Chrysus Spirit Goldens

08/21/2025

Before breeding Akari, I had her DNA tested through UC Davis to understand her genetics and make the best choices for her future litters. I recently attended a breeder education webinar that dove even deeper into how important genetic diversity is for the long-term health of Golden Retrievers.

Golden Retrievers are an incredible breed, but they face some real challenges today. Over time, “popular sire syndrome” and close breeding have reduced the gene pool. This has made health problems like cancer, allergies, and certain immune-related issues more common than we’d like to see.

The truth is, turning this around won’t happen overnight, it’s a years-long effort that requires careful planning across multiple generations. But every thoughtful breeding decision helps.

Right now, Akari’s outlook is very positive, she carries some less common genetics that are valuable for the breed, and by pairing her with carefully chosen sires, I can help balance her pedigree while still focusing on health and temperament.

I’m sure there will be judgment along the way, and I know mistakes will happen. But I’m eager to keep learning, and now that I’ve connected with other like-minded breeders, I’m excited to really dive into this journey. My goal is not only to bring healthy, happy puppies into loving homes today, but also to play a small part in protecting the Golden Retriever breed for the future.

Golden Retriever Club of America Code of Ethics: https://grca.org/thegrca/code/

UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab – Canine Genetic Diversity Testing: https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/canine-diversity

The Kennel Club (UK) on Genetic Diversity: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health-and-dog-care/

07/26/2025

Wonderful puppy updates from Hannah (brown girl)

"Hannah is doing amazing! She is so incredibly smart and is the absolute sweetest dog ever! She loves EVERYBODY! People, other dogs she loves them all! Lots of socializing with both people and other dogs. Aires is actually teaching a lot of positive behaviors and they play together all day and almost every day! Haha. My son drops him off before work. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. There's no doubt she's going to be our best dog ever"

07/14/2025

Who needs a red sports car when you have Akari, our very own "Ferrari," burning up the FastCAT course?! She brought all the speed and smiles last weekend. So proud of this speedy girl!

07/06/2025

Akari had some great FastCat runs today!! Proud of this girl ❤️❤️

06/30/2025

06/28/2025

Interesting read for sure! And absolutely something people need to think about.

“The rise in anxiety among American humans has been exhaustively documented,” Rose Horowitch wrote in 2024. “With much less fanfare, we also seem to have entered the age of the anxious canine.”⁠ https://theatln.tc/7OklVWaz
⁠
Many of America’s 85 veterinary behaviorists are booked months in advance. Several whom Horowitch spoke with said that the number of people seeking pet mental-health care has exploded in the past few years. But there is no consensus as to why. One theory is that dogs today are more anxious. More Americans are choosing to adopt pets, which saves lives but can leave traumatized pets with inexperienced owners. We’ve also altered the way pets live in ways that may make them anxious or aggressive toward people and other dogs. But it could also be that anxious adults are projecting their own issues onto their furry companions. What people classify as a behavioral issue reflects human expectations as much as a dog’s nature, according to a bioethicist. ⁠
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“So is the dog-anxiety crisis real, or is it a product of owners’ anxiety-riddled psyches? Dogs can’t tell us how they’re feeling, so we’ll probably never know,” Horowitch continues. “But both explanations are depressing. Either humans are stressing dogs out so much that they truly need prescription meds, or owners are putting their dogs on unnecessary psychoactive drugs to address annoying but normal dog habits. It might be time, in other words, to reevaluate the way we approach dog ownership. ⁠
⁠
“Many Americans don’t have the time, energy, or green space their pets need to thrive,” Horowitch continues. “If the choice is to medicate our dogs or to make them, and ourselves, miserable, pet ownership starts to seem ethically murky.”⁠

Read more here: https://theatln.tc/7OklVWaz
⁠
🎨: Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

06/21/2025

06/17/2025

05/28/2025

If you're not a GRCA member, now is the time to become one! There are lots of perks and exclusives: a subscription to Golden Retriever News, our Hot Topics email newsletter, access to our members-only databases, and more. To become a member, apply here: https://grca.org/about-grca/benefits-of-joining-heres-how/apply-for-membership/

If you're already a GRCA member, tell a friend! We are always looking to grow our community with people who are passionate about the breed.

03/24/2025

🌸🍓 Our Fruit & Flower Litter! 🍒🌺
Born March 16, 2025 | Red Golden Retrievers | CHIC Certified Parents

✨ Why This Litter is Special:
✔️ Champion-packed pedigree including BIS, BISS, Am/Can CH lines
✔️ Both parents are CHIC Certified and fully health tested
✔️ Raised using the Badass Breeder & Avidog curriculum
✔️ Incredible potential for family life, therapy/service work, or canine sports
✔️ Puppies will be vet-checked, vaccinated & go home with a 2-year genetic health guarantee

🐾 These puppies are expected to carry the calm, intelligent, and loving temperaments their parents are known for—with stunning dark golden coats and confident personalities already starting to shine.

📅 Go-home date: Mid-May 2025
🎉 Currently accepting applications — 2 female reservations already placed!

💌 Visit our website to learn more and apply: www.csgoldens.net
📸 Stay tuned for weekly puppy updates, photos, and videos!

03/22/2025

Supercharging Our Puppies with ENS & Early Scent Introduction! 🧠👃

We're taking extra steps to give our golden retriever puppies the best possible start in life with Avidog's Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI) programs! 🚀

What is ENS & ESI?

Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS): A series of five gentle exercises performed daily during the first two weeks of a puppy's life. These exercises stimulate the neurological system, leading to improved cardiovascular performance, stronger heartbeats, stronger adrenal glands, and greater resistance to stress.

Early Scent Introduction (ESI): Involves introducing puppies to a new scent daily from day 3 to day 16. This helps to develop their scent recognition abilities and can have a lasting impact on their future scent work.

Why We're Doing It

As responsible breeders, we're committed to producing well-adjusted, healthy, and confident dogs. ENS and ESI are proven methods that can give our puppies a significant advantage.

How We Do It
Following the Avidog program, we:
Introduce a new scent daily, such as herbs, fruits, and training items.
Gently handle each pup individually, allowing them to explore the scent.
Keep detailed records of each pup's reactions to track their development.

We're excited to see the positive impact of these programs on our puppies as they grow and develop. Stay tuned for more updates on their progress!

04/06/2024

Evergreen golden retriever club is aware of a 7 month old in the Spokane area needing to be rehoused.

"Finding a loving forever home for a wonderful 7-month-old female Golden Retriever, Piper. Due to unforeseen landlord issues, her current owners can no longer care for her and need to rehome her as soon as possible.

Piper is:
Good with kids and other pets
Potty trained and crate trained"

Message/email me if interested!