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 Our Mascot -- Smilin' Luke |
Golden Retriever / Yellow Lab Mixes A Relaxed, Loving, Intelligent Breed The New Standard for Service Dogs Great with Children and Seniors!
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Both our girls should be presenting us with litters just before year's end. We currently have a waiting list for our litters; if you are interested, please call us today at the number above to reserve your position. Please enjoy the following "photo tour" of our breeding philosophy, and sample photos of some of our Ranch's earlier puppies!
My brother and his family brought me along to help them choose a puppy with the best temperament. At the end, I had to tell them, "You can't go wrong with any of these puppies -- they all have wonderful personalities."
I hope you're still breeding these puppies when the time comes for me to get another dog, because I want one of yours!
How We Raise Puppies at The Ranch
We breed our puppies with love and personal attention. All our puppies have been raised by our family on our Ranch. Each one has been handled, cuddled, carried around with us, and thoroughly imprinted to be people-oriented. Our puppies are family-friendly and very loyal; hardy and healthy; great swimmers and fetchers; and generally very calm, happy dogs. They have good hunting and retrieving instincts, and with appropriate training would make great hunting companions. They have all received their initial shots and vet checks. Our puppies may be reserved at any age, but we keep our litters with their mother until the age of eight weeks.
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Puppies who come of age in warmer months are introduced to swimming in a stress-free manner designed to eliminate fear of the water, promote the puppy's confidence in his own swimming ability, and teach the puppy how and where to exit the pool easily. We screen our recipient families conscientiously, and try to match them with puppies with the temperament and personality they desire. We observe how our recipient families interact with our puppies. We will not sell or ship a puppy to a buyer we have not gotten to know. We enjoy keeping in touch with our puppies' owners, hearing about their pets' lives and accomplishments, and receiving photos. Many of our new owners hear about us through word-of-mouth from other satisfied owners. To us, these puppies are extended family. We have matched puppies with new families from California to New Hampshire, and Alaska to Mexico. Buyers traveling long distances can often spend the night right onsite at a Ranch facility, depending on availability.
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Our puppies go quickly. If having a choice of coat, color, and personality is important to you, please schedule an early visit to place a deposit on the puppy of your choice.
Transportation info: Air travelers should be advised that puppies of these breeds are often too large to fit in under-seat carriers by eight weeks, and because of our desert temperatures, airlines departing from Phoenix Sky Harbor will not accept animals in their baggage compartments between (roughly) May and October. We will release puppies at seven weeks to accommodate air travelers, and strongly recommend use of a soft-sided under-seat carrier. Check ahead of time with your chosen airline, because each airline has its own rules, and a few do not accept animals at all.
Mixed Retriever Puppies
We specifically breed this mix of Golden Retriever and Yellow Labrador -- America's top two favorite breeds -- because we and many other people find them appealing. With shorter coats than a purebred Golden, they require less grooming and shed less.
We have heard the following tale many times over: "We had a mixed Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab for years, and he was the best dog we ever owned. He was smart, gentle, and great with the kids. Recently, we lost him to old age, and the family was really hit hard. Now that we are searching for another dog, we looked all over the web to find anyone who intentionally breeds this mix, and you were the only one we found." Service-dog agencies are switching to this mix, in search of the particular intelligence, temperament, hybrid vigor, and easier maintenance afforded by these beautiful dogs. Our three mixed breeding adults are all Golden/Yellow mixes from pedigreed, purebred Golden Retriever and Yellow Labrador stock. Honey is a purebred AKC-registered Golden Retriever.
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Bella is doing wonderfully at eight weeks... she is potty trained, ringing the bell that we have hung from the door knob. She has learned to come, stay and sit on command. My girls have also taught her how to shake. She is so smart and very eager to please. Every time she comes back in the house after potty, she sits and waits patiently for her treat. We start basic obedience next week. We are having so much fun with her and can't believe she is ours. She comes from great stock.
Today was Ruby's first hunt. She did an unbelievable job for a 14-month-old puppy. She jumped and retrieved these four pheasant and just made my day. I have had a few good dogs and some great ones in my life, but Ruby is the best at this age. She is calm and easy to work with.
Luke
Fergus |
Our current breeding male, Luke, is strong, healthy, and playful at 95 pounds, 27" at the shoulder. Born January, 2004 at the Ranch, he has his dad's fox-red coloring and his mom's Golden-style "feathers" on legs and tail. He is a happy-go-lucky "leg-leaner" who loves attention and is very eager to please. A second-generation mix, he is the pup of Fergus and Tracey, our original breeding pair. (Yes, the photo at the top of our page is Luke as a puppy.) Heidi (born 2004) is 75 pounds, 24", ruggedly built with a blocky head, and obviously favors her Lab side. A first-generation mix born to pedigreed parents in North Phoenix, she is extremely bright (she opens sliders!), goal-oriented, and is our most enthusiastic swimmer, actually snorkeling and diving after toys. Heidi produces a typical litter of eleven playful, lively, medium-large pups. Fergus (born 1997), is our original breeding male. He is a strapping 98 pounds (none of it fat), 27" at the shoulder, with a block head and fox-red coloring. Also a "leg-leaner" who loves attention, he is still fit and healthy, taking things a little slower as fits his age. Born to pedigreed parents in Massachusetts, he has been with us all his life, and has travelled cross-country in our RV nine times. Liberty Haven Honey Bear ("Honey"), has been registered as a Therapy Dog. She is loving, mellow, and obedient. Born July 2004, she has been at the Ranch since December 2004, coming to us from Virginia. She has a flowing red golden coat and boasts a champion ancestry. Honey's typical litter is nine large pups, averaging a robust 17 pounds at eight weeks. They are inquisitive, mellow, cuddlesome, and extremely affectionate. Color and fluffiness vary. |
Heidi
Honey |
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All our adult dogs have been trained for obedience and snake avoidance, and have learned to communicate their needs and wants very effectively. Our pups generally sell for $400 (male) and $450 (female). Please phone (623) 640-7880 to arrange an advance viewing or get on our waiting list.
Toby, Sweet Pea, and Kona -- Three of Honey's pups at six weeks.
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