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Pathfinder Goldens Auburn NH

If you are wondering what is the right dog for you, this is the place to be. In this introductory forum we talk about topics such as breed vs. mix, size, age, grooming, breeders, shelters, rescues as well as requirements for exercise, space and care. No question is too silly here. This particular forum is for getting and giving helpful, nice advice. It is definitely not a forum for criticizing someone else's opinion, knowledge or advice. This forum is all about tail wagging and learning.

  
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Member Since
11/11/2012		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 11, '12 8:14am PST 
If you are looking for a Golden retriever in NH, I would recommend being careful with Pathfinder Goldens. Althought the people are nice, the website does not represent their set up at all. It is a small house, very small yard...there's no beach, no fields to run and they own 1 female to breed. Her name is Story and the poor thing is having to pump out 1 litter after another with the last being picked up in early May. Is 2 litters per year with the same female legal?
Secondly, be careful on their policy of not guaranteeing you the puppy you chose. You are told it's a "90%" chance of getting your puppy, but last litter, only 80% of the people got their dog of choice. If you go to the website; "Zeppelin" is the puppy we were told we couldn't have (1 week prior to pick up) because it was "too good of a dog for a pet owner". That poor little guy will be shipped around the country to stud. As a result, I felt it important to notify others to be careful.

Edited by author Mon Nov 26, '12 12:41pm PST

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Tiller- (Skansen's- Ira in the M

I DO Exist...To- Drive You Batty		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 11, '12 12:55pm PST 
I have no respect for this breeder, but did want to advise I would be VERY wary of *any* breeder who will guarantee you your pick. That just means they have bred their dog sheerly for the purpose of selling puppies...cash cropping. This breeder has retained one male and one female from the breeding you are talking about with the intent to show. That's what you want to see...someone who breeds a litter hoping for a good example to be a contribution to the breed, with the rest being sold as pets on spay/neuter arrangement.

That said, it's a bit of education anyway. This is not the sort of breeder you should have gone to in the first place. They are new....first litter only four years ago...and are not experienced.

That they repeated a breeding back so quickly with two puppies from the first retained is of course rather disconcerting.

Edited by author Mon Nov 26, '12 12:41pm PST

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"Selli"

The Muddy- Princess		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 11, '12 3:48pm PST 
Although I would no recommend this breeder due to the lack of elbow clearances on the sire and the fact that she represents him as CH(pointed)Captain Jack of Hearts. The Golden Retriever Club of America's code of ethics requires dogs have elbow clearances and that whole CH(pointed)thing is just trying to mislead you. You should ONLY use the abbreviation CH if your dog is a CH (breed champion).

However, many of the best breeders do not let you select your puppy. The breeder has been with those pups every day for 8 weeks, they know their personalities and are better equipped to know what pup will work for which family. In addition, current thinking is that breeding a female "back-to-back" is healthier for the female. However, as good breeders will tell you, it is highly unlikely that the best match for your female is in your back yard, so breeding "back-to-back" to your own stud does smack of a less than reputable breeder.
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Tiller- (Skansen's- Ira in the M

I DO Exist...To- Drive You Batty		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 11, '12 4:09pm PST 
I agree. And can really not see using your stud all over again when you have retained a male and female puppy from the first as being for anything other than profit.

That said, the OP's ire seems mostly to be that she couldn't have the breeders pick, which is certainly not out of order. I think they took a little abrasion to "too good for a pet home"....maybe it could have been said better, but she'll get that anywhere she goes.

I never pick my own puppy. Some people struggle with this, but it's not only the breeder who is a "pro" and can read the puppy better, but also has all that familiarity with the pup's family, and has far more context than you do. In rescue adoptions, I am always happiest when I can match the adopter to the dog, rather than the other way around.
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Member Since
11/11/2012		 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 5:40am PST 
Yes, I took "abrasion" to the comment regarding the puppy being too good for a pet owner" and I agree, it could have been worded differently. However, we were told by the breeder that they were only going to take a female from the litter, which we thought was great considering we wanted a male. When they announced they were also taking the male, I was less than happy.
I believe it all comes down to the original response, basically saying this breeder is a rookie and I now see them guessing their way through the process.
The general concensus here is there are much better breeders in the NH / Northern Mass area who can help guide a family in a more professional manner. Thanks for the responses.
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"Selli"

The Muddy- Princess		 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 7:28am PST 
Just because a breeder is a "rookie" does not in any way mean that they are not a good breeder. Everyone has to start somewhere (and I am not a breeder), it has to do with if they are doing thing the right way or not. A friend of mine bred her first litter (Goldens) six years ago and it was in fact her female to her male. However, the female had her American and Canadian championships and the male had his Canadian championship and upper level performance titles. The litter produced pups with both Canadian Championships and upper level agility and obedience titles. The breeder did it right, she was actively involved with local Golden and training clubs, had mentors who are some of the best known people in the Golden world, had dogs who had all their clearances and proven themselves in competition.
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Toto, CD,- RN, CGC

We don't do- doodles!!!
 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 12, '12 4:34pm PST 
One of the best things my mentor taught me 40 years ago was to reserve pick male AND pick female in each litter for myself. Her reasoning was that if I did this breeding looking for something and, at 5 or 6 or even 7 weeks it showed up I needed to at least keep it and grow it on even if it was the opposite sex of what I did the breeding for. Therefore, when the first person gave me a deposit, they then had second choice of the sex of their choice, and on down the litter.
I normally would allow "pick" visits at 6 weeks, and at that time, with my help, WE would select TWO choices... their first choice and their second choice IF I should keep one of that sex. (However, in almost EVERY case, their "choices" were absolutely guided by me, whether they realized it or not, BOL. People need to believe they have a choice, however, when they came back for their second or third dog over the years they DID realize I picked their puppy for them and they asked me to do the same with the new one!)
The next people in line would pick two choices, their first and their second, out of the remaining pups of that sex. Thus, if I kept one, they all got their second choice, if not, they all got their first choice.
Over the years this worked out extremely well, and saved my sanity as well as saved some people real heartbreak when a puppy (only TWICE, thank goodness) did not pass its health certificate. One was, of all things, a deaf puppy and the other was a bad heart, which, interestingly enough, I ended up keeping and he became my top show winning dog of all time and lived to a ripe old age of 15!!!
It was rare that I would grow on one of each sex from each litter, but more commonly, another breeder would see the litter and decide they wanted one for show/breeding and they would get "my" other sex first choice option.
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Member Since
11/22/2012		 
 
Barked: Thu Nov 22, '12 9:13am PST 
I am the owner of Pathfinder Golden Retrievers and feel I need to respond to the above inaccurate statement of the first post. These were prospective buyers who I turned down and are now "sour grapes" bashing my breeding program with inaccurate/slanderous statements! I don't think a 2700 square foot home on 2 acres is "small" as they claim. My property abutts hundreds of acres of wooded trails too in which the dogs run freely! I own 4 breeding females (not one)who have all their clearances and have produced offspring who have passed their clearances. I do not mass produce...usually I have one litter a year. I am small by design and pride myself in producing quality not quantity. My breeding program is a labor of love and not of profit. Story, the one they claim has produced litter after litter, has only had one litter!! And yes, I kept the two pick puppies which are show dogs in training and are also being trained in obedience. My stud dog is not shipped around the country as they accuse me of doing. In fact, that is not the process and shows the ignorance of that post. My dogs are part of my family. They live in my house, not a kennel. Although I am fairly new to breeding (5 years)I follow the guidelines of the Golden Retriever Club of America and have all the clearance done on my breeding stock. I attend breeding seminars to expand my knowledge. My dogs are active in conformation and obedience. I am an active member of several dog clubs and do volunteer work with a rescue organization. My application process is detailed and explained up front that prospective owners may not get the puppy of their choice as my goal in breeding is to improve the quality of the golden retriever. This results in me keeping the pick of the litter in some cases. I have never said my show quality puppies are too good for a pet home! I am sorry that these people who choose to remain annonymous are disappointed that I did not sell them a puppy. I am very selective who I sell my puppies to and because they commented that their second pick puppy was not as good, I didn't feel comfortable placing a dog in that home.
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"Selli"

The Muddy- Princess		 
 
Barked: Thu Nov 22, '12 1:10pm PST 
Does Jackson have an elbow clearance?
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Member Since
11/22/2012		 
 
Barked: Thu Nov 22, '12 5:52pm PST 
When I purchased Jackson from a breeder almost 10 years ago, elbows were not really being done as a mainstream clearance. I followed the lead of breeders who had been in the business for over 30 years. I have had elbows done on several of his offspring who have all passed and he shows no sign of having dysplastic elbows. Because he is coming up on 10 years old and approaching "retirement" the risk of sedating him for an elbow xray is not advisable. However, more enlightened as a breeder, I do elbow clearances on all my breeding stock and will continue to do so in the future. You bring up a good point and I appreciate the feedback.
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