I have been an animal lover my entire life, dogs in particular have always held a special spot in my heart. I cannot tell you the exact time I fell in love with golden retrievers but for as long as I can remember I've wanted to share my life with them. When I was 15 I meant a lovely papillon breeder who opened my eyes to the world of raising dogs. She taught me how to get to know the breed in a whole new way by reading pedigrees. I learned the importance of health testing and how much the environment can impact the personality of a dog/puppy.
It wasn't until 2015 that I finally had the opportunity to own my very first golden retriever. All the years of waiting, dreaming and learning had finally gave way and I could not have been more happy!
Although I was thrilled to have my very own golden my breeding program started off very rough. The papillon breeder I mentioned earlier had warned me (breeding dogs is not for the faint of heart). Boy was she right! Many tears, hard work and prayers were poured into what has now become Em's Goldens. The knowledge I gained in those very tough first few years has benefited my dogs and many of my puppy families. I am nowhere near done learning and I know there will be ups and downs but God has given me such a passion for these beautiful dogs and I love seeing the joy in the dogs and the families that they join.
One thing I discovered as I learned more about the golden retriever breed is that they absolutely thrive on people attention. They just want to be part of the family. Because of this I made a commitment from the very beginning to keep my breeding program small so that I could provide each of my dogs the best life possible. All of my dogs are first and foremost family members. They live in my home, sleep in my bed and even join us on vacation. We are very blessed to live where we do. My dogs enjoy hiking around the small lake near our house or romping off leash in the fields nearly every day. During the Summer the dogs enjoy camping trips, paddle boarding/swimming and visiting friends. In the winter they enjoy going sledding digging in snow drifts and a lot more hiking since it's not as hot out.
My Golden's enjoy a raw diet full of a variety of meats, meaty bones, organs, fruits, veggies, leafy greens, seeds and nuts. I have found that they love the variety and the many benefits that come with a healthy diet.
My goal is to provide the best life possible for each and every dog/puppy that I've been blessed with and to share these blessings with as many families as I can.
There are four main things that I focus on in my breeding program.
1. Healthy Parents.
Before a litter is even thought of, I carefully select parents that have had all their health testing done. Then I decide which dogs best complement each other’s physical characteristics and temperaments.
2. Environment
The first few weeks of a puppy’s life is spent in a warm whelping box in my bedroom room where they will start developing their ability to see, hear, and walk. After they become more mobile, I give them a bigger area in the main part of the house where they can experience all the sights, sounds, and smells of daily life in the home. Litter training starts as soon as puppies can walk, making it easier for new owners to house break them.
3. Diet
At 4 weeks old, I start offering puppies a balanced raw diet. They will stay on this throughout their time with me. This gives puppies the nutritional they need to grow strong healthy bodies.
4 Socializing
By following Puppy Culture methods for raising puppies, give each puppy a head start on their socializing skills and confidence. This helps them learn how to ask politely for things, overcome scary sounds or objects, and learn how to focus on you as they learn new skills.