We have been involved in this breed since 1998. In 2011, we actively started our breeding program. Our goal at Golden Gate has been to produce beautiful, companion dogs that are able and willing to compete in all aspects of canine activities. We are a small kennel with a limited but well-planned breeding program. We work on this goal with friends and other breeders and co-own several dogs that live in other locations. A well-planned breeding program means that each breeding is of tremendous importance to use. We concentrate our efforts into caring for and
socializing our pups. We follow a unique, state-of-the-art puppy rearing and development program that gives all of our pups, no matter their future, the best possible start in life.
At Golden Gate, our first concern is health. Our medical professional background gives us the opportunity to do educated research, planning and breeding. After health, we balance temperament, and conformation. We strive to breed Kooikerhondjes who are intelligent, confident, and loving. We are concerned about a few serious genetic problems facing Kooikerhondjes. At a minimum, all of our breeding dogs must be tested for patella luxation, eye abnormalities, carrier status for Hereditary Necrotizing Myelopathy (ENM), von Willebrand Disease (vWD) and hip dysplasia. All our breeding dogs have an OFA certification number or preliminary health screenings.
In conjunction with physical and mental soundness, we seek to produce Kooikerhondjes with intelligence, drive, and biddableness. We measure achievement of these goals in the conformation, obedience and agility ring, as well as other performance events. Our personal focus is training our Kooikers in canine search and rescue for example.
Our IDEAL KOOIKERHONDJE, the goal of our breeding program, is a dog of correct structure that:
- has the biddability and intelligence to be trained for a wide variety of activities by the experienced owner.
- is healthy and sound, with no chronic illnesses of any kind, including allergies and orthopedic problems.
- lives a long and healthy life as a beloved member of the family.
- is immediately identifiable as an appropriately sized Kooikerhondje, has a lovely, correct head with a pleasant expression.
- is a moderately high energy dog that settles well in the house.
Our dogs fit well into active homes where they will have jobs, with regular training and exercise. We seek performance and/or competition homes for the vast majority of our puppies. A very few pups each year may go to non-working pet homes but these are not your typical pet homes where the dog gets 15 minutes of walking once a day. Rather, they are homes where the dog is a respected working companion rather than a spoiled pet, homes where the dog participates in many if not most of the family’s activities, homes where training and working with the dog is a top priority.
We seek to follow the highest Code of Ethics as well as the Golden Rule in our dealings with other Kooikerhondje fanciers, our puppy buyers, and the general public. We do all we can to treat our buyers fairly and to use our interactions as a means to educate them and the general public about dog behavior, the responsibilities of dog ownership, and good animal husbandry.
We are committed to our own continuing education–as breeders, trainers, exhibitors, and owners. We do this through our professional background, extensive training in canine genetics, animal behavior/dog breeding, seminars, course work (Avidog/Puppy Culture), and discussions with professional dog trainers and handlers, and other members of the dog fancy. We also put into practice what we have learned by training and exhibiting our own dogs.
Thank you again for your interest in our breeding program. Since we offer only a limited number of puppies each year, we do recommend reserving a puppy in advance of the actual whelping. If you are still interested in a Golden Gate puppy, please read carefully through our website and then connect with us through our puppy questionnaire.
