FAQ
Please Read Through Our Frequently Asked Questions
Below, you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Iron Range Goldens. If you have any additional questions or are interested in inquiring about a puppy, please fill out an inquiry form under the "Contact" tab, send us a direct email, or message us on Facebook. We're happy to help!
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
We are located in a small town of Bovey, Minnesota.
WHAT IS EARLY NEUROLOGICAL STIMULATION?
Here is a great article on Early Neurological Stimulation, https://breedingbetterdogs.com/article/early-neurological-stimulation
WILL I BE ABLE TO WATCH MY PUPPY GROW?
Absolutely! We post weekly updates on our puppies so you can watch them grow and change each week. Join our Facebook page, Iron Range Goldens, where you can stay in touch with other families, share updated pictures even after they leave our home, and enjoy extra photos and videos as everyone follows their puppy’s journey!
WHERE ARE YOUR PUPPIES RAISED?
Iron Range Golden puppies are born and raised in our home! When they are four weeks old, they are moved from the whelping box into a larger playpen area. Our play areas have access for the puppies to start going outside where they can begin to explore their new world.
WHAT WILL MY PUPPY COME WITH?
Each puppy will go home with a special puppy basket, AKC Limited registration paperwork, a vet exam, their first set of shots, worming at 3, 5, and 7 weeks, and a health guarantee!
CAN WE COME SEE THE PUPPIES AND YOUR PLACE?
We’re excited to welcome families to pick out their puppies in person once they’re around 6 weeks old! Puppy selection is done in the order deposits are received. At that time, we’ll set up a visit for you to meet all the puppies, and we’ll be there to help guide you in choosing the perfect match for your family and lifestyle.
*We want to be open and transparent that, due to the volume of requests, we can only accommodate visits from families who have placed a deposit. These families have already filled out the inquiry form, signed the health guarantee, made their deposit, and had conversations with us during the first 6 weeks of the puppies' lives. Limiting visits helps keep our puppies safe. Thank you so much for your understanding!
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DO YOU REQUIRE A DEPOSIT?
Before placing a deposit, the puppy contract/health guarantee must be signed, and an inquiry form must be completed. We require a non-refundable deposit of $800 to hold a puppy for you. The remaining balance of $1,700 plus $196.88 in taxes will be due during the 6-week picking selection, and puppies will go home at 8 weeks.
Deposits are accepted via cash, check, Venmo, or PayPal.
*Please be sure to contact us before sending a deposit.
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In the case a pregnancy did not take or there are not enough puppies of your chosen gender you will have three options to choose from.
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Full deposit returned
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Choice of the opposite gender
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Move your deposit to another litter
We accept 4 male and 4 female deposits for a litter. Puppies are reserved in the order of which we receive the deposits.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUND ANY DEPOSIT!
Iron Range Goldens reserves the right to refund a deposit if we believe that placing a puppy in a particular home is not in the best interest of the puppy. We are committed to ensuring our puppies go to good homes where they will be well cared for and loved.
WHEN CAN I BRING MY PUPPY HOME?
Puppies are ready to go home at 8 weeks. Puppies Must be picked up between 8 and 9 weeks of age, unless prior arrangements have been made. We can hold your puppy for an additional week (week 9 to 10) at a fee of $15 a day. If the puppy requires vaccinations during the stay, that will be a separate fee. If your puppy has not been picked up by 10 weeks, we reserve the right to put your puppy back up as available and you will forfeit your deposit.
HOW MUCH DO YOUR PUPPIES COST?
Our puppies are $2,500 plus tax for pet homes with limited AKC registration, bringing the total to $2,696.88 for 2025. A nonrefundable deposit of $800 is required, with the remaining balance of $1,700 plus applicable taxes due at the 6-week selection. The total due at selection is $1,896.88 ($1,700 balance + $196.88 tax). Puppies will be ready to go home at 8 weeks.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIMITED AND FULL REGISTRATION?
Limited Registration means that the dog is registered but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. A dog registered with an AKC Limited Registration shall be ineligible to be entered in a breed competition in a licensed or member dog show. It is eligible, however, to be entered in any other licensed or member event. These events include: Obedience, Tracking, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Herding, Lure Coursing, Agility and Earthdog.
Full registration is for those who are looking to actively show their dog, or would like to breed.
DO YOU OFFER FULL REGISTRATION?
No, our puppies are sold to pet homes on limited registration only.
HOW DOES THE PUPPY SELECTION PROCESS WORK?
Puppies are selected in order of deposits received. Puppy selection can be difficult at an early age, so we wait until pups are around 6 weeks old to begin the selection process. This gives the puppies some time to develop physically and emotionally. Every puppy is designated a color from birth so that we can observe and note the personalities of each puppy as they grow to make sure they’re a great match for your family!
DO YOU OFFER SHIPPING?
No shipping available at this time!
*We can arrange to meet at the airport for families flying in.
Yes, take note we will only ship to a major airport!
We charge an additional 500 for shipping. Which includes;
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A health exam and certificate provided by our vet for air travel
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An airline approved travel crate
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A Food and Water Dish
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The flight made to travel during a safe temperature
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Delivery to the airport
WHAT HEALTH CLEARANCES DO YOUR DOGS HAVE?
Iron Range Goldens have OFA testing and are tested for Progressive Retinal Atrophy or PRA-prcd, Golden Retriever PRA GR-PRA1 & GR-PRA2, Muscular Dystrophy, Degenerative Myelopathy, Ichthyosis and Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis.
A previous OFA veterinary journal publication* compared the reliability of the preliminary evaluation hip grade phenotype with the 2 year old evaluation in dogs and there was 100% reliability for a preliminary grade of excellent being normal at 2 years of age (excellent, good, or fair). There was 97.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of good being normal at 2 years of age, and 76.9% reliability for a preliminary grade of fair being normal at 2 years of age. Reliability of preliminary evaluations increased as age at the time of preliminary evaluation increased, regardless of whether dogs received a preliminary evaluation of normal hip conformation or HD. For normal hip conformations, the reliability was 89.6% at 3-6 months, 93.8% at 7-12 months, and 95.2% at 13-18 months. These results suggest that preliminary evaluations of hip joint status in dogs are generally reliable.
*Please Note
OFA is a great tool we use to make our breeding decisions. However, we want to make it clear that it is not possible to produce 100 % perfectly healthy dogs. A dog is a living creature, not a product on a shelf. Again, it is very important to understand there are no perfect dogs! There is a misconception that if the parents are tested, all the puppies will be completely healthy for life. Golden retrievers are prone to a wide variety of health issues. Everything from eye, heart, hip and elbow problems to allergies, hot spots, skin issues, immune mediated diseases, hypothyroidism, epilepsy and cancer. Cancer is the main cause of death of golden retrievers. Every breed of dog has their own set of health issues. Most health screenings tell us only what a dog’s health is at one period in time. For example, the orthopedic foundation of animals was founded in 1966. After 55 years of Breeders using selective breeding, hip and elbow dysplasia still remain one of the top issues of dogs. Do not be misled when a breeder tells you the parents are tested so your puppy will never have any of those issues. “Pay more up front, so you don’t spend more in medical bills later,” they say. The truth is dogs with excellent hips can produce puppies with dysplastic hips and vice versa. The same goes for heart and eyes. The health screenings are not perfect but they do allow us to stack the deck in our favor. You have a better percentage chance at a healthier puppy out of health tested lines going back multiple generations but I cannot stress enough, it doesn’t mean you will never run into health problems during your dog’s life.
We find Genetic testing is very important and offers more potential! For golden retrievers these include; Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL), Ichthyosis (ICH), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRCD, PRA1 and PRA2), Muscular Dystrophy (MD), and Degenerative Myelopathy (DM). These are autosomal recessive genetic mutations. A puppy or dog must inherit a copy of the mutation from each parent in order to be affected. Genetic testing allows us detect asymptomatic carriers and affected dogs prior to breeding to avoid producing affected offspring. At this time, genetic testing has a limited number of tests available. Our hope with the different genetic laboratories and the foundations continuous research that more advanced reliable health screenings and more genetic tests become available in the years to come.
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HOW MANY LITTERS DO YOU HAVE A YEAR? DO YOU EVER HAVE MORE THAN 1 LITTER AT A TIME.
We typically have 2 to 5 litters each year. It’s not uncommon for them to overlap, as the females in the same home often come into season around the same time!