ABOUT US
Rancho Del Oro is a small in-home licensed hobby kennel with a 10-dog Kern County kennel limit in the High Desert region of Southern California. Located in Rosamond California, we are less than a mile from the historic Tropico Gold Mine and the exotic
Feline Conservation Center, 2 miles from Willow Springs International Raceway, and about 12 miles from Edwards Air Force Base. Our puppies are raised in the clean desert air on a spacious 1 acre property with children, cats, and lots of socialization, interactive stimulation, and love.
From a pair of pet quality Goldens acquired in 1980, our involvement in the breed took a serious turn a few years later when we acquired our first show quality Golden, "DESI". She became our first champion, first field titled dog, a Kern County search and rescue dog, a TV actress, and the foundation of the RDO bloodline.
Through constant study and old fashioned hard work, we have consistently improved our Goldens over seven generations, quietly producing show champions, obedience and field titled dogs, search and rescue dogs, therapy dogs, guide dogs, assistance dogs, dog actors, and (of course) many fantastic family companions. Despite heavy competition from wealthy dog backers and an overabundance of backyard breeders, dogs of our breeding can be found winning and working and warming hearts locally, from coast to coast, and in several foreign countries as well.
Versatility is our hallmark. You CAN have a Golden that hunts with Dad, cuddles with the kids, fetches the paper for Mom, does silly tricks for anybody, and is drop-dead gorgeous to boot!
Here are my goals as a breeder:
1) Produce sound dogs as close to the standard as possible.
2) Evaluate dogs individually and place them in homes where their potential can be as fully realized as possible.
Are you a new fancier, put off by stratospheric prices or unsure whether that big breeder will truly send you the pick male or female? I've been there! Do you have specific needs? All of our pups are carefully tested for temperament, intelligence, trainability, instinct, and desire to please. Have you had a bad experience with a dog of poor health or quality? We have an extensive 2-year guarantee, but would rather breed a sound dog in the first place. All of our adults are show quality, multi-talented, and are health-cleared by board-certified veterinary specialists before breeding.
Help us put puppy mills and backyard breeders out of business! Buy from a responsible breeder with verifiable references ONLY! Here are ours:
Member, Golden Retriever Club of America
Founding Member, Mojave Desert Golden Retriever Club
Former Member, Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles, Antelope Valley Kennel Club, and High Desert Obedience Club
Personal references available from:
Dr Alston Sears DVM – 661-948-5911
Professional Handlers & Trainers Chuck Gamby and Betty McGehee
AKC approved judges Nancy Talbott and Judy Coffman
Golden Retriever Rescue Foundation Owner/Operator Janna Smith
References from individuals with RDO Goldens also furnished upon request
INTERNET WARNING SIGNS
Be wary of "breeders" who do not compete with their dogs. They typically have lovely custom-designed websites and some of the dogs may have nice pedigrees, but none of them will have any titles and all the dogs will be photographed in candid shots instead of in show pictures. Ungroomed dogs (hairy ears and feet, or dirty or messy looking coats) are also a giveaway. A "show picture" is a photo of an immaculately groomed dog in an alert standing position sideways to the camera. The handler will be behind the dog and the judge can usually be seen off to one side, holding the ribbons and/or trophy the dog has won that day. There should also be a "win placard" near the dog identifying the win, the show, the date, and usually the name of the photographer as well. Competition is a very important method of “quality control” that separates the truly superior Golden, worthy of reproduction, from the mediocre one who has little or nothing to contribute to the improvement of the breed.
Ask to see copies of the puppy's pedigree and health certificates (hips, elbows, heart, and eyes) on the puppy's parents. Make absolutely sure that the paperwork you see matches up with who you have been told your puppy's parents are. Many small scale puppy mills are doing health clearances so they can get top dollar for their puppies, but some very unscrupulous breeders are still out there who hand out copies of the grandparents' pedigrees and clearances to avoid doing clearances on the dogs they are actually breeding. Verify that the dogs' registered names and AKC numbers are the same (these will appear on all official documents).
Most responsible breeders will have a detailed contract for you to sign. These contracts typically include some kind of health guarantee and usually require the neuter of all puppies sold as pets. If the breeder you are talking to has no contract at all, one without a health guarantee, or one that does not try to protect the future quality of the breed by requiring the neuter of their pet quality puppies, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Another warning sign is a breeder’s willingness to ship anywhere as long as someone has the asking price. Most responsible breeders will want to meet you, visit your premises, or at the very least will ask detailed questions about your family, house, yard, activities, etc. They will also not be evasive or upset if you ask them questions about their dogs, their breeding program, etc.
And finally, any breeder that has multiple litters at a time, ALL the time, is a puppy mill. Pure and simple. Responsible hobby breeders only have one or a few litters a YEAR, not several each month.
I hope this information has helped you get to know us a little better, and have helped you to be a better-informed puppy shopper! For those of you in or traveling to the Southern California area, we welcome your visit. Please mail us to make an appointment (to make sure we will be here!) and easy directions. For those of you who may be private pilots, we are very convenient to Rosamond Skypark Airport and would be happy to pick you up there if you would like to fly in to see us.
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