Windmill Farms Golden Retrievers

10/17/2025

A couple of THANK YOUs!

A huge thanks to Colleen for the Nike semen. I can't say thanks enough. When you're ready for a pup, let me know. The frozen will be shipped to SLC on Monday. US & CAN lines that will really help compliment a cross with our Scottish lines. Then back to gun dog and back to Clancy. A 6 year project on subpopulations in the breed.

Thank you to Alisa for the opportunity to work with her on the Wacipi line. I searched the data base to find another popular sire less line. A male Nova of sorts. Fortunately, they are 3 hours north of us. Wacipi pedigree has many US field/performance lines. Alisa was a bit surprised when I contacted her about using her stud. He has his health certs and comes from a popular sire less pedigree. The outcome spread on this and Nova's future litters will be wide. Its the widest genetic GR gap to date. That's what we want. In order to get lower COIs, I have to find unrelated goldens through kinship. The least amount of relationship as possible. Then there's the genes. While they may not be related they can't have the same genes either. I've been putting his pedigree in Retriever Data Base, from scratch. The VGL published the haplotype and 33 STR genetic occurrence sequence for around 700 goldens. It costs your time to find publications that educate the breeder. No one has to sit on their hands because money is tight.

I explained to Alisa what I was doing and she was very willing to help. We are anxious to see what happens to the kinship numbers. A puppy from that breeding will be taken back to a UK line then back to a gundog line. Another 6 year + time commitment.

I have several of these types of breeding's in process. A four way subpopulation mixture. Some start with gun dogs while others start with UK x US crosses. Wacipi is my first popular sire pedigree back to Alisa's stud. Hopefully there's a couple that helps us meet our breed preservation goals.

Every breeding effort made is focused on keeping the genes we have while retaining the key, original GR field traits.

Thank you

10/17/2025

Breed Preservation Course Cost. Breeder Considerations.

A few comments about continuing education costs.

I completely understand that anyone that's strapped should take care of food, rent and utility bills first.

There are FREE resources available to you. The ICB offers a FREE boot camp course. You can read and study how Jeffery Bragg set up and executed his breed preservation sled dog program just to name a couple. When I went full time with our program I knew how important continuing education was/is so I dedicated time every week to honing my craft. From piano players to athletes, an enormous amount of time is dedicated to learning and practicing.

I think everyone understands to get a PhD for 4 weeks, live, is going to cost an admission fee. WM Farms is not getting any compensation for its promotion.

My youngest son just earned his BS from a State University. The average cost per semester for a in-state USA schools is about $5800. As for continuing education courses which I was required to attend when working as an Application Engineer ranged between $120 - $1800. Our world is in motion, AI is exploding science predictions and tools for genetics, cancer, traits are constantly changing.

Something for all breeders to consider.

The Animal Welfare Act is here and it has the attention of many. Norway's breeder laws prioritize animal welfare and focus on preventing breeding practices that lead to hereditary diseases or suffering. If the government can step in/over the local breed registry to stop inbreeding depression related issues, it can happen in any country.

Dr. Beuchat showed us 3 graphs last Monday about the average purebred COI, how many original genes remain and the number of recessive deleterious mutations in mammals. Guess which mammal has the most? If you said dogs, you would be correct. Why? Because no one breeds dogs like dog breeders. Grandpa, grandparents, relatives, uncles and aunts are in both maternal and paternal lines as early as the 3 gen. When it comes to human relatives I hear terms from Jeff Foxworthy like slack jawed and bug eyed. But for dogs its OK to go against every law of nature.

According to my studies, there is no universally "acceptable" inbreeding coefficient in wild animal populations, as it depends on the species gene pool availability and the goals, but a coefficient of 0.10 or 10% or higher is generally considered risky, as it indicates a significant loss of vigor and health. Research suggests that a minimum effective population size ~ 50 is needed to avoid short-term inbreeding depression, while at least 500 is necessary for long-term evolution. A higher inbreeding coefficient F increases the risk of inbreeding depression, which can lead to a loss of fitness and an increase in genetic problems. Just Google Zoo preservation methods.

Guess what the golden retriever average genetic COI is? If you said just over 22%, you would be correct. If you said the GR have over 60% cancer rate, you would be correct. If you said the number of deleterious recessive genes in the GR have more than doubled in the last 20 years, you would also be correct. Do we see a trend?

For FREE you can look at this data on the ICB, UC Davis and other research papers. www.instituteofcaninebiology.org

The key requirement for preservation breeding
3/12/2019
By Carol Beuchat PhD

In my webinar, I shared a .PDF published by the GRCA. We read 3 paragraphs acknowledging that we, GRCA, have a problem in the bred. They are completely reliant on breeders to fix it. How would you like to be CEO of a company in which you had no direct influence on the outcome of your product. There is no law preventing us from inbreeding...... At least for now there isn't.

It's really a catch 22. On the AKC website there is a page dedicated to responsible breeding. Breeder of Merit! On the next page a list of Show events. The judges are most scrupulous and adherent to an exacting standard. The only way to meet that standard is to get a golden that meets it and replicate it. Again and again! The next page has a list of field competitions. The judges are most scrupulous and adherent to the standard and many would say its getting tougher. The only way to win is replicate the ones who do.

How does a purebred registry promote the gun and the bullet at the same time? By definition a purebred dog is inbreed. But to eliminate 1000's of goldens on the premise that are not good enough for show or field is self defeating prophecy. Population genetics is not considered in breed promotion. The game is over before it starts. If I'm the President, I would asking myself....Won't I eventually breed myself out of a job? Are you aware of how many AKC purebreds are at a genetic critical mass?

Whether your paying for a PhD to teach you or studying on your own, those who have a plan will most likely be poised for change but already have a jump on how to fix it. We had this little thing at business seminars called "Networking". (LinkedIn) What can you learn & share from others in your same line of work? How can you mutually benefit? Already from my networking a person has shared with me a digital copy of the Lord Tweedmouth's stud books. The original.

By 2029 WM Farms will have the first 4 way cross from sub populations. This includes popular sire-less pedigrees to drive down kinship numbers. Ironically this group may hold the key to driving down COI numbers in the breed. WM Farms goal is a 10% or less genetic COI while retaining the key field traits intended by the originators.

If we can't get that goal with the genetics we have left, the only way out I'm aware of is; opening the stud books.

Information about canine biology and genetics

10/16/2025

Can you get the Webinar Recording?

Yes, I texted Dr. Beuchat today.

If you have paid you will get answers and access to here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/icbminicoursepreservegenestopreservebreeds

If you have not paid and would like to have access to the presentations, pay here and you will be given access to the private FB group.

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/VTNVH9TYKHWU4

Class start Monday's! 6 pm PST

Dr. Carol Beuchat Breed Preservation Webinar Information
Webinar - Breed Preservation Information
Starting October 2025
Format: Zoom - Live
Weekly: Monday
Content related Q&A
Recorded & shared for later use.
Material dissemination included

Registration for "Introduction to Genetics For Breed Preservation", 4 (weekly) online webinars for Windmill Farms Goldens (October 13, 20, 27, and November 3)

10/15/2025

One of the questions I'm getting asked regularly is how to drive the genetic COI down below 10 while staying within the breed. For one, we have data on the dogs that are less than 10%. So we know it happens.

Dr. Beuchat's ICB and 4 week course will help answer these questions. Her courses have and will explain the relationship between COI and Kinship.

I'm really surprised that there weren't 1000 GR breeders signed up for her 4 week genetics course. The information from a geneticist cuts through all the FB hyperbole and gives the learner science and data. WM Farms set this up to help GR breeders. For me its been very golden breeder revelatory in terms of the interest in the genetic state we are in.

I've been playing around a bit with Nova's pedigree. There are 2 crosses that could take us below a genetic COI of 10 because of the kinship evaluations in the pedigree.

Not all the COIs are in Embark or VGL so the offered tools are not helpful unless the pairings are available. So, I use Retriever Data for predictions.

Rowdy x Nova
https://retriever.pedigreedatabaseonline.com/en/trialmating/father=57863/mother=80244
Rowdy is an accomplished field golden. But his pedigree is unique to Nova because of the lack of shared kinship. In terms of breed preservation this is what I'm looking for. I know Rowdy is one of the 61.2% of goldens that die(d) of cancer. Mediastinal Lymphoma actually. You can read all about this type of cancer on the Purdue website. Great education. He was almost 12 when he contracted and died of cancer.

COI and AVK 10 generations:
Coefficient Of Inbreeding (COI): 0.09%
Ancestor Loss Coefficient (AVK): 64.38%
(10 generations: 74.78% complete)

First common (FC) only 9 and less than a 4% contribution. Coupled with a 64% AVK gives me a really good chance while retaining field traits and heterozygosity at the same time. This is really interesting.

Wild Fire Of Riverview FC 3.32%
Windbreakers Mighty Mo FC 2.44%
Twin-Beau-D's Hi Speed Chase FC 1.76%
Libra Malagold Coriander FC 1.27%
Tangelo's Side Kick FC 1.17%
Tangleloft Odds On Pebwin FC 0.88%
Topbrass Cotton FC 0.78%
Malagold Summer Encore FC 0.49%
Asterling Go Getm Gangbuster FC 0.29%

But wait there's more and its even better. Our very own Clancy.

Clancy x Nova
Clancy is a US x UK cross that produced or inherited a very unique genetic set in terms of diversity. IE we got really lucky. He's only 11 months old but doing so well in the field that we will skip his JH and run his SH in the spring.

https://retriever.pedigreedatabaseonline.com/en/trialmating/father=75298/mother=80244

COI and AVK 10 generations:
Coefficient Of Inbreeding (COI): 0.06%
Ancestor Loss Coefficient (AVK): 66%
(10 generations: 75.76% complete)

This is a compilation of field goldens almost entirely unrelated. Here's the list of common ancestry in both the maternal and paternal lines. They are so far back and spread out that the highest contributor is around 2%

Tangelo's Side Kick FC 2.05%
Wild Fire Of Riverview FC 1.66%
Windbreakers Mighty Mo FC 0.88%
Culynwoods Rough Rider FC 0.49%
Pepperhill Yankee O'Goldtrak FC 0.39%
Sunshine's Goldwind Devon FC 0.39%
Sungold Duke of Brookshire FC 0.29%
Sungold Shilo FC 0.20%
Mioak's Smoke'n Zeke FC 0.20%
Sungold Micah FC 0.20%
Holway Gillie FC 0.10%

With predicted COIs less than a tenth of a % and AVKs over 60, its very possible that we get some pups in the litter genetically less than 10. Hopefully we know in 18+ months.

10/14/2025

Thank you Dr. Beuchat. I really appreciated your time and preparation. Thank you for contacting me.

Last night Dr. Beuchat shared a population graph visualizing how wild animals share genetics which involves graphical models showing evolutionary relationships (phylogenetic trees), population movement (gene flow maps), and interbreeding between species (admixture plots).

When I took my 12 week breed preservation course through the ICB, I put together a 4 part subpopulation plan to my approach. A work in progress. Its taken me 6 years to import, locate and understand how to procure and use what we have in order to optimize what's left of GR genetics. That included getting goldens from Scotland, the genesis of the breed. For me this will be done using COI and Kinship relationships.

Several questions where asked about opening stud books in order to genetically re-model the genetic dead end road we are on.

After listening to Dr. Beuchat, some have contacted me since, asking about WM Farms breeding plan. I plan to finish what I started with a mind to figure out what can be accomplished through the GRCA and AKC. We have registry and governing bodies for our breed. There is no law against doing what the Dalmatian community did to fix their genetic problems. Anyone could do that right now with goldens. They would not be registered of course. I believe in an oversight committee with a geneticist approach. It would take contributions from many. We also know that new state and country laws are being invoked on purebred dogs in order to force the issue of poor breeder outcomes. There is a general consensus these laws will reach the USA as well. How this is going to land is a mystery. Those that remain oblivious or ignorant to the changes will be in a challenging position.

For now, I will continue to use a 4 part subpopulation golden retriever approach as planned and discussed in part last night. Geographically and isolated lines including popular sire-less. Based on graphs shown to us last night, I plan to work within the genetics we have remaining in the breed. I plan to use 1 Dual dog golden as well with a low COI and far less kinship to my goldens. This is NOT about how many goldens we have in the world, its what genetics we have left from the founder genes. Its not great. We have golden COIs less than 10%. I've seen the data. That's my goal.

I was also contacted last week about doodles. If there is a future approach to opening the golden stud books, I for one, will not be using a poodle. From what I've seen and from what trainers have told me they are ugly coupled with the IQ of a gnat. No thanks! The golden is regal, a steady field partner with a temperament second to none. The founder goals are very important to me. That's the kind of dog I want to hunt with. Whoever can make me a healthy "that" dog, I will buy and use and love. A golden doodle is the antithesis of the above descriptions.

10/14/2025

Welcome Windmill Farms golden retriever 6th generation.

Quincy x Ephraim puppies have been placed. Thank you.

I look forward to meeting you in early December.

I will be keeping a female from this litter. An isolated gun dog line coupled with US field performance which will then be taken to a UK working golden.

10/14/2025

Last call for Windmill Farms Golden Retrievers 20th Anniversary photo contest.

Please email me your Windmill Farms golden doing something you love from the last 20 years.

This collapsible Rock Creek Crate is the grand prize. I went and picked it up this week. Thank you Rock Creek Crates. Other consolation prizes as well. Including logo'd thermos and handmade pens.

Photos will be judged and awarded at the end of October. Pictures will be taken and used for the 2026 Windmill Farms calendar.

Thank you again for an incredible 20 years!

10/14/2025

Breed Preservation 4 Week Course Report
Dr. Carol Beuchat Geneticist Scientist Biology

For those of us that attended last nights first Genetics and Breed Preservation course, we were treated to almost 3 hours of thorough explanation on

Dog Genetics
Golden Retriever Genetics
Limitations in Pure Bred Breeding - Where we are at today graph.
Health Testing IE Mutation testing
Data and Graphs I've seen most of but a couple I'd never seen. Mind blowing!
How to fix it

The information we received is not the information being represented on FB. No surprise but its also little wonder vets and scientists rarely post on FB. The opinion is so skewed that its hardly worth the effort. We drank from the head waters last night.

Well worth my time. Especially live with Q&A.

BTW, I've studied the OMIA mutation results in GRs from my ICB 12 week course. I was very happy to have Dr. Beuchat discuss and explain this information.

One of the biggest take-a-ways for me was the explanation and discussion about health testing or as we learned last night.....mutation testing. We learned that because of the way we are breeding, (An explanation on the "Why") we will breed more mutations that we can possibly keep up with. As almost every breeder that's paying attention knows; they're increasing more rapidly than ever. Those of use attending last night, understand the "why". We are and will continue to spend millions chasing our proverbial tails. Chasing an isolated deleterious recessive genetic trail that will never, ever end unless we change the way we breed. Someone is getting wealthy under the guise of health testing. Its not health testing, Its Oh BTW here's a list of recessive deleterious mutations you've created by inbreeding goldens, see you next year!

I thought to myself, surely the GRCA and AKC know this......right???

Then I thought, is the like NIL in college football and advertising dollars to carry games. Is this about a money grab that will be squeezed until it dies. Some will walk away disappointed and dog poor, while others enjoy the fruits of genetic ignorance?

Wild deer populations don't health IE mutation test?
Wild elk populations don't health IE mutation test?
Wild pheasant and duck populations don't health IE mutation test?
Wild mammal populations don't require human intervention unless we ruin it. Why? Because mother nature has a remedy. It works and has worked for millennia.

Education! My how it changes the thought process. No wonder Rulers and Magistrates have gone to great efforts over 100's of years with the notion that ignorance is a best tool used by those in power to manipulate predicted outcomes. It is also the root cause of repeated mistakes and societal dangers. Controlling is often viewed as a strategic advantage. In today's financially driven society, it means money.

10/13/2025

Sasha Update - 17 years old in December 2025

Embark and VGL genetic kits arrived. I will work with Chris to get her cheek swab completed. Her results will be reviewed personally by a geneticist for scientific evaluation.

If you've taken the course below, I will share all the results with you on the FB Breed Preservation page. The results will also be in dogsark.org. When you have an understanding of how COI, Kinship, Alleles, Deleterious genes, Genetics coincide, these outcomes make more sense.

Sasha is a result of a non-popular sire female pedigree and US performance male. We are anxious to get the genetic assessment.

What I learn Sasha's genetics will be applied to Nova. WM Farms Midnight Run.

10/13/2025

Class start tonight! 6 pm PST

https://www.facebook.com/groups/icbminicoursepreservegenestopreservebreeds

Dr. Beuchat sent out the link via email last night. We checked connections and reviewed content. I loved what I saw. I think you'll love what you learn. This is her first LIVE session and genetic mini course.

She will record the session and have it available for later viewing.

Invest in yourself, the breed and you. Education is the key to success!

Dr. Carol Beuchat Breed Preservation Webinar Information
Webinar - Breed Preservation Information
Starting October 2025
Format: Zoom - Live
Weekly: Monday
Content related Q&A
Recorded & shared for later use.
Material dissemination included
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/VTNVH9TYKHWU4
A four week course starting Monday (October 13, 20, 27, and November 3) 6pm PST (Pacific Standard Time) 9pm EST.

Registration for "Introduction to Genetics For Breed Preservation", 4 (weekly) online webinars for Windmill Farms Goldens (October 13, 20, 27, and November 3)

10/12/2025

"Sunrise, nature's daily masterpiece."

10/10/2025

I use scenarios like this to figure out the hunters from the retrievers. Yesterday Ephraim flushed seven birds on his own. Peppers bird drive is exceptional as well.

Who's willing to go into the thick stuff and flush pheasants?

When I announce what I think will be a quality hunting litter, usually one or two per year, they've been vetted and represented.