Desntom Golden Retrievers

The only thing better than a Golden sunset is a Golden Retriever

ABOUT

Hello and thankyou for taking the time to drop by our site.
My name is Shirley and my Husband is Charlie.
We have been breeding for around 5 years so not as long as many breeders, but we have enjoyed every minute of it.
We are both passionate about golden retrievers and breeding this wondeful family breed of dog to a high standard.

We always do our best to ensure the puppies are stimulated and loved by us as much as we can until they go to their forever homes, Basically they want for nothig while they are here with us.
We have had the opportunity to meet some lovely people along the way and have made firm friends with them all , from stud owners to fellow breeders and of course the lovely owners of all our pups so far.
Here at Desntom we try to give as much information as we can and we are always open and honest and appreciate the same back. No question is silly and there are no hidden agendas.

If you have a puppy from us you are then one of our Desntom family.

We welcomed our new Goldie called Autumn. in 2022
Autumn was born in February 2022 she has been raised as our family pet alongside our other Goldie Leya.
Autumn has had all the necessary health checks carried out and has been accepted by BVA and Kennel Club as fit for breeding and subsequenlty She had her first litter in 2024.

Autumn is raw fed and will continue to be raised on raw which means she gets a varied diet that is beneficial to healthy bones skin and coat.
Autumn loves the water clean and dirty, she's not fussy about that, she is an excellent swimmer, ball catcher and stick finder usually from other dogs!!
Autumn has achieved her Silver Good Citizen award through Kennel Club
Extremely friendly and loves to paly with other dogs of all sizes.

This is Leya our beautiful 9 year old cream golden retriever. She is a Happy friendly Dog with a fantastic personality . In March 2020 she produced her first litter of two boys.
Then in August 2021 she had her second litter of 1 boy and 5 girls ,
You will see more about this under our puppy page.
This was leyas final litter, we feel she has done her bit to add to the golden retriever breed and producd 8 beautiful pups all fit and healthy, she has now entered into retirement.
In February 2022 we welcomed our second Goldie into the family of Desntom we called her Autumn.
Leya has welcomed Autumn into the family home and they have become best friends. The girls are not Blood line related but we call them honorable sisters.
They are extremely close, so much so that when Autumn had puppies of her own the bond between the girls shone through, this became even more apparent as Leya was on hand as dotting Auntie to assit Autumn with washing and playing.

Puppies

puppies planned for late summer /early Autumn 2025

If you have ever looked into the eyes of a golden retriever, you might have noticed how much love radiates off this breed. They have long been one of the most popular dogs in the UK and the USA. They are known to be highly affectionate, friendly, and even kid-friendly, but that's not all. Golden retrievers were bred to be soft-mouthed, meaning they would bring back the game without damaging it in any way. This is a trait that's continued throughout the years. meaning its highly unusual for Goldies to show any kind of aggressive behavior. Being so easy to train and highly loyal is just an added benefit.

Breeding is a rewarding experience for those of us who choose to do it. It must not be taken lightly when breeding is considered, it takes dedication, and time and can be costly to the breeder for many reasons and not only financially.

It can be heartbreaking, it can be soul-destroying and it can be exhausting but on top of that it can be amazing, exciting, and enriching.

When breeding is undertaken it's a huge commitment and can be a very expensive time for the breeder. However, if a breeder is breeding her bitch to make money it is for the wrong reason, no matter what breed of dog you have, choosing to breed should be done for the right reason for the good of the breed and temperament of the dogs - not too make a quick profit in 9 weeks.

Of course it nice to make a small profit for your hard work and dedication but not to line your pockets with gold.

Geographically prices will vary but not hugely. Health tests should be done in line with Kennel Club requirements but prices should still not be extortionate.

When looking for your puppy look at last years prices as a guide a small increase to allow for vet increases, chipping and Kennel Club charges increasing but overall we breed for the love of the dogs. If your looking for a puppy and are unsure on the price range there are lots of forums for all breeds and people will always guide you to the right price bracket for your chosen breed .

Always, Always - I can not stress enough - make sure you see mum and pups together interacting, playing and feeding if possible to ensure it is the mum and not just a random bitch put in with the pups, the bond will be obvious.

Ask the questions you want to ask in person. Don’t be afraid to ask the breeder anything as a good breeder will happily answer your questions. After all as a breeder I will be asking my prospective puppy owners lots of questions, so ask in return, genuine breeders are happy to oblige and there are no questions off limit on either part or certainly shouldn’t be.

Never pay a deposit until you have visited the litter and are completely happy and confident that it’s right and you feel comfortable with the breeder. Most breeders will ask for 20% deposit of the full price and the balance paid in cleared funds 48 hours before collection of puppy. You should have a receipt for the deposit stating when balance is due.

As keen as you may be to have a beautiful puppy in your home make sure it’s the right type of dog, the right breeder, a genuine breeder, not a greedy breeder, check the prices in your area as an average !!

Paying a high price for your puppy could result in them becoming unobtainable.

We aim to always search for the right stud dog for our girl to ensure the puppies are the best they can be. Our Puppies live as part of our family with mum. As we are breeding for family dogs, temperament is one of the most important things when looking for the right stud to compliment our girl. Puppies are well socialised, use to noises of all types as well as people of all ages. Our Grandchildren play a big part in socialising our puppies, experiences, learning new skills, and enjoying play with a variety of sounds and textures. . They have a play area inside the house as well as in the garden with a full range of toys to experiment with. They are introduced to many sounds to ensure they are prepared as much as possible, to loud noises such as fireworks, cars, lorries, thunderstorms and hoovers etc. When they leave their mum they will all be fully weaned, micro-chipped, health checked and wormed, we run through the vaccination protocol and procedure when you come to choose your puppy. All our Puppies come with endorsements registered against them for their health and well being. Details of the endorsemnets will be discussed pior to collection of your puppy which will be clearly laid out in the contract of sale. Of course if you are lucky enough to be chosen to have one of our puppies, we will provide an initial bag of food for your puppy to take home as well as a information book and pictures of your puppys journey so far. Then the decision on feeding is entirely yours, its personal choice and one that we suggest you make to suit you and your puppy. By the time you take home your puppy, they will be on the road to being fully house trained and well socialised to ensure they are of a good temperament. All our puppies will go to their new home with their very own folder containing all important information and photographs of some of their daily activities., from the day they are born to the day they leave their mum. We like to develop a relationship with all the owners of the puppies we breed and arrange yearly meet ups for a walk at a mutual place.

In March 2020 we welcomed two beautiful boys from our first litter with Leya. A small litter, but beautiful healthy pups and stunning colours.
In August 2021 Leya produced six beautiful puppies, leya is now in retirement as we believe here at Desntom that two litters is enough for a Bitch and at 6 years old we feel that is a good age to end her breeding days.

In 2022 we introduced a new puppy to the Desntom family, we called her Autumn.
Autumn is now 3 years old and early 2024 we welcomed her first litter.
We hope to breed from her again in the late spring early summer 2025 . She is now having deserving rest from breeding .We at Desntom never breed back to back, and believe in a rest bite time.

As first time owners of a puppy, we could not have wished for better breeders than Shirley and Charlie. From the start they have given us daily updates &guided us through. Apollo has fitted into our family so well, this is partly due to the professional and loving home he has come from. Anyone wishing to have a puppy we strongly recommend Shirley and Charlie who will give you all the help and support you need.
Sue and Tim: West Sussex

Shirley was a brilliant communicator throughout the breeding process. Despite being in lock down, she allowed us to see every stage of our puppy's development before he came home. We got to meet mum before the puppies were born, and we were able to see the home he was being born into. Once the puppies were born we were sent regular updates by video, so we could see how the new family were doing. She ensured that Woody had all the initial puppy care he needed and surrounded him in a loving home environment in his first few weeks. Since coming home, we have continued to share information with Shirley, who seems really interested in how our boy is doing.
Karen and Stephen: West Sussex

We were fortunate and very honoured to be selected for a puppy from lovely Leyas Olympic litter born in August 2021. We honestly have hit the breeder jackpot. Whilst my husband & I have experience of dogs, as newlyweds this is our first experience of our own puppy. The most important thing about desntom is that they are not puppy breeders, they are a family and I hope like us you will have to honour of being part of it one day. We received constant communication and information from Shirely & Charlie even prior to Leyas planned mating. Throughout the process, Shirely was always at the end of the phone/WhatsApp/email for all our (sometimes silly) questions and enquiries. As soon as the Olympic litter were born, all the lucky families were added into a WhatsApp group whereby we could all get to know each other and of course, receive daily pupdates and videos! Shirely and Charlie poured their heart and sole into the litter, they had the very best start and upbringing in a loving, safe and secure home. Evidences by the fact that we picked up eight week old Albert who is fully house trained, sleeping through the night I’m not having any accidents / using puppy pads! We have a lovely, healthy, calm, sweet, confident puppy, further testament to how brilliant Shirely and Charlie as breeders. I must warn you, please do not enquire with desntom if you ‘just want a puppy’. Desntom are a family and I’m honoured to tell you that Shirely and Charlie our no longer our breeders but friends too. It is a pleasure to continue to speak to all the desntom puppy parents, Shirely and Charlie everyday to share hints, tips, questions and love and laughter. Thankyou Shirely and Charlie for continuing to love, support and take an interest in Albert just as much as we do x
Laura and Gary: HAMPSHIRE

Shirley and Charlie have been incredible throughout the whole process. As first time puppy owners they have kept great communication with us since we first made contact and with daily updates since the puppies were born. Any questions we have had they have been more than happy to advise and help! We got to meet Shirley, Charlie and Leya in person before the puppies were born and they have the have taken time to get to know us on a personal level. We couldn’t of asked for better breeders and are excited to be a part of the desntom family for future puppy meet ups and giving updates on how Darcey is progressing and watching the her siblings grow. WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE 10 ⭐️'S
Felicja and Jack: Hampshire

I was lucky to meet with Shirley, Charlie, Leya & Autumn in March 2024. I was subsequently very pleased and honoured to be chosen for one of Autumn's puppies. Shirley has been the best at communicating especially once the puppies arrived with daily photos/videos of all their antics. Shirley and Charlie are one of the best breeders I have ever come across. They breed for the love of the puppies, and this certainly shines through. When I brought my little girl home, she was almost toilet trained, walking well on a lead and very confident with the outside environment. I can not thank them enough for all they did for the litter. We started off as strangers but are now hopefully firm friends. If anyone is looking for a golden retriever I would wholeheartedly recommend DESNTOM and Shirley and Charlie as breeders - they deserve all the accolades and recommendations they receive. Liz, Oxfordshire ❤️
liz: puppy owner

We were lucky enough to be chosen to have a puppy from Autumn’s first litter. As first time puppy owners, we couldn’t have chosen better breeders than Shirley and Charlie. From when the puppies were first born, we had a lovely group chat with all the puppies’ chosen families to receive daily pupdates and videos so we could be part of seeing them grow and develop their individual personalities. Shirley and Charlie put their heart and soul into ensuring all their pups have the best start in life. They provide a loving home environment and a wonderful and enriching first few weeks of their lives for them to grow into healthy and confident dogs. Shirley has been an incredible source of support and guidance for any questions we’ve had, always at the end of the phone. Having the support and advice of the other puppy owners from previous litters to ask questions and share tips has also been invaluable and it’s a pleasure to give updates on Toby’s progress and see his siblings grow. We feel so honoured to be a part of the Desntom family. Gemma and Ben, West Sussex
Gemma And Ben: puppy owner

Willow is now 10 months old. She is a fun-loving, affectionate puppy with a real zest for life. Being part of the DESNTOM family is a wonderful experience. The support from the other owners and the breeders is second to none. The group is always on hand with help, advice, and support should you require it. I can thoroughly recommend a DESNTOM puppy
LIZ from Oxford

We are Registered with Champdogs and Kennel club and have our own exclusive kennel name of 'DESNTOM'. Known as your 'breeder signature', a kennel name will set your puppies aside from those of anyone else

WORMING AND FLEA TREATMENT

We are very pro natural, so after much research and reading we would like to explain our views and beliefs regarding tick, flea and worming treatment, as well as our feelings and understandings surrounding vaccination.

Based on much research over the years we feel putting unnecessary chemicals in to our dogs cannot be good for them. Although not proven, we think it has got a lot to do with the increase of cancer in dogs, that has brought our beloved breeds average length of lifetime, from 12 years down to 10 years in the last 5 years.
Having spoken to a lot of professionals in this field and although we are still learning all the time, we came to the decision 4 years ago to leave out all chemicals where possible in our dogs. So we changed Worming and flea treatment to all natural products. We worm count and only treat if there is anything present to treat.

VACCINATIONS

Recommendation of the CHC (Canine Health Concern) is to only vaccinate at 12-14 weeks.
There seems to be much confusion about vaccination, immunisation and antibodies.
To explain about this, here is an explanation of why we chose to follow these recommendations.

Vaccination is the method of delivery of the disease antigens into the dog. Immunity is hopefully the result of vaccination, but not necessarily so. If vaccines are given too young the vaccination is stopped by the puppies remaining MDA (Maternally Derived Antibodies).
MDA is passed to the puppies via colostrum suckled from the bitch in the first 36 hours of life, which can be present in the puppies for up to 20 weeks, although 14 - 16 weeks is more common.
The usual vaccination protocol of 8 & 10 weeks, or 10 & 12 weeks falls within the range of MDA, so although most puppies are vaccinated at this age, many are not immune.
A dog, as with all mammals have two immune defence systems, - the humoral immune system, which circulates antibodies, and the cell mediated immune system, that remembers the disease and can signal the humoral immune to circulate antibodies, when a disease threat is encountered.

When blood is drawn for a titre test, it is tested for the level of antibody for each of the three diseases covered by the core vaccine, Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus.
The level of Antibodies will vary, depending on recent exposure to the disease virus, but the level of immunity remains constant. Titre testing does NOT test the level of immunity, just the level of circulating antibodies present at the time of testing, which is why it can vary greatly from test to test.
The method of vaccination that i follow is to wait until the puppy is at least 14 weeks of age and then have one single shot of DHP.

We Minimise use of chemicals and believe that one initial vaccine at 12-14 weeks is sufficient, we do not give a booster . At three years of age we titre test which advises us of the level of immunity the dog has and therefore only vaccinate if required not as a routine procedure..
I would never use any form of Leptospirosis vaccine - the risk of adverse reactions is far greater than the minimal level of protection that the vaccine may offer. Bacterin vaccines, which Leptospirosis is, are ineffective and short-lived.