Health Guarantee Terms and Conditions
Our Breeding Program
Our breeding program focuses on the health of our dogs and puppies, as we are striving to produce the healthiest puppies possible through our practices. However, we want to be very clear that although we complete particular testing to result in the best outcomes possible, dogs are still living creatures, with problems that can arise despite all we do before breeding. It is critical to understand that there are no perfect dogs even if the puppies' parents are health tested before breeding. We use the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) recommendations and AKC breeding guidelines to make our breeding decisions. In addition, we consult and value collaboration with Reproductive Veterinarians who assist us with current research and evidence-based practices. Despite following these guidelines with the utmost accuracy, Golden Retrievers are still prone to various health issues, just like any other breed of dog. We do not want to mislead anyone when they receive the full disclosure that the parents of the puppy are health tested within our program. The health screenings are not a perfect indicator of the longevity or health of your puppy, but do provide us with improved favor by attempting to weed out any known issues before breeding. Our genetic testing allows us to detect any carriers of specific genes that could pose a risk of producing affected puppies when appropriately selecting a paring of breeding dogs. It is our hope and with good faith that we are doing everything we can before breeding. We will continue to remain dedicated to the advancement of research and screenings as they improve over time. We are devoted to the Golden Retriever breed, our dogs & puppies, and your family.
Golden Acres Represents
Before going home, the puppy was examined by a Licensed Veterinarian and was determined to be in good health. The puppy will receive their first set of vaccinations, dewormer x3, and dew-claw removal along with their comprehensive examination, which finds them to hopefully be in good health. The parents have received screening through the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation of Animals). Genetics have all been tested on the parents through Embark DNA. Due to the unknown environmental and hereditary causes of defects related to potential defects in their health, a limited guarantee is provided.
If within one year (12 months) of the puppy’s birthday, a full refund (minus deposit) or replacement of a puppy will be provided if your puppy is diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia, grade 2 or 3 elbow dysplasia, hereditary defects of the heart, heart murmur grade 4, 5 or 6 or hereditary defects of the eyes. The hereditary defects of the heart or eyes need to be confirmed by an OFA Cardiologist or OFA Ophthalmologist. Cataracts, ulcers, hyperpigmentation of the skin (which most commonly affects the tongue), and traumatic or sporadic instances of defects are not covered under this guarantee. It is our right as a breeder to refund the purchase price (minus deposit) instead of a replacement puppy.
We do try to breed particular physical characteristics such as color, size, and temperament. We will not be responsible for any refunds or replacements of your puppy if these characteristics we outline before breeding are not achieved. Even though we study genetics and characteristics, mother nature is still in charge and ultimately is the deciding factor of what your puppy will look like when fully grown (at approximately 12-14 months of age).
We are not liable for any veterinarian expenses after leaving our property.
We will not be responsible for any communicable disease that is contracted after the puppy leaves our property.
All of our puppies are sold with limited registration. If at any time we are notified that the owner breeds or attempts to breed any of our puppies purchased, this health guarantee is immediately terminated and becomes void.
Veterinarian Care
The new buyer agrees to have their puppy examined within 7 days of purchase by a Licensed Veterinarian to ensure the health of the puppy. If within 7 days of going home, the puppy is examined and found to be at risk for a congenital defect that existed at birth, we request to be notified immediately by a written statement from the veterinarian. This statement needs to describe the condition in full. We reserve the right to have the puppy examined by another Veterinarian, to ensure the diagnosis is accurate. We will refund the full purchase price (minus the deposit) or replace the puppy if the provided puppy is in the same condition mentally and physically as when originally purchased. Conditions that are excluded are the detection of worms, mites, coccidia, giardia, UTI, ticks, fleas, and any other parasites as they are common in any dog.
Nutrition
We believe and do our best to be intentional about the nutrition our breeding dogs and puppies receive. All of our breeding dogs and their puppies are provided with Life’s Abundance nutrition. All families are sent home with a 3-day supply of the food we have been feeding them, so everyone has what they need until their shipment of food arrives at their home. Before the puppies are sent home, I send an email outlining the food we are feeding the puppies with an ordering link to my personal Life’s Abundance ordering page. This ensures all families are aware of the food their puppy is receiving and gives them time to order their supply for when the puppy goes home. If the puppy is not fed Life’s Abundance dog food after going home, the entire health guarantee is terminated and void immediately.