The story of Big Lake Goldens

Since 2015, I had always bred American Goldens. They have a beautiful blonde feathery coat and with the correct breeding processes in place, a breeder could potentially create exceptional show dogs. A big drawback though, is that the American Goldens  SHED… EVERYWHERE!

In early 2017, after quite a bit of research, I acquired a male Field Golden named Jax. Through my research, I learned that Field Goldens are leaner, have a darker and shorter coat (fewer feathers), longer and thinner muzzle, a less full tail, and are much more athletic than their counterparts. They do not possess the goofy lapdog mentality you will often find in a Show Golden, but their love and loyalty remain unmatched. They are working dogs and excellent hunters. They are extremely bright with an exceptional problem-solving acumen.

At first sight, I was immediately attracted to the darker coats and the athletic build of the Field Golden.  Another fantastic attribute of the Field Golden that I discovered from Jax is that they shed significantly less than the Show Goldens. This breed (and this boy) captured my heart, and it was then I made up my mind to try to introduce this line of puppies to the hearts of the people who wanted them.

Putting the plan into action…

Throughout 2018, I scoured the region for Golden Retriever puppies and young adults. Every time I heard of a new litter of puppies, I was inquiring. Once I found the right litter, I researched the parents to see if they matched what I was looking for.  After investigating what seemed like dozens of litters and following leads about available younger females, I added 4 new girls in 2018. I traveled to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama, and spared no expense to get them. In June, 2018, I purchased a home on a few acres in Downsville, La. This gave me the ability to expand my Golden Retriever facilities to meet the expected demand for the kennel’s exceptional puppies. We were immediately successful and demand continued to increase.

In late 2020, we recognized that we’ve outgrown our home in Downsville, LA., so we began our search for a bigger home with enough acreage for the dogs to run and play. We were able to purchase a home with a little over 7 acres in the nearby town of Farmerville, LA. The best part was the existing 20’x30′ steel building on a slab at the property. This building would soon serve as a whelping area where we will welcome new puppies into the world.

2021-present, A New Chapter: Charting an alternate course…

After acquiring the new property in 2021, we felt we were ready to expand further. At the same time, we understood that our original Goldens from 2017 and 2018 (Jax, Zoey, Riley, Dixie, and Ginger) would be starting their progression into retirement. This meant, that in order to replace our original females, we would be raising a considerable number of puppies in a very short time. It also meant we could pivot slightly on the direction of Big Lake Goldens.

From 2017-2020, we often received requests for traditional Goldens with blockier heads. To facilitate this demand, we added Gunner in late 2020. Gunner is now a 90 pound male with a blocky head and dark red coat. Abby was also added in late 2020 to be paired with Gunner. Abby has the darkest coat of any of my females, and is a traditional Field Golden with a thin athletic build, carrying a weight of 60 pounds. Abby’s maternal great-grandfather is Jax’s father!

In 2022 we began laying the groundwork to add a new generation on the Big Lake Goldens ranch. With Jax soon retiring, we decided to add a second male, Fonzie (born in Arkansas, September, 2022). Fonzie was born from parents with mahogany-red coats. We also added a third male, Max (Born in South Louisiana in March, 2023). From 2023 – 2024, we added offspring (females) from some of our existing dogs:

Laverne (from Gunner and Abby)

Shirley (from Jax and Zoey)

Pinky (from Gunner and Abby)

Joanie (from Gunner and Abby)

Pumpkin (from Jax and Dixie)

Pearl (from Jax and Dixie)

Luna (from Jax and Pinky)

 

Maverick, the next generation…

In late 2023, I bred Jax and Abby together. I held back a boy from this Feb, 2024 litter, and did this mainly to continue continue Jax’s lineage. His name is Maverick, or Mav for short. Right now, he’s enjoying puppy life and learning the ways of the ranch. In October, 2024 I traveled to Oklahoma to get a deep red female that will be Maverick’s forever GF. Her name is Penny Benjamin (yes, just like in Top Gun). You can see pictures of both of them on their respective pages in this site. More to come with this latest development.

We are hoping these additions will allow us to keep up with the increased demand for our puppies. Big Lake Golden Retrievers is now well on it’s way to provide you with the best breed of Golden Retriever you’ll find anywhere in the region. So far, my pack is healthy, happy, and loving. My heart is full. I appreciate your support. Stay tuned for puppy updates!

 

-Jim (and Jax)