Our Family Recipe for Home-Baked Goldens
First, we mixed an old-fashioned upbringing with an army-brat background. I (Clara) grew up in the mountains of Colorado. I loved animals, and as I grew up I was an active worker with my parents on our small farm where we raised Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Along with this experience in breeding, I enjoyed training my own dog, Gretel, who won Grand Champion in 4-H for obedience. Derek (my husband) has fewer animals in his background (pets aren't easy to move around the world to military installations), but his family's dog Princess lived for 15 years and has a permanent place in their family memories. Now, we are sharing the joys (and responsibilities!) of owning a dog with our own children.
Next, we added several doses of life experience. I began my professional career as a nurse in a Pediatric ICU while Derek finished seminary studies to become a pastor. We then spent six years in Wyoming, where Derek pastored a small church and served in the National Guard. I mostly stayed home as we started our family (now five boys!), but I was also able to work part-time for a while as a Behavioral Health Nurse. You can probably see the trend: we desire to serve and care for others, especially those who may be marginalized in society, and we want this new venture in dog breeding to be a part of that. The dogs we raise will make great pets, but they also have the bloodlines and breeding to make excellent service dogs. Wherever they go, we hope that they will be an encouragement and help to many!
Then came our key ingredient: a very special dog! We had talked from time to time about the possibility of owning and breeding a Golden Retriever, but the opportunity came suddenly. During a difficult season of life, we were surprised to find a beautiful puppy available for sale who was just the encouragement that we needed. Pie joined our home in the fall of 2019, and she has been a special part of our family ever since.
Finally, we found the right time and place to make a start on a new generation of Sweet as Pie Golden Retrievers. This past year we moved to Kansas City, where Derek continues to pastor and I continue to manage the home. God has provided us with a spacious house so that, even in the city, we are able to set up an excellent breeding environment for Pie. We hope that many others can be blessed by a Golden Retriever just as we have been. If you think a Golden may be the right thing for you, we hope that you will fill out our client questionnaire. And feel free to get in touch if you want to learn more about what we are doing!
God bless,
The Moore Family
