Information about Goldens
Our goal is to breed healthy, structurally sound, athletic dogs with good temperaments and trainability. We aim to produce multi-purpose puppies who are family companions first, while maintaining the working abilities in the field in our pedigrees. We have had many of our dogs hunt, excel at therapy work and search and rescue, do a variety of performance and dog sports, as well as spend their time as active family dogs.
Just as there is no way to provide 100% healthy puppies (just as with children), our breeding goals have included trying to combine pedigrees that decrease the risk of severe disease. We know one of the biggest concerns in the breed is cancer, as the Morris Animal Foundations' Golden Retriever Lifetime Study was borne from the knowledge that 60% of Goldens will be diagnosed with cancer. That study has been tracking 3000 volunteer dogs’ health for life in order to gain insights into preventing and treating cancer and other canine diseases. The study is approaching year ten. We have been tracking our dogs and are aware of a 7.5% rate of cancer diagnosed by the age of 7. We are hopeful that research will give us more information on genetic factors that can help guide future breeding plans.
Some of the other diseases that can cause early death in goldens includes uncontrollable epilepsy, severe heart disease, and immune-mediated diseases. Goldens can also be prone to hypothyroidism, allergies, ear infections, seizures, eye diseases, and joint disorders, even from parents and pedigrees that have health clearances. It simply is not feasible or possible to successfully avoid all genetic problems in any breeding program.
Our dogs are health screened including hips, elbows, heart and eyes, as well as having the newer genetic testing done for NCL, prcd-PRA, PRA-1 and 2, and Ichthyosis 1 and 2, as well as a variety of others. These are recessive genes, meaning they have to have one from each parent to be affected. Our puppies are guaranteed to be either clear or carriers, meaning they are not affected by these disorders. There are many other diseases that aren't as simple to screen away from. Thus, we often have been pairing our breeding pedigrees to be under 6% of the Coefficient of Inbreeding to try to prevent doubling up on health problems from the sire and dam side. More information about goldens and health:
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NCL (a fatal genetic disease causing death typically before age three
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Genetic diseases in the golden retriever (older information, but relevant)
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Pigmentary uveitis (GRLS)
