“I previously wrote a good review for our puppy Iris (formerly Oakley). She seemed like a happy puppy in the first month or so but things went bad yesterday. When we first got her we took her to our vet 5 days after her arrival as that was the first available date. They did a stool sample and it came back positive for Giardia DNA. We treated her with Panacur and didn’t see any symptoms. Well unfortunately it was either dormant or the bacteria from her poops prior to treatment stayed in our yard because yesterday she became suddenly and seriously ill. It started with wet runny stools every hour and by 5 pm she was going outside every 15 minutes. We went to medvet and it continued to worsen. She started to throw up and shake uncontrollably for hours. After extensive testing and supportive care (and a $1,700 bill) she tested positive for Giardia. This disease is notoriously common to reinfect your puppy over and over again. It was wrong to send puppies home without warning. I contacted the owners of the other females from her litter today and was told another had Giardia as well. To see a puppy in that kind of distress is something I hope no one reading this ever has to experience. I will never purchase another puppy from this website or breeder, and I recommend you don’t either.”
We’re very sorry to hear that Iris became ill and that you had such a stressful experience. Seeing a young puppy sick is upsetting, and we’re glad she received prompt veterinary care.
Breeders in our network maintain routine sanitation and parasite prevention for their litters and observe puppies daily for appetite, stool quality, and overall health. If a puppy shows symptoms of illness, it is treated promptly and does not go home until it is well.
In your review you mentioned that Iris was seen by your veterinarian five days after arriving home, was treated at that time, and appeared to be doing well for about a month before becoming ill. Situations like this can certainly be frustrating for families, but the timeline you described is consistent with how this parasite can behave.
If you have not already done so, we would encourage you to reach out directly to the breeder so they can be aware of Iris’s diagnosis and discuss the situation with you.
We truly hope Iris is feeling much better and wish her a full recovery!
Posted 1 month ago
We’re very sorry to hear that Iris became ill and that you had such a stressful experience. Seeing a young puppy sick is upsetting, and we’re glad she received prompt veterinary care.
The breeder was informed when Iris was first seen by the veterinarian shortly after going home, and communication during the first few weeks after pickup indicated that she was doing well.
In your review you mentioned that Iris was seen by your veterinarian about five days after arriving home and that she appeared healthy and playful at that time. You also noted that she seemed to be doing well for the first few weeks after going home before later becoming ill. Situations like this can certainly be frustrating for families, but the timeline you described is consistent with how this parasite can behave.
Breeders in our network maintain routine sanitation and parasite prevention for their litters and observe puppies daily for appetite, stool quality, and overall health. If a puppy shows symptoms of illness, it is treated promptly and does not go home until it is well.
We truly hope Iris is feeling much better and wish her a full recovery.
“The puppy we received was extremely aggressive and bites in a vicious manner (not puppy nipping). It has been a horrible experience. We have had 3 other golden retrievers and they never showed aggressive behaviors. They are supposed to be the most loving breed of dog but whatever the environment was for our puppy must have been terrible. Be very cautious with ordering a puppy from this site.”
Hi Kathleen,
We’re very sorry to hear about your concerns. Golden Retrievers are known for their gentle temperaments, and it’s unusual for one of our puppies to show aggression. As soon as you reached out, we followed up with you and spoke directly with your husband, who said he wanted to continue working with the puppy. We offered to connect you with our trainer, and he agreed — our trainer reached out right away but unfortunately never heard back.
We’re still happy to help if you’d like to move forward with training or guidance. Please feel free to contact us anytime — our goal is to see you and your puppy succeed together.
— Galen K. | General Manager
