LiveOak Golden Retriever Puppy Reviews

Small program, no pressure, and they were honest about what they could and could not predict about an eight-week-old puppy. We have recommended them to two neighbors. Both are on a wait list now, so I suppose I should have kept quiet.

Sage E.
Burlington, Vermont

We had to wait two extra weeks because our puppy needed a little more time, and they told us rather than send him early. It was inconvenient and we were disappointed at the time. Now that he is home and thriving, we understand why they did it and we are grateful.

Quinn G.
Boise, Idaho

Our girl was the last of the litter and we were worried that meant something. It did not. They were patient with our questions, sent photos and short videos every week, and never once made us feel like we were being a bother. She is eleven months old now and the easiest dog we have ever had.

Jamie T.
Nashville, Tennessee

We are in our seventies and had not raised a puppy in thirty years. They never once made us feel silly for asking basic questions, and they wrote things down for us instead of assuming we would remember. The health guarantee page was the clearest part of any breeder website we looked at, because it actually told us what was covered.

Riley Y.
Columbus, Ohio

We got our second Golden from them five years after the first. That probably says more than anything else I could write. The first is nine now and still sound. They remembered us when we called, which we did not expect.

Avery S.
Seattle, Washington

What stood out was how much they wanted to talk before they would take a deposit. We spent almost an hour on the phone going over our yard, our work schedule, and how much time someone would be home. They asked more questions than we did. By the time we reserved our girl, we felt like we had already been vetted ourselves.

Jordan T.
Austin, Texas

One of our pups was diagnosed with a heart murmur at his first checkup. We called them nervous. They asked for the records, recommended we see a cardiologist, and covered the specialist visit they asked for. It turned out to be benign and he is fine now. What mattered was that the conversation was calm and nobody tried to dodge us.

Cameron M.
Tampa, Florida

Our puppy came home already used to the vacuum, the doorbell, and being handled. Our vet commented on it at the first visit. He said the puppy was calm and easy to examine, which he does not say about every eight-week-old Golden. That first appointment is required within three days, and we were glad we had it scheduled before pickup.

Morgan R.
Denver, Colorado

We drove six hours to meet them halfway rather than put a puppy on a plane. They picked the meeting spot, sent the address and time in writing, and had the records organized in a folder. There was no rushing. They answered every question we had and told us to call if anything came up in the first week. We did call, twice, and someone picked up both times.

Taylor M.
Portland, Oregon

They told us up front that our boy would likely be too big for in-cabin travel by the time he was ready to go home, and explained what the other options were instead of promising something they could not deliver. We appreciated the honesty. We ended up driving, and they walked us through what to bring for the ride home.

Alex G.
Charlotte, North Carolina

They showed us the OFA numbers for both parents before we ever put down a deposit. That was the deciding factor for us. We had talked to three other breeders who got vague when we asked about clearances. These two just pulled up the paperwork and went through it line by line.

Casey R.
San Diego, California

They talked to us about delaying the spay until she was past a year, based on what the research shows for Goldens, and told us it was our call with our vet. No pressure either way. That kind of conversation made us trust the rest of what they told us.

Drew A.
Madison, Wisconsin

The records folder was the most organized thing I have ever received from a breeder. Vaccination dates, deworming, microchip number, parent clearances, feeding schedule, and the health guarantee page all in one place. Our vet said she wished every breeder sent that.

Reese N.
Kansas City, Missouri

They asked us to call them if we ever could not keep her, and they meant it. That was in the paperwork and they said it again at pickup. I have never had a breeder say that to me. It says something about how they think about the dogs they place.

Blake J.
Richmond, Virginia