Our puppies are carefully raised and handled in clean, warm environments from day 1. Cleaning and sanitizing solutions that are safe for newborn puppies are regularly utilized. We believe that a clean, quiet area is key for raising young, healthy puppies.
Our puppies are nurtured in environments that include children, adults, and various farm animals. Our golden pups are also exposed to other adult goldens. These various exposures ensure that your new puppy is well-rounded and ready for your new home.
Genetics & Health Certifications
Our top priorities at Buckeye Goldens are listed in order of importance: 1. Health 2. Temperament 3. Beauty
Health - All of our Goldens are OFA certified for hips, heart, and elbows. Official results from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals can be obtained at 2 years old. Additionally, all of our Goldens are genetic tested by DNA analysis to ensure that we are not passing on known genetic weaknesses. We are a member of the Golden Retriever Club of America and follow the GRCA health testing recommendations.
Temperament - We are dedicated to breeding Golden Retrievers with exceptional temperaments, prioritizing qualities like gentleness, loyalty, and sociability. Through thoughtful breeding practices and early socialization, we strive to produce Goldens that embody the breed's renowned warmth and intelligence. Beauty - We are also committed to breeding Golden Retrievers who exemplify beauty and stunning physiques. We meticulously select our breeding dogs for their elegant proportions, graceful movement, and adherences to the breed's standard.
Breeder Curriculum
At Buckeye Golden Retrievers, Marcellus brings 20 years of experience and dedicated research to ensure puppies are well-prepared for their forever homes, ready to adapt to new environments with confidence.
We raise our puppies using insight gained from the Badass Breeder Curriculum, and also utilizing our own specialized techniques—designed to lay a strong foundation for therapy and service dog training, as well as fostering lifelong loyal companionship. Our comprehensive approach starts from the day our puppies are born, setting them on the path to thrive in any situation.
ENS / ESI
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) is a specialized program that gently introduces controlled, mild stimulations to puppies from days 3 to 16. This approach fosters neurological development, enhancing the puppies’ immune systems, cardiovascular health, and stress resilience.
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) is a training regimen designed to sharpen puppies’ scent detection and response capabilities. From days 3 to 16, we expose puppies to distinct scents for short periods, observing and noting their reactions. ESI promotes confidence, emotional stability, heightened scent awareness, and adaptability to new environments.
Desensitizing our Puppies
As puppies start opening their ears (around day 14), we start sound training and desensitizing our puppies. We incorporate gradual sound desensitization by softly playing everyday noises like thunder, sirens, chirping birds, and vacuums. This structured approach, combined with our warm, clean environments and health-focused protocols, ensures every Golden Retriever puppy that leaves us is ready to thrive in your home.
As our puppies develop, we gently introduce them to new objects and environments to build their adaptability to diverse surfaces and settings. We carefully expose them to different areas of our homestead, provide unique toys, and encourage play on new surfaces. We ensure every experience is positive and non-threatening, fostering confidence and resilience for their future homes.
Socialization
Early socialization is key to raising well-adjusted dogs here at Buckeye Golden Retrievers. Our puppies regularly interact with people of all ages in a purposeful, gentle manner, teaching them that people and other dogs are safe and friendly. We carefully time these interactions to align with their developmental stages, ensuring positive experiences. Our goal is to nurture confident puppies who adapt comfortably to new people, dogs, and environments.
Puppy Evaluations
Our goal is to match every puppy with the right family. To achieve this, our team utilizes the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. This is an individualized personality test completed on each puppy in the litter at 6-7 weeks old. We produce Interactive Videos explaining the Volhard score results and personality description of each puppy. Videos and pictures of each puppy are posted to our site, and we walk you through the selection process when it's your turn to pick! This testing process also gives us measurable data for those in need of service/therapy dogs. Your picking order in the litter is determined by the date your deposit was placed. See Marcellus doing the Volhard Test
Partnering for a Lifetime
Our mission at Buckeye Golden Retrievers is to provide you with a world class experience as you welcome in your new family member. We are committed to providing a professional, fun, and seamless experience by keeping you informed from the time that you place a deposit until the time that you welcome your new puppy home. We place a high priority on being responsive to your emails, DM's, and phone calls. Whether you pick up your puppy in person, or utilize our personalized delivery services, we are here for you every step of the way!
Buckeye Starter Kit
All of our puppies go home with the following: - Our 2 year health guarantee that covers genetic conditions - A detailed vet health record and up-to-date vaccination/deworming record - 30 days of free pet insurance, eligible for the offer with your AKC registration
As the icing on top, we send you home with our Buckeye Starter Kit, filled with our favorite products. Take a peak here
