If you are searching for Golden Retriever puppies for sale near me or Labrador Retriever puppies for sale near me you’ve come to the right place! Between our family and Luke’s parents we have been breeding Labs & Goldens for over 30 years, and we are passionate about improving the Labrador & Golden Retriever breeds. We love the classic English look; the broad head, otter tail, and lush coat, but more importantly we breed for good-tempered, healthy Retrievers!
We love the classic English look; the broad head, otter tail, and lush coat, but more importantly we breed for good-tempered, healthy Retrievers!
- Health Tested Parents
- 2 Year Genetic Health Guarantee
- Puppies raised with a Curriculum
We are so grateful to have found Kelsey and Luke at Rock Haven Retrievers who brought us to our sweetest new four-legged family member, Tilly! As first time dog owners we were very cautious of finding an honest and responsible breeder. From our first conversation with Kelsey, we could sense her integrity, kindness and love for these puppies. Both Luke and Kelsey were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. From the moment we brought Tilly home, she was already a lover of everyone and everything, clearly coming from a happy and healthy home. Tilly is growing into the sweetest and most beautiful yellow labrador and we thank Rock Haven Retrievers for bringing her into our lives!
We are committed to raising our puppies with integrity and with a focus on improving the wonderful Labrador and Golden Retriever Breeds.
Temperament and health are top priorities for us. Each of our dogs is either OFA certified, preliminary tested, or PennHip tested before they join our program. We also DNA test each dog through Embark. This is essential to avoid any preventable diseases or health issues. We want to set each puppy and their owner up for a lifetime of success, so rigorous health testing is a must!
We also carefully consider the temperament and strengths and weaknesses (each dog has them, just like us!) of each dog before we choose to breed. SO many things go into breeding, but we have found that good-tempered dogs are essential because it is very difficult to train or adjust temperament in a puppy, that is why we have carefully selected our Labrador and Golden Retriever dogs from incredible pedigrees all over the United States. We have traveled to Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, and more to bring our sweet dogs home to us here in Kirkwood, Pennsylvania.
While we do our very best to test all of our dogs and keep health at the forefront of our mission, we also know how fundamental the first eight weeks of each puppy’s life is! This is why each puppy goes through Early Neurological Stimulation from 3 days old to 16 days old. What is Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)? ENS is a set of positions and activities that introduce a small amount of stress to a puppy at a young age so they learn to become resilient and adaptable dogs. Studies have shown this to be very beneficial, and we get to enjoy the extra puppy time at this tender stage. Along with ENS we also use Early Scent Introduction (ESI) to kickstart their learning and to introduce them to new smells at an early age. A puppy’s super power is in their sense of smell, so we want to take full advantage of that and encourage them to use it to explore the world. This is also important for any dog who will grow up to do scent work.
As the puppies grow we introduce new sights, sounds, and environments. It’s time to get used to the sound of vacuums, fireworks, and doorbells!
We use these early weeks to slowly introduce sounds that might be triggering so they can grow up knowing these sounds are normal and nothing to fear or react to. With puppies slow is fast, so we are intentional to introduce new things in a careful and intentional way that will encourage their confidence. Puppies between 4-8 weeks old are primed for adventure, so they get to explore new toys as well as things that they will encounter in their everyday lives – a crate, cardboard, water bottles, etc. Our children play an essential role at this time as well as they LOVE getting to spend time with the puppies. The first 8 weeks is a critical point for a puppy, so we do our best to steward it and set each puppy up for success with their new family.
Because puppies are born with no immunity and with sealed ears and eyes, the first 4 weeks we’re dedicated to keeping a very clean, controlled environment, but as they grow it is time for them to start encountering new things! They get their first bath around 5 weeks old, as well as their nails trimmed. Nail trimmings will become a regular occurrence and a normal part of their lives. They will also get to spend time outside in nice weather, explore the grass and all the new smells that come along with it.
Before they go home each puppy goes to our vet for a nose to tail evaluation, which means they also get their first real car ride. These exposures are fundamental to their growth, and early, regular exposure helps our puppies become adaptable and resilient adults.
Everyone who gets a puppy from us becomes part of our Rock Haven family, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
We are so thankful for all the amazing people we have met in this journey and it truly is the reason why we are passionate about providing wonderful family dogs to our amazing RH families.
Kelsey has been amazing since our first interaction! They are so caring and knowledgeable about the breed/process and absolutely love their pups. It means a lot to see a family so dedicated to their litters and new families that will be taking home puppies. If we ever wanted to expand our pack, we would not hesitate to contact Kelsey!
What a wonderful experience with Rock Haven Retrievers! Our Chloe is an absolutely beautiful lab puppy that we picked up in November from Kelsey and Luke.The quality of their English yellow lab is fantastic. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful Kelsey was throughout the process from my first communication with her to getting Chloe. Kelsey is so caring and professional … she was there anytime I reached out with a question … I knew this was going to be the place to get our lab. Not enough words to describe just how awesome it was to work with Rock Haven and, especially, to meet this beautiful family. Without a doubt, Rock Haven Retrievers is exceptional!
Contact us today to learn more about our family and our available puppies!
