she/he was bred just for us.

We use to allow puppy picks as early as 4-5weeks and it would take a week or 2 however as you all are aware we are constantly learning as breeders and we have found waiting until they are older makes matching puppies to the families we have easier and more accurate. I will now only start the picking process once all pups have been health check, cleared by vet and are 8-9weeks of age. This allows me to be able to give guarantees on health at the time of picking and allows peace of mind for the families concerned with any health issues. Also once its your tune or time to pick you will be given 24hrs to come up with your decision. This allows for a smother and faster process as we can have large litters and lots of families waiting on your pick to make theirs. I have given days even weeks in the past and this has caused problems so to avoid this frustration with others I've decided to give 24hrs to pick. BUT remember you are following each pup from birth till now, you have seen hundreds of pictures and a slew of videos that helped you with your decision. Plus around week 6 or 7 I will ask every family to give me 3 top picks in order of preference and why, which helps me and this process go faster.

As a breeder I normally just give my opinions and make recommendations to all of my new puppy parents on which of the bunch I feel is the best match for them, their lifestyle and most of the time our new owners listen to us. I will NOT and do NOT guarantee you will get the puppy you wanted but I can promise everyone will get the golden that is best suited for their family and lifestyle! Placing my pups in the best match homes and with families that will give them what they need to live their best life is very important to me and I would rather have someone that understands and agrees with the process then not. My pups are #1 and their happiness and safety is all I care about! That means I may tell you something you may not want to hear, I am a very honest person and do not sugar coat anything, I simply do things that are in the best interests of my pups. The good news is that there is no such thing as a bad golden but if your a family that is not very active and want more of a couch potato and you go against my recommendation then you may end up with the most driven, hyper golden in the bunch. They may need and require tons of brain exercises and multiple walks a day to burn off all that energy which may not be suited to your lifestyle ultimately creating a frustrated puppy and family. So yes we do give you the ability to choose your puppy but If I feel its not going to be a least a good match then I will step in and make the decision. Im not looking for an excellent matches as I know families can adjust and so can dogs but there are times that the adjustments will be to much for some families to bare and I do not want my goldens or families in a situation where regret is present, we want a very happy experience and a loving environment for our goldens so if I feel this will not be the case this is where and when I step in. * There have only been a couple of time where I have had to step in and its usually after speaking with a concerned family member during the approval process, they want to make sure this puppy will not be "crazy" or jumping off the walls as they put it and of course they always want to high energy ones lol but after explaining the concerns of some members we usually have no problem and they understand I have to match them instead of them making the final decision.

Unfortunately if you have "last" pick or a low pick I can not guarantee a certain pup you were hoping for will still be available once its your turn, BUT what i can say is that there is a pup for everyone and as you may not get what you want you will get the one best suited for you as we test every puppy and match them to their home and family.

So, you are ready to meet the puppy that makes your heart melt! Here at SGR we have a socialization party around 3-4 weeks of age, This is a great opportunity for our prospective families to come meet our pups and for us to meet you! At the same time it also allows us to expose them to "new" things in a controlled environment. This social hour will be done at a time and date the best suits our program. If you placed a deposit and your wanting to make your choice soon but are not sure which one you want, this is a great time to come and visit all of our pups. We will email, text and call everyone that have been screened and approved by us to come out and join us. In order to qualify to come and be permitted onto our premises there are a few rules and safety precautions that MUST happen beforehand and Rules that MUST be followed NO EXCEPTIONS! EVERY ADULT THAT COMES TO OUR HOME MUST SUBMIT THEIR CURRENT I.D. ​​​ Soles of Shoes MUST be sprayed with bleach and come off before entering our home (bringing clean or new pair of socks are required for all) If children are to be present we ask that the adult supervise their child(ren) at all times, never allowing the child(ren) to roam or handle pups by themselves. If you or anyone in your party are or have been around other animals a change of clothes are required (you will be able to change once your here) but we recommend you showering and changing before coming over Upon arrival and Before handling any pup you must wash your hands up to your elbows . Hand sanitizer will be also be provided through out your time here. If you are feeling sick or your child(ren) are not well we ask you to stay home. There will be other opportunities to see pups. We only have so much space and we may have to limit the number of guest we have so you may or may not be able to bring everyone you would like to. If we do have a large number of people interested we may have to split up the time . *UPDATE: March 2022- EVERY PERSON OVER THE AGE OF 18 THAT COMES TO OUR HOME MUST SUBMIT THEIR CURRENT I.D. If we do not receive your current ID then we can not allow you to come on our property. Every child under the age of 18yrs needs to have their parent or guardian with them at every meeting. Puppy Parties are still canceled until further notice only one family at a time. *UPDATE: April 2021 - We have opened our home back up to all of our SGR families to help them with the picking process. We are limiting the number of visitors we are allowing and only doing personal one on one visit. *UPDATES January 2021 - We will continue with our current policy of no home visits until further notice due to the new and current mandates we have. *UPDATE October 2020 - We are still unable to allow any house visits at this time. If discussed and agreed upon in advance we may allow our new puppy parents to come pick up their new bundle of joy in person at our home but this is only done a case by case situation. Most of the time we like to meet in a very public, open and very safe location so that all involved are 100% safe. *UPDATE: April 2020 - We are currently not doing any puppy visitations or puppy parties due to COVID-19. This is to protect our families, puppies, and customers. For more information on what we are doing here at Southern Golden Retrievers CLICK HERE

Yes! We ship across the country via Nanny if you decide to not come to California to pick up your pup! Shipping your pup is an added fee. *UPDATE May 2021 Things have been running smoothly with the airlines and most of the time flights have been reliable but since the new shut down and news of a NEW strand arriving in the US I am not sure how this will (if at all) affect the airlines going forward. We will continue to offer Nanny service to all of our golden families in need until further notice. But as always we can not guarantee flights or that your pup will be able to ship once ready to go home. *UPDATE October 2020 we are at this time able to fly our puppies out world wide but this will need to be discussed, planned and paid for well in advance due to the current flight restrictions and requirements all the airlines have now put in place. Also anyone looking to ship must understand that flexibility is a MUST as flights and policy requirements and changes happen daily. We may have to reschedule and we may have to even find an entirely new airline to ship. *UPDATE: March 2020 we currently may not be able to fly out our puppies due to the current pandemic. We are hoping it will be lifted in the near future. As of now, we are shipping our puppies via ground shipping or Local Pick up at a safe public location.

Yes! Prices will vary on this due to the rising cost of gas, so feel free to reach out to us! Just so you know we have found, at least for us, ground shipping is usually cheaper than fly in cabin with a nanny service for our more local families. We do have an amazing ground shipper that ships for a straight fee ($800) no matter the destination which is great for our families further east from us but its a little trickier and much harder to get scheduled with her as she has pre set days, times where she will be and where she is going so using her will not be possible for everyone but I will try. Also remember Its much faster to fly than to travel via ground but ground services usually is Door to Door.