Smok'ngold Retrievers

05/06/2026

We continue to work on finding treatments for hemangiosarcoma.

04/08/2026

02/27/2026

As hard as it is….❤️

𝑨 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒚 🤍

For anyone feeling guilt about choosing “a day” may this help ease that feeling. We understand this is the hardest part of owning a pet, and just know we are here every step of the way.

A vet once said 👇🏼

02/04/2026

February 3 is Golden Retriever Day, a time to celebrate a breed known for its loyalty, kindness, and unwavering devotion to the people who love them. Those amazing qualities are some of the reasons the breed was chosen for the one-of-a-kind Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

And, every hero dog enrolled in the Study represents a family committed to advancing science to save future generations of pets. 💛

In 2025, researchers continued using this growing body of data to explore cancer risk, environmental exposures, and factors that affect quality of life as dogs age. These findings are shaping veterinary research and helping scientists ask smarter questions with real-world evidence behind them.

Read about 2025 Study outcomes in our blog: https://bit.ly/3JRO43c

12/19/2025

People say it all the time:

“I promise, they’ll have a good home.”
But what that means to me, as a breeder, goes so far beyond what most people think.

A “good home” isn’t just a nice house.
It isn’t square footage or a fenced yard or matching dog bowls.

It’s a feeling.
A standard.
A commitment.
A heart-space where a dog is truly seen, deeply loved, and intentionally cared for.

A good home is someone who understands this isn’t “just a dog.”
This is a piece of my heart.
A life I stayed up with at 2 AM.
A life I prayed over when they were the size of a lemon.
A life whose first breath I celebrated… and whose first latch I protected.

A good home is someone who shows up for that dog, not just the cute moments.

Someone who:
• rearranges their schedule without complaining.
• gets on the floor and comforts them through fear stages.
• trims nails even when the dog wiggles.
• shows patience through the puppy chaos.
• doesn’t quit when it gets inconvenient.

A good home is someone who asks questions, not someone who pretends they already know.

Someone who chooses growth.
Consistency over shortcuts.
Love over frustration.

A good home is someone who sends updates not because they HAVE to, but because they WANT to.

Those messages mean more to me than people realize.
When I see your puppy smiling in your arms.
When I see them with your kids.
When I see them sleeping in their new bed.

My heart exhales.

Because that’s when I know they’re safe.
That’s when I know I made the right choice.

A good home is someone who honors the contract not because it’s a rule, but because it protects the dog.

Someone who understands:
“If life ever falls apart, this puppy comes back to me.”

Not Craigslist.
Not a shelter.
Not a stranger.
Me.

A good home is someone who remembers that behind every puppy is a breeder who cared so deeply it hurt sometimes.

Who cried over the weak ones.
Who weighed them through the night.
Who kept mama comfortable.
Who didn’t travel because babies needed her.
Who poured time, money, emotion, prayer, and intention into every moment of their beginning.

A good home values that.
Respects that.
And cherishes the puppy because of it.

A good home isn’t perfect.
It’s present.
It’s committed.
It’s willing.
It’s loving.

A good home is someone who looks at this dog and thinks:
“You’re not here to make my life cuter, you’re here to be part of my family.”

That’s what I look for.
That’s what matters to me.
Not perfection.
Not aesthetics.
Not status.

But heart.
Real, patient, everyday love.

Because when I send a puppy home, I’m not “selling a dog.”
I’m trusting a stranger with a life I’ve carried in my hands.
A life I’ve already loved deeply.

And a good home is the kind of home where that love continues for the whole lifetime of the dog.

🤍

12/09/2025

We all want to prevent unwanted litters. Hysterectomies and vasectomies offer early, safe sterilization, starting at 8 weeks, while preserving the natural hormones dogs need.

New Peer-reviewed study shows s*x hormones (like estrogen and testosterone) help the spine and discs develop properly. Removing these hormones from dogs too early can affect bone growth and disc strength, making the spine more vulnerable.

Spaying/neutering early (before 12 months) greatly increased the risk of slipped discs in French Bulldogs.

• For males:
o Early-neutered males were almost twice as likely to develop IVDH compared to intact males.
o Neutering after 12 months actually lowered their risk.

• For females:
o The effect was even stronger.
o Spayed females were about 5 times more likely to have IVDH than intact females.
o If spayed before 12 months, they were almost 10 times more likely to develop the problem.

The age you choose to spay or neuter a French Bulldog can have a major impact on their long-term spine health.

Looking for the most up-to-date, evidence-based review on spay/neuter health effects? This exclusive 2025 guide brings together the latest research to support informed, science-driven decisions for dogs.

Comment FixFacts below and we’ll send you the free PDF.

12/08/2025

11/18/2025

Fourteen years. 3,044 golden retrievers. Countless discoveries changing the future of canine health.

See how the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is fueling new research, training future scientists, and improving lives for dogs everywhere.

🐾 Read the 2025 update and donate to keep this work going:
🔗 https://bit.ly/3JRO43c
💛 https://maf.link/give-2025

10/05/2025

A little late but sending out a huge congratulations to Mitch Brenner and Zeus Smok'nGold's Copper Flash for passing the Working Certificate test in Regina at the end of August. Great job Mitch!!!

09/30/2025

One of the best co-workers you could ask for!!