Meet the breeders
Arianna & Joe
My love for the breed comes from when I first met a Golden around 9 years old, from that point on I was in love. I watched AKC dog shows on TV growing up and always gravitated to the Golden Retriever due to their friendly smiles, happy go lucky temperament and beautiful lustrous Golden coats. From an early age.. I read many books about dog breeds, trained our family dogs, volunteered at a local animal shelter and fostered stray kittens. We both were raised around dog breeders, helped socialize and handle puppies growing up. Fast forward to our adult years... we obtained our first Golden in 2017 and we continue to expand our knowledge on the breed. Since then.. we've had several Goldens and decided to start our own breeding program after years of extensive research, passion, love for the breed and with dedication to always better our program. We both owner-handle although I(Arianna) handle most of the breedings, titling, training and grooming. If you’ve spoken to us, you’ve likely spoken to me! I began showing early 2022 and we are now dabbling in other sports. The goal of our program is to raise beautiful, healthy, sound puppies that uphold the known attributes of the Golden Retriever breed. As established breeders.. we continue to learn, do our best to stay up to date with our breed, work with other like-minded breeders and improve our program when necessary to align with our goals. We love what we do even when it's difficult.. breeding dogs and raising puppies responsibly is no walk in the park like some may think. However we enjoy being able to share our wonderful babies with others, watch our puppies grow and being able to work with our dogs regularly.
We pour our heart into each and every one of our puppies. When we do have a litter we work almost 24/7 with our puppies and our adult dogs to ensure that they are well cared for. We do get attached to our puppies from every litter and it’s always bittersweet when they leave us. However seeing their new families love them in the way that we do is very rewarding for us. When a family obtains a puppy from us they become extended family through our Bear State Goldens Family and are invited to any future puppy play dates/reunions(typically announced on Instagram). We provide great breeder support to our puppy owners. We are always just a message away and we're happy to help as best as we can after our puppies leave to their new homes.We board our puppies often, well into their adult years. We always accept our puppies back into our home if for any reason their owner may be unable or unwilling to care for them.
We pour our heart into each and every one of our puppies. When we do have a litter we work almost 24/7 with our puppies and our adult dogs to ensure that they are well cared for. We do get attached to our puppies from every litter and it’s always bittersweet when they leave us. However seeing their new families love them in the way that we do is very rewarding for us. When a family obtains a puppy from us they become extended family through our Bear State Goldens Family and are invited to any future puppy play dates/reunions(typically announced on Instagram). We provide great breeder support to our puppy owners. We are always just a message away and we're happy to help as best as we can after our puppies leave to their new homes.We board our puppies often, well into their adult years. We always accept our puppies back into our home if for any reason their owner may be unable or unwilling to care for them.
Our Breeding Program
Planning a Litter
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When planning a litter, we first start with the health of our Sire & Dam. Our dogs are all health tested for OFA and/or PennHip Hips, Elbows, Heart, Eyes and a full genetic panel. They are evaluated by specialists to receive their clearances. When creating our pairings, we only pair those that we believe compliment each other in temperament, health, conformation and beauty. We primarily breed for companionship and our puppies are placed as pets with limited registration. However depending on puppy evaluations; we may have a puppy(s) with performance, service, therapy or conformation potential that we will keep back or place with an approved individual when available. All of our dogs are intelligent, happy, healthy, temperamentally sound and active. They fit the AKC, UKC and/or FCI breed standard. All of our dogs and puppies are raised on premium quality dog food. Our mamas receive delivery assistance and special care.
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Puppy's Environment Our puppies are born and raised in our living room inside of their own whelping box. Starting from birth, we provide premium floor traction for our puppies up until going home to ensure proper joint development. We strongly recommend that our puppy owners continue providing proper floor traction after they leave to their new homes to continue preventing environmental dysplasia and potential injuries. As the puppies grow, their space expands and they are eventually moved to a larger pen for plenty of room for playing. This safe space is where our puppies spend most of their 8 weeks of life. During the first couple weeks they are kept away from other animals or guests and in a sanitized environment that decreased the odds of diseases entering. Mama appreciates this as she feels comfortable and secure. After their first vaccine, they are allowed outdoor time on artificial turf to romp around. The artificial turf helps to lower the risks of parasites & diseases as we are able to sanitize it.
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Puppy Raising Programs Our puppies are raised using a mixture of multiple programs including Puppy Culture, Avidog & BAB(Bad Ass Breeder). We introduce ENS(Early Neurological Stimulation) and ESI(Early Scent Introduction) from 3-16 days of age to ensure that they are off to the best start possible. ENS is believed to improve cardiovascular performance, stronger adrenal glands, stronger heartbeat, greater resistance to disease and more tolerance to stress.
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Desensitizing, Socialization & GroomingSocialization and desensitization helps prepare puppies for new environments. Our puppies receive weekly nail trims(with nail clippers & a dremel). They are introduced to standing on a grooming table, being brushed, bathed, paw pads shaved, hair trimmed with shears and blow dried with a high velocity blow dryer. This is a start to condition them to be comfortable with grooming. In order for them to maintain this level of training.. their new owner will have to be consistent, patient and groom them frequently during the introduction phase which is about every 1-2 weeks after they leave to their new home. Treats as a reward during the grooming process is a must! You do not have to use soap and conditioner every time as the goal is to simply maintain their training with being handled during this process. We recommend trimming your dog’s nails every 1-2 weeks, brushing daily-weekly depending on the season, trimming/shaving their paw pad fluff at least once per month, conditioning and bathing at least once per month after the introduction phase. Trimming paw pad hairs and nails helps promote a stronger paw grip to the floor therefore preventing injuries from running & slipping on slick floors. Our puppies are introduced to crates, collars, leashes, different sights, various textures, different sounds, different smells and car rides. We desensitize our puppies to loud, quiet, abnormal and common sounds. We include sound that would occur both indoors and outdoors including city sounds and farm sounds. We introduce our puppies to adult dogs and cats to help socialize them as well as teach them proper manners. They are provided with toys to climb on and play with. We introduce our puppies to water when weather permits.
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Handling Our puppies are loved immensely and handled regularly throughout puppyhood. Our puppies are handled by us, friends and family members(including children) regularly. We also implement a 10 step daily handling exercise to increase touch tolerance and compliance in our puppies. The 10 step handling exercise involves a massage that kindly increases pressure weekly which includes the eyes, nose, inside of the puppies mouth, ears, down the back, tail, around the collar, tummy and paws.
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Temperament Testing & Puppy EvaluationsAround 7 weeks of age, we hire a tester to temperament test our puppies with a 10 step test(Volhard). This test in addition to monitoring the puppies over the past 8 weeks gives us more information to help determine which puppy(s) would be a good fit for each family. Mostly all of our puppies from each litter will be very very similar to one another in terms of temperament. If you are searching for a puppy with specific character traits for therapy, service or sports.. please let us know. We share test results with our clients before they meet the puppies.
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Started on potty training We begin potty training around 3 weeks of age, this gives the puppies a designated area to potty and helps with the transition after they leave to their forever homes. Starting at birth, their potty area is 100% of their living space for their first few weeks of life. Over time their potty area expands but never larger than their living and playing space. By 8 weeks old, our puppies are diligently using their potty area with a 90% success rate. Puppies will have to go out to potty every hour at 8 weeks old and almost immediately after eating or drinking. Preventing accidents in the home in the first place IS the key to potty training! When there is an accident.. you must pick up any solids, spray it with an enzymatic cleaner and let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping it. We also bring the puppy outside immediately afterwards to remind them that outside is for pottying. If they potty again outside during that time, give them a treat and praise them. Accidents are 100% preventable.. it is not your puppies fault. They are babies and are new to learning the world around them! Be sure to take your puppy outside earlier next time, give them a cue when they go then treat & praise them immediately after. We like to use the cue “go potty” or “potty” to train our dogs. It helps to set timers to remember when your puppy needs to go out. Although it can be time consuming.. your puppy should be taken out to potty frequently on time to not create confusion with them and ensure that they are on the right track to being fully potty trained as soon as possible. Puppies have very small bladders and can only hold so much fluid before they have to relieve themselves. If they hold their urine for too long it can cause a UTI.. which is very painful and will have to be treated by your veterinarian. If your puppy holds their stools for too long it can result in a loose stool accident due to constipation. Young puppies have a bowel movement within 20 minutes after eating & pee within 20 minutes of drinking water. As they age.. they will be able to hold it for longer but consistency with your training is very important. It helps to keep them on a schedule as well as monitor water and food intake. Be sure to take away food & water at least 3 hours before bed and make sure that they are pottied before giving freedom. Play pens & baby gates are recommended to create a safe playing area for your puppy. Crate training also helps with potty training.. they go hand in hand. Your puppy will naturally not want to potty in their crate/den unless they absolutely have no choice. However they can regress and it can turn into a very bad habit that is hard to break, if not corrected right away. The correction would be for you to start from square one again with potty training as if they were a new puppy.
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Puppy health & Vet care Our puppies are dewormed on a schedule receiving 2-4 treatments depending on fecal results. The litter is given Giardia & Coccidia prevention before they leave us. Puppies have a vulnerable immature immune system and 70% of their immune system is located in their gut. It’s not uncommon for a puppy to become infected with parasites when outdoors playing but some can also be brought on from stress(ex. long distance traveling, new environments, change of food, too much excitement, not enough sleep, etc). We recommend to keep your new puppy’s environment very calm for the first week while they are getting used to their new life with you. This means that we recommend No large gatherings, New foods, New treats or Big travel plans during this time to ensure that your puppy settles in smoothly. Their gut will thank you. Reminder - Puppies need 18-20 hours a day of sleep for normal mental & physical development. Vaccinations and deworming usually causes an upset GI tract therefore the litter is given probiotics routinely to promote healthier immune function and to help keep their gut microbiome balanced. Your puppy will need to see a vet within 3 days from their time of pick up to certify our health guarantee and we highly recommend completing another fecal test at this time. Do not change their food for at least a few months and do not change it suddenly, as it will almost guarantee loose stools. Our puppies are vaccinated before they go home. They receive a Parvo specific vaccination around 4-5 weeks old but their first official first puppy vaccination is around 7-8 weeks old. The puppies will need 3-4 more vaccinations for Immunization to take effect and to be able to walk them in public(when safely administered in 3-4 week intervals). Please keep in mind that a fully vaccinated puppy or even adult dog can still become sick if they come in close contact with a sick dog. Puppies with incomplete vaccinations should not walk into pet stores or areas with a high traffic of other dogs as it is a very high risk for catching deadly diseases. We use Sniper disinfectant to disinfect shoes and paws before entering our home when we have young puppies. The last puppy booster should be given around 16 weeks or later, which is around the time of their first rabies vaccination. Our puppies are microchipped with free registration for life. Bear State Goldens is the first contact automatically then second once registered. Our puppies receive a complete wellness exam from our regular licensed veterinarian and they are fecal tested just before they leave to their new homes. The fecal test will either be negative or if positive, they will receive treatment before they leave to their new homes.
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When our puppies go homeOur puppies go home around 8-9 weeks of age. If you are unable to pick up your puppy before 10 weeks, please see Our Policies page or contact us for information on boarding availability. They go home with an 18 month Health Guarantee Contract including the agreement to Spay/Neuter at 18-24 months old. They are sent home with their first month of Trupanion Pet Insurance for FREE and their first month of Dunbar dog training online classes for FREE. You must activate our special offer from Trupanion within 24 hours of receiving your puppy. Our puppies come with a Large Puppy Pack including a small bag of food that they are currently eating, AKC registration paperwork, fillable health records that you can bring to their vet visits, veterinarian exam copy, microchip information, copy of test pedigree, informative AKC folder, a couple puppy pads for the road, comb, clicker training tool, a chewy, blanket with mom plus siblings scent, helpful information for a smooth transition and other goodies! Additionally, you will receive lifetime breeder support from us. Feel free to reach out to us and we will do our best to help you. See Recommendations for more information on what you will need when you bring your puppy home with you. All of our recommended buys are on our Amazon Storefront.
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