Stormy Hill Golden Retrievers

21/08/2024

Just showin' off.

20/08/2024

A fellow breeder posted this graphic, and I have to say it is absolutely true. There's a pet store at our local mall that sells purebred AKC golden retrievers for $4,800 each.

There's no record to the purchaser of where the puppy came from, they don't get to meet the parents, they don't get any history on the pedigree, nothing.

No verification of any health testing done on the puppy parents, nothing. And this is exponentially higher than what we sell our puppies for.

I think the key difference here is that people are willing to pay that price if they can just finance the whole thing, these are people who may not have the financial resources to properly care for a dog in the first place and they are pressured into obtaining a line of credit for a dog.

18/08/2024

Less than 10 days and we should be welcoming a litter from Sky x Red. Their offspring have produced hunt test competitors, upland bird hunters, service dog prospects, trainer demo dogs and titled scent trackers.

These two are supreme athletes with amazing drive and perfect off switches.

Red is titled not only in the hunt test arena (as is his entire pedigree) but also as a certified therapy dog and he holds and obedience title with AKC. The best dog we have ever owned who will go 100mph in the field and then go to a nursing home visit and charm those who need a calm loving dog to stroke. He is completely CLEAR on his Pawprint genetic panel, has OFA certs for hips, elbows, eyes and heart and is well titled.

Sky is a stellar example of a girl who will work hard in the field and then keep your feet warm at home. She loves to work, she loves birds and she loves to swim. She also loves her humans. Her full sibling has 4 grand passes and she comes from a long line of hunt test competitors titled throughout her entire pedigree. Sky is completely CLEAR on her Pawprint genetic panel, has OFA certs for hips, elbows, eyes and heart and is well titled.

We have a few female spots left on this pairing.

17/08/2024

Like mother, like daughter.

Sky on the left-top Sailor (a product of Sky x Red) on the bottom- right.

16/08/2024

Dog parks are a bad idea.

Let me shout that again for those in the back- don't take your puppy or your dog to a dog park.

This is one of the first pieces of advice that I share with our puppy families as well as anyone I know who has a dog, no matter the age, the breed or the s*x.

Don't do it.

A dog park is defined as "A gated or fenced off area usually in or near a park where dogs can be off leash and interact with others while playing and socializing." In theory it sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

But that is just in theory.

What you actually find at a dog park is that the grounds themselves are breeding ground for bacteria and parasites. Even if the owners are all responsible and pick up after their pets you are taking a dog into an area that likely will expose them to more bad things than good. I like to think its akin to taking a young toddler (think one who still puts their hands and everything in their mouths) to the local ball pit in the middle of cold and flu season.

What you actually find is that more than half of dog owners truly don't understand proper socialization, boundaries, and safety when in comes to meeting up with others. Most misread their dog's signals, subtle body language, and then there are just some who don't care about the behavior of their dog.

I have talked to countless families who have taken their well adjusted, well socialized, pup or young dog to a dog park only to have the dog either attacked or run down by another off leash and not so well behaved dog. The consequences for that pup or dog can be devastating including retraining and confidence building as well as new negative behaviors stemming from fear.

So how can you let your dog play well with others and socialize them without a dog park, especially if you don't have a large green space at your disposal? First of all, understand that "socializing" a dog is so much less about other dog interactions and so much more about interactions with their environment (think new smells, sounds, textures and locations). Secondly, pick your dog's "friends" for them. Meet up with friends or family members who have well behaved, healthy dogs and allow them to play with those specific dogs.

Another great idea is the app Sniffspot it is an app that allows you to locate fenced green spaces or even water spots that you can rent at an hourly rate for your dog. There will not be other dogs there at the time you rent so you do not have to worry about unwanted interactions. You might also rent with a friend and take your dogs together but while you are the rented designee, no other dogs are allowed to rent the same spot at the same time.

Just know that though your intentions may be well meaning when it comes to finding social interactions for your dog, dog parks are the antithesis of places to promote appropriate socialization

15/08/2024

Introducing Stormy Hill's Strawberry Moon
aka: Luna

Age 1

Luna is a product of our boy, Red, and our girl, Stella. Luna's parents are both certified and AKC titled therapy dogs. Luna's dad is also a titled HRC seasoned hunting retriever.

Luna's coloring is what first stood out to us, she was the darkest of her litter and at age 1 is the exact same shade of red as her dad, Stormy Hill's Red Thunder.

Luna is all clear on her genetics, has completed OFA heart and eyes and will complete OFA hips and elbows on her second birthday. She also has a completely clear genetic panel for DM, ICH, PRA, PRAcd and NCL.

We plan to get her CGC title for obedience this fall and then start working towards therapy certification. With an all good on her OFA's and her first title she will be able to enter into our breeding program summer 2025

14/08/2024

Stormy Hill's Red Moon Rising aka: Sailor.

Daughter of Red x Sky age 1.

This girl has her dad's epic jump.

She has now completed her OFA eyes and heart and after age 2 will complete her OFA hips & elbows. We hope she will be able to enter our breeding program in summer 2025 once she has gotten her first hunt test title.

Here's to watching great things from this girl.

14/08/2024

14/08/2024

1 year old Luna (Stella x Red pup) frolicking with Red, they are literally the same beautiful dark red color.

12/08/2024

Look.at this Beauty right here!!!!

This is a pup out of our Red x Sky performance pairing that is just 9 months old!!!
(We do have another litter from this pairing of Red x Sky coming in less than 2 weeks)

Owned by Roxy and Thea

Meet Stormy Hill's Sargent Charlie From Pike with her first two hunt test passes!

04/08/2024

Hi steppin' with Stella at the creek!

31/07/2024

Want to know what it looks like to take a whole litter of puppies to the vet?

*Puppies are all spoken for*

29/07/2024

Sky is at the vet taking a pregnancy test...see comments for results.

28/07/2024

Yes, Red, I love you too!

24/07/2024

Red x Sky is what we refer to as our performance pairing. Our intent with this pairing is to produce driven, energetic, biddable goldens that are a perfect example of a field bred golden retriever. We have two from this cross and they are fantastic athletes who love to swim, retrieve and work as well as be doted on by their family members.

As adults Sky and Red are amazing with a nice off switch. Red is dual-titled in both hunting venues as well as being a certified and titled therapy dog who visits nursing homes on the regular to the delight of all. Sky is an active athlete who loves to go but at the end of the day she will curl up at your feet and sleep the night away.

These pups will do well in active homes that can nurture their athleticism through an active lifestyle or being involved in sports, scent work, diving or hunting venues.

K9 data link in comments, message for an application. We expect puppies to be born late August with a go home of mid to late October.

23/07/2024

I have owned mixed breeds, I have owned purebreds.

I have adopted from a shelter, I have paid top dollar from a breeder.

I have been heartbroken at seeing dogs who no one wants.

I have been elated when cuddling a whole litter of newborn pups.

The thing I have not done is bred a litter without a plan. I have not dropped a dog off at a shelter. I have not refused to take back a pup that I bred (and lets face it I have taken dogs that I haven’t bred) to rehome appropriately.

What am I trying to say here? Responsible breeders do not add to the flood of unwanted shelter dogs. Responsible breeders allow families and individuals to make a choice. They can choose a specific breed. They can choose a specific pedigree. They can choose to support an ethical breeder and get in line for a stable dog of working lines, show lines, companion lines, or anything else they choose.

Families can choose to avoid the unknown if they want and they are not contributing to the demise of the dogs in shelters.

What is contributing to the overflow of shelter animals is those who allow a breeding to occur
“just to see what happens.”
“Just because I want my dog to be a mom.”
“Just because it will be a cute mix.”

Those who do not responsibly ensure their dog is not bred or who choose to breed the latest “designer” mash-up are contributing.

Shelter dogs are not being euthanized because responsible breeders have a litter of pups. Adopt if you want to, Shop if you want to, but just know at the end of the day that those of us working hard at what we do will never let one of our dogs go to a shelter, they will be loved, rehomed if ever necessary, and loved some more.

22/07/2024

What a beautiful rainbow of golds we got from this cross of Red x Poppy🥰

*None are available*

17/07/2024

How to raise a confident, well socialized, non-reactive, low anxiety puppy.

There are a lot of myths out there about puppy socialization but with decades of experience between my husband and I here at Stormy Hill we have some rock-solid recommendations for all of our puppy families.

When you take your puppy home DO NOT rush to the nearest pet store, dog park, or playground. First and foremost your puppy needs to complete a series of puppy vaccinations that usually requires 4 doses ending between 15-18 weeks depending on your veterinarian's vaccine schedule. IT IS NOT SAFE to take your puppy into these types of environments until they have been fully vaccinated against several diseases, paramount being Parvo.

Parvo kills puppies.

I often hear people say they are concerned that by waiting until 15-18 weeks they will have an unsocialized puppy. This comment is because people are ill informed about what puppy socialization is actually all about.
So, how do you socialize a puppy properly?
Starting from the moment you take the puppy home your puppy needs to be exposed to different experiences. This does not mean other dogs and people at first. Think of it this way, you want your puppy to bond with your immediate family and your household so the first week or two home your puppy is going to be getting used to your routines, your environment, your home's smells, sounds, and objects in their environment. It is not uncommon for a puppy to go into a new home and show signs of fear of certain objects, while social media posts love to highlight the hilarious things that dogs can be fearful of (plastic bag, salt shaker, vacuum cleaner, step stool) these fears if left unhandled root in creating an anxious dog.

NEVER coddle your puppy when you notice it is afraid of something that is NOT dangerous (again with the step stool and salt shaker). Use this as an opportunity to repeatedly expose your puppy to the thing that has startled them or caused them to show some level of anxiety. Very calmly take your pup by the collar and slowly bring the item to them or them to the item. If puppy cowers just reassure them that all is well and they are fine, you can treat them once they ease and show signs of relaxing. Do this repeatedly for a few days and you will be amazed.

Look for new experiences in your home on a daily basis. Expose them to different noises, (alarm clock, container with a lid and beans inside, clanging pots and pans) Expose them to different surfaces (carpet, concrete, wood, grass, gravel, and any slick surface you can come across). Expose them to different sensations (being rolled onto their back, lightly pressing in between their toes, clapping near them) Take walks around your neighborhood but don't stop at the local park and let kids swarm your dog (again with the vaccination schedule not being completed yet)

Once you go outside of your immediate environment (again after all vaccinations are completed) Take your dog to parks with children, just make sure to start working on a "sit" command in these environments so puppy starts to learn to sit when approached by random kids. Take your puppy to places like Lowes or Home depot (YES they allow pups and love having them) These environments are the PERFECT places to allow your puppy to start experiencing weird noises, objects, and surfaces. Think about it, there are forklifts, strange inflatables, big buckets of paint, stacks of carpets, aisles of lights/fans and so many smells. Doing a 10 minute walkthrough of a variety of aisles on a weekly or biweekly basis while reassuring your pup in any scenario where he/she seems concerned will do WONDERS for proper socialization.

We DO NOT recommend dog parks EVER. The reason being you have no idea what level of obedience, socialization, reactivity, or aggression the random dogs there have or have not had. We prefer planned playdates with other dogs if you desire. Find a friend, a neighbor, a relative and allow your dogs to become acquainted with and play with that dog.

SPECIAL NOTE: For those considering therapy work in the future with your dog, when walking your dog out and about encourage your dog to pay no attention to other dogs when passing. If you stop to chat with someone who also has a dog that is one thing but don't encourage random approaching of other dogs as this can be a behavior that is hard to retrain later (just imagine that everytime your dog sees another they get all riled up and want to wrestle/play, now imagine trying to pass a certification test where your dog is constantly tugging and pulling at the lead to get to other dogs for a romp while you are trying to calmly walk through a crowd).

People often comment on our stud, Red, he is not afraid of anything, he is not reactive when passing other animals, he is incredibly obedient and never shows signs of anxiety. He became this way after an intense amount of socialization, obedience training, and good dog handling. Puppies are not born like this. These are all things that you have some level of control over as the puppy owner. Get them off to a great start from the moment you get your puppy home and if you are not a skilled trainer, be sure to enroll in obedience classes as soon as your puppy completes their vaccination schedule.

Golden Retriever breeder located in SW Ohio specializing in hunt performance and therapy dog lines.

15/07/2024

From a pup to one half of our amazing performance line, Miss Sky at 10 weeks and again at 2.5 years

HR Stormy Hill's Red Sky, CGC

14/07/2024

Hellooo, Stella.

13/07/2024

Meet Miss Poppy.

Poppy was our pick out of a litter we bred from 3 years ago. We couldn't wait to see what she produced when paired with our house stud, Red.

Poppy is super lovable with a silky soft coat. She loves to be with her people and is goofy and fun-loving. She has shown the aptitude to be interested in hunt testing as our 11 year old son took her to her first hunt test and got 2 passes towards her title all by himself.

She obtained her Canine Good Citizen title with AKC before her 2nd birthday and has been fully OFA certified for hips, elbows, eyes, and heart as well as an all clear on genetics.

She did not disappoint when it came time to be a momma. We were blessed with a beautiful litter that has beautiful butterscotch pups with a few red girls to boot and with such sweet dispositions.

Our pups are now 3 weeks old and are all spoken for save for 2 females. Reach out for an application or with questions, these girls won't last.

11/07/2024

Look at this Red daughter and what she's up to!

So proud of this girl for successfully completing her CGC test at 6 months and 1 day old! This girl has been a ton of fun to work with, and we are excited for more great things from our Red x Nala pup. Soon to be Scarlet Fern’s Fiery Artemis CGC 😊

09/07/2024

This pairing is amazing and has produced an AKC scent tracker, a couple of service dog prospects and hunt test competitors. We have two pups from these parents as well and love what we are seeing.

We have limited availability for our performance pairing between Sky x Red that we expect will go home mid-October. Reach out for details and an application.

HR Stormy Hill's Red Thunder CGC, THDN

ICH- CLEAR
prcd-PRA- CLEAR
PRA1- CLEAR
PRA2- CLEAR
DM- CLEAR
NCL- CLEAR

OFA HIPS- GOOD
OFA ELBOWS- NORMAL
OFA EYES- 5/24
OFA HEART- NORMAL

HR Stormy Hill's Red Sky, CGC

ICH- CLEAR
prcd-PRA- CLEAR
PRA1- CLEAR
PRA2- CLEAR
DM- CLEAR
NCL- CLEAR

OFA HIPS- GOOD
OFA ELBOWS- NORMAL
OFA EYES- 5/24
OFA HEART- NORMAL

04/07/2024

Happy Independence Day from our pack to yours! 🇺🇲

29/06/2024

Poppy is proving to be such a good momma! Her pups are all doing great and growing fast!

This litter is ideal as a family companion.

Poppy has her Canine Good Citizen obedience and is a goofy and loving Golden. She loves her people and all children. Poppy was handled by our 11 year old who wanted to try his hand at hunt testing and she passed 2 times (she just needs 2 more) to gain a title in that venue.

Red of course is a certified therapy dog as well as stellar athlete and hunting companion.

We have 2 female picks available that will be ready to go mid August.

27/06/2024

Happy 1st Birthday to our boy, Rooster!

Everready Stormy Hill's Wake Up Call

26/06/2024

Sky is a powerhouse of an athlete but with the sweetest disposition when lying inside at the end of a long day right by your feet.

24/06/2024

Poppy x Red's puppies have arrived!!!

https://www.k9data.com/pedigree.asp?ID=1319167

***2 female spots are now available***