Get to Know

About Arya

Arya is not a breeding female, nor has she ever been bred. She doesn't have the pedigrees our other dogs have. She doesn't have the titles they posse either. What she does have, is our hearts wrapped right around her perfect little grinch toe feet. For as long as I can remember, I wanted my very own golden retriever. We eventually got to a place in our lives where we could get a dog, and I knew just what I was looking for. Or so I thought. I knew I wanted a golden retriever, however we were naive and did not fully understand the importance of health testing. Looking back, I wouldn't trade Arya for the world, but I do wish we had made a more informed decision on where we got our dog from. She was plauged with hip/joint issues before she even turned 1year old. While it can be managed, we do have to closely monitor her activity level so she does not overdo it. When we chose to add a second golden, we knew we had to be more diligent in looking for a breeder who did health testing. We found that locally we couldn't find that many breeders who were breeding to the GRCA standards and code of ethics. We found a plethora of golden breeders, but very few at that time who did the recommended health tests. This began our research into breeding goldens and whether or not it was something we wanted to dive into. I started a Facebook page for Golden retriever owners in Minnesota where we use the platform to promote quality bred golden retrievers that follow the Golden Retriever Club of America's code of ethics. It is mainly a community page for golden retriever owners to connect and share their experiences with their dogs, but we also use it as a way to educate the general public on WHY health testing is so vital to the longevity of the breed we all love. After working as a kennel manager for 6 years at a dog daycare/boarding facility, and starting up a basic obedience training program, we decided to add dog breeding to the resume. We want to produce thoughtfully bred golden retrievers, so that way someone else doesn't end up with a dog as special as Arya, that has limited mobility due to issues that may have been avoided had proper health testing taken place. 

 

Arya is truly a special, once in a lifetime, type of dog. She doesn't have the titles, or the pedigree, or the health clearances that some people measure a dogs worth by. But the joy she has brought into our lives, and continues to bring into our lives, is unmatched. She is absolutely our "heart dog." She is the inspiration for our breeding program, but most importantly she is our "goodest" red dog.

​