Met my first Golden Retriever many years ago, and I was hooked! From that moment on, I knew that one day I would have a Golden of my own.

We started our search through shelters and rescues. After a year of searching and disappointment, I decided to explore finding a reputable breeder.

The more I learned, the more important it became for my first Golden to have the healthiest possible start in life. I wanted to know the puppy’s parents, their health testing, and how the puppies were raised and socialized.

I was very selective about the health and quality of the puppy’s parents and the breeder’s puppy-raising program. Although I couldn’t find a breeder locally who met what I was looking for, I stayed patient. And then, yes… I found my girl!

Pictured here as “Pink Girl,” this beautiful puppy became our Daisy.

Daisy was the beginning of our journey with Golden Retrievers—and the reason we became so passionate about raising healthy, happy, well-socialized puppies.

THE JOURNEY TO DAISY

The rescue and shelter route was our first challenge. We quickly discovered some of the obstacles families can face when searching for a Golden Retriever through shelters and rescues. Sometimes we simply weren’t fast enough to respond to a new listing or get to the facility in time. Other times, there was little history available about the dog or puppy, making it difficult to know what we might be taking on. And, of course, there can be unexpected challenges when starting a new life with a dog who may have an unknown or difficult history.

After a year of searching, we decided to look for a breeder.

But we didn't just want any breeder.

We wanted to find someone who shared our commitment to the health and well-being of their dogs. At a minimum, we were looking for DNA testing and health testing for hips, elbows, heart, and eyes. That search took us far from home. We didn't find Daisy in Texas. We found her in Minnesota!

And while we were waiting for our puppy, something unexpected happened. We fell in love with the entire process of watching a litter grow.

I wanted to follow my puppy's journey from birth until the day she came home. Watching those tiny puppies reach their first milestones was priceless—their first steps, first taste of mush, first bath, and all the new experiences along the way.

That experience changed everything.

HOW A & J BEGAN

In 2017, we decided to begin our own breeding program.

Our goal was simple: to help families find their next family member while giving puppies the healthy, loving, and well-rounded start we had searched for ourselves.

But there is another important part of our story.

A & J — Who Are They?

A & J is a family business, but it began with Annette & Jonathan.

Jonathan is our adult son with special needs. He loves to work, and he wanted something that could truly be his own.

A & J Golden Retrievers became part of our way of helping create a path toward greater independence, purpose, and pride in the things Jonathan can do.

Jonathan is my puppy supervisor and go-getter!

He loves on the puppies, brings them water, food, and treats, and helps in so many ways. He also enjoys the responsibility of helping with our adult dogs and being part of the everyday work that goes into caring for them.

He has an important place here—not just as my son, but as a valued part of the A & J team.

This is the A & J way.

We believe raising Golden Retrievers can be about more than producing puppies. It's about family, purpose, responsibility, and creating opportunities for people and puppies to grow together.

That's why we intentionally take our puppies with us when we visit our community partners. These experiences give our puppies the opportunity to meet and interact with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities while experiencing new environments in a positive and loving way.

But there is another reason we do it.

Our puppies have an opportunity to bring something special to people who may not always have the opportunity to experience the unconditional love of a puppy.

Our puppies visit with special-needs young adults, veterans, and individuals in recovery. Our puppies are learning. They are learning new sights, sounds, smells, voices, and environments. They are learning to be confident, gentle, and comfortable around different people.

That is a big part of what makes A & J different.

Learn More About Jonathan

Jonathan has Koolen de Vries Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that is part of what makes his journey unique.

[ Learn more about Koolen de Vries Syndrome → ] : Click Here‍ ‍