A Certificate of Conformation Assessment is a little different from a regular dog show. There are no class placements and no best of breed. Instead, each dog is evaluated individually against the Golden Retriever standard. The goal is to look at the whole dog and give owners a useful assessment from experienced evaluators. People had time to ask questions, listen, and learn. The evaluators were patient and generous with their comments, and the atmosphere stayed friendly and r

Every year, countless dogs find themselves in need of lifesaving blood transfusions due to accidents, surgeries, or illnesses like anemia and clotting disorders. Yet, many dog owners are unaware that, just like in human medicine, canine blood donation plays an important role in veterinary emergency care. For Golden Retriever owners, participating in a canine blood donor program can be a fulfilling way to contribute to dogs in need. Veterinary hospitals rely on a steady supply

On February 25, 2026, the Evergreen Golden Retriever Club welcomed Dr. Joshua Stern as our guest speaker for the general membership meeting. Dr. Stern serves on the OFA Board of Directors and is Associate Dean and Professor of Cardiology in Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. Although based on the East Coast, he joined us virtually late in the evening from North Carolina to present groundbreaking research that changes how we think about inherited heart dis

As most of us know now, a new genetic screen for Golden Retrievers is now available through the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory at NC State. It targets a variant associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). A disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick and the chambers fill less efficiently. The condition has been described for years in cats and it is reported in dogs as well, including our breed. One of the best things about this test is that it i