Windmill Farms Golden Retrievers

01/15/2026

https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/puppy-training-avalanche-rescues-rides-slopes-ski-patrollers-129184649?fbclid=IwY2xjawPT2rFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeVYjSuvab2qyaXbmWBlYmP1mhww8Cpzab4bS531-1YaeTy6UXy76Cc7xoSCQ_aem_VBF3EF2nT4aygrmOYHJndg

Congratulations to Louise and Benji.

Sage x Dusty litter

David Muir shares the adorable moment caught on tape of a 5-month-old puppy, who's training to become a certified avalanche rescue dog, skiing down the slopes on the shoulders of a ski patroller.

01/13/2026

Genetically Comparing US, UK, CAN and Crosses.

I now have over 10 goldens in the VGL database from a number of different countries and subpopulations. The VGL only offers 33 allele genetic analysis, fewer than Embark and Wisdom. However, what they do offer is the percentage results from their database of 1028 goldens. IE n = 1028. In addition the VGL lists the locus name, how many alleles are present at that site and the frequency of the allele at the sight. They also offer that information at DLA I & II.

If you look at the picture below, you will also notice under the TYPE, which allele the golden has and whether its homo or heterozygous. VGL gives me the frequency of each type in n=1028.

Why is this helpful to me?

I know its only 33 STRs but its enough to analyze both in the number of goldens and the allele subset.

This is what I did:

Using an Excel spreadsheet I listed all 33 locus names. At each location I looked up which allele was most common at each of the 33 sites and whether or not my golden was homo or heterozygous at that site. I emailed the VGL and asked them if we know what each of these Locus names is responsible for. The short answer is no. So, we don't know what they control or do. A high frequency allele may be a good thing or a bad.

Armed with more information, I decided to list the 33 STRs in a spreadsheet and go through each of the goldens I have in the data base and compare them against each other. Since I have goldens from the UK, CAN, US and popular sire-less, I want to know how their genes compare.

I'm not finished yet but to say this is interesting, is an understatement. The UK make up is very different than the US goldens and very different from the subpopulations like gundogs and others I have. Not only that, but the US goldens are homozygous, carry different alleles all at different locations than the UK goldens. I'm also adding the crosses I have against the group.

I submitted all my Embark data to an animal biologist who ran the genetics through a kinship matrix. IE I compared the genetics of my goldens with each other. The genetic data is not limited to 10 generations calculated which means I can see a lot farther.

Thanks to many, I have some fantastic performance frozen. After running the matrix I can see what I lack in this project. I purchased another popular sire-less golden from a different part of the country and I contact 2 other people about their goldens.

This has been a fascinating journey. I hope it worth it.

01/09/2026

It was 13° f this morning. There was a flock of geese on the sandbar. Ephraim, Clancy, Cora, Ailsa and Tay had to go investigate. Pepper is at home waiting to whelp, otherwise she'd be the first one in.

Me and the rest of the boot lickers just watched.

01/09/2026

They found fresh fox tracks this morning.

01/09/2026

Fresh Snow

Windmill Farms Golden Retrievers

01/08/2026

Why I imprint every pup I keep, in the field. Why I walk off leash, toss a bumper, hide scented objects 1-1 and more. I believe this has much more impact on a pup than ENS.

Dog imprinting refers to the powerful bond and deep attachment a dog forms with a specific human during a critical developmental stages. Learning that a person is a source of safety and care, leading to behaviors like intense following, mirroring actions, seeking constant closeness, and looking to that person for guidance, though it's a very strong bond rather than the strict "follow-the-first-thing-seen" imprinting seen in birds. This intense connection shapes their future behavior and trust, making them highly attuned to their imprinted human's cues and needs.

01/08/2026

A few years ago I was doing equine repro work with Dr. Price.

We developed a software that pushed ultrasound imagery to a handheld via BT. We flew to KY and visited several locations including Rood and Riddle equine hospital, their surrogate mare farm and Hill & Dale Farms.

At the surrogate mare farm there where about 80 random mares used for IVF - In Vitro. Fertilized egg harvested from a champion line implanted in a common brood mare. It was amazing to think that each common broodmare could be giving birth to the next derby winner.

I studied Secretariat along the way. The X Factor of his success.

Christopher Chenery, Penny's father and the founder of Meadow Stable, used the X factor to describe the essential quality or "guts" of a horse. (Horse Sense) Christopher Chenery believed that this "success or x factor" was inherited through the mare (female bloodline). Penny shared this belief, which guided her breeding decisions. Adhering to this principle, she made the bold choice to breed her mare Somethingroyal to the stallion Bold Ruler, a decision famously determined by a coin toss. The result of that pairing was Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner whose records in those races still stand today.

The large heart condition in top Thoroughbreds is an X-linked genetic trait, meaning it is passed down from the dam (mother) to both sons and daughters, but a male (like Secretariat) can only pass it on to his daughters. Somethingroyal's maternal lineage traces back to a foundation mare named the Alexander Mare (foaled in 1790), and ultimately to the historic stallion Eclipse, both believed to be sources of this large heart gene.

Autosomal genes in dogs are on nuclear chromosomes, inherited from both parents, dictating most traits and diseases, while mitochondrial genes (mtDNA) are in the mitochondria, inherited only from the mother, crucial for energy.

In genetics, the female mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is crucial because it's inherited exclusively from the mother, serving as a direct maternal lineage marker, vital for tracing ancestry, understanding energy metabolism (ATP production for cellular functions), and linking to specific diseases or traits like aging and cancer susceptibility, as mtDNA variations influence cellular energy efficiency and stress tolerance.

Since only the mother passes mtDNA to her offspring (s***m mitochondria are destroyed), it acts like a genetic "surname," allowing breeders and researchers to trace maternal lines for breed identification and purebred verification.

Mitochondria are the cell's "powerhouses," generating ATP (energy) via cellular respiration; variations in mtDNA affect how efficiently a dog's cells produce energy. While the direct link between general "breed depression" and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is not explicitly established in research, studies show that mtDNA can be affected by specific genetic disorders and environmental factors that might contribute to health problems, including some potentially related to behavior or general "inbreeding depression".

Health & Disease Implications:
Mitochondrial Diseases: Mutations in mtDNA can cause severe multi-system disorders, often affecting high-energy tissues like the brain, muscles, and eyes.

Aging: mtDNA mutations accumulate with age, potentially limiting lifespan; cellular stress tolerance (linked to mtDNA) varies between breeds, correlating with longevity.

Cancer: In the unique canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT), mtDNA can transfer and even recombine with host mtDNA, influencing cancer survival.

Trait & Behavior Links: mtDNA variations can influence metabolic rates, potentially affecting behavioral traits, stress tolerance, and even predisposition to certain conditions like mammary tumors in female dogs.

Why does this matter in canine breeding? It matters a lot actually. Understanding the importance of mtDNA changes they way I breed. Generally speaking when a field litter is announced, their is a bit more emphasis on all the accomplishments of the male. Males have an edge on Dual Dog Hall of Fame Goldens on the GRCA website. Mainly because females are bred during their younger years.

While both parents play a vital role in their offspring, I tend to agree with Penny and her father regarding the female. I pay close attention to the female. With a larger pack and a lot of observation in the field, I've seen a trend in their output. The last one being Roxy. I plan to take her mother Sage, to Edge this year. A lot of genetic diversity with a lot of energy and talent as well. I plan to keep another female pup and compare them in the field and genetically through the VGL. They give me the most data, not just a COI #. I'm already seeing some of what I think is the mtDNA maternal influence on our US x UK litters. Cora and Pepper are a prime example. They are not like the US based performance goldens we own.

Its a work in process but the information we have today is helping me make better decisions through heterozygosity, traits and diversity.

https://www.vet.upenn.edu/research/research-laboratories/penngenn-laboratories/resources/genetics-for-breeders/

01/07/2026

I always try to do multiple scenarios with the young dogs. This is Roxy. This exercise helps them use their nose to find a pheasant scented tennis ball. I go to both the cattails and the willows. I'm looking to make her think, mark through obstacles. Scent the target that will be familiar to her when old enough to grip and retrieve a pheasant.

01/07/2026

Tonight I took Roxy out to the edge of the duck pond. I have a pheasant scented tennis ball. We worked on marking and scenting where the pheasants will be. She is a fantastic retriever for her age.

01/06/2026

I've been working with Bill (Upland Hunter) who has a two year old WM Farms (Toffee x Copper UK x US) son. She only had one litter so these pups have not been duplicated.

He's a really good prospect when paired with our popular sire-less or gundog goldens. Integrating US & UK with those lines. Then I can go back into US performance, or possibly 1975 born Risen (CH). Integrating genetics with field talent.

Otto, Boone, Stone, Buzz are all excellent prospects in genetic diversity effort. Thanks to the owners willingness to help!

Pictured: Otto, Buzz, Boone, Stone

01/06/2026

Windmill Farms Golden Retrievers