04/19/2026
Hi, I’m Brooke Jenkins, the owner of Effingham Retrievers, located in Timmonsville, South Carolina. This isn’t just a business to me—this is my life, my story, and everything I’ve poured my heart into, sacrificed for, cried over, and built from the ground up over the years.
Effingham Retrievers started in 2018, but the reason behind it goes so much deeper than just wanting to breed dogs. It all began with my girl, Bella. When she was just 10 weeks old, she broke her femur. I remember sitting there being told I had three options: amputate it, put her down, or pay for a surgery I had no idea how I was going to afford. But one thing I did know—there was no way I was giving up on her. She deserved a full, happy life.
At the time, I was playing college softball, and I made one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I quit so I could work and do whatever it took to pay for her surgery. That moment changed me. It showed me just how deep my love runs for these dogs, and that I will always do whatever it takes for them.
After her surgery, my vet actually recommended that I breed Bella to help pay off the cost—especially because he had never seen her color before. She’s a beautiful Fox Red, and from that moment on, everything started to fall into place. But truthfully, I never even planned on becoming a breeder.
When Bella had her first litter, everything changed. All of her puppies were sold within three days of being born, and before I even had time to process it, people were already asking when I would breed her again. That’s when I realized this could be something more—but only if I did it the right way.
Bella is the foundation of Effingham Retrievers. She created this. She is the reason this program exists, and she’s even the dog in our logo. She’s a constant reminder of where I started and why I do what I do.
At the time I started, I was living in Effingham, South Carolina. That’s where the name came from. So many people knew me by that, and it just stuck—I never wanted to change it because it represents the beginning of everything.
Over the years, this has grown into more than I ever imagined. I got married in December of 2021, and in November of 2025, I was blessed with my daughter. Becoming a mom has been the most incredible feeling, but before I ever held her, my dogs were my babies—and they have been there for me through everything. They were there through every step of my pregnancy, through heartbreaks, and through one of the hardest losses of my life—losing my dad suddenly to a massive heart attack in 2024 at just 44 years old. They gave me comfort when I needed it most, and a kind of unconditional love that’s hard to put into words.
Alongside building this, I also earned my degree in Business Management. That helped me take what started as a passion and turn it into something structured, professional, and long-lasting. I don’t just love what I do—I take pride in running it the right way, with intention and responsibility behind every decision.
This year, I officially made Effingham Retrievers an LLC, which was such a big milestone for me. It was a reminder of how far I’ve come—from a girl just trying to save her puppy, to building something that has become my livelihood and something I’m truly proud of.
I have spent countless nights beside my dogs, especially when it comes time for them to have their puppies. There have been times where my mamas will not have their babies unless I’m right there with them. I’ve sat with them for hours, talking to them, comforting them, and helping them through it. I’ve midwifed more litters than I can count—helping bring puppies into the world, stepping in when needed, even performing CPR and doing everything I can to give them a chance at life. There are also moments that aren’t easy—losses that stay with me—but those moments only make me care that much more about doing everything right.
Since our original vet retired, we now work closely with Bishopville Animal Clinic to make sure all of our dogs and puppies receive proper care, vet checks, and everything they need before going to their new homes.
Every single dog here means something to me. They are not just dogs—they are family. I know their personalities, their quirks, their habits… I’ve spent sleepless nights with them, celebrated milestones with them, and poured my heart into raising them the right way. When I place a puppy, it’s not just a sale—it’s trusting someone else with something that means everything to me.
I care deeply about where my puppies go, how they’re raised, and the lives they live. That’s why we have an application process and take the time to truly get to know our families. It may feel a little lengthy, but it’s because I want to make sure every puppy is going somewhere they’ll be loved the same way they are here.
Our prices are what they are because of the time, care, and effort that goes into every single puppy—from the sleepless nights, to hands-on care, to making sure they are set up for the best life possible.
Our dogs are DNA health tested and cleared through Embark, giving us a deeper look into their genetics and helping us make informed breeding decisions. I also believe in being honest and transparent when it comes to health testing. I believe OFA serves a purpose, but it’s not the end all as some make it out to be. Studies show that the cause, form, and degree of hip dysplasia can vary. It can come from injury, gestation issues, nutrition, disease, genetics, or a combination of those. They haven’t isolated a single gene that causes it, so while OFA attempts to evaluate heredity, it’s still only looking at a phenotypic (physical) trait. In other words, it’s evaluating what the hips look like at that point in time—not the actual genetics behind it. You could have two dogs that carry something recessive and never show it themselves, but still pass it on. That’s why one test alone doesn’t tell the full story unless you’re also looking at multiple generations. Another thing is those X-rays are just taken in a single moment. It’s one snapshot in time. If the positioning is off, the photo isn’t taken correctly, or the person taking the X-ray doesn’t fully know how to properly position the dog, it can affect the results and lead to a poorer score than what’s actually there. You could have a dog that scores excellent and then later on have hip issues, or vice versa—have a poor score and later improve. So I don’t think it’s 100% accurate or should be the deciding factor. Really, all OFA tells you is that at the time of evaluation, the dog didn’t show enough laxity to be classified as dysplastic. It doesn’t guarantee anything long term. Our dogs’ hips and elbows have always been checked prior to breeding, they just were not previously sent off. However, due to the increasing question of “are they OFA certified,” we will be redoing our testing and submitting them moving forward. I do feel like over time, OFA has been used as more of a marketing tool by some breeders, registries, and clubs. A lot of the general public doesn’t fully understand what it does and doesn’t mean. Even with all of that said, in Labs especially, it’s something you almost have to do to stay competitive and meet expectations.
And once you get a puppy from Effingham Retrievers, you’re not just getting a dog—you become part of the Effingham Retriever family.
You’re getting a piece of everything I’ve worked for, stood by, and poured my heart into—and I don’t take that lightly, and I never will.
