FAQs

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 As a Happy Tails Guardian Home, we will select a few very special families to raise a few selected dogs for a discounted price. When the dog is ready, we will breed them while they still live with you. Once we've finished breeding them, they are yours forever to love and cherish in your own family's happy tales! 

Even though we use our dogs for breeding purposes, we are firm believers that they deserve every ounce of attention, affection, spoiling, and love that a normal family dog receives! We know that a dog that has their own family will have much more off all of these and that's why we love it so much! If we feel that our numbers at home are getting too big, or we aren't able to give every dog the same amount of love and attention they deserve, we put our dogs out for guardian homes!

Our dogs are elegant, adorable, low shedding, and half the average size! As a guardian homeowner, you get to bring these perfect bundles into your family's story at a large discount, while still getting all of the incredible perks of raising, loving, and being loved by your own Miniature Golden Retriever! We will help out with the dog and work with you to create the easiest and most loving situation possible for you and your furry friend! We will be there to mentor and guide you through the process, and of course, love on your beautiful baby! 

 You'll receive a Happy Tails Mini Golden Retriever Puppy at a discounted price. Just like any dog owner, you'll provide a loving and caring home environment for your dog. This includes our incredible nutritional program, veterinary care, exercise, grooming, and socialization. We will visit every once in a while to ensure your puppy stays familiar with us and take them periodically for breeding purposes. This could involve health testing, breeding with selected males/females, vet checks, and whelping litters under our care and supervision. If you would be interested in making any other suggestions/deals with your girl or boy, we would love to negotiate with you!

A guardian home puppy is not an opportunity to have a discounted puppy and then be done. If you're looking for a cheaper dog without any strings attached, this probably wouldn't be the opportunity for you. We have certain guidelines each of our dogs and owners must match to ensure the safety, health, and happiness for all involved... if you're not open to following these guidelines, being a guardian home probably isn't for you. Being a guardian home ensures time and sacrifice (eg., if you are unwilling to care for a litter of pups from your female dog, then you would have to leave her with us during the six week period of her having puppies) so if you aren't willing to prioritize that/make that an important part of your and your dog's life, being a guardian home owner probably isn't for you. 

If you are interested in learning more about our process and if this might be a good fit for your family, please reach out. We are very selective of who adopt ALL of our dogs, but we are especially diligent with our Guardian Homes to ensure our puppies find their perfect family! 

Tessa is one of our homegrown girls, the daughter of Willow and Ranger! She’s been DNA-tested through Embark and came back with excellent results across a wide range of health traits. Her genetics are 71.5% Golden Retriever and 28.5% Cocker Spaniel—an ideal blend for creating the look and temperament we love in our miniature golden program.

Tessa is completely free of the IVDD gene, a common concern in smaller breeds, and she carries the merle gene, which doesn’t affect health but can influence coat and eye color in fascinating ways. This gives her the potential to produce puppies with striking blue, green, or hazel eyes. Genetically, she also has five red intensity genes and five white intensity genes, meaning she can be paired with a variety of studs and produce puppies in a wide range of beautiful colors.

She’s up to date on vaccines and deworming, has been cleared by our vet, and will be completing her OFA evaluations for hips, heart, and eyes in the coming months. We keep her thriving with a diet of PawTree kibble, which supports her strong body and happy and playful nature! 

Tessa is a bright, social girl who absolutely loves being part of the action. She’s playful and outgoing, always the first to bounce up for a game or to greet someone new with enthusiasm. There’s a confidence in the way she moves and interacts—never shy, always curious, and eager to explore whatever catches her interest.

She’s especially driven when she knows her people are happy—it's like she feeds off the joy around her and adds to it tenfold. Tessa is happy nearly all the time, with a tail that rarely stops wagging and a spirit that’s genuinely infectious. She adores chin scratches, chasing through the yard, splashing in the sprinklers, and giving as many face licks as she can get away with.

Tessa thrives on connection and fun. She plays beautifully with dogs and humans alike and has a natural way of making everyone feel like they’re her favorite. 

Tessa is very driven and eager to learn as much as you're willing to teach her... She loves learning new things, and knowing that what she did made you happy! She feels overly guilty if she's ever corrected or even told "no", but she has a great understanding and always checks her behavior! Tessa is completely potty and house trained. She knows not to go onto carpet, upstairs, or jump up on the counters/tables. She understands what "no" means to perfection--every time I give her a firm "no", she checks her behavior, registers what she did wrong, and fixes it immediately! Tessa LOVES sistering/mothering the puppies! I have to let her know that sometimes they're too small to play with, but the SECOND they are big enough, you can bet on zoomies and water fights every other hour, every single day until the pups go home! She just loves them so much! Adventurous yet affectionate, lighthearted yet full of energy—Tessa’s blend of personality makes her a joy to be around, and we know she would be a fantastic fit to any guardian family!

Tessa is a golden cocker retriever, a mix of golden retriever and cocker spaniel that combines the best of both breeds. She has the intelligence and smaller size of a cocker spaniel, along with the loyal, friendly nature and classic coat of a golden retriever.

Her coat is light gold with white streaks throughout, and she has the fluffy fur and feathering you’d expect from a golden. Tessa’s eyes are partially brown and partially blue, giving her a unique look, and they’re outlined with black pigment that makes them stand out. She also has a black nose, black paw pads, and soft, slightly crimped ears.

She’s a medium-sized dog—bigger than a toy golden retriever but smaller than a typical field-bred golden. At six months she weighs 23 lbs, and we expect her to be between 30-35 lbs full grown. With her pretty coloring, good structure, and easygoing temperament, Tessa is a great fit for any family looking to show her off!

Annie is one of our own, born from Willow and Ranger! She’s been thoroughly health-tested through Embark, covering a broad range of traits and conditions, and came through with great results. Her breed makeup is 77.2% Golden Retriever and 22.8% Cocker Spaniel. While she does carry one copy of the IVDD gene—a concern sometimes found in smaller breeds like poodles and spaniels—she also carries the TT gene for reduced shedding and has an impressive 7 out of 10 red intensity genes for that lovely coat... the most red of all our girls! Annie has been cleared by our vet, is up to date on all her vaccines and deworming, and we will be doing her OFA testing on her hips, eyes, and heart in a few months! She’s kept in peak shape with PawTree kibble, supporting both her physical condition and her sweet, balanced temperament.

Annie has one of the most well-rounded and charming personalities we’ve ever seen in a dog. She’s confident and independent, but also deeply loyal and affectionate with her people. She’s incredibly smart—picking up new tricks with ease—and loves the mental challenge of training just as much as she enjoys a good cuddle. Annie is completely potty and house trained. She knows not to go onto carpet, upstairs, or jump up on the counters/tables. She understands what "no" means to perfection--every time I give her a firm "no", she checks her behavior, registers what she did wrong, and fixes it immediately! She is great at teaching our puppies good manners and behavior, and has a very mature approach to teaching them the pack dynamic. Annie is playful and curious, always ready to explore the yard or join in on games with the other dogs. She also has an easy-going, happy nature and a snuggly side that loves belly rubs, napping in cozy, blanket-wrapped bundles, and watching movies at your feet.

Though she enjoys her freedom and has a bit of an adventurous streak, Annie is attentive and eager to please. She’s already mastered good manners around people and other dogs, and continues to impress us with her quick learning and reliable obedience. Whether she’s basking in the sunshine, lounging peacefully, or bounding around the yard with joyful energy, Annie brings light to everyone she meets. We’re confident her intelligence, warmth, and sweet, spirited temperament will make her the best companion dog!

Annie is a stunning golden cocker retriever—a unique blend of golden retriever and cocker spaniel that brings together the best of both breeds. From the cocker spaniel side, she inherits her cleverness, manageable size, and a silky, low-shedding coat. From the golden retriever, she gets that signature wavy fur, warm-hearted nature, and those expressive, soulful eyes that seem to understand everything.

Her eyes are a rich, chocolate brown, framed with a natural black lining that gives them extra depth. She has a shiny black nose and matching paw pads that contrast beautifully with her luxurious coat. Daisy’s fur is a beautiful mix of deep reds, rich golds, and a white patch on her chest—smooth, soft, and almost iridescent in the sunlight. Her coloring has an almost glowy quality to it, and she turns heads wherever she goes.

Size-wise, Annie falls in the sweet spot: bigger than a toy golden retriever, but a little more petite than the average field-style golden. At six months old, she weighed 27 lbs, and we expect her to be between 32 and 37 lbs fully grown. With her radiant coat, lovely structure, and winning temperament, Annie is a perfect fit for anyone and everyone!